Why batch tag editing feels hard
Typical tag editors are powerful, but the power hides behind syntax. To split a filename into artist and title, you type a pattern like "%artist% - %title%". To strip an ad link out of track names, you write a regular expression. One wrong character and a hundred tracks go wrong with it.
The second problem is not seeing what will happen. Many tools only show you the result after it's written to the files. With a folder of several hundred tracks, that's a gamble.
So most DJs give up halfway, hand-fix the few tracks that matter, and leave the rest a mess.
What an easy tag editor needs
| What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Pick instead of type | Click artist, title, BPM like items on a menu, no symbols to remember |
| Results on a real track | You see what a track name turns into before you touch the batch |
| A preview of the whole batch | Before and after for every track, nothing written until you confirm |
| Edit many, keep what you didn't touch | Change the album on 50 tracks and every title stays put |
| Save it as a recipe | Next week's downloads get cleaned with one click |
| Flags problems up front | Read-only files and two tracks ending up with the same name show in the preview |
| Opens any folder | No need to import your whole library to fix one folder |
Without the first two rows, you're back to typing patterns. Without the third, you're betting the whole folder.
Example: cleaning up a downloads folder
A downloads folder usually looks like the left column. The goal is the right column, for both filenames and tags.
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| 01. artist name - track name_(www.music-site.com).mp3 | Artist Name - Track Name.mp3 |
| Artist Name - Track Name (1).mp3 | Artist Name - Track Name.mp3 |
| [HOT] Artist Name - Track Name - Copy.mp3 | Artist Name - Track Name.mp3 |
| BPM tag 127.96, key A minor | BPM tag 128, key 8A |
What to do, in order:
- Strip the junk from filenames: links, text in square brackets, copy suffixes like (1) or Copy, leading track numbers, underscores.
- Split the filename into artist and title at " - ".
- Title Case the title and artist.
- Rebuild the filename as Artist - Title from the cleaned tags.
- Round the BPM in the tag to a whole number.
- Use one key format, Camelot like 8A or short notation like Am.
- Add cover art to the batch if needed.
- Check the before and after, then write.
Those eight steps become one recipe. When next week's downloads land, you apply the same recipe instead of starting over.
FAQ
Can I batch edit tags if I know nothing about syntax?
Yes, as long as the tool lets you pick instead of type. In Taxonomy DJ, every step is a dialog you click through: choose the field to change, click the info you want to combine, switch on the cleanups you need. Regular expressions are there if you want them, never required.
What if I apply the wrong thing?
Every action group goes through a preview: two rows per track, before and after. Nothing is written until you click apply. Editing tags also never touches the labels or analysis results in the app.
Which fields can I edit?
30 fields: title, artist, album, genre, key, BPM, comment, year, remixer, label, track… plus cover art. Formats: MP3, WAV, FLAC, and AIFF.
Do I have to add the folder to my library first?
No. The Tags tab opens any folder on your computer. Only steps that use the app's analyzed BPM and key need those tracks analyzed first in the Music Library tab; tracks without the data are left unchanged.
Do it fast with Taxonomy DJ
The batch tag editor in Taxonomy DJ checks every box above:
- Drag a folder onto the Tags tab, or click Browse folders.
- To fix a few tracks: select them, edit in the left panel, and click Save. Fields that differ across tracks show "< keep >" and stay as they are unless you type in them. Right-click the cover art to set it for every selected track.
- To fix a batch: click Action groups ▸ New group, then Add action ▾. The example above uses Clean up (switch on Remove links and website names, Remove text in square brackets, Remove copy suffixes…), Split tag, Case conversion, Set tag, Round BPM, and Convert key. The Try on a sample track card shows the result as you click.
- Select tracks, click Apply group ▾, pick your group, check the before and after, then click Apply to N tracks.
Groups are saved for the next folder. The Tags tab is part of Premium; BPM and key detection is free on every plan. For what tags are and which filename pattern to pick, read how to batch edit MP3 and FLAC tags or how to rename files with BPM and key.