Intro to Alias Metadata
There are times when we need to alter metadata for specific sharing situations.
For example, it is common practice among Music Supervisors to delete or replace metadata so that clients are not biased by reading titles, artist names, etc.
Another simpler example is creating compilation albums in DISCO using tracks that have different album metadata and artwork from their original releases.
Without alias metadata, you’d need to duplicate audio files in both of these cases and add different metadata before sending.
Alias metadata removes the need to duplicate audio files!
With the aliasing function, tracks in a specific playlist can have their metadata updated or hidden without affecting the corresponding track metadata in any other playlist.
In this article, you will learn:
- How to apply alias metadata to your playlists
- How aliases appear on shared playlists
- Where to view previously applied track aliases
How to Apply Alias Metadata
Alias metadata can be applied when you go to save a playlist.
- Click Save when you are ready to share.
- Open the Alias Metadata tab:
- Once you open the Alias Metadata tab, you’ll have the option to batch edit all tracks, or edit tracks individually.
Batch Edit All Tracks
Batch edits apply to every track in the playlist:
- Add new artwork
- Enter a new album field ("Summer Compilation" in this example)
- Uncheck fields to hide certain data (Composer, Genre, and ISRC in this case)
- Add new contact info in the Comments field
Edit Tracks Individually
The Edit Individually tab lists out each track in a playlist, allowing you to edit individual components (Title, Artist, etc.) on a track-by-track basis.
- In this example, we've hidden the track titles by changing them to "Track 1," "Track 2,” “Track 3,” etc.
- Artist Names are hidden
- Our company name is added as the Album Title
Some DISCO users rename track titles and artists to reduce listener bias, and/or add another level of branding and personalization for clients. A pitch for Coca Cola may, for example, edit track titles to display as “Coke 1,” “Coke 2,” “Coke 3,” etc.
Example of Alias Metadata on a Shared Playlist
- The Public Playlist view shows new album field "Summer Compilation" and new artwork
- Downloaded files have blank Composer, ISRC, and Genre fields
How to View Previous Metadata Aliases
Open the Track info Metadata tab and hover over the Show aliases icon below Comments.
- Each playlist the track appears in is listed with the alias Title, Artist, and Album fields
Read our article on metadata settings to learn how to automate additional metadata functions in DISCO.
Wrap-Up
Alias metadata is a powerful tool allowing Music Supervisors and other industry professionals to easily customize track metadata for different clients and uses, without needing to upload a new, duplicated audio file each time.