EP, LP, and in between

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kung_fu_elvis
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Post by kung_fu_elvis » Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:11 pm

Ok... if he's looking for a 'thread' Garageband will not give that to him.

He will get a list of songs that people liked or didn't individually... NOT in a context with the other songs, which would be his 'thread'.

And after doing 600 reviews, he's still in the same boat.

In other terms:
How often does someone post a sample of a drum sound looking to see if it's 'good'?

And the response is always: Context.


I agree Garageband is fun, informative, and great when you need outside perspective ON AN INDIVIDUAL SONG...

But is this what he's asking for??

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8th_note
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Post by 8th_note » Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:13 pm

The real question here is what is the marketing plan for your music. I don't have any good answers but I have several questions that you should ask yourself to help make a decision.

1) How are you releasing these CDs? Do you have a label or are you going to self-release them?

2) How are you going to sell them? Are they going to be sold at shows, or do you have some kind of distribution agreement, either through a label or through a few local record stores?

3) How are you going to promote your releases? Is this mainly a friends and family thing or are you going to hire a publicist and try to get radio airplay?

4) How many do you plan to print? Are you going with a full fledged CD package and have them replicated, say 1000 at a time? Do you think you can sell that many? If you go with several short EP releases the CD package design and printing/duplication/replication costs are going to be considerably higher than if you go with a couple of longer full length releases.

The format of how to release your music is as much a marketing decision as an artistic decision. I would look at what you're trying to accomplish with these releases and let that be a big factor in determining how to organize your music and time your releases.

MoreSpaceEcho
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Re: EP, LP, and in between

Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:40 pm

fossiltooth wrote: Of course, this is just one man's opinion.
which is my whole point.

does anyone here think any good records have ever been made by people who thought "ooohhh, i wonder if this song i wrote is any good? i know, i'll convene a focus group and see what they think! if a simple majority think it's ok, then i will proceed with recording it."

of course not.

good records are made by people who believe in what they do.

the OP isn't asking anyone if his songs are any good. he seems to like them, so i say we give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he's ok at what he does. rather than assuming he sucks and is completely deluded about his abilities and needs to post stuff on myspace to get feedback from strangers as to how he could be better.

please.

anyway if he was trying to record 30 drum tracks in one day then yeah, i'd say that was not the best idea and the quality would likely suffer. but if they can take a bit of time to do it, and the drummer's good and knows what he wants to play, then i don't see why they couldn't get it done in a week or whatever. and then build on the tunes in groups, as he has time. sounds like a perfectly acceptable approach to me...

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@?,*???&?
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Post by @?,*???&? » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:21 pm

kung_fu_elvis wrote:But is this what he's asking for??
My point is merely that this will at least be some kind of gauge of whether he'll end up having any worthwhile to share after the whole process.

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Re: EP, LP, and in between

Post by JGriffin » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:05 pm

MoreSpaceEcho wrote: does anyone here think any good records have ever been made by people who thought "ooohhh, i wonder if this song i wrote is any good? i know, i'll convene a focus group and see what they think! if a simple majority think it's ok, then i will proceed with recording it."

of course not.
Bon Jovi did that very thing with "New Jersey." But you were asking about GOOD records. :wink:
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Re: EP, LP, and in between

Post by JGriffin » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:13 pm

MoreSpaceEcho wrote: the OP isn't asking anyone if his songs are any good. he seems to like them, so i say we give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he's ok at what he does. rather than assuming he sucks and is completely deluded about his abilities and needs to post stuff on myspace to get feedback from strangers as to how he could be better.
I think from now on, anytime someone starts a thread asking about a specific technique or idea, someone needs to challenge the quality of the songwriting somewhere in the first 3 posts.
Q: I'm trying to get my heavy guitars to sit better in my doom rock mixes. Any tricks I should know from folks who record/mix doom rock?

A: Are your songs any good? You can't possibly be objective, but are they?
Q: Does anyone have opinions on whether to use an RE20 or an SM7 on a male baritone voice? I'm doing Wilco-esque songs with a Tom Petty-ish vocal, though not as reedy.

A: Do your songs suck? I bet your songs suck.
Q: Would a LDC be better or worse than a SDC for recording mandolin overdubs?

A: Are your songs any good? I'm betting they aren't, since you don't have a barcode.
I think this is the way TOMB should operate from here on out.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno

All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/

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Re: EP, LP, and in between

Post by RefD » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:26 pm

dwlb wrote:
MoreSpaceEcho wrote: the OP isn't asking anyone if his songs are any good. he seems to like them, so i say we give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he's ok at what he does. rather than assuming he sucks and is completely deluded about his abilities and needs to post stuff on myspace to get feedback from strangers as to how he could be better.
I think from now on, anytime someone starts a thread asking about a specific technique or idea, someone needs to challenge the quality of the songwriting somewhere in the first 3 posts.
Q: I'm trying to get my heavy guitars to sit better in my doom rock mixes. Any tricks I should know from folks who record/mix doom rock?

A: Are your songs any good? You can't possibly be objective, but are they?
Q: Does anyone have opinions on whether to use an RE20 or an SM7 on a male baritone voice? I'm doing Wilco-esque songs with a Tom Petty-ish vocal, though not as reedy.

A: Do your songs suck? I bet your songs suck.
Q: Would a LDC be better or worse than a SDC for recording mandolin overdubs?

A: Are your songs any good? I'm betting they aren't, since you don't have a barcode.
I think this is the way TOMB should operate from here on out.
Ooooooooo, double vision!
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

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Re: EP, LP, and in between

Post by @?,*???&? » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:12 pm

dwlb wrote:
MoreSpaceEcho wrote: the OP isn't asking anyone if his songs are any good. he seems to like them, so i say we give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he's ok at what he does. rather than assuming he sucks and is completely deluded about his abilities and needs to post stuff on myspace to get feedback from strangers as to how he could be better.
I think from now on, anytime someone starts a thread asking about a specific technique or idea, someone needs to challenge the quality of the songwriting somewhere in the first 3 posts.
Q: I'm trying to get my heavy guitars to sit better in my doom rock mixes. Any tricks I should know from folks who record/mix doom rock?

A: Are your songs any good? You can't possibly be objective, but are they?
Q: Does anyone have opinions on whether to use an RE20 or an SM7 on a male baritone voice? I'm doing Wilco-esque songs with a Tom Petty-ish vocal, though not as reedy.

A: Do your songs suck? I bet your songs suck.
Q: Would a LDC be better or worse than a SDC for recording mandolin overdubs?

A: Are your songs any good? I'm betting they aren't, since you don't have a barcode.
I think this is the way TOMB should operate from here on out.
Demos have existed for years.

Maybe this artist needs to ask what the main intent of the recording is- and yes, that means, will it be a legitimate release with a barcode?

RefD
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Re: EP, LP, and in between

Post by RefD » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:41 pm

@?,*???&? wrote:Demos have existed for years.

Maybe this artist needs to ask what the main intent of the recording is- and yes, that means, will it be a legitimate release with a barcode?
exactly!

dwlby, you're a genius!
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

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Post by aaronaustin » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:54 pm

Demos have existed for years.

Maybe this artist needs to ask what the main intent of the recording is- and yes, that means, will it be a legitimate release with a barcode?
I was planning on releasing the cd and a barcode, but you would have to purchase the barcode separately from the cd.

We got drums tracked for two more songs today. We're up to 6. 24 more to go.

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Post by Judas Jetski » Wed Jun 18, 2008 5:04 pm

I've just read a whole bunch of posts from a whole bunch of people who are probably all very smart... or at least smart-assed... and I still say

Record all 30 songs. Cherry pick the best 15. (If the above discourse has somehow caused you to suspect that you may suck as a songwriter without yet realizing it, cherry pick the best 6.) Release those. That way you know you're putting your best foot forward. It ain't rocket science.

Then, forget about the other songs. Park them someplace for a rainy day. Then write thirty more songs and start the whole process over again.
New Judas Jetski EP up! andysmash.bandcamp.com

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@?,*???&?
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Post by @?,*???&? » Wed Jun 18, 2008 5:47 pm

aaronaustin wrote:
Demos have existed for years.

Maybe this artist needs to ask what the main intent of the recording is- and yes, that means, will it be a legitimate release with a barcode?
I was planning on releasing the cd and a barcode, but you would have to purchase the barcode separately from the cd.

We got drums tracked for two more songs today. We're up to 6. 24 more to go.
Most disc manufacturers will throw in a barcode when you manufacture through them. (Discmakers, Oasis, etc.)

btw, Aaron, you're not Adam's brother are you?

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Post by aaronaustin » Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:17 pm

Demos have existed for years.

Maybe this artist needs to ask what the main intent of the recording is- and yes, that means, will it be a legitimate release with a barcode?
I was planning on releasing the cd and a barcode, but you would have to purchase the barcode separately from the cd.
Why are my jokes not working tonight?

Sorry, I don't have a brother named Adam.

RefD
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Post by RefD » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:12 pm

aaronaustin wrote:
Demos have existed for years.

Maybe this artist needs to ask what the main intent of the recording is- and yes, that means, will it be a legitimate release with a barcode?
I was planning on releasing the cd and a barcode, but you would have to purchase the barcode separately from the cd.
Why are my jokes not working tonight?
cos your intended audience is thick?
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

MoreSpaceEcho
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Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:10 am

we have a winner.

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