What should I do to improve my identification question?

Question

When I ask an identification question (tagged identify-this-*), I receive downvotes and comments indicating that my question is not up to the standard.

Why does this happen? What can I do to improve my ID question so as to avoid this?

Answer 1

What should I do to improve my identification question?

Here are some tips to help you improve your question:

• Search on Google using terms like:

  • Part of the lyrics. Here you can specify the language (if you know it) of the song you're looking for.
  • Name of the artist(s).
  • Music cover image, describing it or if you have the image, add it too.
  • Music genre (rock, pop, reggae, jazz...).
  • When did you hear the song or if you know it, the year of production.
  • Where did you hear the song (radio station, commercial, etc) or where you did watch the video (YouTube, etc.).
  • If you have heard a similar theme you can add the similarities with the music you're looking for.
  • Any other details that you can remember about the song.

• If Google didn't return any results, use any of the following websites or other sites dedicated to searching for music also using the terms mentioned above:

  • Find Music By Lyrics
  • Lyricsmania
  • Lyrically
  • Metrolyrics
  • Youtube yes, you can search there, some video descriptions contain information that can lead you to a possible answer.

When searching, search beyond page one, trust me, maybe your answer is on page 2 or even page 3 (this is specially true in Youtube, so many videos...) :)

• If you have a recorded sample, use music identification software (like Shazam or SoundHound) or keep those programs at hand for the next time the song may appear again.

• If you heard the song on a radio station or any other commercial media, try to contact them via email, Twitter, et cétera.

With the results that you have gotten so far and adding info like:

• Discarded similar themes: let's say that I found 3 samples on Youtube that sound similar, but they're not the song I'm looking for.

• Covers: let's say that I found the song, but it's interpreted by a male singer, but you remember that the original singer was actually a woman.

You have already improved your question massively. good luck and we hope to be able to help you with accurate answers!

If you have indeed found the song, congratulations!, we invite you to answer your own question so other users will recognize your results and will enjoy listening to music that they might not otherwise have listened to.

Answer 2

I didn't downvote you. But I think some people may have downvote because the way you asked the question looked like you were asking us to do the whole job for you. You should first say what you have already tried so we won't do it again:

• Have you tried to find them on google, or youtube?
• Have you tried to contact the artist?
• Have you checked the booklet in the disc box (or inner sleeve)?
• Have you tried to listen and write what you understood, I'm sure there is some parts you can understand a little. If there is some missing parts you can publish the understood parts, and we will help you to fill the rest.