How are you releasing music?

LeedyGuy · Post by **LeedyGuy** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:56 am

I have this project that I have been working on for about a year on and off and it's time to spit it out to the public, but I am sort of stuck with what I should do with it. What is everyone else doing when they get done with a body of work? We are basically going to be a NYC band playing rock music, but I'm afraid there isn't any point in getting artwork and a CD pressed at this moment, is there? I would like to do a vinyl release since that is my preferred listening format and almost some kind of cool niche thing at the moment.

I don't want to be stuck with a closet full of CDs basically so what's the deal with everyone's music? What are you doing with it? iTunes? SnoCap? CDs at shows?

hiddendriveways · Post by **hiddendriveways** » Tue May 27, 2008 11:16 am

I pressed CDs and have a closet filled with them. It's on CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon, all over the place really.

I want to press vinyl and have a closet filled with LPs as well. It's the most permanent format. If you want you music to be for sale in bins in thrift stores 100 years from now, vinyl is the only game in town.

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:23 pm

i would need to select multiple options...

there's much better options for small-run CD replication than there were even a short time ago. we're getting some discs done through Sire Press coming in in a few days. lots of cool packaging options (even digipaks!), and all based around quantities of 100. heard good things and i'll let you know how they worked out when we get them in.

we're also doing the digital release thing (our label is more digital-oriented than most), selling them direct and through iTunes, etc. my guess is we may end up selling mostly digital for long distance fans/people that gotta have physical product, and more actual CD's locally. or none at all, who knows?

logancircle · Post by **logancircle** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:53 pm

hiddendriveways wrote:I want to press vinyl and have a closet filled with LPs as well.

Totally

@?,*???&? · Post by **@?,*???&?** » Wed May 28, 2008 2:49 pm

No one is releasing music in any 'real' and 'tangible' form. 80% of the industry is completely under the radar.

Unfocused, insecure musicians make death defying leaps of bad judgement that lead to nothing coming out.

Most bands can't even book gigs.

TapeOp is a DIY mag for DIY folks.

Hopefully, most of these folks will eventually get something together.

www.theorchard.com
www.bdcdistribution.com
www.tunecore.com
www.cdbaby.com
www.iodalliance.com
www.indie911.com
www.pumpaudio.com
www.naca.org
www.ourstage.com
www.airplaydirect.com

So many others to list. To NEVER produce, 'legitimate' bar-coded, professional product is inanely stupid these days. There are so many outlets for music.

The last indie band I worked with has already sold 1,600 copies of their debut full-length release and are selling a decent amount of downloads online. None of the guys have quit their day job, but the band has income it can parlay into other areas.

mjau · Post by **mjau** » Wed May 28, 2008 5:46 pm

@?,*???&? wrote:TapeOp is a DIY mag for DIY folks.

Totally disagree. I think Tape Op has become a mag that covers a broad spectrum of the recording/music community. Clearly people like Hugh Padgham, Bones Howe, and John Cuniberti aren't solely among the "DIY" crowd (which, I might add, would include amazing people like Kevin Barnes and John Frusciante, both recently featured in TO).

toothpastefordinner · Post by **toothpastefordinner** » Wed May 28, 2008 9:22 pm

tunecore, though I'm not sure they're reporting everything...

PeterTuneCore · Post by **PeterTuneCore** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:07 am

toothpastefordinner wrote:tunecore, though I'm not sure they're reporting everything...

We totally are. I process the incoming files myself, if there's a row with a UPC or an ISRC on it with sales activity, downloading or stream, we put it into the owner's account.

Just wanted to let you know we're very serious about this: it's the very heart of what we do. Also, TOMB rocks, you people really know your gear and this industry, I love the discussions here.

Thanks. Drop me an email if you'd like, any time.

--Peter

RodC · Post by **RodC** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:17 am

PeterTuneCore wrote:
toothpastefordinner wrote:tunecore, though I'm not sure they're reporting everything...
We totally are. I process the incoming files myself, if there's a row with a UPC or an ISRC on it with sales activity, downloading or stream, we put it into the owner's account.

Just wanted to let you know we're very serious about this: it's the very heart of what we do. Also, TOMB rocks, you people really know your gear and this industry, I love the discussions here.

Thanks. Drop me an email if you'd like, any time.

--Peter

Thanks for dropping in!

I have helped several bands release using TuneCore. I can see why many would think its under-reporting. You just can't sell music these days unless you are a super star. It sounds depressing, but it seems to be the facts. I have seen many many bands that have good music and lots of legit plays on myspace or thier website each day, but very very few sells.

TuneCore is great, but even after intensive publicity its hard to get ppl to push that purchase button.

I hate the RIAA and their tactics, but face it, there are 1 billion bands and growing. With that kind of supply how can you make money at this?

Most bands put their music on itunes, napser, zune ect just so they can say "Hey, we are on itunes"

Nick Sevilla · Post by **Nick Sevilla** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:28 am

@?,*???&? wrote: Unfocused, insecure musicians make death defying leaps of bad judgement that lead to nothing coming out.

That is a gem.

Nick Sevilla · Post by **Nick Sevilla** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:31 am

kentothink wrote:I have this project that I have been working on for about a year on and off and it's time to spit it out to the public, but I am sort of stuck with what I should do with it. What is everyone else doing when they get done with a body of work? We are basically going to be a NYC band playing rock music, but I'm afraid there isn't any point in getting artwork and a CD pressed at this moment, is there? I would like to do a vinyl release since that is my preferred listening format and almost some kind of cool niche thing at the moment.

I don't want to be stuck with a closet full of CDs basically so what's the deal with everyone's music? What are you doing with it? iTunes? SnoCap? CDs at shows?

The only way you're going to be stuck with the CDs in your closet, is if you do not haul them to every gig and sell them there. In other words selling CDs takes time and dedication. Welcome to the new "insert your band name here" sales department!!!

Try to post your music on EVERY online store.

Also, CDs are great promo material, and also fantastic as coasters too.

Cheers

rwc · Post by **rwc** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 12:49 pm

@?,*???&? wrote:No one is releasing music in any 'real' and 'tangible' form. 80% of the industry is completely under the radar.

Unfocused, insecure musicians make death defying leaps of bad judgement that lead to nothing coming out.

Most bands can't even book gigs.

TapeOp is a DIY mag for DIY folks.

Hopefully, most of these folks will eventually get something together.

www.theorchard.com
www.bdcdistribution.com
www.tunecore.com
www.cdbaby.com
www.iodalliance.com
www.indie911.com
www.pumpaudio.com
www.naca.org
www.ourstage.com
www.airplaydirect.com

So many others to list. To NEVER produce, 'legitimate' bar-coded, professional product is inanely stupid these days. There are so many outlets for music.

The last indie band I worked with has already sold 1,600 copies of their debut full-length release and are selling a decent amount of downloads online. None of the guys have quit their day job, but the band has income it can parlay into other areas.

I have to agree. the bands that consistently book gigs, the bands that have solid arrangements, the bands that network, the bands that have their shit together in the studio, the bands that get along decently, the bands that frequently rehearse.. all seem to be the bands that are responsible enough to have pressed material that they can make some income off of and use for promotional purposes. If you do all of the above, it only makes sense to have a CD you can sell at as many "legitimate" sources as possible.

In my experience it always seems to be an all inclusive package, where you either have all of the above, or you don't. If you never have your shit together in the studio, if your arrangements are clusterfucks, if you don't get along as a band, if you never rehearse, if you play gigs once in a blue moon.. "legitimately" releasing anything is like attempting freestyle BMX right after removing the training wheels.

dave watkins · Post by **dave watkins** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:00 am

i have always done ultra small runs of CDr's that i manufacture myself, i sell them at shows send them through the mail. full blown artwork and everything, because people like having that product. since it's a solo thing for me the point is to really do everything myself and take that as far as possible, writing recording production art etc. but now the demand is becoming greater and i have less time to make these CDs. so i am pushing online distro (which i'm also doing for environmental reasons) which i squared away through tunecore and am very excited about. in the future as i do more projects the need will definitely arise for other methods especially for projects that i do with other musicians, but for now my super low budget approach works wonders. less costs involved in creating, and consequently more profit, and even though i am not selling in huge volumes, i am indeed making profit and am no longer paying for any equipment or anything i needed to buy in order to make the album in the first place. it's been quite the experience

toothpastefordinner · Post by **toothpastefordinner** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:41 am

PeterTuneCore wrote:
toothpastefordinner wrote:tunecore, though I'm not sure they're reporting everything...
We totally are.

My albums have charted #30, #40 in the comedy charts on Amazon and I only got paid for one download last month... if I make some dough when reports come out on the 15th, then fine, the reporting might be legit, but the whole thing is still totally suspicious to me at this point. I had a similar conversation with one of your VPs a couple weeks ago and as soon as I pointed this out, I got no reply. Conversation was over.

So, no, I don't think the reporting is accurate.

I'm over $200 in the hole from posting six albums on TuneCore, and my albums have been charting, and I've been paid four dollars for ONE DOWNLOAD.

If the April numbers come out right (I have a list of dated self-reported sales, compiled from customer emails) then I'm totally willing to come back and say that it's accurate, but right now, it doesn't look like that's the case.

kdarr · Post by **kdarr** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:33 pm

RodC wrote: I hate the RIAA and their tactics, but face it, there are 1 billion bands and growing. With that kind of supply how can you make money at this?

Be better than everyone else.

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