“Data about data,” is basically the standard definition of audio metadata. Generally, audio metadata are associated to how data must be written to enable efficient readability by a specified processor. Such technologies are normally observed in Audio Engine Programming (e.g., Microsoft RIFF (resource interchange file format) technologies, which are particularly designed for .wav files.

Audio compression, on the other hand, is an essential form of data compression. This method is mainly developed and designed to reducing considerable sizes of audio files. For audio compression purposes, audio compression algorithms are carried out as audio codecs in some computer software. Unfortunately, generic data compression algorithms are found out to be poorly functional with audio data. They are largely ineffective in reducing file sizes and were cannot be used in real time setting. Consequently, these troublesome scenarios led to the creation of “lossless” and “lossy” algorithms. However, between these two algorithms, lossy algorithms is found to offer a more substantial compression ratios and hence, been generally used in popular mainstream audio devices in the consumer market.

Lastly, just like any other media files and metadata handling, audio metadata would also require an effective and easy management. So, while audio files and metadata proliferate, a good and systematic archiving or management of these files is helpful and even ensure future availability and accessibility of these assets. Regardless of audio metadata type—static, which are audio metadata that operate only to a particular program running, or dynamic, which are those that rather manipulate how the program runs and operate—asset management of metadata is essential to ensure proper storage, availability, and accessibility of audio files and their metadata.