Fun With Metadata

(later revisions here: https://www.mpg.org.uk/news/credit-where-credit-is-due-latest-on-credits/)

Remember our discovery of the RIN-M plug-in? – It fitted perfectly with our ‘Credit Where Credit Is Due’ campaign because it enables you to create a simple data file during recording or mixing in which to lodge all the crucial credit information. This should then get passed through every stage of mastering and distribution along with your work, and is a great way of improving both recognition and revenue for our members.

We’re pleased to note that the creators of the original ‘RIN’ – the Recording Information Notification – used in the plug-in have been involved in a fun promotional video about metadata generally (fun? Yes really!), made in cahoots with Universal Music Group. Digital Data Exchange, or DDEX, introduced RIN as a standard for collecting metadata during production, and it looks like everyone in The States is behind it: check out the video…

Our sentiments exactly…

It’s important to remember why online credits matter:

• For a start, everyone involved gets acknowledged – and becomes searchable online. Imagine asking Alexa to play a selection of records with Stevie Winwood playing Hammond… or produced by Paul Epworth. Neat!
• They also flag up talent available for sessions: A&R and other creative interests can audition and identify talent directly, greatly streamlining our chances of work
• Even if the metadata can’t guarantee that royalty payments will hit your bank account before Christmas, it does confirm your entitlement

The campaign continues with our support for a global organization called Jaxsta, founded in Australia and now spearheading several initiatives to counter the vanishing credits and liner notes for commercially available music. They’re working on a database for our industry similar to the famous IMDb and have also backed the Universal and DDEX video by spreading the word online.

Meanwhile the original RIN-M plug-in has evolved into ‘Sound Credit’, part of a complete technology platform for preserving label and sleeve notes, credits and other details as the session progresses. It now has an online portal for instant publication, and a cool system of verification stamps for reliable authenticity:

P.S. We should also mention an alternative metadata plug-in by VevaSound: SCP Studio Collect.

More on Credit Where Credit Is Due soon.