audio
Should be supplied ideally on Audio CD. The CD should be clearly marked up with pen, inkjet or thermal print. Allow inkjet prints sufficient time to dry before putting it in a CD wallet. Do not use the address or CD labels on the disc. Note: Because we need to retain the masters, do not send your only copies of production masters without prior authorisation. We do accept audio files delivered on CDROM. We only accept 16bit/44.1kHz WAV files.
WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANY OTHER FORMAT.
Audio files should be named with the track number, then underscore as a prefix followed by the full track title.
For example:
01_This Is Track One.wav
(Please note: audio files not supplied in this format will be subject to delayed processing.)
cover art
Should be supplied as a 1400x1400 pixel JPG at 300 DPI. The colourspace should be set to RGB, and any guides, rulers or embedded colour profiles should be removed. The file itself cannot be locked or copyrighted to deter from possible edits. We can scan most professionally printed sleeves, but cannot scan inkjet or laserprinted sleeves. The most frequent cause of delay is poor artwork, and we do reject submissions on this basis. In addition, cover art should not list CD or DVD extras, and should not display any web address or copyrighted material.
metadata
All titles should be in Upper & Lower case text. Special attention should be paid to the use of ampersands and accents, arets etc. Please note: We may choose not to correct any spelling mistakes once the content has been uploaded. Please use the delivery template to minimise processing time. Classical artists should contact us prior to submitting material because we will require additional information, including full classical notation in the titles, full composers names, plus details of conductors and soloists.
additional information
Press releases, press photos and band biographies will help AWAL sell your music, and ensure that you are considered for any opportunities that may arise.
delivery
Metadata, cover art and biographies should be supplied on an accompanying CDROM. CDs must be packaged so they will stay in-tact throughout mailing. An uncased CD in an A5 envelope is not likely to survive the journey. You must also ensure that the correct postage is applied to the package. Awal no longer pays insufficient postage fines, therefore your package will be returned by the postal services.
We have designed the AWAL download agreement as a very simple document. We will sign the front page of the agreement, date it, add our reference number, and send back one copy for your own files. You should only fill out the First and Second Schedules, noting the following:
- The First Schedule is a listing of eMasters covered by this agreement. The schedule can either list each separate song, or each separate album. If you need to exclude certain territories from the agreement, then make us aware of the exclusions in the Excluded Territories column. If you leave this column blank, we will assume we have worldwide rights.
- Be sure to clearly fill out the Second Schedule; we need this information to gain access to your contact information, and ultimately to set up your royalty account. The Designated Payee is the person or company we will make the royalty cheque out to. Those of you outside the UK should also include a Paypal account.
- In the case of a band, the Second Schedule should be signed by all members of the band.
- For record labels (or bands with their own Limited Company), a company director should sign the agreement.
After agreeing to the terms, please print out and complete two copies of the agreement. Send both copies along with the CD and a CDROM containing the cover art, metadata and press information.
While we do what we can to expedite the process, submissions to Awal with missing, or incorrect parts will be treated as low priority. Following these guidelines will ensure that content is ingested into our system with minimum intervention (and hence delay). We require all parts prior to upload. We cannot partially upload content, and release dates cannot be guaranteed for content supplied without sufficient lead time.
