Chordal · InstantClear™ Network

Licensing API Reference

The InstantClear™ Licensing API lets approved platforms launch a synchronization-licensing product over fractionally-owned commercial songs — browse pre-cleared catalogs, build projects, download audio, and report usage back to Chordal.

Base URL

https://api.chordal.com

Version

v1 (path-prefixed)

Format

JSON over HTTPS

Auth

Bearer token (JWT)

Availability

Tiered — white-label in Enterprise

Machine-readable

OpenAPI · Postman

Overview

Chordal's InstantClear™ API enables approved platforms to quickly launch a sync-licensing product backed by fractionally-owned commercial songs. It is offered in multiple tiers depending on how deeply you integrate — from simple music pulls to a fully white-labeled user experience (Enterprise tier).

Core concepts

Typical integration flow

Authentication

Every endpoint requires authentication. Chordal issues you a signed JSON Web Token (JWT), which the platform verifies on every request. Send it as a Bearer token in the Authorization header.

Authorization: Bearer {YOUR_AUTH_KEY}
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json   # on requests with a JSON body

Base URL & versioning

All requests go to a single host, with the version baked into the path. The current and only version is v1.

https://api.chordal.com/v1/licensing/{endpoint}

Pagination & sorting

List endpoints share a common set of query parameters and return a paginated envelope.

{
  "data": [ ... ],
  "links": { "first": "…?page=1", "last": "…?page=10", "prev": null, "next": "…?page=2" },
  "meta":  { "current_page": 1, "from": 1, "last_page": 10, "per_page": 15, "to": 15, "total": 150 }
}

Errors

The API uses conventional HTTP status codes. A successful create/read returns 200; a successful delete returns 204 with an empty body. 4xx means the request was rejected; 5xx indicates a problem on Chordal's side.

Endpoints

InstantClear templates

Response 200

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "Program Name",
      "description": "A brief description of the program.",
      "media": "TV and Streaming",
      "territory": "United States",
      "term": "1 Year",
      "duration": "Up to 0:60",
      "subscription_starts_at": "2025-03-21T12:00:00Z",
      "subscription_ends_at": "2026-03-21T12:00:00Z",
      "usage_starts_at": "2025-03-21T12:00:00Z",
      "usage_ends_at": "2026-03-21T12:00:00Z",
      "payment_deadline_at": "2026-03-21T12:00:00Z",
      "created_at": "2025-03-21T12:00:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "links": { "first": "…?page=1", "last": "…?page=10", "prev": null, "next": "…?page=2" },
  "meta":  { "current_page": 1, "last_page": 10, "per_page": 15, "total": 150 }
}

List projects

Response 200

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "title": "Project Title",
      "slug": "project-title",
      "description": "A brief description of the project.",
      "preclearedProgram": { "id": 1, "name": "Program Name" },
      "tags": [ { "id": 1, "name": "Tag Name 1" } ],
      "image_url": "https://cdn.chordal.com/image.jpg",
      "created_at": "2025-03-21T12:00:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "links": { "first": "…?page=1", "last": "…?page=10", "prev": null, "next": "…?page=2" },
  "meta":  { "current_page": 1, "last_page": 10, "per_page": 15, "total": 150 }
}

Create a project

Example request

POST /v1/licensing/projects
Content-Type: multipart/form-data

title=Euphoria
description=A brief description of the project.
precleared_program_id=1
image_url=https://cdn.chordal.com/image.jpg
tags[]=tag1
image=@cover.jpg

Response 200

{
  "data": {
    "id": 1,
    "title": "Project Title",
    "slug": "project-title",
    "description": "A brief description of the project.",
    "preclearedProgram": { "id": 1, "name": "Program Name" },
    "tags": [ { "id": 1, "name": "Tag Name 1" } ],
    "image_url": "https://cdn.chordal.com/image.jpg",
    "created_at": "2025-03-21T12:00:00Z"
  }
}

Delete a project

Response 204

// empty body

List project tracks

Response 200 (one track)

{
  "id": 1,
  "isrc": "USRC17607839",
  "iswc": "T-123.456.789-0",
  "title": "Track Title",
  "year": 2020,
  "release_date": "2020-05-20",
  "language_code": "en",
  "version_type": "original",
  "mix_type": "instrumental",
  "structure": "has-build",
  "key": "C major",
  "tempo": 120,
  "energy_level": "high",
  "emotional_tone": "bright-uplifting",
  "recognizability": 750,
  "artists":   [ { "id": 1, "name": "Artist One" } ],
  "albums":    [ { "id": 1, "title": "Album One" } ],
  "genres":    [ { "id": 1, "name": "Pop" } ],
  "subgenres": [ { "id": 1, "name": "Indie Pop" } ],
  "moods":     [ { "id": 1, "name": "Happy" } ],
  "instruments":     [ { "id": 1, "name": "Guitar" } ],
  "creativeKeywords":[ { "id": 1, "name": "Uplifting" } ],
  "lyricMoods":      [ { "id": 1, "name": "Sad" } ],
  "lyricThemes":     [ { "id": 1, "name": "Ambition" } ],
  "lyrics_summary": "A summary of the lyrics",
  "image_url": "https://cdn.chordal.com/image.jpg",
  "audio_url": "https://cdn.chordal.com/audio.mp3",
  "duration": 180,
  "stems": [
    { "id": 101, "title": "Guitar Stem", "instrument": "Guitar", "audio_url": "https://cdn.chordal.com/stems/guitar.mp3", "duration": 180 }
  ]
}

See the Track & Stem model for the meaning and allowed values of each musical field (version_type, mix_type, energy_level, emotional_tone, etc.).

Download audio

Example

GET /v1/licensing/projects/1/tracks/10/download?track_quality=hi-res
// → 200 OK, binary audio file

Report a license

Example request

POST /v1/licensing/projects/1/tracks/10/licenses
{
  "brief_title": "Upbeat, emotional electronic tracks",
  "air_date": "2024-09-25",
  "links": [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXc" ],
  "total_reported_royalties": 1000,
  "period_starts": "2024-10-01",
  "period_ends": "2024-12-31",
  "external_id": "EXT-12345",
  "metadata": { "key": "value" }
}

Response 200

{
  "data": {
    "id": "SYNCHID-1.1",
    "total_reported_royalties": 1000,
    "external_id": "EXT-12345",
    "period_starts": "2024-10-01",
    "period_ends": "2024-12-31",
    "air_date": "2024-09-25",
    "links": [ { "id": 1, "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXc" } ],
    "metadata": { "key": "value" },
    "created_at": "2024-09-25T12:34:56Z"
  }
}

Data models

PreclearedProgram (InstantClear template)

Project

Track & Stem

Stem

License

Notes & open questions

While rewriting these docs, a few things in the auto-generated source were unclear, inconsistent or missing. They've been cleaned up here where safe; the items below are worth confirming on the backend.