When audio went from analogue to digital, it became possible to label or encode audio files with more information than could be contained in just the filename. That identifying information is called "metadata".

Metadata can be used to name, describe, catalogue and indicate ownership or copyright for a digital audio file, and its presence makes it much easier to locate a specific audio file within a group - through use of a search engine that accesses the metadata. As different digital audio formats were developed, it was agreed that a standardized and specific location would be set aside within the digital files where this information could be stored.

As a result, almost all digital audio formats, including mp3, broadcast wav and AIFF files, have similar standardized locations that can be populated with metadata. This "information about information" has become one of the great advantages of working with digital audio files - since the catalogue and descriptive information that makes up the metadata is built right into the audio file itself, ready for easy access and use. You no longer need to consult a paper catalogue or product packaging to find out more about a particular file.

Where Does Metadata Come From?

There is NO metadata on an Audio CD.

When you load an Audio CD into your computer and use iTunes or WinAmp, it may seem that details about the CD "magically" appear on your screen. Actually, the CD producer has supplied the Album Name, Song Titles and Composer information to a huge online database called Gracenotes. As long as you have Internet access, the computer application will match the "fingerprint" of the CD in your local drive to the online database and display the CD details on your screen. Other software applications work with an online database called FreeDB, which operates in the same way as Gracenotes.

If you rip an Audio CD with iTunes or WinAmp or any number of other freeware or shareware programs, the metadata that ends up in your digital audio file comes from either Gracenotes or FreeDB. There are also many freeware and shareware programs that will allow you to edit the metadata in mp3 files manually.

Metadata in the Professional Audio Studio

Soundminer is the trade name of the world's most respected audio asset manager. It will search, database, audition, edit, process, design, spot and batch transfer audio files, as well as manage and modify metadata and control entire sound effects and production music libraries on both MACs and PCs.

Because Soundminer is industry standard, it can read metadata that other programs and editors place in audio files. However, the metadata in an audio file that has been ripped by Soundminer software has a distinct professional advantage. Rather than use an online database (like Gracenotes), Soundminer has developed its own database (ripper scripts) in conjunction with the manufacturers of professional audio products. The Soundminer ripper scripts are far more robust and allow additional important metadata to be written to the digital audio files. Working with digital files that have been ripped with the Soundminer ripper gives you much more than basic metadata. As an additional advantage, Soundminer recognizes indexes and can separate all the indexes on a track into their own individual digital files.

You can learn more about Soundminer at the Sound Ideas Soundminer product page.