CD production questions

[RDuke]

I'm in the midst of finishing up a solo self-produced CD (acoustic guitar stuff). The tracks will be finished soon enough and my wife's been helping out with the cover design. I'll probably use a local printer for that, and maybe for disc duping. I probably won't do more than 500, and getting rid of those is probably a pipedream. Some questions...

Anyone have things to say on jewel case vs cardboard (digipack like) packaging? Pros and cons?

Things to look out for on regarding disc duping, quality, etc...?

UPC Barcode: If you intend on pushing through retail channels, gotta have one of these, however, $750 is a bit prohibitive. I've seen some disc dupers or net sales sites (CD Baby) offer piggybacking on their UPC code. I realize the code's in someone else's name, but I've read you can relay your own unique info to SoundScan. Any other comments on piggybacking?

Should I just make up my own label name?

Should I view this entire process as a business venture, for tax purposes?

Any other bones you wanna toss my way?

TIA...Rick

[VOXVENDOR]

Originally posted by RDuke

Anyone have things to say on jewel case vs cardboard (digipack like) packaging? Pros and cons?

Things to look out for on regarding disc duping, quality, etc...?

UPC Barcode: If you intend on pushing through retail channels, gotta have one of these, however, $750 is a bit prohibitive. I've seen some disc dupers or net sales sites (CD Baby) offer piggybacking on their UPC code. I realize the code's in someone else's name, but I've read you can relay your own unique info to SoundScan. Any other comments on piggybacking?

Should I just make up my own label name?

Should I view this entire process as a business venture, for tax purposes?

Any other bones you wanna toss my way?

TIA...Rick

Jewel Case VS Carboard Envelope

Jewel Case is the norm and seems more commercial... It's funny that if an indy band releases there stuff in cardboard it seems second rate, well at least to me... but If Pearl Jam does it, it is being "Cool"....

Go for a glass master reproduction if you want there to be no errors.... I think duplicated cd's are pressed in this method, right off of the glass master....(but not totally sure)

If they are burned there is a larger chance of error rate, and a chance, although very slim, that the cd's won't work in some peoples sytems, although this is very rare, especially if you are having a duping house do the reproductions...

Maybe Bruce or one of the other techie dudes can give you more advice on this part..Im sort of dumb on Cd Reproduction mechanics..

Doing it yourself is ok, but use TDK, Maxell or something like that, to reduce "coasters"...Stay away from Imation, or Verbatim IMO...


Just use cd baby's or whoevers barcode... 500-750$ is a friggin scam!

The duping house that did my cd's put one of theirs on for free... They come up in the scan, but Voxvendor, still gets the checkmark for cd sold.

Sure throw a label name on it...Doesn't hurt...

I wouldn't claim any type of tax or anything on it.... I mean, if you are adamant about giving MORE to your government, then go ahead

But I don't.... I pay enough taxes as it is.. I will be damned if they are getting a chunk of a cd that *I* made, and I PAID for, to have duplicated at a dupping house, and PAID tax on THAT process at that time...!!!

I'll be damned if they are gonna get me a second time around...

Hehe


Good Luck.. Watch for more replies...

Joe

[gec]

www.discmakers.com


check them out....


1,000 full colored CD's with cases the whole 9...plus 300 posters to help promote ur album for 2k

this includes your UPC code as used in voxvendor's assessment

[zekthedeadcow]

Originally posted by VOXVENDOR



Just use cd baby's or whoevers barcode... 500-750$ is a friggin scam!


Joe

but you get 10,000 different barcodes!! you could barcode EVERYTHING!!!

[VOXVENDOR]

Originally posted by zekthedeadcow


but you get 10,000 different barcodes!! you could barcode EVERYTHING!!!

Why am I having dirty thoughts all of a sudden?

[Uladine]

Check out OasisCD.com as well. You can request a free info pack and they send you packaging samples, music samples, TONS of info and they follow up with special deals and stuff. For somewhere around $1700, they give you 1000 totally proffessional quality CDs with complete packaging, glass mastering, free barcode, they put a song of your choice on a compilation and send it to radio stations nationwide, plus they make your CD available on Amazon.com and other music retail sites. Thats the best deal i've seen so far.