Relationship Type "Performance"

artist performed release or track
release or track was performed by artist
artist performed instrument on release or track
release or track has instrument performed by artist
artist performed vocal type vocal on release or track
release or track has vocal type vocal performed by artist

Description

This AdvancedRelationshipType designates artists who performed an instrument or a voice on a track or release.

This refers only to the artists that produced some original material for the track. Remixers are dealt with in the RemixRelationshipClass. Audio engineers etc. are dealt with in the ProductionRelationshipClass. Orchestras that performed on the track are dealt with separately: see OrchestraRelationshipType.

Performed: This is the most general form of this type. If you know that a certain artist performed on a track/release, but you do not know what they performed, then specify this.
- Performed instrument on: This more specific version designates artists who performed an instrument. Here you can specify the InstrumentRelationshipAttribute to state what instrument they played (see below)
- Performed vocal on: This more specific version designates artists who sang, spoke, rapped, or otherwise contributed using their voice on this work. The particular vocal role can be specified in the VocalRelationshipAttribute.

This AdvancedRelationshipType for ReleaseArtistRelationships and ArtistTrackRelationships is part of the PerformanceRelationshipClass.

Relationship Attributes

"additional" and "guest"

There is no guideline yet that specifies what exactly these two are for. These seem to overlap a little.

I suppose that "additional" should designate performers who did not play a main role in the performance. While "guest" designates performers who are not usual members of the group that performed, say, the whole release, but only appear on one track. (AdditionalRelationshipAttribute and GuestRelationshipAttribute)

"instrument"

Available only for performed instrument on to specify the instrument that the artist performed on. (InstrumentRelationshipAttribute)

"vocal"

Available only for performed vocal on. Note that this attribute is optional, so if none of the vocal types is appropriate, you can leave it blank. (VocalRelationshipAttribute)

"date"

There is no guideline yet how "date" (DateRelationshipAttribute) is useful for CompositionRelationships.

[But see discussion below.]

Examples

Thom Yorke performed guest vocals on Rabbit in Your Headlights.

Slash performed guitar on Always on the Run.

Discussion

See PerformanceRestructuringProposal for ideas on how to restructure performance link types and attributes.
Please go to InstrumentAdditionDiscussion to discuss the addition of instruments.

Use of Date in PerformerRelationshipType

There is presently no guideline on what the date attribute means for this Relationship Type. I think we should get some consensus on guidance, and add it. This is an issue for example in Edit #8012093. There is a similar issue with PerformanceRelationshipClass and CompositionRelationshipClass generally; see ComposerRelationshipType discussion. -- JimDeLaHunt 2007-12-17

My own view is that the date attributes should be filled in to indicate when the performance activity, happened -- when we have the data. Usually it will be the date of the recording session or concert. Date of performance is nice to record when we know it, but a performer AR with no date should also be acceptable as a first step. -- JimDeLaHunt 2007-12-17
It may be that only the year is known from a date (e.g. 1876), so I think that either Year, or Year-Month, or Year-Month-Date should be acceptable values for the date attributes. -- JimDeLaHunt 2007-12-17

PerformerRelationshipType at Track and Release level

Music is at a Track level, so the performer AR is also fundamentally a track-level attribute. However, ArtistRoleInheritance talks about how ARs could be applied at the Track, Release, or higher levels. It also proposes, "All information should be recorded at the highest possible level." Applying this principle, Performer relationships should be put at the Track level, unless all Tracks in a given release would have the same Performer AR, in which case it's OK to put that AR at the Release level. There is a similar issue with PerformanceRelationshipClass and CompositionRelationshipClass generally; see ComposerRelationshipType discussion. -- JimDeLaHunt 2007-12-17

Note that if a Release contains tracks recorded at different times by the same performer, and the Performer AR records the date attributes, then presumably the dates are different for different works, and so the Performer AR will be different for the different tracks. Hence adding date attributes to a performer AR on a release recorded in multiple sessions by the same performer probably forces the AR from the Release level to the track level. -- JimDeLaHunt 2007-12-17

Discussion?

CategoryRelationshipType