Version a client review so notes still mean something tomorrow

Give each review a stable identity

A client cannot review “the latest” once more than one file exists. Use a filename that names the work, cut or purpose, version, and date or delivery state: Northline_30sCue_v03_2026-09-19.mp3. Keep the same core title across exports; do not create near-identical names such as final, final2, and final-really. A version is a statement of what was sent, not a claim that the music is finished forever.

Send one reference file per decision when possible. If you send instrumental, vocal, and alternate endings together, state which one is the primary review target. Include a brief changelog: what changed from v02, what remains intentionally unchanged, and which questions you need answered.

Make feedback locatable

Ask reviewers to give a timestamp, a description, and a priority. “At 00:18, the lift masks the spoken line; try less top-end energy” is actionable. “Make it more exciting” can still be useful, but needs a follow-up question about section, energy, and reference. Keep comments in one shared document or one annotated review system, then copy the decisions into the session notes.

Markers can help preserve that conversation in the session. Avid documents track markers and comments for notating timeline-specific information; they are useful operational aids, not a substitute for a clear written brief.

Separate change requests from new directions

At each round, sort feedback into accepted changes, questions, conflicts, and new scope. A request for a different genre, a new voice, or an additional cut is not merely a mix tweak. Flag it, estimate impact, and agree whether it becomes a new version path. This avoids silently rewriting the project while promising a minor revision.

Set a version freeze

Before printing final delivery, circulate a freeze note: exact file name, duration, approved reference, outstanding technical checks, and deadline for factual corrections. Ask the client to identify the approved file by its full name, rather than replying only “approved.” Once frozen, archive the reference, review notes, source-session revision, and the delivery checksum if your workflow uses one. If a post-freeze change is required, increment the version, say why, and send the new reference as a new decision point. The purpose is traceability and collaboration, not legal provenance or a guarantee that later disputes disappear.

Limitations

Version discipline cannot create consent, settle ownership, or replace a client agreement. It also cannot prevent feedback from changing. Pair it with a provenance log for contribution records and aligned delivery stems when approval moves into mix handoff.