Going to Vinyl

.:.impossible · Post by **.:.impossible** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 5:57 am

I've got a question for you guys. I am working with a band out of Richmond, VA called ILAD (ee-lahd). They just finished mixing a new album with John McEntire at SOMA in Chicago. I heard the mixes last week, pre-master, and they sound terrific, exceeding my expectations. We are all thrilled! Really looking forward to hearing the final product.

Anyway, my question is this. In this day and age of oversaturated new release Tuesdays, and the disposability of the compact disc, I am wondering what people here think about pressing the album vinyl-only, using cds as promo for clubs, industry, etc. and offering quality downloads through username/password included in the album jackets, and as standalone purchases for those who don't use turntables.

Ideas, opinions?

Thanks, as always. I have learned more at this board since it was recommended to me a couple of years ago than I ever could have imagined. Only registered after lurking for a year!

Oh, links to the previous album:

adhooker · Post by **adhooker** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 6:30 am

There are a few labels doing something similar to this at the moment (Merge comes to mind). They're not doing away with the CDs (yet) but when you buy the album on vinyl you get the MP3s as well.

I think it's a good idea. Gives people a nice package to buy but still allows for the convenience of the MP3.

You can burn a CDR in place of a CD but the average consumer can't cut their own vinyl....

swelle · Post by **swelle** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 9:31 am

I think it's a good idea, though don't expect platinum sales. At least you'll have something to differentiate the band. But with the mastering, lacquers, pressing, and jackets, vinyl don't come cheap. Alot of my friends are digitizing their own vinyl already... mp3's with pops and crackles are the best mp3's of all!

Gold · Post by **Gold** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:12 pm

I think it depends on who the fans are. Some bands/scenes/labels are vinyl centric. If the people who like the band don't buy vinyl then it doesn't make sense. Vinyl certainly isn't a money making venture. Believe me, I know.

palinilap · Post by **palinilap** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:38 am

Really cool idea. Even cooler would be offering both mp3 AND FLAC or another lossless format.

xonlocust · Post by **xonlocust** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:04 am

i think people would definintely be into it - only problem is the economics of pressing vinyl vs cds. if the label and band are comfortable with a significantly lower profit margin - then definitely do it!

for ref sake my old band would sell probably 1 copy of vinyl per 6 cds or so. and my current band also has another label putting it the new one on vinyl, though the initial pressing is much much smaller than the cd run. the market's still there for sure, but it's a niche market.

shellac did something similar on the "1000 Hurts" record - when you bought the vinyl, it came with a cd version of the album in the packaging so you had both. incidentally if you haven't seen the packaging for that record, recording nerds would love it - it comes in basically a cardboard 1/4" reel box.

voltress · Post by **voltress** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:50 pm

Not sure if people still care, but heres a new label I started. All Vinyl / Digital w/ a Cd in the album.

First release is Voltress w/ Roscoe Mitchell, Richard Davis, and Bernie Worrell. Comes out tomorrow!

PRESS RELEASE: ?Shortwave Records?
Category: Entertainment - Music Industry
Subject: Digital / Vinyl record label

-For Immediate Release-
An indie record label that doesn?t produce CDs? Shortwave Records has become one of the first record labels to offer all of its artists exclusively on digital and vinyl only. The label will debut on March 20th with a release from VOLTRESS called Antelopes, which features special guests Roscoe Mitchell, Richard Davis, and Bernie Worrell.

Shortwave Records was started by Eric J. Hartz who ran Cancer Records from 1999-2006 (Hum Machine, Awesome Car Funmaker). After losing the Cancer Record distribution deal with Redeye USA because of declining CD sales, Hartz sought out a new medium to make independent music available without competing with other independent labels. "Every time I look in the store there's another indie label releasing another CD,? says Hartz. ?I didn't want to be another indie label. I wanted to focus on the vinyl record and bring back the concept of creating an entire work of art, but I sill wanted the new revolution of music consumers to be able to buy the vinyl and still get it on their mp3 player, so we are including a CD in every record. Eventually, music will be download only with the occasional vinyl enthusiast.?

Hartz has re-worked a distribution deal with Redeye USA that is strictly digital and vinyl. Each release will be available on digital music sites such as iTunes and Emusic, and in stores selling vinyl records. "I think the music industry is at the beginning of the digital download phase. Once the music download sites start offering music in a lossless format and the major label's catch up, it will be all over for the CD."

The first release for Shortwave records will be available March 20th. The release is VOLTRESS Antelopes and features Roscoe Mitchell, Richard Davis, Bernie Worrell, and Corey Wilkes. The VOLTRESS album used a digital format to record, and an analog format to mix and master. It is proof that there?s a place to combine both recording mediums.

If you are interested in receiving a copy of the Voltress album for review, please contact Eric Hartz.
hitforhit@yahoo.com

Steve V. · Post by **Steve V.** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 9:02 pm

Depends on the audience. If the band's fanbase is made up of convenience-craving Best Buy record shoppers, the practicality of doing a vinyl-only release is virtually non-existent. Meanwhile, if they plan on being an indie rock flavor of the week type thing, a vinyl-only (or better yet, a limited vinyl only release) could be right up the alley of many of the band's fans.

Best bet, press the vinyl with a CD in the sleeve. That way people have both and there will be minimal bitching.

Regular Guy · Post by **Regular Guy** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:18 am

This is exactly the type of thing I want to do but I'm unsure of the logistics of it. I want to do vinyl + free lossless downloads (and art), but I want to set it up so that all costs can be recouped and the process of recording and release can just repeat itself (over and over). Is it unreasonable to hope to sell something like 500-600 copies of a vinyl release on an extensive US tour?

Also, does anyone know of any good or open source models for this sort of online distribution? My plan includes setting it up but not really policing it. As in, If people happen to share their download codes, so be it. More people listening, sweet.

hiddendriveways · Post by **hiddendriveways** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:11 am

If the band was amazing live and the crowd that liked them tended to be active-record-player-owning types of people, I suppose you could sell 600 copies of a vinyl record on tour.

I was in a band in the late ninties and we toured for 7 weeks with a vinyl 12", 7", and CDs to sell. I only recall selling a few vinyl 12'". But, that was before MP3's, so it really has no bearing on the current state of the world.

I want to make a vinyl record pretty badly. I feel like if you don't do it soon it will likely be impossible 10 years from now.

palinilap · Post by **palinilap** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:01 pm

Regular Guy wrote:This is exactly the type of thing I want to do but I'm unsure of the logistics of it. I want to do vinyl + free lossless downloads (and art), but I want to set it up so that all costs can be recouped and the process of recording and release can just repeat itself (over and over). Is it unreasonable to hope to sell something like 500-600 copies of a vinyl release on an extensive US tour?

Also, does anyone know of any good or open source models for this sort of online distribution? My plan includes setting it up but not really policing it. As in, If people happen to share their download codes, so be it. More people listening, sweet.

Read about these guys in another thread: musicnuvo
Might be what you're looking for.

Regular Guy · Post by **Regular Guy** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:57 pm

hiddendriveways wrote:I want to make a vinyl record pretty badly. I feel like if you don't do it soon it will likely be impossible 10 years from now.

I hope not, but I completely relate to this feeling of urgency.

We should band together on Tape OP to get some people in the open source community interested in creating a free system for these types of web downloads. There has gotta be some audiophile dude out there interested in PHP.

lapsteel · Post by **lapsteel** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:45 pm

I was just thinking about this the other day. I need to get a new turntable, maybe the laser turntable

Regular Guy · Post by **Regular Guy** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:24 am

I think we could all use 2 laser turn tables. At least 2.

voltress · Post by **voltress** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:53 am

Vinyl has outlasted the cassette tape, 8-track, and will soon outlast the Compact Disc. In fact I think Vinyl will outlast the next format of digital as well.

There will always be vinyl around, the quality is superior to any other format as far as sound waves go. It can't be duplicated with any digital format to date (not even the new dvd audio comming out) and now days the technology with Turntables is excellent making a record sound better then ever for a meir couple hundred dollars.

With the new digital music revolution, major record companies are scrambling to figure out what to do, meanwhile the small indie labels are starting to make an imprint and consentrating on new formats. Hell, the Shins album was #1 on billboard. Thats amazing even if it is on Subpop.

CD's are a dying format and will surley be gone in a few years!

Message Board

Going to Vinyl

Going to Vinyl

vinyl / digital

vinyl

Who is online