Wave Agent has been my tool for adding metadata to my sound effects for a while. The metadata has showed up in Pro Tools and I’ve been happy about that. Lately, I’ve been using different DAWs and software tools depending on where I am working, so I needed to make sure my metadata was available in Nuendo and AudioFinder in addition to Pro Tools. I also wanted to know what info would show up in which fields in the different programs. I made a test wav and started testing with the help of a couple of friends. (Thanks Martin and Lars!)
The test file was recorded on a Sound Devices 744T recorder. It was edited in Reaper (v4.10/i386 rev 8072e4) and rendered as a 96kHz/24bit mono bwf file with the “Write BWF (“bext”) chunk” option enabled. You also have the option to “Include project filename in BWF data”, but this option was left unticked. File name: “170139 Printer – Scanner – close scanner lid – Schoeps“. Metadata was added in Sound Devices Wave Agent (Beta 1.15). Afterwards, the file was tested in different programs.
Programs tested (in no particular order):
Wave Agent
AudioFinder
iTunes
Nuendo
Pro Tools
Cubase
Adobe Premiere Pro
Please note: This test was done in Norway, so most of the metadata text is in Norwegian.
“Felt” translates to “Field“.
“Dette er en test av metadata lagt inn via notes i waveagent” translates to “This is a test of metadata added via notes in waveagent“.
Metadata added in Wave Agent:
General info:
Scene: Scenefelt
Take: Takefelt
Project: Projectfelt
Tape: Tapefelt
Recording info:
“Preserve Start TC” is ticked off and Start TC is 00:00:15:22
UBits: field left empty
Track info:
Channel: 1 (already filled in when the file was opened in Wave Agent)
Interleave: 1 (already filled in when the file was opened in Wave Agent)
Name: SCHOEPS
Function: Funksjonsfelt
NOTES: Dette er en test av metadata lagt inn via notes i waveagent. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789
User info: Dette er en test av metadata lagt inn via USER INFO i waveagent. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789
Originator info:
Originator: REAPER (already filled in when the file was opened in Wave Agent)
Originator Date: 2011-11-06 (already filled in when the file was opened in Wave Agent)
Originator Time: 17-01-39 (already filled in when the file was opened in Wave Agent)
Originator Reference: (empty field
Software Version: (empty field)
—————————————
And on to the test results:
Wave Agent (Beta 1.15): Everything shows up the same way it did when metadata was added, except in the “User info” field. This field is empty.
—————————————
AudioFinder (5.4.3, 32-bit):
— File Properties
Time: 00:00:01.922
Sample Rate: 96.0 kHz
Bits: 24
Channels: Mono
Size: 551.44 KB
Created: 11/6/11 5:01:39 PM
Modified: 11/6/11 5:30:14 PM
— Broadcast Wave
Originator: REAPER
Creation Date: 2011-11-06
Creation Time: 17-01-39
Description:
sNOTE=Dette er en test av metadata lagt inn via notes i waveagent. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789
sPROJECT=Projectfelt
sSCENE=Scenefelt
sTAPE=Tapefelt
sTAKE=Takefelt
sTRK1=SCHOEPS
—————————————
iTunes (10.5.1):
Name: 170139 Printer – Scanner – close scanner lid – Schoeps
Time: 0:02
Get Info:
Kind: WAV audio file
Sample Rate: 96.000kHz
Channels: Mono
Sample Size: 24 bit
—————————————
Nuendo (5.5.0):
(Media Bay)
File type: Broadcast wave file
Date created: 11/7/2011
Project name: Projectfelt
Reel: Tapefelt
Sample rate: 96000.00
Channels: mono
Origin time: 0:00:15:19
Date recorded: 11/6/2011 12:00:00 AM
Notes: Dette er en test av metadata lagt inn via notes i waveagent. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789
Scene: Scenefelt
Take: Takefelt
BWF Description:
sNOTE=Dette er en test av metadata lagt inn via notes i waveagent. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789sPROJECT=Projectfelt
sSCENE=Scenefelt
sTAPE=Tapefelt
sTAKE=Takefelt
sTRK1=SCHOEPS
Author: REAPER
—————————————
Pro Tools LE (8.0.3CS2):
Duration: 0:01.921
File Comment: Dette er en test av metadata lagt inn via notes i waveagent. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789
Date Modified: 8.nov.. 2011 23.55.04
Date Created: 8.nov.. 2011 23.55.03
#Channels: 1
Format: WAV (BWF)
Sample Rate: 96000
Bit-Depth: 24 bits
Original Timestamp: 00:00:15:19
Clip Name: 170139 Printer – Scanner – close scanner lid – Schoeps
Channel Names: SCHOEPS (A1)
Scene: Scenefelt
Take: Takefelt
Shoot Date: 6.nov.. 2011 18.01.39
Sound Roll: Tapefelt
Sound Roll TC: 00:00:15:19
—————————————
Cubase (6):
Description: sNOTE=Dette er en test av metadata lagt inn via notes i waveagent. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789
sProject: Prosjektfelt
sScene: Scenefelt
sTape: Tapefelt
sTake: Takefelt
sTRK1: SCHOEPS
Originator: REAPER
Reference:
Date: 2011-11-13
Time: 01:00:00
Timecode: 0:00:15:764
Smpte UMID: 6450270A40EB450CB30DDSE13BDED691
Coding History:
—————————————
Adobe Premiere Pro (CS5):
Description: sNOTE=Dette er en test av metadata lagt inn via notes i waveagent. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789
Originator: REAPER
Originator Reference:
Originator Date: 2011-11-06
Originator Time: 17-01-39
Time Reference: 1513360
BWF Version: 1
SMPTE UMID:
Coding History:
—————————————
And that was it. Wave Agent metadata seems to be readable by all the programs we tested, except iTunes. Hope you find this useful. If you would like to test the same file in a program of your choice, the file can be downloaded here (Right click and “save as”). Please share the results with us in the comments field below.
Further reading:
Creating a sound effects library with metadata
You and your metadata
Metadata support in sound library apps
Metadata: additional fields?
So, I haven’t had too much time for recording and updating the blog lately. Finally, It looks like I’m starting to get things under control again and the urge to record is returning. 
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