What Formats for a New Music Release?

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What is your Preferred Format for New Releases?

CD (actual replicated disc)
11
32%
CD-R (duplicated commercially)
1
3%
CD-R (home made)
3
9%
Vinyl
8
24%
MP3
3
9%
Other Digital Format (AAC, FLAC, OGG, etc.)
0
No votes
Cassette Tape
1
3%
All of the Above (Cassettes optional)
7
21%
 
Total votes: 34

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trodden
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Post by trodden » Wed May 28, 2008 2:36 pm

Boogdish wrote:. I'm not a proffesional musician or anything, and I've made the money back from the pressing already. I'm ok with not being a very popular band, I do this for fun.
yep, same here...

that's good that you made the money back from pressing. that's all we strive for. We're releasing a farewell 7" at our final show in June. Only did 300 this time.. and fuck, its gotten expensive to press a 7"

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thieves
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Post by thieves » Wed May 28, 2008 8:00 pm

if you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost to press 300 7"s? i'm just talking mastering, duplication and packaging. i did a run of 300 of a split 7" in summer '00 and it cost us between $3-400 for everything but we cut some serious corners (like doing all the 'packaging' at a kinkos)
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TheForgotten
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Post by TheForgotten » Wed May 28, 2008 8:11 pm

I think format is really dependent on genre/audience.
Per instance, punk/hardcore/metal sells REALLY well on vinyl where as I would imagine that pop or R n B on vinyl would probably tank.

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trodden
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Post by trodden » Thu May 29, 2008 10:34 am

thieves wrote:if you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost to press 300 7"s? i'm just talking mastering, duplication and packaging. i did a run of 300 of a split 7" in summer '00 and it cost us between $3-400 for everything but we cut some serious corners (like doing all the 'packaging' at a kinkos)
I don't know exact.. when i do i'll let you know but i think its going to be around $3.50 in cost!!! thats including mastering, dup, and packaging. We have hookups on the screenprinting of the covers and we'll be doing all of the assembly ourselves.

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thieves
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Post by thieves » Thu May 29, 2008 10:37 am

trodden wrote:
thieves wrote:if you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost to press 300 7"s? i'm just talking mastering, duplication and packaging. i did a run of 300 of a split 7" in summer '00 and it cost us between $3-400 for everything but we cut some serious corners (like doing all the 'packaging' at a kinkos)
I don't know exact.. when i do i'll let you know but i think its going to be around $3.50 in cost!!! thats including mastering, dup, and packaging. We have hookups on the screenprinting of the covers and we'll be doing all of the assembly ourselves.
eek! this is scary. i want to do a 7", but wow it's gonna be expensive, huh
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trodden
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Post by trodden » Thu May 29, 2008 10:59 am

thieves wrote:
trodden wrote:
thieves wrote:if you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost to press 300 7"s? i'm just talking mastering, duplication and packaging. i did a run of 300 of a split 7" in summer '00 and it cost us between $3-400 for everything but we cut some serious corners (like doing all the 'packaging' at a kinkos)
I don't know exact.. when i do i'll let you know but i think its going to be around $3.50 in cost!!! thats including mastering, dup, and packaging. We have hookups on the screenprinting of the covers and we'll be doing all of the assembly ourselves.
eek! this is scary. i want to do a 7", but wow it's gonna be expensive, huh
yep. We don't plan on making money, just covering our costs. Its also colored vinyl which may add a bit. I'm not the guy in charge of this project, in fact i distanced myself more than usual, it being our final release and all and it being a bit costly kinda created some drama amongst us and I preferred to stay out of it... "Just tell me when you need me to help assemble them and when I can buy my 20 copies at cost.."

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Liv Pooleside
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Post by Liv Pooleside » Thu May 29, 2008 6:30 pm

I voted for mp3. They truly suck, but I've never had a listener complain, and the suckage is more than made up for by convenience.

I release everything in mp3 and ogg. I used to do 124K, now I release 256K because there are fewer dial-uppers out there to worry about.

I also post ambient/location recordings at Freesound- strictly .wav there! Some people do notice these things...
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evengangstersreadtapeop
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Post by evengangstersreadtapeop » Thu May 29, 2008 7:56 pm

wow! just imagine if this thread had been made 2 years ago- i don't think there would have been a fraction of the replies by people wanting to do vinyl releases.

i think the absolute best plan is the vinyl/cd(/cdr) combo, ala shellac and every other forward thinking band. vinyl only releases are a shot in the foot... if they end up in mp3 format the chances are high that it's going to be some usb turntable rip that sounds atrocious and will turn people off of your band immediately. people like making "mix tapes", and if you aren't matching everybody else's fidelity you're going to get skipped over. give the people everything in digital for their little collections.. flac copy, high res jpg cover art, even a pdf of the booklet will boost a lot of younger people's respect of your band. people aren't buying music to listen to the music inside of it. they're buying it for the art & packaging, for the security of always having a physical format, and out of respect for the musician that released it.

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Liv Pooleside
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Post by Liv Pooleside » Fri May 30, 2008 8:50 pm

people aren't buying music to listen to the music inside of it. they're buying it for the art & packaging, for the security of always having a physical format, and out of respect for the musician that released it.
So you're saying that they get the music free, then buy the "product" as a means of supporting the music they love?
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i am monster face
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Post by i am monster face » Sat May 31, 2008 12:39 am

I'm not in a band, but the last five albums I've done have been released on CD and Vinyl. That's pretty awesome to me.

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Post by LeedyGuy » Sat May 31, 2008 8:01 am

i am monster face wrote:I'm not in a band, but the last five albums I've done have been released on CD and Vinyl. That's pretty awesome to me.
That is great! Have you sold out of them?
Current band - www.myspace.com/nickafflittomusic
My music - www.myspace.com/kenadessamusic
Recording space - www.myspace.com/twinreverbsound
HOT soul music - www.enzoandthebakers.com
Freelance drum hookups available constantly

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Brett Siler
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Post by Brett Siler » Sat May 31, 2008 11:45 am

Too I think vinyl with a digital download is the way to go. You get the fancy art work, and you can upload it on your iPod or burn on to CD easily. Vinyl is really coming back in and not just for punk and indie stuff (although that is a good majority that sells). I work at a record store and vinyl is 1/3 of our profit.

There way a record company that was went out of business a few years ago but they always use to do a Cd-r with their vinyl releases. I always thought that was pretty cool.

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Post by i am monster face » Sat May 31, 2008 1:55 pm

kentothink wrote:
i am monster face wrote:I'm not in a band, but the last five albums I've done have been released on CD and Vinyl. That's pretty awesome to me.
That is great! Have you sold out of them?
Not sure if they did or not. But it's always nice when the bands send me records.

Two I know certainly had digital download cards with them. The other three, not sure.

Ian

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