What is a Sound Recording?
A sound recording (for short Recording) is a recorded performance, fixed in a medium from which it can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated - a digital track, disk, tape, vinyl or other format.
A Recording is not the same as a phonorecord. A phonorecord is the statutory term for a physical object that contains a Recording, such as a digital audio file, a compact disc, or an LP. The term “phonorecord” includes any type of object that may be used to store a Recording, including digital formats such as .mp3 and .wav files.
Recordings in MusicTeam®
Document your metadata while you create. By keeping your catalog organized and up-to-date, your metadata will be ready whether you want to distribute or register your music rights.
How to document your Recordings:
When you add your Recording, fill in your Recording metadata: which is divided in Recording Details, Files and Recording Information.
Adding the participants to your Recording: which involves adding splits for rights owners and contributions for contributors.
Adding Recordings
You can add your Recording from the Recordings on the side menu. You have 2 options, adding them one-by-one, or uploading multiple recordings.
Option 1: Add Recordings one by one
Click on
Option 2: Uploading multiple Recordings
Click on
If you already have the files and you're ready to distribute, you can upload all your files, fill in the required metadata, and "Apply to All" if the metadata is the same.
Filling in your Recording metadata
Below, you'll find a short explanation of the fields we ask you to provide for the Recording.
Recording Details
Title | This is the name or title of your Recording. |
Version Title | This field is optional, but could be: Live, Acoustic, Radio Edit, Remix, [Remixer] Remix, [Genre] Remix, etc. |
Main Artist | You can only select one.
🔈Display Artist Name is a metadata used by the entire industry to match you as a creator with your music. |
Featured Artist(s) | You can add any featured artist on your Recordings. |
Genre(s) | Genres are limited to the ones accepted by the DSPs for distribution. You can select up to (7) seven. |
Related Work*
*If the Related Work does not appear this means that you were not the user to have originally created the Work in the MusicTeam app or you are not a rightsholder in the Work. | Choose your related Work if you have already documented the Work information in MusicTeam® or tick the 'Automatically create a new Work from this Recording' box. |
Recording Files
MusicTeam® currently doesn't support samples. Sampling requires rights clearance from the sound Recording owners, as well as the musical Work owners.
Stereo Edition |
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Immersive Edition | Coming soon! |
Recording Information
ISRC / Request an ISRC
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Has this Recording been published before? |
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Place of Fixation | This is the country in which the Recording was fixated in its digital format. When you register your music rights for the Recording, this field may be required for registration. |
First Date of Publication | This is usually the Original Release date of your Release, but it could also be the date that you first made available to the public. This includes the moment you shared it publicly. The month and day are optional. |
Year of Fixation | This is the year that the Recording was fixated in its digital format. When did you export your mixdown? When did you bounce your music projet? Check for the date. The month and day are optional. |
How do I know if my Recording has been published before?
How do I know if my Recording has been published before?
If your Recording was ever shared publicly with an audience, then your Recording is considered published. If you shared your Recording as part of a pre-release promotion, it's been published.
How can I find my ISRC?
How can I find my ISRC?
If your music is available on any Digital Platform it has an ISRC. The distributor you chose to make your music available to the public has assigned an ISRC to each of your sound recording. Go to your distributor's platform to find it. If you can't find it, check out the ISRC Finder tool.
Adding the Participants to the Recording
There are 2 types of participants you can add:
Rights owners (through Recording splits): these are people/entities that own the master recording.
Contributors (through Contributions): these are people that have contributed to the Recording but do not own the master Recording.
Recording Splits
Do you remember our Adele exemple? When she sings her song she is credited as the Main Artist. Participants such as profiles and organisations are defined by their Roles in their contribution to the Recording.
Recording Splits are a percentage that represent the share of ownership in the sound Recording.
There are two types of Recording Splits:
Artist Splits (also known as performers)
Collaborator Splits (is a legal entity)
In your Sound Recording Splits, you will be asked whether the person added is a First Maker (producer) of the Recording.
What is a First Maker
What is a First Maker
The First Maker (aka Initial Producer) is the Person/Legal entity that makes the necessary arrangements for the initial fixation of the sounds. A First Maker is the entity that who carries out the operations required for the initial fixation of sounds. Usually, this entity assumes the financial risks.
The Status of the Recording Split remains Pending if the Artist, Collaborator or Contributor isn't signed up to MusicTeam®. Once they have signed up and reviewed their details, Recording Splits/Contributions will automatically be Accepted.
Adding an Artist Split:
click on Splits/Contributions*
select + Artist Split
select your Profile or type in an Email
select the Performer Function (Other or Producer)
enter the Recording Split value
answer the First Maker question by yes, no or Not sure
click on Create
Under the "Actions" column you can either click on the pencil to update the Recording Splits or on the trashcan to delete it.
If the Main Artist or Featured Artist(s) have no ownership on the Recording, leave the value empty as 0 is not considered a valid value.
Adding a Collaborator Split:
The Collaborator Role Functions are accessible once you start adding Recording Splits:
Music Production Company
Recording Studio
Record Label
Collaborators in sound Recordings are always represented by a Legal Entity Name as ownership must be establish, for exemple in the instance of a copyright infringement.
To add your Collaborator Splits:
click on Splits/Contributions*
select + Collaborator Split
select your Collaborator or type in an email
select the Collaborator Role (only if the participant is invited)
enter the Recording Split value
answer the First Maker question by yes, no or Not sure
click on Create
Recording Contribution.
Contributions give credit to Contributors that were hired to contribute on a Recording. Contributors unlike the rest of the roles in MusicTeam® cannot hold any music rights.
You can attribute the Contribution Roles when you add a Contributions as well as Recording Splits:
Musician
Mastering Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Vocalist
Producer
Tracking Engineer
Sound Engineer
Recording Engineer
To add Contributor Credit:
click on Splits/Contributions
select + Contribution
select your Profile or type in an email
select a Contribution Role
add a Description
click on Create
Creating, Editing, Viewing and Deleting:
Recordings
Go to your Recordings menu items, click on + Recording.
Fill out as much information as you can on your Recording. In the Recording File section, you can upload one or multiple WAV files.
When you click on the Main Artist field, you can select your Display Artist Name or type an email to assign the split to someone else. As you type the email, the dropdown will show you the matching user's Display Artist Name (if it exists). If you select the email, our system will send them an invitation for you.
Once you fill in the required information, you will be redirected to the Recording Details page of your newly created Recording. On that page, you will find: 1) A summary of the information you have filled out, 2) the Related Works linked to your Recording, and 3) the Splits & Contributions of that Recording.
When you delete a Recording, it will delete the recording information, audio file (if any), splits and contributions in that Recording.
Recording Splits
Similar to Work Splits, your total Recording Splits must never exceed a total of 100%.
Artist Splits
There are two ways to add an Artist Split:
Via the Main Artist and Featured Artist(s)
The Display Artist Names for Main Artist and Featured Artist(s) are added when you create a Recording.The Profile linked to the Display Artist Names will automatically be added to the Participants table in your Recording Details page. To add a split for the Main Artist, simply edit the split and add a percentage.
If the Display Artists also contributed to the Recording in other ways, you can add additional Contributor Roles
If the Main Artist or Featured Artist(s) have no ownership on the Recording, leave the value empty as 0 is not a valid value. The Main Artist or Featured Artist(s) will have access to the recording information and related work(s) only. The participants and Recording splits will not be accessible.
Via the + Splits/Contributions button
If you want to add another Profile as a rightsholder, you can click on + Artist Splits. When you click on the Artist field, you can select your Profile or type an email to assign the split to someone else. As you type the email, the dropdown will show you the matching user's Profile (if it exists).
If the Main Artist or Featured Artist(s) have no ownership on the Recording, leave the value empty as 0 is not considered a valid value.
The Main Artist or Featured Artist(s) will have access to the recording information and related work(s) only. The participants and Recording splits will not be accessible.
Collaborator Splits
Under + Splits/Contributions, click on + Collaborator Split.
In the Collaborator field, you will see your Collaborators. If you select the email in the dropdown, you can choose your Collaborator in the Collaborator Split. To invite someone, type an email. The dropdown will show the matching user's Collaborators. Roles include Music Production Company, Recording Studio and Record Label.
Recording Contributions
Similar to Work Contributions, someone that contributes to a sound recording might not be entitled to a share of the Recording.
This is where you would add these contributors.
You can also select a contributor role to add what they have contributed. Contributors can have different roles: musician, mastering engineer, mixing engineer, vocalist, producer, tracking engineer, sound engineer and recording engineer.