Guide

Understanding Access Levels

Understand private, public, and password-protected sharing options. Learn how to control who can view, comment on, and download your audio tracks.

Last updated: 2025-11-16 • 4 min read

Feedtracks uses a role-based permission system to control what collaborators can do in shared drives. Understanding these roles helps you grant the right level of access to the right people.

The Three Access Levels

Feedtracks has three distinct permission levels, defined in the folder_permissions schema:

1. Admin (Full Control)

Complete control over the shared drive or folder.

2. Editor (Modify Content)

Can add, edit, and organize content but with some restrictions.

3. Viewer (Read-Only)

Can view and interact with content but cannot make changes.

Admin Role

Admins have complete control over shared drives and folders.

What Admins Can Do

Content Management:

✅ Upload new tracks and files
✅ Edit any track’s metadata (title, description, etc.)
✅ Delete any tracks, playlists, or folders
✅ Move items anywhere within the drive
✅ Create and delete folders
✅ Create and manage playlists
✅ Restore items from trash

Collaboration:

✅ Add new members to the shared drive
✅ Remove members from the shared drive
✅ Change other members’ access levels
✅ Create and manage public share links
✅ Set passwords on shared content
✅ Set expiration dates on shares

Drive Settings:

✅ Rename the shared drive
✅ Change drive description and settings
✅ Delete the entire shared drive
✅ Manage drive-level permissions
✅ View access logs and activity history

Advanced Features:

✅ Create blockchain certifications
✅ Manage version history for all tracks
✅ Configure drive-wide settings

When to Grant Admin Access

Give Admin access to:

Project leads who need full control
Studio owners managing their team’s work
Trusted collaborators who co-own the content
Technical staff who need to configure drive settings

Be cautious: Admins can delete the entire drive and remove other members, including you.

Editor Role

Editors can contribute content and make changes but have important limitations.

What Editors Can Do

Content Creation:

✅ Upload new tracks
✅ Create folders and playlists
✅ Add comments and timestamps
✅ Upload new versions of their own tracks

Content Modification:

✅ Edit metadata on their own tracks
✅ Organize their own tracks into folders
✅ Add tracks to playlists
✅ Reorder tracks in playlists

Collaboration:

✅ Comment on any track
✅ Reply to comments
✅ Create timestamp markers
✅ View all content in the drive

What Editors Cannot Do

Restricted Actions:

❌ Edit tracks uploaded by others
❌ Delete tracks they didn’t upload (unless explicitly granted permission)
❌ Add or remove members
❌ Change access levels
❌ Delete the shared drive
❌ Modify drive settings
❌ Create public share links for items they don’t own

When to Grant Editor Access

Give Editor access to:

Active collaborators contributing to projects
Musicians and producers working on tracks
Content creators who need to upload and organize
Team members who shouldn’t have administrative control

Best for: Regular contributors who need to work with content but shouldn’t manage access or settings.

Viewer Role

Viewers can access content for review and feedback but cannot make changes.

What Viewers Can Do

Content Access:

✅ View all tracks, playlists, and folders
✅ Play audio files
✅ View waveforms and visualizations
✅ Download tracks (if download is enabled)

Interaction:

✅ Add comments to tracks
✅ Reply to existing comments
✅ Create timestamp markers in comments
✅ View version history

Navigation:

✅ Browse folders and playlists
✅ Use search functionality
✅ View metadata and track details

What Viewers Cannot Do

Restricted Actions:

❌ Upload any files
❌ Edit any metadata
❌ Create folders or playlists
❌ Move or delete anything
❌ Modify track versions
❌ Change their own access level
❌ Invite others
❌ Create public share links

When to Grant Viewer Access

Give Viewer access to:

Clients reviewing work for approval
External reviewers who need to give feedback
Label representatives previewing submissions
Stakeholders who need visibility but not editing rights
Archival access for former team members

Best for: Anyone who needs to listen, review, and comment but shouldn’t modify content.

Permission Inheritance

Permissions in Feedtracks follow a hierarchical model:

Drive-Level Permissions

When you’re added to a shared drive with a specific role:

That role applies to the entire drive by default
You inherit that role for all folders and content within the drive
Admins can override permissions at the folder level

Folder-Level Permissions

Admins can set custom permissions for specific folders:

Create a folder with different permissions than the parent drive
Example: Main drive = Editor access, “Client Review” folder = Viewer access
Subfolder permissions override parent folder permissions

Example Hierarchy

Shared Drive: "Studio Project" (Editor access)
├── Tracks/ (inherits Editor)
├── Client Previews/ (custom: Viewer access)
│   ├── Round 1/ (inherits Viewer from parent)
│   └── Round 2/ (inherits Viewer from parent)
└── Masters/ (custom: Admin only)

In this setup:

Most collaborators have Editor access to upload and organize tracks
Client Preview folders are Viewer-only for feedback
Masters folder is restricted to Admins only

Changing Access Levels

As an Admin

To change someone’s access level:

Open the shared drive settings
Go to Members section
Find the member you want to modify
Click the role dropdown next to their name
Select the new role (Admin, Editor, or Viewer)
The change takes effect immediately

The member will see their permissions update in real-time.

As a Non-Admin

If you’re an Editor or Viewer:

You cannot change your own access level
You cannot change others’ access levels
You must request an Admin to modify permissions

Notification of Changes

When your access level changes:

You may see a notification (depending on settings)
Your UI will update to reflect your new capabilities
Some buttons or options may appear or disappear

Access Level Comparison Table

Capability	Admin	Editor	Viewer
View content	✅	✅	✅
Play audio	✅	✅	✅
Comment	✅	✅	✅
Upload tracks	✅	✅	❌
Edit own tracks	✅	✅	❌
Edit others’ tracks	✅	❌	❌
Delete own tracks	✅	✅	❌
Delete others’ tracks	✅	❌	❌
Create folders/playlists	✅	✅	❌
Move items	✅	✅ (own items)	❌
Create public links	✅	✅ (own items)	❌
Manage members	✅	❌	❌
Change access levels	✅	❌	❌
Delete shared drive	✅	❌	❌
Create certifications	✅	❌	❌

Best Practices for Access Levels

Start with Viewer

When adding new collaborators:

Start with Viewer access
Let them explore and comment
Upgrade to Editor if they need to contribute content
Promote to Admin only when necessary

This minimizes risk of accidental deletions or unwanted changes.

Use Editor for Most Team Members

The Editor role is the sweet spot for most collaborations:

Contributors can work independently
They can’t accidentally delete others’ work
They can’t modify drive settings or access

Reserve Admin for true project leads.

Limit Admin Access

Only grant Admin to:

Project owners
Technical leads who need full control
Trusted long-term collaborators

Too many Admins = risk of:

Accidental drive deletion
Member removal conflicts
Setting changes without consensus

Create Viewer-Only Preview Folders

For client reviews:

Create a “Client Preview” folder
Set folder permissions to Viewer-only
Copy or move tracks to this folder for review
Clients can comment but not modify

Document Your Access Strategy

For complex projects:

Document who has which role and why
Set expectations with collaborators upfront
Review access levels periodically
Remove access when collaboration ends

Use Cases by Industry

Music Production Studio

Studio Owner: Admin
In-house Engineers: Editor
Session Musicians: Editor
Clients: Viewer (for review folders)

Post-Production House

Project Manager: Admin
Sound Designers: Editor
Editors: Editor
Director/Client: Viewer

Record Label

A&R Manager: Admin
Artists: Editor (for their own projects)
Producers: Editor
Label Executives: Viewer (for review)

Podcast Team

Host/Producer: Admin
Co-hosts: Editor
Audio Editor: Editor
Sponsors/Guests: Viewer (for episode previews)

Troubleshooting Access Issues

I can’t upload tracks

Cause: You have Viewer access.

Solution: Ask an Admin to upgrade you to Editor or Admin.

I can’t edit someone else’s track

Cause: Editors can only edit their own tracks.

Solution:

Ask an Admin to edit the track, or
Ask the Admin to grant you temporary Admin access

I can’t add new members

Cause: Only Admins can manage members.

Solution: Ask an existing Admin to add the person you need.

My permissions suddenly changed

Cause: An Admin modified your access level.