Deciphering the Codes (Gracenote, freedb, CD-Text, AMG)
A short guide for the independent artist to help ensure that your album is recognized by iTunes, Windows Media Player, car cd players, etc, etc.
CD-TEXT: Before your mastering session, check with your manufacturing plant to see if they can replicate cds that include CD-Text info. Most can, although some short run duplicators (cd-r) cannot. At the mastering studio, have the engineer encode your master cd with CD-Text information. This includes the artist name, album name, and song titles. This information will then show up on certain car cd players, and some multi-disc home players. It does not mean, however, that the titles will appear when played on a computer. That involves additional work on your end, detailed below …
Gracenote and freedb: When a cd is inserted in a computer cd player, the software media player retrieves the album, artist, and track information from one of a number of large internet databases. Ensuring that these databases have your album's information is your job. Following the three steps below will ensure that your cd will be properly recognized in the widest variety of media players for both MAC and PC.
1) Once you get your manufactured cds back from the pressing plant, insert one in a computer with a current version of iTunes installed (PC or MAC, it doesn't matter). Select the first song in iTunes, and then go to "file/get info". A window will appear allowing you to enter the song title, album name, artist name, and a few other pieces of info. Enter everything for all the songs on your album, then go to "advanced/submit CD track names". The cd information will be stored in the Gracenote database which can then be accessed by anyone using iTunes on a computer connected to the internet.
2) The process for the freedb database is similar, but requires some additional software. We recommend the free program Exact Audio Copy (EAC) for this task (see link below). Insert the cd and open EAC. Enter the artist and album info at the top, and double click on the tracks to enter the song titles. When finished, go to "Database/Submit CD information to freedb.
Exact Audio Copy: http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/
3) Finally, mail a physical copy of your cd (and one-sheet) to the All Music Guide. Not only will they list it on their website (www.allmusic.com), but it will also help to ensure that the song titles and other info will appear in Windows Media Player. Here's the address:
Product Submissions
All Media Guide
1168 Oak Valley Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
That's it! Revel in your professionalism.