Changing MP3 Track Names in iTunes 11 for Exporting to CD

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Changing MP3 Track Names in iTunes 11 for Exporting to CD

I'm trying to export my playlists from iTunes 11 to an MP3 CD/SD Card to play in my car. When I export the songs/play lists the, iTunes names the file names as the track number and song name (i.e. "01 song name.mp3", "02 another song name.mp3"); which makes it difficult to search for a song while driving.

Ideally, I would like to export the MP3 files as <Artist Name> - <Album Name> - <Song Name>, but will compromise if there are limitations

I tried downloading another software but then it changed all the album names around when it imported the album names and still exported the same way previously, which I'm trying to avoid doing again.

Is there a way to do a mass change retroactively using iTunes for my entire library? I've been seeing posts about changing the default naming structure when importing a new files to the iTunes library, but not in this situation.

MacBook v. 10.6.8

Using iTunes v.11

Posted on Jul 13, 2014 11:48 AM

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Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

411,193 points

Jul 13, 2014 3:43 PM in response to Jignasu

iTunes: How to set the play order of songs on an MP3 CD - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2455

If the above does not help I know ways you can 100% do it but it is complex.

Unless you want to take a vacation and spend your time learning the details of how iTunes works I do not recommend trying to get iTunes to change how it names files. It is possible but it isn't easy and one penalty is you end up taking responsibility for all your media organization and figuring out how to get things moved between drives in future without everything getting lost.

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Answer 2

Jignasu Author

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Jul 13, 2014 4:32 PM in response to Limnos

I understand this process will sort by Artist/Album; which is helpful but when not playing the songs on a computer, it still doesn't help the sort if I don't know where one set of artists/albums start or end or who sings specific songs.

Lets get complex, I can figure it out

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Answer 3

Limnos

Level 10

411,193 points

Jul 13, 2014 8:08 PM in response to Jignasu

Make a new folder on your computer which will represent the CD you want to create. Drag the tracks from iTunes to that folder. This will put copies of the files in the folder. Now I haven't needed to do this but what I say should work, though I have to add I have always manually managed my music so in some of hte places where iTunes will fight you I have no problems.. Make a new iTunes playlist which is a scratchpad for working on these files. Select the files and hold down the option key while dragging those files back to iTunes (alternatively, create a new iTunes library just for working on your mp3 CDs by holding down the option key while starting iTunes). Option dragging will have iTunes use the file in its original location and not put it in your media folder. Next look on the Dougscripts website for a script which lets you rename files (probably File Renamer). Use that to rename your selected files as desired. You can use Finder's burn utility to burn this folder to a data CD since that's all a mp3 CD is anyway. However, realize that your car player is likely to simply play everything by file name unless it is a sophisticated player that can read metadata tags (which is sounds like it isn't), but at least the file names will include more complete information.

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