I have been asked if I can supply Wav files with ISCR codes embedded.
I have been supplied with the codes.
I have embedded these codes on CD's I have burned but never just to the file.

So 3 questions.

1 Can I embed the ISRC code in the file without burning a CD?
2 When the client makes an MP3 copy and uploads to their server will the code be lost?
3 Can I make an MP3 with an ISRC code embedded?

The second question seems a little silly but I need to ask the question.

If I can embed the ISRC code in a WAV or an MP3 file then what apps would do this?

I don't think PTools will do it and neither will DSP Quatro.

Any help appreciated.

ISRC code with files that wion´t be burned as a final CD Master

afaik you can't embed ISRC codes directly into .wav files, you need to use a .cue file as well.

Try Jakozz. I am doing this exactly NOW!
Other suggestions are at the link which goes to my original thread.

You can't.

You can put ISRC on a Red Book Audio CD or in a DDP image. There it's part of the subcode system, but it's not embedded in the audio itself.

As already mentioned you can't embed ISRC in a WAV file.

The ISRC isn't there to begin with, so you can't. But see answer below regarding MP3.

That you can, and as Alécio mentioned, you can use Jaikoz for that.

So how does one manage ISRC when there is no disc involved then ?

The ISRC gets registered when uploading to Itunes etc ? There is a box to put in the numbers ?

What about radio stations etc ?? The ISRC codes are sent as a txt document alongside the Wavfiles ?

DDP image or .wav plus .cue files?

Take a look at my original thread. LOts of cool info in there.
ISRC code with files that wion´t be burned as a final CD Master

No, it's extracted from the subcode when the audio is ripped and put into a database. Or it's read from the MP3 IDv3 tag.

Still dont quite get it...
When there is no ripping involved, the artist is sending wav files to radio stations.
And this typically happens before the music is released, so there are no mp3 idtag from iTunes or similar available.

Are you saying one should convince the artist to send tagged mp3 files instead of uncompressed - typically 24 bit - wav files if they want the radio to properly register their music ?

Tia

For adding ISRCs to MP3, Kid3 is free and easy: Kid3 - ID3 Tagger

You (typically the artist or label) register the first part of the codes (the Registrant or Owner Code) via your relevant body (eg for Australia it's ARIA). This is typically done way ahead of having discs replicated & sent to radio (itself being ahead of general release).

Yes - it's a compulsory field in iTunes Producer when uploading. ie, the ISRCs are entered manually if not already present on a CD (and of course this is only more relevant now if supplying 24 bit/native sample rate files to iTunes).

Any ISRCs present on CD will be ripped from it when carted to their playback system. (Are many artists sending radio stations wav files other than on CD? ie, sans packaging, bio, etc? or just electronic press kits?)

Is it the mastering engineer's job to provide all the codes? or is it the artists job to provide the code whIle the engineer just imbeds everything?

Hi sammy,
The ME will just embed them onto the CD. The artist or Label (owner of the music) should provide them to him. You get them via usisrc.org in the US or ppluk.com in the UK or the corresponding body in your country.

Thank you Reiwax!

Do you know of a good program that a mastering engineer would use to embed all the Metadata, isrc codes, and upc codes?

Wavelab 8 excels at metadata, ISRC, CD-Text and UPC, but it won't be until Wavelab 8.5.20 due out later this summer that the ISRC embedding to WAV files will comply with the new standard. Wavelab can currently embed ISRC codes into rendered WAV files but in a way that pretty much only Wavelab can read. Soon it will be inline with the standard that is being proposed.

The "standard" for embedding ISRC codes into WAV files is still fairly new:

The Music Producers Guild | | ISRC / BWAV press

The most simple app for adding ISRC codes to WAV files using the new standard is Sonoris ISRC Editor: ISRC Editor - Sonoris Audio Engineering

It's a free app, but it doesn't do any other metadata though. If you need an all-in-one solution today, the Sonoris and HOFA products are current with the new ISRC standard. Both HOFA and Sonoris have DDP Creation apps that will let you enter in CD-Text, ISRC, and UPC for the entire album.

What happens to the ISRC codes and other metadata when the WAVs are converted to mp3 is dependent on how it's done, but I wouldn't count on it all translating.

Jaikoz is a great app if you also need to supply mp3 versions with full metadata and ISRC codes.

To answer a previous question, the mastering engineer can either work with ISRC codes provided by the client, or the mastering engineer can sign up to be an ISRC manager with ISRC and have the ability (for a yearly fee) to assign codes to clients that need them.

I only assign codes when asked or they are provided by the client.

The explanation provided by Mr Dempsey is spot on, and in appreciation of those particular processes, my own feeling is that the Artist should take responsibility for all meta data information required and provide that information to the ME
Others might disagree.
If not for enhancing the professional relationship and rapport with a chosen ME, perhaps equally important is the Artist understands how what and why ISRC embedding is so important.
Even if a 3Rd party producer is assembling the content, I still feel artists should be a part of understanding every aspect of what gets dropped on the ME.

Not in WAV but in BWF and AIFF it is possible.

I am fairly certain that Wavelab 8 current is allowing the data to be correctly embedded as per the new standard. It is using the same data chunk formatted as per the EBU spec.





https://tech.ebu.ch/docs/tech/tech3352.pdf

If you test the WAVs from Wavelab using Sonoris ISRC Editor or any HOFA products, you'll notice that they cannot read the codes.

There is something about the capitalization of aXML that causes it to not be 100% compatible, but it should be in Wavelab 8.5.20 later this summer.

As for now, Wavelab will be able to read ISRCs embedded by Wavelab, but won't be compatible with other apps adopting the new standard.

Wavelab 8.5.10 is very close, but not quite there.

I tried opening a .bwf in Sonoris ISRC editor and it does not appear to show anything at all, it only gives an option to save a .wav with the ISRC in it. What I am seeing is that Wavelab does not see the ISRC code as written by the Sonoris app.

Do you think this is WL's recognition of that chunk at fault ?

edit : ok I can see if you add ISRC with Sonoris when you open the wav again it shows ISRC. Exactly the same for WL add it with WL and you can see ISRC in WL but not in Sonoris and vice versa. Thats pretty screwy and you are sure it is WL at fault ?

I only have the DDP player maker here.

Yes. Basically, Wavelab can read and write ISRC codes to WAV files in it's own unique way, but it currently doesn't recognize ISRC codes that are embedded using the new standard, nor does it write the codes in WAV files that is recognized outside of Wavelab (without digging deep).

HOFA and some Sonoris products (Still waiting on Sonoris DDP Player OEM) are all up to date regarding the new standard. Wavelab will not be until 8.5.20 (according to PG). I'm not sure of any other products that are up to date that you can use as a means of testing but I know that the Audiofile products such at Triumph and Sample Manager are not at this time.

HOFA CD-Burn and DDP is pretty easy to demo if you need something else to test with, but I would consider Sonoris ISRC Editor the easiest way to check and add ISRC codes to WAV files at this time.

Much obliged for that, good information. Hopefully Steinberg will sort this oversight sooner rather than later.

Yes. I was surprised that the issue wasn't resolved in 8.5.10 but apparently it either wasn't reported and/or resolved in time.

For me it's not a huge deal because I deliver all projects with the HOFA DDP Player (via DDP Player Maker), so any 16-bit/44.1k files that clients export from the DDP Player will have the ISRC codes properly embedded.

It will be nice when any higher resolution WAVs I render and deliver as raw WAV files will have the codes properly embedded but at this time it's not a very pressing concern. I think it will be more important as time goes on, but for now, most distribution channels require the codes to be entered manually when submitting the songs.

I think it will take some time for the new standard to catch on and be useful.

Hi guys,

very informative thread here as i'm facing the ISRC problem.

Can anyone tell me what happens if i tag the ISRC in a .wav file with Sonoris and then convert this file to MP3.

Is the code transferred or do i need another software to do it again on the mp3 file ?

Sonoris has a free app that does this,

It would depend what software you use to convert from WAV to mp3 but I wouldn't count on the ISRC code transferring from WAV to mp3. For mp3 work, I suggest Jaikoz or Sonnox Codec Toolbox manager. Both of those will let you view and edit the ISRC field of an mp3.

I am typically using Wavelab to generate my WAV and mp3/AAC files so it handles it all for me when the files are rendered. It's good to have Jaikoz and Sonnox Codec Toolbox to double check and troubleshoot when needed.

there is a nice easy mastering professional software to embed the ISRC code in the wav file and to check that it is indeed in the wav !:

Download Demo Software - Sonoris Audio Engineering

Why add ISRC to a master (wav or aif...) anyway?
This is done by the distributor. he is converting, naming and coding his files for release.
Therfor the ISRC needs to be listed in the labelcopy.
Never had to add ISRC, except CD (&DDP)

If you own the master, it's just a good idea to have the isrc registered in your own name as opposed to a third party.

Actually the new version (3.0) of Sonoris DDP Player OEM is updated with this feature.