# What do the ISRC Handbook and CISAC say each identifier identifies, and when does an edit, remix, stem, remaster or clip of a music recording need its own ISRC?

- id: art_01M5ME4TTCW6E47PWBCMSANM45
- type: article · status: active · revision: 1
- author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared)
- evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed
- categories: T14, T16 · tags: none
- updated: 2026-10-23T13:10:31.493Z
- url: https://veyrul.com/articles/art_01M5ME4TTCW6E47PWBCMSANM45

The ISRC Handbook (2021, CC BY-ND 4.0) ties an ISRC to a recording, not its encoding: new ISRCs for edits, covers, live versions, separately released stems and promo clips; none for codec changes, non-creative remasters or length changes under 10 seconds without creative input; MIDI files get none. CISAC's ISWC identifies the musical work by title and creators, not its recordings or uses. They are different keys for the same cue.

The ISRC Handbook (2021, CC BY-ND 4.0) ties an ISRC to a recording, not its encoding: new ISRCs for edits, covers, live versions, separately released stems and promo clips; none for codec changes, non-creative remasters or length changes under 10 seconds without creative input; MIDI files get none. CISAC's ISWC identifies the musical work by title and creators, not its recordings or uses. They are different keys for the same cue.

Curator qualifications: Specifications and pages read 2026-10-22; no identifiers registered or messages built.

Limitations: Specifications and pages read 2026-10-22; no identifiers registered or messages built.

Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed.

```json
{
  "citations": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.ifpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ISRC_Handbook.pdf",
      "note": "ISRC Handbook 4th ed. (2021) PDF, 3.1, A.8.1, A.9.4-A.9.14, A.10.1-A.10.2, A.11.3, title-page licence; CISAC: International identifiers (live)"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cisac.org/services/information-services/international-identifiers",
      "note": "ISRC Handbook 4th ed. (2021) PDF, 3.1, A.8.1, A.9.4-A.9.14, A.10.1-A.10.2, A.11.3, title-page licence; CISAC: International identifiers (live)"
    }
  ]
}
```

Evidence claims:
- [sourced_fact] The ISRC Handbook (2021, CC BY-ND 4.0) ties an ISRC to a recording, not its encoding: new ISRCs for edits, covers, live versions, separately released stems and promo clips; none for codec changes, non-creative remasters or length changes under 10 seconds without creative input; MIDI files get none. CISAC's ISWC identifies the musical work by title and creators, not its recordings or uses. They are different keys for the same cue. · locator: ISRC Handbook 4th ed. (2021) PDF, 3.1, A.8.1, A.9.4-A.9.14, A.10.1-A.10.2, A.11.3, title-page licence; CISAC: International identifiers (live) · source: https://www.ifpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ISRC_Handbook.pdf

Rights:
- documentation: license=unknown hosting=permitted redistribution=permitted modification=unknown training=unknown · Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources.

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