# help removing a string nd the characters at each end
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-removing-a-string-nd-the-characters-at-each-end/14218
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [December 11, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-removing-a-string-nd-the-characters-at-each-end/14218 "2012-12-11T23:00:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@officerbill](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/officerbill)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-removing-a-string-nd-the-characters-at-each-end/14218/1 "2012-12-11T23:00:27Z")
I've read through all of the forum topics related to removing strings as well as the FAQ's. The only thing similar to what I need has to do with removing parentheses and what is contained within them. I've tried variations on that, but I can't get them to work.
I have about 300 songs where the ARTIST is something like this:
Singer --some words-- --some more words-- --maybe some random characters--
The characters between the -- are different for each artist. How can I remove the -- and everything between them?
Thanks in advance
---
### Author:  [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-removing-a-string-nd-the-characters-at-each-end/14218/2 "2012-12-12T00:33:32Z")
> [@W Fred](#):
>
> I have about 300 songs where the ARTIST is something like this:
> Singer --some words-- --some more words-- --maybe some random characters--
Begin Action Group **\_Script Test#TEST**
**Action #1** _Actiontype 5:_ **Format value** _Field \_\_\_\_\_\_:_ **ARTIST** _Formatstring:_ **$regexp(%artist%,'^([^-]+)\s+--.\*','$1')**
End Action Group **\_Script Test#TEST** (1 Action)
See screenshot of how the regexp works.
---
### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-removing-a-string-nd-the-characters-at-each-end/14218/3 "2012-12-12T05:48:43Z")
> [@W Fred](#):
>
> ... I have about 300 songs where the ARTIST is something like this:
> Singer --some words-- --some more words-- --maybe some random characters--
> The characters between the -- are different for each artist. How can I remove the -- and everything between them? Thanks in advance
Converter: Tag -Tag
Field: ARTIST
Format string:
**$left(%ARTIST%,$sub($strstr(%ARTIST%,' --'),1))**
... or ...
**$regexp(%ARTIST%,'^(.+?)(\s--.+--)+$','$1')**
... or ...
**$regexp(%ARTIST%,'\s--.+?--',)**
From:
Singer --some words-- --some more words-- --maybe some random characters--
To:
Singer
DD.20121212.0745.CET
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/help-removing-a-string-nd-the-characters-at-each-end/14218/4 "2026-02-09T12:24:13Z")