What To Deliver To Your Distributor: Files, Naming, And Versions
The Problem
A finished master can still create problems at upload. The song may sound right, but the delivery can still be messy. A wrong file, unclear name, missing clean version, or mislabeled alternate can slow the release down. In the worst case, the wrong master goes live and nobody notices until it is already public.
Distribution is not the place to improvise. Different distributors accept different file types and technical specs, so the safest move is to check the platform before upload. DistroKid currently accepts several audio formats and says 16-bit, 44.1 kHz WAV is typical. TuneCore recommends 24-bit, 192 kHz WAV files, while also accepting 16-bit, 44.1 kHz WAV files. CD Baby asks for high-quality WAV or FLAC files, stereo, 44.1 kHz, and 16-bit audio.
The master is only finished when the artist can deliver the right file, with the right name, for the right version. If the folder is confusing, the upload process becomes a guessing game.
The Principle
A distributor delivery should be boring, clear, and impossible to misunderstand. That means the file name should tell you what the file is without opening it. The version should be obvious. The format should match the distributor’s requirements. The folder should not contain old exports, rough references, or files named like someone was panicking at 2 a.m.
This is about preventing avoidable mistakes. Once a release is scheduled, every unclear file becomes a risk. A clean delivery system protects the artist, the engineer, and the release itself.
The Files To Deliver
The main file is the distributor master. This is the version meant for upload. In most cases, that should be a stereo lossless file prepared to the distributor’s current requirements. That usually means a WAV or FLAC file, not an MP3, unless the distributor specifically asks for or allows it. The upload master should be the exact file that gets checked, approved, and delivered.
It is also useful to keep a high-resolution archive master. That file may not be the one the distributor wants today, but it is still important. It gives the artist a clean long-term copy of the final master at the highest practical resolution from the session. If the song is needed later for licensing, video, vinyl prep, or another delivery format, the archive master keeps everyone from rebuilding the release from a lower-quality upload file.
The Naming System
File naming should be plain and consistent. A good name includes the artist, song title, version, and basic format details when useful. It should not depend on memory. It should not use “final,” “final two,” “real final,” or “use this one” as the only clue. Those names work during a rushed session, but they are dangerous during delivery.
A clean name might identify the artist, title, and version in order. For example, the name could show the artist first, then the song title, then whether the file is explicit, clean, instrumental, or radio edit. If sample rate and bit depth are useful for your workflow, they can be included at the end. Make the file impossible to confuse.
Avoid strange punctuation and characters that can create upload problems. DistroKid warns against characters such as slashes, colons, asterisks, question marks, quotation marks, angle brackets, and vertical bars in audio file names. CD Baby also limits file names to letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. That is a good general habit even if another distributor is being used. Simple file names move through systems more reliably. In fact, we had difficulty with CDBaby using capital letters in mid-title.
The Versions To Keep Straight
The explicit master is the full version of the song. The clean version removes or replaces explicit material while keeping the song musically intact. The instrumental removes the lead vocal but keeps the full music. The acapella keeps the vocal without the music. The performance version usually keeps selected vocal parts, hooks, or background elements so the artist can perform over it.
Those versions should not be guessed after the master is done. They should be planned before delivery. If a clean version is needed, it should be checked like its own master. If the instrumental has different energy because the vocal is gone, it may need its own level or tonal adjustment. If the performance track is going to be used live, it should be prepared for that purpose instead of treated like a leftover bounce.
The same applies to radio edits and alternate arrangements. A shorter edit should not be made by cutting a finished master carelessly. The edit should feel intentional, with purposeful transitions and a final check from top to bottom. Every delivered version should sound like it belongs to the release.
The Process
Start by confirming the distributor’s current specs. Do this before exporting the final upload file. Specs can vary between platforms, and the right answer is the one your distributor is asking for today. If there is any doubt, prepare the upload master to match the distributor and keep a higher-resolution archive separately. You can even place bounces inside folders labelled by distibrutor, if there is more than one.
Next, export the correct upload master from the approved master session. Do not grab an old bounce from a desktop folder. Do not assume the loudest file is the final file. Open the approved version, confirm the title and version, and export the file with a clean name. Then listen to that exact export before sending or uploading it.
After that, check the metadata against the release plan. The song title, artist name, featured artists, explicit status, and version label should match the distributor form. File names do not replace metadata, but they should not contradict it either. If the file says clean and the release form says explicit, something is wrong.
Separate alternates into clear folders. The main distributor master should not sit in the same folder as rough masters, references, old revisions, and test exports. A simple delivery folder should make the upload obvious. If another person opened it without context, they should know which file to use.
Finally, keep a backup after delivery. The release may be live for years. The artist may need the master again for a video, performance, compilation, or takedown and re-upload. A clean archive prevents future confusion.
Common Mistakes
The first mistake is uploading the wrong version. This usually happens when file names are unclear or too many exports are sitting in the same folder. The fix is to name every version plainly and remove anything that is not meant for delivery. If the artist needs explicit, clean, instrumental, and performance versions, each one should be labeled that way.
The second mistake is confusing the archive master with the distributor master. A high-resolution archive is useful, but it may not match what a specific distributor wants. The upload file should follow the platform’s requirements. The archive file should be kept for future use. Those are not always the same file.
The third mistake is sending an MP3 when a lossless file is available. Some distributors may accept compressed files, but that does not make them the best delivery choice. If the final master exists as a clean WAV or FLAC, that should usually be the starting point. Compressed versions can be useful for reference, email, or quick listening, but they should not be treated as the main master unless required.
The fourth mistake is failing to listen to the exact upload file. People often approve one file and upload another. They assume the export worked, the name is right, and the version is correct. That is how avoidable errors happen. The final delivery file should be played from beginning to end before upload.
Final Checklist
Before delivery, confirm the distributor’s file requirements. Make sure the upload master is the correct format, the correct version, and the correct song. Check that the file name is clean and readable. Confirm that the title, version, and explicit status match the release metadata. Remove old bounces and rough references from the delivery folder.
Listen to the exact file that will be uploaded. Check the start, the ending, and any fades. Confirm that the clean version is actually clean, the instrumental is actually instrumental, and the performance version has the right vocal elements. Keep a high-resolution archive in a separate location after the upload file is prepared.
A good delivery folder should not require explanation. It should make the next step obvious.
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About Dume41
Dume has been producing, recording, and mixing hip hop records since 1996, and mastering them since 2005. He is the founder of the record label Fresh Chopped Beats, where he has worked on music featuring artists such as Abstract Rude, Afu-Ra, Gabriel Teodros, Geologic/Prometheus Brown, Jeru The Damaja, Khingz, King Khazm, Macklemore, Percee P, Sean Price, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Sizzla, Specs Wizard, Vitamin D, and many, many others. His mastering chain is built around a high-end analog hardware setup designed to add depth, warmth, and polish while keeping the artist’s intent intact. To work with Dume on music contact him here.