Howto handle hidden tracks on DVD not reachable by menu entry?

Hi,

I just ripped DVDs and CDs from https://musicbrainz.org/release/d5fb75d1-3454-4a08-821e-0ff98dfb42bf as mp3 files. As discussed in edit https://musicbrainz.org/edit/96330286, I have two additional tracks on the second DVD that are not listed on the back of the DVD, nor are they accessible from the DVD menu.

The first hidden track starts with the following text:

The second hidden track starts with the following text:

The second hidden track indicates that it seems to be the artist’s intention that these tracks should be found by the listener in some way. Therefore, I think these tracks should be listed in the release.

The question now is how to do it right. Should these tracks be listed at all? Should these tracks be marked as hidden tracks by prepending/appending ‘[hidden]’?

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This seems comparable to a hidden pregap track in which case I would think they might fall under the unknown track category in the documentation here Style / Unknown and untitled / Special purpose track title - MusicBrainz.

That said, there’s also a feature to indicate a pregap track on a CD, so not comparable in exactly the same way.

Absolutely list them. Then put notes into the annotation as to their hidden status.

It is very likely these are “Easter Egg” type tracks. Something on the menus will light up and let you click it. I have a few DVDs like this with hidden bonuses.

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There could very well be a way to access these from the menu system, but the method to do so may be extremely complex and non-discoverable. The menus work by executing software on the DVD which is pretty flexible aside from the limited amount of memory available to it, and some video games were made that are playable on standard DVD players.

For example, maybe after starting the main program you have to do something like press up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, enter, menu.

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I have a similar case with https://musicbrainz.org/release/d94b576c-d7a2-4ce5-94a7-8d33e2291cd7 that I’ve been meaning to ask about. The original music videos for the singles are included on the DVD, but they’re not on the tracklist and I can’t see any way of accessing them from the DVD menus.

The key is you found them, so they are on the DVD and can be listed.

Sometimes these Easter Eggs have to wait for a timer to go off before a hidden option appears. May be clicking a logo. All kinds of little tricks. But the main key is you have found content on the disk and can list it. This will help others who own the release to access the content you have found.

As to naming - you could put (hidden track) on the end of the track name if you want to make the point that they are hard to find.

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On your DVD player, you may be able to select titles and chapters directly, independently of the menus.
My player allows that, usually.

Or maybe there is a Play All button that plays them, also.

Thank you all for your contributions. I will add the hidden tracks and put notes into the annotation as @IvanDobsky suggested. Maybe this should be added to the official MusicBrainz Style Guidelines. I would expect it here Style / Unknown and untitled / Special purpose track title - MusicBrainz .

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I’ve got a similar problem with this https://www.discogs.com/release/6465334-Various-Garth-Marenghis-Darkplace hidden “record” that is an easter egg on this https://musicbrainz.org/release/a4284323-25ef-4552-abda-657234a37626 DVD.

It exists, so document it in any way you see is clear. As noted above, I lean on using what I rip with MakeMKV and work up lengths and credits from that.

This is not really one you can write up from cover art as that is the point of an Easter Egg - hidden.

Whatever you end up doing, the annotation and disambig will be the key to it making sense to someone else.

(May have to get that DVD out again… not watched it in ages…)

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