ISRCs for Bandcamp only release

[BigRedX]

I'm about to create a release that will only be available from Bandcamp (initially).

1. Do I need to embed ISRCs in the audio files that I upload?

2. If so how do I add them to the actual files? I have DSP-Quattro but AFAICS the ISRC option is only available when I create a CD (which is how I have done it in the past but that was for releases that were designed to be on CD first and foremost). I can't see how to use it to embed the codes in the actual audio file.

3. How do I check that the files don't already have ISRCs embedded? I'm on a Mac if that makes a difference

[James Perrett]

I've not uploaded files to Bandcamp but for most digital distributors there is little point putting meta data into the file as it will be ignored. Meta data usually goes into a web form or a spreadsheet that accompanies the data.

Sonoris make a simple free utility to add ISRC's to .wav files and Reaper also includes the ability to add ISRC's to any file format that supports it.

[Lophophora]

Do I need to embed ISRCs in the audio files that I upload?

There is no obligation, but it is good practice because you never know what the file is going to become in the future. If the song becomes a hit later you'll be happy that every instance of the file has your ISRC embedded.

For the rest, James has already replied. He is right about the digital distributors stripping down the metadata and using their own instead, however in this case my understanding is that you are uploading directly to BandCamp so it is a different situation. I'm not sure how BandCamp works exactly but if users have the possibility to buy your music, they might be able to download the original wav file even though what is streamed is a converted file. So in this case your ISRC would still be embedded.

[BigRedX]

Thanks.

I've downloaded the Sonoris tool for embedding ISRCs and will be using it just as soon as I have worked my way through the PPL forms to generate and register them.

[Eddy Deegan]

When you upload a track to Bandcamp it presents a form into which you put the details, including the (optional) ISRC.

Bandcamp offers downloads to customers in a variety of formats, will automatically convert them from the original file you uploaded (so upload in WAV or FLAC format) and will use the information you enter into the form to ensure that the actual files downloaded have the appropriate metadata also.

There is therefore no need to embed anything in the files you upload. In fact there's no need to even name them correctly as the names of the downloaded files are generated from the information you enter when uploading.

[BigRedX]

Thanks.

I've never had to upload anything to Bandcamp before, so I was unaware of the process, and this was exactly the information that I needed and which appeared to be impossible to find on Bandcamp itself.

Just got to generate those pesky ISRCs now...

[Eddy Deegan]

Yeah, some of the stuff that's good about Bandcamp doesn't become obvious until you've played with it a bit and I agree their documentation could be better.

My advice is to create a new album on there (it doesn't appear publicly until you actually publish it) and experiment a bit with the experience of uploading files / previewing the album privately etc.

Despite the somewhat baffling initial experience the process isn't bad at all once you've got the hang of it. You can even include stuff like additional notes and lyrics etc. on a per-track basis and reorder tracks in an album by dragging and dropping them as the uploads accumulate on the left hand side. This will also update the track # in the metadata for all affected tracks as well.

One thing I don't like is that there is no simple way to test downloading your own work as a customer. A workaround is to set the price to £0.00 and 'buy' it for nothing from yourself anonymously in a separate incognito browser session but it's a strange omission I think!

[James Perrett]

When you upload a track to Bandcamp it presents a form into which you put the details, including the (optional) ISRC.

Bandcamp offers downloads to customers in a variety of formats, will automatically convert them from the original file you uploaded (so upload in WAV or FLAC format) and will use the information you enter into the form to ensure that the actual files downloaded have the appropriate metadata also.

There is therefore no need to embed anything in the files you upload. In fact there's no need to even name them correctly as the names of the downloaded files are generated from the information you enter when uploading.

Thanks Eddy - it is useful to know that Bandcamp treats metadata in the same way as the other aggregators.