Releasing a record

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painted_klown
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Releasing a record

Post by painted_klown » Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:07 pm

Hello all. Not sure where I should post this so if it is in the wrong spot then I apologize in advance.

Currently, a close friend and I are working on recording a hardcore punk EP. I am super stoked about this project and it has become my personal favorite project of all the ones I have ever done.

We are recording the entire project through an MCI 500 series console to a 2" 24 track MCI (JH-16) and mixing it down to an MCI 1/4" 2 track. In the end we also plan on having it mastered. Currently thinking about using Carl Saff's services. :D

We have decided that once the record is done that we would like to "release" it ourselves. We have discussed getting vinyl done and of course doing CD's.

For the initial release we have decided that CD's will be the most cost effective route to go as getting an all analog vinyl mastered can get expensive quickly (Salt mastering looked like a great place to go for this).

The plan thus far is to get printed CDR's and do all of the packaging by hand. Of course there will be no bar codes or shrink wrap but we feel that this type of packaging will suit our needs, budget, and be a pretty good way to present the record.

I am sure that most Tape Op'ers have probably done something similar to this and could help guide us in the right direction as far as finding a way to actually distribute the record.

We would be willing to do a "digital download" release as well. Do any of you know how to go about the process of getting this out to the masses?
Are there any good web sites that will allow you to sell a product without "proper" packaging and bar codes? If not, then what would be the most economical way to achieve creating a "retail ready" package? Is it difficult to get your products so that they are available on the download sites? (itunes, amazon, ect..)

Any ideas, suggestions, comments, thoughts, stories, ect are welcome.

Thanks for reading. :D
May we all live as long as we want...and never want as long as we live! :o)

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BenjaminWells
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Post by BenjaminWells » Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:05 pm

I've never used the service myself, but it seems like this could work for you...
http://cdbaby.net/

I listen to their podcast, which is excellent:
http://cdbabypodcast.com/

A lot of people also use Tune Core:
http://www.tunecore.com/

Good luck to you!


Corey Y
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Post by Corey Y » Sat Feb 21, 2009 5:59 pm

You can get a spindle of pressed CDs from most plants with either blank tops or screen printing in one or several colors. You can buy all manner of packaging inexpensively, from slimline or regular jewel cases, cardstock sleeves or all sorts of different plastic sleeves that you can put a CD and a single page insert or booklet into. I've used http://www.sleevetown.com and found them to have a wide selection and very affordable. I've also used http://www.cdman.com for full color CDs before and they come out at about $0.50 per CD in bulk, but they start at quantities of 1,000. That's a lot of CDs, but at the cost you can sell them for very cheap and still make money.

If you do some shopping you can find very affordable prices for all the individual pieces online. You could also make everything yourself if you're creative like that. If the price of a spindle of pressed CDs is above your budget you can get CDRs duplicated, there are usual local businesses about who do it or you can go online for that as well. You can screen print or stencil them yourselves. There are a lot of ways to self release that are affordable and look good.

I've heard some positive feedback on CDBaby for digital releases, but never used it myself.

signorMars
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Post by signorMars » Sun Feb 22, 2009 7:01 pm

A lot of the pressing plants will give or sell you a barcode, even with just bulk CDs. Tunecore is an excellent way to release your songs digitally and they also will provide you a free UPC barcode free of charge, if you don't have one. For miscellaneous packaging supplies, check out www.uline.com. You can even buy shrinkwrap baggies that you shrink with a heat gun. That way you can get into retail (at least online retail). You may not need to, but it is nice for people to be able to mail order the CD. Not everyone will order direct from the band and pretty much no retailer will take a non-shrinkwrapped UPC-less CD.
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painted_klown
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Post by painted_klown » Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:54 pm

Thanks all for the info and tips. I will be checking these out. Hopefully we will find a way to release this record on a budget and still have something cool to put into peoples' hands. Thanks again. :D
May we all live as long as we want...and never want as long as we live! :o)

xonlocust
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Post by xonlocust » Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:42 pm

UPC question: anyone know if you need a different barcode for different formats? if you get a barcode for a cd from your manufacturer, can that same one be used on the LP format?

madrex
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Post by madrex » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:29 pm

usually the barcode difference between vinyl and cd is just by 1 number, but is most definitely different. retail stores don't wanna be ordering more records when they only ran out of cds, for one, and same for your distribution.

charlievela
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Post by charlievela » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:39 pm

I highly recommend

www.Kunaki.com

Free barcode.
No minim orders
Plastic wrap
Quick turnaround
CHEAP

most of the bands i record end up going there

xonlocust
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Post by xonlocust » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:32 pm

madrex wrote:usually the barcode difference between vinyl and cd is just by 1 number, but is most definitely different. retail stores don't wanna be ordering more records when they only ran out of cds, for one, and same for your distribution.
yep. so apparently you can use the same UPC for the cd and digital versions, but need a different UPC for vinyl. (or so tunecore support advises me). i still don't get why the digital and cd can share the same UPC, there must be a different accounting system for digital. perhaps they track off of ISRC instead..?

anyway, for those not getting a barcode thru their manufacturer (like me for the LP version) - i got one here:

http://nationwidebarcode.com/

see you in wal-mart.

rocky
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Post by rocky » Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:02 pm

This sounds great! Good luck with it all.
I'd love to hear it when you're finished.

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