Members Ernest Buckley Posted August 31, 2017 Members Share Posted August 31, 2017 I`m on the brink of finishing a record and even though I know the CD is extinct, I`m still thinking how much I enjoy the process of unwrapping a new album in CD format and reading the liner notes... am I alone in this? I`m thinking of printing 100 to 300 CDs.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members audioicon Posted August 31, 2017 Members Share Posted August 31, 2017 I`m on the brink of finishing a record and even though I know the CD is extinct, I`m still thinking how much I enjoy the process of unwrapping a new album in CD format and reading the liner notes... am I alone in this? I`m thinking of printing 100 to 300 CDs.... Hey my friend! I still have your CD, that song, "What's left to dream." is always playing in my head. Personally, if I were to do an album it would be Vinyl, they are coming back with a vengeance. In fact, I bought all Vinyl no aways when I can. Not sure what they cost but CD's are nice as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philboking Posted August 31, 2017 Members Share Posted August 31, 2017 I printed 300 in May of this year. A bit more than half of those are gone. I sent out about 35 or 40 to radio stations in promotional packages, sold a number of them at gigs & gatherings, and handed out quite a few for free. While I haven't tracked costs to the penny, I'm pretty sure I'm breaking even or close to it. I did run into some resistance at some venues, the "why on earth would I want to buy a CD?" look. If I had to do it again, I think I would get 128MB USB memory sticks with my logo on them, and put music, artwork and lyrics in there, and sell those instead. And I'd get CDs printed-to-order for online customers, like they have at this store:https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/philboking2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members davd_indigo Posted September 2, 2017 Members Share Posted September 2, 2017 I had 125 CD's printed with a logo and my name (both printed and signed) with a yellow background covering the whole CD. It was my design and was done locally at (IIRC) Bison discs. My logo is a graphic of 3 white piano keys with 2 black keys. I burn the CD in small batches of 5 to 10. They are all given away, not sold. They are mostly cover's. The jazz oriented pieces are more interpretations. I often include one or two composed pieces. I give them to friends and family with a few as promos for potential gigs. I ordered some CD envelopes which are basically grocery store paper bag colored cardboard. I want eventually to have peel and stick labels (with my piano key logo) to place on the CD envelopes. I'm shooting for a bit of visual appeal. I'm aware I'm not cutting edge here. But when I think back to how I came upon some of my most treasured musical discoveries, it was on vinyl, in used record stores. IMO the graphic design on album covers, record labels and (especially) liner notes were the things that attracted me to check out the music inside. That and the reduced cost of buying used. My thinking is that these USB flash drives that some are favoring these days will eventually be replaced with something later and greater. Vinyl and CD's have dedicated gizmos (technical term) that I believe will still be produced for the legacy media. Also, once CD's have faded from common use, there will be some young hipsters extolling the virtues of CD's. A CD has a defined set of songs contained on it. I like that. A flash drive can have anything and almost everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bucksstudent Posted September 3, 2017 Members Share Posted September 3, 2017 I'm convinced that I could design a way for people to broadcast lossless music directly to their brain, and they'd still be indifferent to my stuff. I went back to streaming on Youtube this year, and I upload MP3s to Dropbox. But I spend maybe five seconds promoting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted September 3, 2017 CMS Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 I giggle a bit when I see these posts of pressing 100-300 copies. I remember the day when the minimum vinyl pressing order was 500, and independent artists who were brave enough or sufficiently well established usually ordered 1000 and ended up with 300 in a closet. Still, I think that physical media is a badge that you believe in yourself and that you feel that your fans will believe in you, too. Do the CD first, make a free teaser download, and maybe a few months later consider making a download version available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nat whilk II Posted September 3, 2017 Members Share Posted September 3, 2017 You might get more takers for vinyl than CDs. I'm planning to "release" a CD by Christmas this year - it's a way to send copies to friends/family. I'll put the website URL right on the CD - maybe somebody will send me $10 or maybe not. Nothing to do about it but float the little musical boat, see where the winds and tides take it. nat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark L Posted September 4, 2017 Members Share Posted September 4, 2017 I'm under no illusions that anyone would actually pay to hear my songs. With that in mind I've made a selection of them available for free streaming and download. They're here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted September 4, 2017 CMS Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 You might get more takers for vinyl than CDs. Maybe, if you're the Rolling Stones, but you need a cult following in order to sell vinyl records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nat whilk II Posted September 4, 2017 Members Share Posted September 4, 2017 Maybe, if you're the Rolling Stones, but you need a cult following in order to sell vinyl records. Well, if HC is not a cult, and Ernest not one of the saints of said cult, I don't know what I'm doing here nat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members audioicon Posted September 4, 2017 Members Share Posted September 4, 2017 I giggle a bit when I see these posts of pressing 100-300 copies. I remember the day when the minimum vinyl pressing order was 500, and independent artists who were brave enough or sufficiently well established usually ordered 1000 and ended up with 300 in a closet. Still, I think that physical media is a badge that you believe in yourself and that you feel that your fans will believe in you, too. Do the CD first, make a free teaser download, and maybe a few months later consider making a download version available. Mike if I may: IMHO, I am thinking the idea of physical media today is not about selling or having people listen to your music, well not initially. It's about connecting and starting a conversation at the highest possible level. For example: I see a billboard advertising dates for a Magic Show. I probably will not attend but what I am most likely to do is come home and start a topic about it. Case in point: I ordered a Vinyl off Amazon, they sent the wrong artist, a group I have never seen or heard off. So I take the Vinyl and put it on my office wall. Everyone walking or stopping by will ask "who are those guy?" And I always say, go check them out. So the idea of giving someone a Vinyl IMHO tells a different story, it forms a conversation, CD's on the other hand explains nothing, it's ubiquitous and in someways notorious. Personally speaking, each time I see someone hold a Vinyl, I instantly becomes curious, imaging walking into a party or a crowd or taking your vinyl to a College campus, just walking with it creates a buzz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted September 4, 2017 Author Members Share Posted September 4, 2017 Thanks Audioicon, glad to hear one of my tunes is swirling in someone`s head! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted September 4, 2017 Author Members Share Posted September 4, 2017 I`m actually relieved to see some of you respond with vinyl. I am also considering that medium. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, the CD is my vinyl... however, I too have started a vinyl collection recently and I`m intrigued by the whole process.... and there is still something very special about unwrapping that vinyl package and opening it up to read the lyrics and having to take the record out of the sleeve... there is magic there. Granted, the CD also gives a similar experience but vinyl is back so it may make more sense at this point to deliver on that medium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members audioicon Posted September 4, 2017 Members Share Posted September 4, 2017 I`m actually relieved to see some of you respond with vinyl. I am also considering that medium. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, the CD is my vinyl... however, I too have started a vinyl collection recently and I`m intrigued by the whole process.... and there is still something very special about unwrapping that vinyl package and opening it up to read the lyrics and having to take the record out of the sleeve... there is magic there. Granted, the CD also gives a similar experience but vinyl is back so it may make more sense at this point to deliver on that medium. Imaging having your vinyl on the office wall of a college Academic Advisor or at the Student center? Vinyls are magnets for conversation starters. No offence intended but anybody and anything can be on a CD, vinyls are another story. Personally, I view and think of artist on Vinyl more highly than those only on discs. There is something, a connection that is magical. I still have your CD as previously mentioned, but no one else will see it unless I think to talk about it. If this was a Vinly on my studio wall, it would be the first thing people will ask about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members audioicon Posted September 4, 2017 Members Share Posted September 4, 2017 I think I would get 128MB USB memory sticks with my logo on them, and put music, artwork and lyrics in there, and sell those instead. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/philboking2 Given all the problems with Malware and Ransom ware and the proliferation of hacking, I personally will never put any USB or Media into my computer, even if it was from my grandmother or even if I know the person. That's information security #1 no-no. In fact, many large clients I have worked with will not allow USB, or external media, it is disabled by default. Great idea, bad times, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted September 4, 2017 CMS Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 IMHO, I am thinking the idea of physical media today is not about selling or having people listen to your music, well not initially. It's about connecting and starting a conversation at the highest possible level. For example: I see a billboard advertising dates for a Magic Show. I probably will not attend but what I am most likely to do is come home and start a topic about it. I might talk about the magic show, or the band that has a CD, to someone special, but I only start topics on forums that I know something about, not "I saw a billboard today." I'll admit to participating in discussions that others have started, in areas that I know little about, like this one. I ordered a Vinyl off Amazon, they sent the wrong artist, a group I have never seen or heard off. So I take the Vinyl and put it on my office wall. Everyone walking or stopping by will ask "who are those guy?" And I always say, go check them out. I hope you contacted Amazon, they sent you what they ordered, and told you not to bother sending back the wrong album. As to your advertising a group you never heard, well, they should just send you money. So the idea of giving someone a Vinyl IMHO tells a different story, it forms a conversation, CD's on the other hand explains nothing, it's ubiquitous and in someways notorious. That's an interesting outlook, but perhaps more realistic than it has a right to be since there are now "vinyl collectors" who aren't music collectors, they buy vinyl records and never play them. Many don't have any record playing gear at all, or they have a $75 USB turntable and convince themselves that the sound is much better than a CD or download. That may be true, but not because it's being reproduced from a vinyl disk. At least you put the record jacket on your office wall. Artwork has always been important to LPs, and is something that's lost, or at least difficult to find and display, with CDs and downloads. But it's important because it (usually) has something to do with the music or the artist, and usually has some detailed information about what's on the record - song titles, band members' names, maybe where it was recorded and who wrote the songs. Personally speaking, each time I see someone hold a Vinyl, I instantly becomes curious, imaging walking into a party or a crowd or taking your vinyl to a College campus, just walking with it creates a buzz. 50 years ago, I used to do that and it didn't create a buzz unless it was a newly released record of an artist that people are interested in hearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philboking Posted September 5, 2017 Members Share Posted September 5, 2017 A very good point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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