Preparing Metadata for Sync

Sync buyers need to understand a track quickly before deciding whether to listen, shortlist, or request clearance information. Preparing metadata for sync means making each recording easy to identify, search, describe, and distinguish from its alternate versions. CatalogIQOS organizes that information; it does not guarantee discovery or placement.

Start in Catalog, open a track, and use its Track Detail sections to review identity and descriptive metadata. Use Audio Intelligence for audio-derived BPM, key, energy, mood, genre, instrumentation, and vocal evidence; review rather than blindly copying results. Use AI Optimization at /optimization for proposed metadata changes, Catalog Audit at /audit for gaps, Rights for ownership administration, Pitch at /pitch for outreach preparation, and Export at /exports for delivery files.

• Title and alternate title: identify the work without creating competing canonical names. Alternate titles should be genuine search aliases, not version labels.
• Artist and version: distinguish the main recording from instrumental, clean, explicit, radio, trailer, stem, or alternate-mix versions. A buyer should not have to listen to learn which file is instrumental.
• ISRC and ISWC: ISRC identifies a recording; ISWC identifies a musical work when assigned. Do not copy one identifier across unrelated versions or invent a missing value.
• Genre and subgenre: provide a useful musical frame. “Electronic” alone is less useful than a supported primary genre plus a specific subgenre.
• Mood, energy, and instrumentation: describe emotional direction, intensity, and audible palette. Avoid conflicting lists such as “peaceful, aggressive, intimate, epic” unless the track genuinely changes character.
• Vocal or instrumental: state whether vocals are present and identify an instrumental version explicitly.
• Keywords and Usage Tags: support discovery by sound and likely context. Usage Tags can describe travel, lifestyle, wellness, sports, tension, documentary, or branded-content contexts when the audio supports them.
• Description: summarize sound, instrumentation, energy, vocal character, and plausible use. Do not repeat the title or promise a placement.

1. Select the catalog in Catalog and open the required track.
2. Review title, alternate title, artist, version, ISRC, and ISWC on Track Detail. Correct identity conflicts before adding descriptive terms.
3. Review genre, subgenre, mood, energy, instrumentation, vocal status, keywords, Usage Tags, and description in Edit Metadata.
4. If an audio asset is attached, run or review Audio Intelligence. Compare its evidence with the recording; measured or suggested values are not automatically authoritative.
5. Open AI Optimization, inspect each suggestion and its current/proposed value, then apply or reject it deliberately.
6. Review master and composition information in Rights. Metadata readiness does not replace clearance readiness.
7. Run Catalog Audit again and resolve relevant missing-field or inconsistency findings at the track source.
8. Open Pitch to select a focused set of ready tracks, choose a Listening Method, and generate recipient copy.
9. Use Export to create the appropriate supporting package after checking Included Data and the destination’s requirements.

Poor description: “Island song.”

Better description: “Warm tropical instrumental with a relaxed reggae groove, melodic guitar, and an optimistic coastal feel suited to travel, resort, lifestyle, and destination content.”

The better version supplies sound, instrumentation, energy, and possible contexts without claiming that the track will be discovered or licensed.

• Using a generic description that adds nothing beyond the title.
• Omitting “Instrumental,” “Clean,” or another meaningful version label.
• Adding broad or contradictory moods and keywords solely to appear in more searches.
• Marking a track instrumental when background or sampled vocals are audible.
• Reusing an ISRC across distinct recordings or treating ISWC as a recording identifier.
• Treating an AI suggestion as saved metadata before Apply Suggestion is used.
• Updating creative metadata but leaving ownership or contact information unresolved.

If Track Detail lacks a value, use Edit Metadata rather than changing an export. If Audio Intelligence has no result, confirm the track has a processed audio asset and check its analysis state. If AI Optimization shows no suggestion, the field may already be populated or the track may not be eligible for that run. If Catalog Audit still flags a corrected field, confirm the edit saved on the same track version and rerun the audit. If the track does not appear in Pitch, confirm the Pitch CatalogSwitcher is on the same catalog; Pitch loads up to the 100 most recently updated tracks.

CatalogIQOS helps prepare, organize, and review licensing information. It does not guarantee placements or provide legal clearance opinions.