Certifying Tracks on Blockchain

Feedtracks offers blockchain certification to create permanent, tamper-proof records of your audio tracks and collaborator credits on the Tezos blockchain. This provides verifiable proof of ownership, collaboration, and track authenticity.

What Is Blockchain Certification?

Blockchain certification creates an immutable record of your track on a public blockchain. This record includes:

• Audio fingerprint: A SHA-256 hash of your audio file
• Collaborator credits: Names, roles, and percentage splits
• Timestamp: When the certification was created
• Track metadata: Title, artist, and other identifying information

Once created, this record cannot be altered or deleted, providing permanent proof of your work.

Why Use Blockchain Certification?

Proof of Ownership

Certify your track to establish:

• When you created or possessed the audio at a specific point in time
• Immutable timestamp that can be referenced in disputes
• Public verification that anyone can check

Collaboration Credits

Document collaborators with:

• Names and roles (producer, engineer, vocalist, etc.)
• Percentage splits (royalty or credit distribution)
• Transparent records that can’t be changed after the fact

Copyright Protection

While certification doesn’t replace copyright registration:

• It provides supporting evidence of creation date
• Demonstrates you possessed the file at a specific time
• Can be used in copyright disputes as proof

Industry Use Cases

• Pre-release certification: Certify tracks before public release to establish creation date
• Demo protection: Protect demos sent to labels or collaborators
• Collaboration agreements: Create transparent credit records
• Archival records: Permanent records for catalog management

How Blockchain Certification Works

The Tezos Blockchain

Feedtracks uses the Tezos blockchain for certifications:

• Environmentally friendly (proof-of-stake, not proof-of-work)
• Low transaction costs
• Fast confirmation times
• Public and transparent

SHA-256 Hash

The core of certification is the SHA-256 hash:

1. Feedtracks retrieves your audio file from S3 storage
2. Generates a SHA-256 hash of the complete file
3. The hash is a unique 64-character fingerprint
4. Even a 1-bit change in the audio creates a completely different hash

Example hash:

a3d5e7f9c2b8d1e6f4a7c9b2d5e8f1a4c7e9b2d5f8a1c4e7b9d2f5a8c1e4b7d9

This hash represents your exact audio file at the moment of certification.

Metadata Structure

Certification includes structured metadata:

{
  "track_id": "uuid-1234",
  "title": "Summer Nights (Final Mix)",
  "artist": "Jane Doe",
  "sha256_hash": "a3d5e7f9...",
  "certified_at": "2024-03-15T14:30:00Z",
  "collaborators": [
    {
      "name": "Jane Doe",
      "role": "Producer",
      "percentage": 60
    },
    {
      "name": "John Smith",
      "role": "Mix Engineer",
      "percentage": 30
    },
    {
      "name": "Alice Johnson",
      "role": "Mastering Engineer",
      "percentage": 10
    }
  ]
}

Immutability

Once written to the blockchain:

• ❌ Cannot be edited
• ❌ Cannot be deleted
• ❌ Cannot be backdated
• ✅ Anyone can verify the record
• ✅ Permanent proof of the certification

Creating a Certification

Step-by-Step Process

1. Open the track you want to certify
2. Navigate to the Certification section in the track details
3. Click “Create Certification”
4. Add collaborators:
   • Enter each collaborator’s name
   • Assign their role (e.g., Producer, Vocalist, Engineer)
   • Set their percentage contribution
   • Important: Total percentages must equal 100%
5. Review the information
6. Confirm and submit
7. Wait for blockchain confirmation (usually 30-60 seconds)
8. Download your certificate (PDF)

Collaborator Roles

Common roles include:

• Producer
• Mix Engineer
• Mastering Engineer
• Vocalist
• Instrumentalist (Guitar, Keys, Drums, etc.)
• Songwriter
• Composer
• Arranger
• Sound Designer

You can enter any custom role that fits your collaboration.

Percentage Requirements

Critical: Collaborator percentages must sum to exactly 100%.

Valid examples:

• ✅ Producer (100%)
• ✅ Producer (50%), Engineer (50%)
• ✅ Producer (60%), Mixer (30%), Mastering (10%)

Invalid examples:

• ❌ Producer (60%), Engineer (30%) = Only 90%
• ❌ Producer (50%), Engineer (50%), Vocalist (20%) = 120%

If percentages don’t sum to 100%, you’ll see an error and cannot submit.

One Certification Per Track

Important: Each track can only be certified once.

Once certified:

• ❌ You cannot create a second certification for the same track
• ❌ You cannot edit the existing certification
• ✅ The certification is immutable and permanent

If you need to update information:

• Upload a new version of the track
• Certify the new version with updated collaborators
• Both certifications remain on the blockchain (old and new)

Viewing Certifications

On the Track Page

Open any certified track to see:

• Certification badge indicating the track is certified
• Certification date (when it was created)
• Blockchain transaction ID (for verification)
• Collaborator list with roles and percentages
• SHA-256 hash of the certified file

Downloading the Certificate

1. Open the certified track
2. Go to the Certification section
3. Click Download Certificate
4. A PDF certificate is generated and downloaded

The certificate includes:

• Track title and artist
• Certification date
• SHA-256 hash
• Collaborator credits
• Blockchain transaction link
• Tezos blockchain logo and verification information

Verifying on the Blockchain

Anyone can verify your certification publicly:

1. Copy the blockchain transaction ID from the certificate
2. Visit a Tezos blockchain explorer (e.g., TzKT or TzStats)
3. Paste the transaction ID
4. View the immutable record on the blockchain

This transparency allows:

• Independent verification by third parties
• Proof without relying on Feedtracks
• Permanent public record

Certification Limits

Monthly Limits by Plan

Each subscription tier has a monthly limit on blockchain certifications:

• Fan Plan: Limited certifications per month
• Pro Plan: Higher monthly limit
• Studio Plan: Highest monthly limit

The exact limit depends on your plan details (check Settings → Subscription).

Tracking Your Usage

To see how many certifications you’ve used:

1. Go to Settings → Subscription
2. View Certifications Used This Month
3. See Certifications Remaining

Your certification_count_current_month resets to zero on the 1st of each month.

If You Exceed Your Limit

If you’ve used all your monthly certifications:

Option 1: Wait until next month

• Your limit resets on the 1st
• Certification will be available again

Option 2: Upgrade your plan

• Higher tiers have higher monthly limits
• Upgrade takes effect immediately
• See Upgrading Your Plan

Why Are There Limits?

Blockchain transactions have costs:

• Each certification costs Feedtracks a small transaction fee
• Limits prevent abuse and control costs
• Limits are generous for typical professional use

Understanding the SHA-256 Hash

What Is a Hash?

A hash is a unique fingerprint of your audio file:

• Always 64 characters long
• Represents the exact binary content of the file
• Even the smallest change produces a completely different hash

How Hashing Works

Original file: summer-nights-final.wav (50MB)
↓
SHA-256 algorithm
↓
Hash: a3d5e7f9c2b8d1e6f4a7c9b2d5e8f1a4c7e9b2d5f8a1c4e7b9d2f5a8c1e4b7d9

Why Hash Instead of the Full File?

• Storage: Blockchain storage is expensive; a 64-character hash is tiny
• Privacy: The hash doesn’t reveal the audio content
• Verification: Anyone with the original file can recalculate the hash to verify

Verifying a Hash

To verify your file matches the certified hash:

1. Download the original audio file
2. Use a SHA-256 hash calculator (online or command-line)
3. Compare the result to the certified hash
4. If they match, the file is authentic and unchanged

Command-line example (macOS/Linux):

shasum -a 256 summer-nights-final.wav

Expected output:

a3d5e7f9c2b8d1e6f4a7c9b2d5e8f1a4c7e9b2d5f8a1c4e7b9d2f5a8c1e4b7d9  summer-nights-final.wav

Use Cases and Workflows

Use Case 1: Pre-Release Album Certification

Scenario: You’re releasing an album in 3 months and want proof of creation before release.

Workflow:

1. Finalize all mastered tracks
2. Certify each track with full collaborator credits
3. Download certificates for your records
4. Release the album publicly

Benefit: If someone claims you copied their work post-release, you have blockchain proof of earlier creation.

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Use Case 2: Collaboration Agreement Documentation

Scenario: You’re producing tracks with multiple collaborators and want transparent credit records.

Workflow:

1. Agree on percentage splits with collaborators upfront
2. Certify the track with all names, roles, and percentages
3. Share the certificate with all collaborators
4. Everyone has proof of the agreed splits

Benefit: Prevents future disputes about who contributed what.

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Use Case 3: Demo Protection

Scenario: You’re sending demos to multiple labels and want proof you created them.

Workflow:

1. Certify each demo before sending
2. Include the certificate or blockchain link in your pitch
3. Labels can verify authenticity
4. You have proof if a label tries to claim ownership

Benefit: Protects your intellectual property during the pitch process.

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Use Case 4: Archive Management

Scenario: You’re a studio managing a large catalog and want permanent records.

Workflow:

1. Certify key tracks in your catalog
2. Store certificates with project files
3. Maintain a database of blockchain links
4. Future-proof your catalog records

Benefit: Even if Feedtracks ceases to exist, blockchain records remain.

Best Practices

1. Certify Final Versions

Only certify tracks when they’re truly final:

• After mastering
• After all approvals
• Before public release or distribution

Don’t waste certifications on work-in-progress versions.

2. Agree on Credits Before Certifying

Ensure all collaborators agree on:

• Their roles
• Their percentage splits
• The spelling of their names

Once certified, you cannot change this information.

3. Store Certificates Safely

After certification:

• Download the PDF certificate
• Store it with your project files
• Back up to cloud storage
• Keep the blockchain transaction ID in your project notes

4. Verify Before Critical Use

If you need to prove a certification (e.g., in a legal dispute):

• Download your original audio file
• Recalculate the SHA-256 hash
• Verify it matches the blockchain record
• Provide the blockchain transaction link as proof

5. Educate Collaborators

When sharing certificates with collaborators:

• Explain what blockchain certification means
• Show them how to verify the record publicly
• Store the certificate in shared project documentation

6. Use Certifications Strategically

Don’t certify everything:

• ✅ Certify commercially released tracks
• ✅ Certify tracks with complex collaboration
• ✅ Certify valuable or contested works
• ❌ Don’t certify casual experiments or sketches

Limitations and Considerations

What Certification Does NOT Do

• ❌ Does not replace copyright registration with government agencies
• ❌ Does not prevent others from copying your music
• ❌ Does not automatically enforce your rights
• ❌ Does not guarantee legal protection in all jurisdictions

What Certification DOES Do

• ✅ Provides evidence of possession at a specific time
• ✅ Creates immutable records of collaboration
• ✅ Offers transparent, verifiable proof
• ✅ Supports (but doesn’t replace) legal copyright processes

Legal Considerations

Blockchain certification is:

• A tool for record-keeping
• Evidence that can support copyright claims
• Not a substitute for legal advice or formal copyright registration

For full legal protection:

• Register copyrights with your country’s copyright office
• Consult with an entertainment lawyer
• Use blockchain certification as supplementary evidence

Troubleshooting

I can’t create a certification

Possible causes:

• You’ve reached your monthly limit
• The track is already certified
• Collaborator percentages don’t sum to 100%
• Network or blockchain issues

Solution:

• Check your monthly certification count
• Verify percentage totals
• Try again in a few minutes if network issue
• Upgrade your plan if at limit

Blockchain confirmation is taking a long time

Normal wait time: 30-60 seconds

If longer:

• Tezos network may be congested
• Usually resolves within a few minutes
• Refresh the page to check status

If stuck for >10 minutes:

• Contact support with your track ID
• The transaction may have failed and need retry

Percentages won’t add up correctly

Issue: Collaborator percentages must equal exactly 100%.

Solution:

• Double-check your math
• Use whole numbers when possible
• If using decimals, ensure precision
• Example: 33.33% + 33.33% + 33.34% = 100%

I certified the wrong version

Unfortunately: Certifications are immutable and cannot be deleted.

Solution:

• Upload the correct version as a new track
• Certify the new version
• Add a note to the old certification explaining the mistake
• Both certifications will exist on the blockchain

Can I re-certify after editing a track?

No. If you edit the audio file:

• The SHA-256 hash changes
• The new hash won’t match the blockchain record
• The certification becomes invalid for the edited file

Solution:

• Upload the edited file as a new version
• Certify the new version (uses another certification from your monthly limit)

Related Articles

• Managing Track Versions
• Upgrading Your Plan
• Understanding Access Levels
• Password Protection