Page 5 of 22 – Delivery Recommendations 131203.53
A standard file format (such as the Broadcast Wave format defined by AES31-2) and
enterprise-class storage media provide access to the audio files after the proprietary
equipment used to create them may no longer be available.
To fulfill the Minimum Delivery Recommendation: Deliver to the record label the Primary
Master (from Table 1) and two Secondary Masters (Backups or “Safeties”) for each and
every master. The Secondary Masters (Backups or “Safeties”) should be delivered in
two approved storage media taken from the Acceptable Transitional Master Backup
Storage Media listing (Table 2). The Secondary Masters (Backups/”Safeties”) should
have sampling rates and precisions equal to or better than the “Original Master” (88.2,
96, 176.4, 192, 352.8, and 384 kHz are recommended, as are 24 or greater bit depths).
These same sampling rates and precisions are required for A/D conversion. Also, there
should be no level adjustments, truncation, dither or noise-shaping, or modification of
the digital signal. Please note: It is not advisable to “upsample” the Primary Master in
order to create a Secondary Master.
The “Master” is defined as a collection of the various original components of the
recording process for a given production, each in their originally recorded formats, and
collected in a form that is ready for transition to the next phase of the process. For
example, the recorded ʻMastersʼ from the tracking and overdubbing processes are
collected in a form that is ready for transition to the mixing process. The mixed ʻMastersʼ
are collected in a form that is ready for transition to the mastering process. The
mastered ʻMasterʼ is ready for transition to the manufacturing process. “Masters” include
(but are not limited to) all open reel tapes, hard disk drives (HDD), and incremental
backups made during the recording process. They include all of the original components
of the recording process for a given production each in their originally recorded formats.
There should be no deletions of useful material from the “Masters”, such as out-takes,
artistʼs talking, incomplete or unreleased recordings, etc. The constitution of “useful
material” is determined by agreement between Record Company and Producer prior to
the commencement of the recording project.
A Glossary of Technical Terms as well as a Glossary of Recording Technologies are
also provided with the document. Some industry-standard nomenclature has been
refined (for instance, “Masters” and “Tracks”).
Crediting and Documentation
The Producer of a recording project is responsible to work in concert with the artist to
assign recording credits and to then supply accurate crediting information to the
designated person at the record label or media company who is authorized to receive
that information for the purpose of metadata and official credits.
Additionally, it is highly recommended that both paper and electronic documentation
accompany all Master deliverables and Backup/Safety media. Traditionally, this