Recording Information Notification

The text of the Recording Information Notification (RIN) standard with detailed explanations and advise about how to go about an implementation is available on the knowledge base.

The RIN standard enables the communication of metadata about the entities created and the contributors taking part in a “studio session”, which can be anything from music creation software on a computer used in a teenagers bedroom to an internationally famous studio such as Abbey Road. The message is usually sent from a studio to any entity operating in the music value chain, but usually initially a record company. The mechanism for sending the message may vary depending on the circumstances.

Recording information communicated in a RIN message could include contributors with their roles, for example, performers, composers, engineers, or, creations, for example, musical works, or, instrumentation, for example, keyboards, violin, bass drum, or, equipment information, for example, type of microphone, type of mixing desk. The RIN message can travel with the sound files themselves between studios, including any places where music is being recorded, mixed or mastered, as well as to record companies.

Every stage in this cycle can lead to new audio creations, be they a new composition or a new guitar track or a new mix and so on. In each of these “studio events”, there are a number of metadata elements that may be worth capturing. These pieces of data are important for several reasons, including providing attribution (credits) for everyone that participated in the studio event and ensuring that royalties, where due, are allocated to the correct people. Similarly, the richer the data that is eventually provided to retailers, the better they can market the products which can potentially increase the audience and, thus, the revenue generated.

A slide presentation overview of the RIN standard is available here. 

You do not have to be a member of DDEX to implement the standards. Anyone can implement any of them once they have taken out a DDEX Implementation Licence. Information about the Licence is available here and the application form is available here.