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Releasing your own music on your own label.

24

Comments

  • #32
    Closing Doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 226 ✭✭Closing Doors


    trackmixstudio wrote: »
    Instead of a cd, they are releasing it on a USB memory stick. On the stick they have the 5 songs, artwork, a video, PDF bio and URLs to myspace, the band's website etc.
    I think it is costing them about €4 per stick including blister pack and artwork. The sticks they are getting come blister packed and they are getting artwork done to replace the manufacturer's logo on the packaging.
    They plan to sell them at €10 and I think that is a great package for the price. Whoever buys it could even transfer the EP etc to their computer and reuse the stick.

    Speaking of USB sticks, there's an English artist called Tom McRae who sold a recording of his gigs a few minutes after they ended, on his last tour. Was a bit pricey so I didn't get one, but it's a good idea.


  • #33
    jtsuited
    Registered Users Posts: 6,401 ✭✭✭jtsuited


    Closing Doors wrote: »
    Speaking of USB sticks, there's an English artist called Tom McRae who sold a recording of his gigs a few minutes after they ended, on his last tour. Was a bit pricey so I didn't get one, but it's a good idea.

    he's great live actually. one of the few artists in that genre who I still listen to.


  • #34
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    trackmixstudio wrote: »
    I have toyed with the idea of starting a label many times.
    tunecore.com is VERY handy if you are thinking about doing this.
    They will upload your music to itunes etc. You pay a small nominal fee then get ALL the money from downloads. Read the info on their site.
    A band I recently recorded are releasing a new EP next month and they have an amazing idea. Instead of a cd, they are releasing it on a USB memory stick. On the stick they have the 5 songs, artwork, a video, PDF bio and URLs to myspace, the band's website etc.
    I think it is costing them about €4 per stick including blister pack and artwork. The sticks they are getting come blister packed and they are getting artwork done to replace the manufacturer's logo on the packaging.
    They plan to sell them at €10 and I think that is a great package for the price. Whoever buys it could even transfer the EP etc to their computer and reuse the stick.

    The memory stick idea is a good one. It's been used to success by alot of artists. The last time I checked the cost was prohibitive. TBH €4 is still alot for €10 resale, I may get flamed for that but on a % basis you're more than doubling your costs over CD. That's a pretty serious jump. €2 on each sale over a year could mean a few €000 lost which could be your make or break money. That said, €4 is much better than prices I got previously on the same thing. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, just far from the cheapest one. Any chance you could find out where they got that done and if it also includes the data transfer onto the stick?

    + 1 on Tunecore from my own research. CDbaby too. But do your research before blindly signing up to any aggregators or DD services. They all offer different things and you should get the most suitable one. And if you using more than one make sure you don't have the same tunes with them. Causes confusion in The System.


  • #35
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    I've put a thread in Entrepreneurial & Business Management asking for some of the people there to chime in with their own thoughts from an outsiders perspective.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=55887655#post55887655


  • #36
    PaulBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,790 ✭✭✭PaulBrewer


    Closing Doors wrote: »
    Speaking of USB sticks, there's an English artist called Tom McRae who sold a recording of his gigs a few minutes after they ended, on his last tour. Was a bit pricey so I didn't get one, but it's a good idea.

    There's a company in the UK that specializes in recording gigs and have CD sleeve printed and all and you collect it leaving the gig!! £25 each.

    Another income stream for someone!


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  • #37
    af_thefragile
    Registered Users Posts: 7,171 ✭✭✭af_thefragile


    Tunecore.com sounds pretty interested. And i also like the idea of switching the Myspace player to a higher quality one. Something i'm definitely gonna do once i've completed the EP for my album.

    And speaking bout USB flash drives, it sounds like a cool idea too. Though i think they're more expensive than CD's. I think it'ld be cool if you could throw in artwork n PDF files in the CD with the music. Then the people would get a little more from it.

    Trent Reznor hid USB drives in different locations around the venue during his gigs a few months before the release of his Year Zero album. When people found the USB drives and found hidden tracks n info about websites n stuff on it which led to the whole Year Zero ARG, which probably was the biggest internet publicity campaign for an album ever. But then again, that was NIN and it worked brilliantly for them...

    And yeah, i'm a huge NIN fan... :p


  • #38
    Closing Doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 226 ✭✭Closing Doors


    PaulBrewer wrote: »
    There's a company in the UK that specializes in recording gigs and have CD sleeve printed and all and you collect it leaving the gig!! £25 each.

    Another income stream for someone!

    £25 seems quite steep (especially since it's £'s and not €'s!). I think Tom McRae was selling them for €17 a pop, and if he did a few nights in a place, you could bring the USB back another night and get another gig for a fiver. I gather he stuck demos/photos/etc etc on them too. I don't know if a lot of people bought them, but it's an interesting idea.


  • #39
    PaulBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,790 ✭✭✭PaulBrewer


    Closing Doors wrote: »
    £25 seems quite steep (especially since it's £'s and not €'s!). I think Tom McRae was selling them for €17 a pop, and if he did a few nights in a place, you could bring the USB back another night and get another gig for a fiver. I gather he stuck demos/photos/etc etc on them too. I don't know if a lot of people bought them, but it's an interesting idea.

    £25 is steep, but it looked to me like people were lapping em up, it was Madness in the Astoria in London last December and they were Brutal!!


  • #40
    PaulBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,790 ✭✭✭PaulBrewer


    Speaking of USB sticks, my sis just bought mr 2 x 4Gig ones for Euro 29 for the pair in Aldi or was it Lidl!


  • #41
    dav nagle
    Registered Users Posts: 2,182 ✭✭✭dav nagle


    Hi,

    Here is how to upload your music at maximum MP3 quality on My-space. I have done it. I have also uploaded my album with tune-core and it is an excellent service. Have fun..


    1. Go to www.fileden.com and register for free.
    2. Click on Upload.
    3. Find your songs (as many as to 20 songs) file and click Upload
    4. When it's done, click Direct URLs.


    Keep that page open and then...

    http://www.pimp-my-profile.com/flash-mp3-player/


    Follow the instructions and shazzam your wizzle is Swizzled....


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  • #42
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    dav nagle wrote: »
    Hi, I have done it. I have also uploaded my album with tune-core and it is an excellent service. Have fun..

    Have you had any sales success with it?


  • #43
    Bandara
    Registered Users Posts: 3,282 ✭✭✭Bandara


    frobisher wrote: »
    I've put a thread in Entrepreneurial & Business Management asking for some of the people there to chime in with their own thoughts from an outsiders perspective.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=55887655#post55887655

    Hi everyone,

    seen frobishers post on the Business forum and wondered over for a read. At risk of looking utterly stoopid in an area I know nothing about I've a small idea that might be a runner.

    1 x Digital Camera, 1 x Starstruck and half drunk fan standing beside their music hero after a gig - charge them €20 and within a guaranteed week they receive in the post a cd or usb thingy (as mentioned previously) with a signed nice pic of them and the band/artist as the artwork on the front of it (with band logo etc). You could easily do it up yourself on a pc, €4 for the usb (much less for CD), €1.50 post & packing and a €1 for the artwork.

    As I said its off the top of my head and you guys would know the viability of it far better than me but I'd imagine meeting fans after a gig and them getting a personal momento after it is going to reinforce a real personal loyalty towards the artist, its also something they will show off to their friends and will be spreading the word involuntarily. Also you'll then have their contact details to let you build up a database of fans for email-shots of gigs, t-shirts new releases etc.

    On the down side it may be too small an amount of money to make it worthwhile for the artist and the fact the customer can't take it away there and then might put them off.


  • #44
    dav nagle
    Registered Users Posts: 2,182 ✭✭✭dav nagle


    frobisher wrote: »
    Have you had any sales success with it?

    Yes but I made a few mistakes along the way so I had to re-upload the album. Heres some useful information:

    1. When you pay €30 for your tune-core account it takes a minimum of 1 month for it to hit the iTunes stores worldwide, so be prepared for a long wait.

    2. You have to be 100% sure that there are no typing errors with regards to your liner notes

    3. You should spend a while making sure your alias is 100% unique

    4. Make sure to put your music in the correct genre

    5. Nice album art work will make you look more rounded.

    I made mistakes 2-5 and had to pull the album and pay to have it uploaded again. 2 different songs from the album within 2 weeks were selling in iTunes U.S. and iTunes Ireland without any promotion. There popularity was at 100%.I was also able to add a link directly to the iTunes store from my My-space page which was professional and handy.

    Just remember if you make any mistakes with regard to the album information there is no turning back with Tune-core. They cannot change anything so you have to get everything right from the start.
    Best of luck!

    P.S
    If anyone needs artwork my girlfriend can do it just post me a contact number and small summary of what you want, she does free lance work, business cards, album art etc...


  • #45
    dav nagle
    Registered Users Posts: 2,182 ✭✭✭dav nagle


    I will also add that if you are releasing an album and you want everyone in the my-space community to know about you then there is a super program but as of now it is windows only. I have not used it but it looks very good for album promotion. Why sit there adding friends one by one when you can automate the process and go and record new music instead!


    http://www.addnewfriends.com/faq-and-help#q14


  • #46
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    dav nagle wrote: »
    I will also add that if you are releasing an album and you want everyone in the my-space community to know about you then there is a super program but as of now it is windows only. I have not used it but it looks very good for album promotion. Why sit there adding friends one by one when you can automate the process and go and record new music instead!


    http://www.addnewfriends.com/faq-and-help#q14

    Be VERY careful with adder programs. I've read many stories about bands profiles getting deleted for using them. Myspace won't even reply to your emails, never mind reinstate a profile. Once it's gone it's gone forever.


  • #47
    jtsuited
    Registered Users Posts: 6,401 ✭✭✭jtsuited


    dav nagle wrote: »
    I will also add that if you are releasing an album and you want everyone in the my-space community to know about you then there is a super program but as of now it is windows only. I have not used it but it looks very good for album promotion. Why sit there adding friends one by one when you can automate the process and go and record new music instead!


    http://www.addnewfriends.com/faq-and-help#q14

    those things are really a waste of tme. i've seen myspace profiles with 50,000 friends and hardly any plays on the player.
    you're really just adding to the myspace noise.

    with myspace, you're much better off developing a real network of a lot less people, than a huge network of people who aren't listening.


  • #48
    dav nagle
    Registered Users Posts: 2,182 ✭✭✭dav nagle


    jtsuited wrote: »
    those things are really a waste of tme. i've seen myspace profiles with 50,000 friends and hardly any plays on the player.
    you're really just adding to the myspace noise.

    with myspace, you're much better off developing a real network of a lot less people, than a huge network of people who aren't listening.

    I don't use them I only heard about them the other day. In relation to my studios My space I have a real network of real people and wouldn't have it any other way. I would agree with you , keep it real for your own profile or a business profile but I will see what happens when I release my album on iTunes for the 2nd time!!!


  • #49
    PaulBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,790 ✭✭✭PaulBrewer


    dav nagle wrote: »
    I will also add that if you are releasing an album and you want everyone in the my-space community to know about you then there is a super program but as of now it is windows only. I have not used it but it looks very good for album promotion. Why sit there adding friends one by one when you can automate the process and go and record new music instead!


    http://www.addnewfriends.com/faq-and-help#q14

    I guess if you don't add friends and they add you, you know you're onto something .....


  • #50
    Bren_M.Records
    Closed Accounts Posts: 221 ✭✭Bren_M.Records


    frobisher wrote: »
    Be VERY careful with adder programs. I've read many stories about bands profiles getting deleted for using them. Myspace won't even reply to your emails, never mind reinstate a profile. Once it's gone it's gone forever.

    Had a friend who tried one of those adder programs about two years ago.
    Was totally new to the myspace thing so thought it was standard practice.
    Luckily she only got a warning from Myspace, mind you she was on Sony/BMG which probably helped!
    For the us normal folk though the above applies.
    Your profile is deleted, end of story.


  • #51
    dav nagle
    Registered Users Posts: 2,182 ✭✭✭dav nagle


    Well if that is the case do not use them (they sound terrible, knowbody wants to lose their account) I was only throwing in my 2 cents. Go and upload your music at full mp3 quality, I posted a 'how to' on this thread. That is a great start, the music quality on my space is well dodgy...


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  • #52
    all the stars
    Registered Users Posts: 1,058 ✭✭✭all the stars


    this thread is really good - i started one in "music" called how to sell our music ourselves

    Only few reply's - which were helpful but this is great - lots of useful & experienced advice.. :)


  • #53
    Bren_M.Records
    Closed Accounts Posts: 221 ✭✭Bren_M.Records


    dav nagle wrote: »
    Well if that is the case do not use them (they sound terrible, knowbody wants to lose their account) I was only throwing in my 2 cents. Go and upload your music at full mp3 quality, I posted a 'how to' on this thread. That is a great start, the music quality on my space is well dodgy...

    Its interesting that you mention music quality on myspace.
    Iv noticed some groups will only put clips from their tracks (as apposed to the full song) on their myspace pages.
    I can only presume they are afraid someone will use a program that allows you to download the song onto your hardrive.


  • #54
    jtsuited
    Registered Users Posts: 6,401 ✭✭✭jtsuited


    Bren_M.Records wrote: »
    Its interesting that you mention music quality on myspace.
    Iv noticed some groups will only put clips from their tracks (as apposed to the full song) on their myspace pages.
    I can only presume they are afraid someone will use a program that allows you to download the song onto your hardrive.

    this has been suggested to me by a few labels that i'm working with- put up a clip of the best bit of the song.

    makes sense from a marketing perspective, especially in dance music where the first and last two minutes are deliberately as straight and uninteresting as possible (makes it easy for the dj to mix).


  • #55
    Bren_M.Records
    Closed Accounts Posts: 221 ✭✭Bren_M.Records


    jtsuited wrote: »
    this has been suggested to me by a few labels that i'm working with- put up a clip of the best bit of the song.

    makes sense from a marketing perspective, especially in dance music where the first and last two minutes are deliberately as straight and uninteresting as possible (makes it easy for the dj to mix).


    Ye, Id agree with you on dance music.
    I think for bands it seems to be more of a theft issue than a marketing decision, well thats the vibe I get anyway.


  • #56
    ball ox
    Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭ball ox


    jtsuited wrote: »
    this has been suggested to me by a few labels that i'm working with- put up a clip of the best bit of the song.

    makes sense from a marketing perspective, especially in dance music where the first and last two minutes are deliberately as straight and uninteresting as possible (makes it easy for the dj to mix).

    would it not be a good thing to give DJ's the ability to download and mix your tracks :confused: ,obviously they would have to use them in clubs etc. as opposed to commercial release, surely you want your tracks played in clubs?


  • #57
    PaulBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,790 ✭✭✭PaulBrewer


    ball ox wrote: »
    would it not be a good thing to give DJ's the ability to download and mix your tracks :confused: ,obviously they would have to use them in clubs etc. as opposed to commercial release, surely you want your tracks played in clubs?

    Completely off topic but .... I generally think the idea of Nicknames on Fora is childish, however I admire this one!! ~Viva Ball Ox


  • #58
    ball ox
    Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭ball ox


    heh heh, just be greatful they dont let me upload my own avatar :D


  • #59
    jtsuited
    Registered Users Posts: 6,401 ✭✭✭jtsuited


    ball ox wrote: »
    would it not be a good thing to give DJ's the ability to download and mix your tracks :confused: ,obviously they would have to use them in clubs etc. as opposed to commercial release, surely you want your tracks played in clubs?

    nope.
    the big dj's get the stuff from the labels on promo anyway, through distribution pools.
    a label's success is very much dependent on getting their new tracks to the big guns (Oakenfold, Pete Tong, James Zabiela, Digweed, etc.) and getting them charted and played by those dj's.

    letting yourself be downloaded by every bedroom dj is not gonna really do much good.

    edit: then again, there are a few dj's on boards I've given tracks to, based on the fact I know they'll be playing them out etc.

    labels are pretty picky about that kind of stuff though now.


  • #60
    ball ox
    Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭ball ox


    i was thinking more along the lines of DJ's that would play regularly in clubs in Dublin etc. who would be more involved in the underground side of things, I always assumed this was quite an important scene within dance music and the likes.


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  • #61
    jtsuited
    Registered Users Posts: 6,401 ✭✭✭jtsuited


    ball ox wrote: »
    i was thinking more along the lines of DJ's that would play regularly in clubs in Dublin etc. who would be more involved in the underground side of things, I always assumed this was quite an important scene within dance music and the likes.

    yeah but EVEN the big guys on the underground, are big enough so that they're gonna get so many records every month that they're not gonna go sourcing tracks on myspace.

    however, if they heard something and requested a copy for playing out, most people would oblige.
    giving stuff away for free is not going to increase your chances of a track being popular in the somewhat underground world of dance music.

    getting stuff signed to labels that are liked by the underground dj's is.


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