While the WAV format has become a de-facto standard for audio file interchange, soe members of the Music Producers Guild (MPG) was concerned at the lack of a means of embedding industry standard ISRC information to enable more accurate identification of file content.
Taking its lead from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) – which has created a professional version of the WAV format called Broadcast WAV – the MPG has worked with the European body to add ISRC information to this file type. The new format was announced at a meeting in London recently. Among those attending the launch were Mark Douglas, CTO of PPL; Geoff Taylor of the BPI; James Farrelly of AIM; Keith Hill, Head of Operations at the PRS, and Fiona McGugan of the MMF/FAC.
The MPG will be promoting the Broadcast WAV standard with embedded ISRC information internationally with a view to it becoming the accepted means of delivering recordings to labels, distributors and aggregators. The inclusion of ISRC information will remove the need for it to be re-entered and reduce the opportunity for error.
‘We have had a great response from digital audio workstation manufacturers, many of whom are backing this initiative,’ says Alchemy Mastering’s Barry Grint, who has led the MPG ISRC campaign. ‘Magix/Sequioa and Merging/Pyramix have already demonstrated file exchange between their systems and Prism Sound/Sadie plan to implement this shortly.’
Paul Jessop (Executive Director, International ISRC Agency) used the launch to explain the importance of ensuring that ISRC was correctly associated with recordings all the way from mastering studio to royalty management systems and stressed the importance of carrying the code with the recording in its initial carriage out of the studio.
Ray Staff (Air Studios, MPG) added that this is the first of a number of technical initiatives planned by the MPG. He outlined the planned digital delivery system, incorporating Quality Control. The MPG aimed to be a point of reference for industry practitioners seeking to establish new working practices, or develop new technologies. Its vast resource of experienced producers and engineers would be available to provide real world advice, and promote new advances in music production.
More: www.mpg.org.uk
