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Introduction to ID3 Tags in Audiobooks
ID3 tags are fields that you can fill out to add metadata to an audiobook. They were designed with music in mind, so some of the field names (Artist, Composer, etc.) don’t always correspond. This resource discusses some approaches.
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Subject(s):
Audiobook Production, Metadata
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Resource Type(s):
Checklist
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Audience:
Technical
Suggested Prerequisites
Before reading this, you might want to read:
- Introduction to Audiobook Metadata
- Audiobook Metadata Workflow Guide (resource coming soon)
ID3 Tags
The standard embedding of data for MP3s are ID3 tags. An ID3 tag is a type of metadata container which is used to store information into a media file, like an MP3.
Because MP3s are primarily focused on tagging music, the available fields (like Artist, Composer, etc.) will not all be directly applicable to your audiobook.
To make it as easy as possible to add metadata in your ID3 tags, you can follow these guidelines below.
Note that different production softwares have varying ID3 tag options. Using a specific tagging application such as “Tag Editor Free” can be very useful.
Checklist for ID3 Tags in Audiobooks
Here are some approaches to audiobook ID3 tags — you can use it as a checklist, if you want!
| ID3 Field (may be different, depending on your program) | Use for: |
|---|---|
| Artist / Artist Name | Author’s name (FirstName LastName) |
| Track / Track Title | Name of section(i.e., Dedication; Chapter 1) |
| Album Title | Name of book |
| Track Number | Number in sequence for book sections (i.e., if this is for a Title Page then the Track Number is probably 01; if the first chapter is the 4th file in the book (after Title page, copyright, dedication) then it would be Track number 04 |
| Year | Year of production/audiobook copyright |
| Copyright | Year of publication of audiobook |
| Genre | Audiobook |
| Album Artist | Narrator (FirstName LastName) |
| Producer | Production company |
| Composer | Audio technician |
| Comments | If your program did not have all of the above fields, extra info can be added here, like “Narrator: Mary Jane” |
External Links to More Information
Audiobook Recommendations for Publishers
This page shares NNELS’ guidelines for audiobook production. It has many suggestions for approaches to including things not typically present in commercial audiobooks, such as front and back matter, footnotes, and image descriptions. It also includes suggestions for file name and division conventions, and a little on making good quality audio recordings.
Content Source Acknowledgement