History:Prefer Specific Relationship Types Proposal

Status: This page describes an active proposal and is not official.

Proposal number: RFC-Unassigned Champion: Jeroen Current status: Unknown

This proposal adds the following section to Advanced Relationship Style. It also adds a reference to this section to each of the relationship types mentioned below.

Prefer Specific Relationship Types

You should make an effort to make the relationship type as specific as possible. This means that you should avoid any of the generic types, if:

• The liner or another source specifies which of the subtypes apply, or
• You can easily deduce which of the subtypes apply.

In these cases you should use the specific relationship types, and omit a relationship of the generic type. If the liner provides no information on which of the subtypes apply, you should do a quick search for sources that provide more specific information.

If you feel the generic type is more appropriate - for example, if the evidence provides conflicting information, or if no specific information is available - then add your reasons and supporting information to the edit note and an annotation. This will help voters confirm your analysis and will make sure other editors are aware of the background when doing later edits.

Generic Types

The following relationship types are considered 'generic types':

• Arranger
• Engineer
• Engineer Position
• Performer
• Writer (proposed)

Examples

• Larry Luddecke recorded and mixed Old Dogs, as confirmed by the author's website. He is linked to the release with Recording Engineer and Mix Engineer relationships. No Engineer relationship is created.
• Imogen Heap wrote Earth (instrumental). As this is an instrumental track, the writing credit clearly does not apply to any lyrics or libretto. Instead of a Writer relationship, Imogen is credited using a Composer relationship.
• Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote You Got Me Rocking. As their individual roles are unclear - one might have been primarily working on the lyrics, with the other writing the music - the Writer relationship is used. Once more information becomes available, these can be replaced by Composer and/or Lyricist relationships.