CD packaging alternatives, TapeOp style

[miamidevice]

I just wanted to clarify the floppy disc thing - when I say sleeve, I don't mean the paper sleeve that you would put the disc inside. I mean that you would crack open the plastic sleeve/shell/whatever you want to call it, remove the thin disc upon which the data is stored, and then use the plastic outer casing to store the CD. I re-read my post and it seemed unclear...

m.

[clodock]

look at this picture, then think about your packaging materials.

http://www.splendidezine.com/reviewinfo.html

it seems so obvious to me that I don't understand why bands actually send out promo materials in normal manila envelopes. you're so creative with your own music, why not extend that to your self-promotion. I guess I'm counting on every other band to keep doing this so I stand out, so don't listen to me....

[stevemoss]

The Allman Brothers Band mimicked/parodied a vintage Scotch tape box on their Fillmore East February 1970 live CD.[/img]

[cwileyriser]

look at this picture, then think about your packaging materials.

http://www.splendidezine.com/reviewinfo.html

it seems so obvious to me that I don't understand why bands actually send out promo materials in normal manila envelopes. you're so creative with your own music, why not extend that to your self-promotion. I guess I'm counting on every other band to keep doing this so I stand out, so don't listen to me....

It helps a little, but really only a little, i think. I used to be local music director and an assistant music director at WXYC in Chapel Hill. Our MD office looked like that all the time. Basically, I never looked at any of the crap that came in the envelope with a tape or CD or 7". I just threw the music on, and if it didn't sound worthwhile after the first minute or so, it got shitcanned. Sometimes, I'd flip through a few songs. But it really was all about the music. Yeah, if was nice to get a keychain bottle opener or some shit, but that never made me want to program the music it came with any more or less. As for envelopes, I liked bubblepak envelopes because there was less of a chance of little bits of broken jewel case falling out when I opened them. The best thing a band can do is put out good music, and on the non-music tip, get someone good to write their one-sheet. Nothing, not even bad music, is more pathetic than a shity DIY bio that makes the local pizza joint band out to be arena rock gods, with plenty of misspellings to boot.

Same seems to go for demo tapes from my limited experience with a pretty high profile indie label. I toured with the guy that runs the label (who's a musician) and we reviewed demos in the van on trips. Most of them got 60 seconds or so and while every one of them got a listen, only one or two out of dozens survived the next gas station trashcan we found.

I suppose there's a valid argument that even if it has only a subconcsious effect, doing something different helps. But it really is more about the music than anything, at least in my experience. Spend the extra few hundred on a few more hours of mastering instead of packaging or fancy envelopes.

I was thinking of doing DIY digipaks for my upcoming release, but then I thought about what happened to digipaks at the radio station. If it wasn't something the DJ knew to look for, chances are it wasn't going to get played, because digipaks were out of place among the jewel cases. They get worn quickly and the spines aren't as easy to read. Anything without a spine can pretty much forget about airplay unless it's the latest from Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread. I suppose one idea would be to sell DIY packaged stuff to fans at shows, but to send a jewel-cased CD (with all the artwork and info) to radio and retail. That would give fans an incentive to buy at shows, where you make more money per CD, instead of waiting to buy online or at the record store.