Indie Release or Mixtape

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bknot1

bknot1

Hustle Magic!! We Got It.
Wsup Fam..we were talking about this over on another board...
which brought of a very good point..

why would you do a mixtape with unoriginal beats, when you can do a indie release with your name on it and original beats and bar code it and make money and have something with you name on it for life..

I have never been a big supporter of the Mixtapes (might be the reason i dont let alot of beats go)..because i see it like this if you trying to make a name for yourself Mixtapes isnt goin to help, unless you are part of the big name mixtape DJs.. Mixtape market is oversaturated by indie artists right now..

but you can spend a grand or so, and get your music master professionally and sell a product with your name and bar code on it..and be able to track your sells..which in turn looks better then sayin i pushed this many mixtapes units and no paperwork to show..

just something to think about..
 
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Mixtapes are promotional items. Free downloads, burned CD-R's with an insert... The purpose is to create/gain a larger fanbase. Usually using commercially popular beats which the people already dig, and allows you to utilize your style over them.

If you think you can make an indie release sound professional for $1000... I've got news for you, fam...

Assuming you can produce, track, mix, and master at no cost to you... You're still going to spend $1300 or more on replication and marketing materials alone... Which means, you need to charge fans for purchasing the release.

With a mixtape, I can jack beats, I can burn CD-R's and give free downloads... and I don't have to pay for professional replication.

For my last indie LP, it still cost me over $4K to release after paying for production, guest artists, artowrk, replication, etc... My last mixtape cost me about $600 to release... 90% of that was paying for CD-R's.
 
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Change i know all that...

here is the deal..you cna do the same exact thing of a cheap indie release..just like a mixtape...just bar code it to have it binding to you forever..i know the cost of getting it professionally done..all im sayin why do a mixtape when you can have a indie release under your bealt..and still promote, to get that larger fan base..while using original beats..

see the RIAA is cracking down on Mixtape/DJs for the use of unoriginal beats ..so to keep them off you back..or taking the chance of being raided...either use original beats or make a indie release.. yeah its goin to cost for the professional mastering..but you will have a product you can call your own..and put it on your One Page Sheet as a release..and not some illegal mixtape..
 
bknot1 said:
Change i know all that...

here is the deal..you cna do the same exact thing of a cheap indie release..just like a mixtape...just bar code it to have it binding to you forever..i know the cost of getting it professionally done..all im sayin why do a mixtape when you can have a indie release under your bealt..and still promote, to get that larger fan base..while using original beats..

see the RIAA is cracking down on Mixtape/DJs for the use of unoriginal beats ..so to keep them off you back..or taking the chance of being raided...either use original beats or make a indie release.. yeah its goin to cost for the professional mastering..but you will have a product you can call your own..and put it on your One Page Sheet as a release..and not some illegal mixtape..
Click to expand...

This is what I'm saying... Original Beats cost money. Especially if you're attempting to obtain the quality of commercial hits. If I'm dropping $200 or $300 per beat for an indie release, I'm looking at $3000 just for production alone...lol..

Unless you're saying get free beats from producers for an indie release... which is hard to do. That's like emcee's doing free 16's for other people's releases. I almost never do that for free...
 
Change of POETS said:
This is what I'm saying... Original Beats cost money. Especially if you're attempting to obtain the quality of commercial hits. If I'm dropping $200 or $300 per beat for an indie release, I'm looking at $3000 just for production alone...lol..

Unless you're saying get free beats from producers for an indie release... which is hard to do. That's like emcee's doing free 16's for other people's releases. I almost never do that for free...
Click to expand...


true..i feel ya...

but it was more on a topic of the artist was lookin for free beats...and they were talkin about it..

trust me you know i know..dont let to many thing go for free..LOL

by the way..when you goin to bless that Movie Stars..beat?
 
Ahh, a free beats topic... You should've mentioned that. :D

The movie stars beat is going on my 2nd project of the year... I'm halfway finished with the first project... should be done in March. I'll start the 2nd project after that. Expect a summer banger.
 
lol back to the topic i pretty much go wit what change was saying especiall for a artist like me.... who 1 has a hard time finding beats in the first place... and my budget is dayum near non existant...... so for me mixtapes and doing mixtape style tracks not only got me a larger fan base but it also has helped me find producers that a work wit me for next to nothing outside of a shout out on the track..... once they saw the talent they were like "Sure u can have this joint and that one too while your at it"..... so yea mixtapes are good for that...... I really dont kno the inner workings of an indie label but i imagine they dont do much for you and pretty much all the cost of making and releasing as album is on your shoulders money wise.... and for somebody like me thats just not possible I cant spend $3k on production then another $2-3K on replication artwork and all that I just aint got it......

lol but I do have a computer with adobe audition and a 52X speed cd burner... plus walmart is right up the street... lol thats all i need to drop a mixtape.... :D
 
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and another thing.... putting a album together takes a lot of creativity planning and work... a lot of which most these mixtape artist dont have.... which is why u get songs with the same hook and the mainstream release and things of that nature..... not saying that i have it cause hell i dont kno yet....lol
 
"Indie Release or Mixtape?"

i say both.

focus on your own material, but throw a few tracks around to some people to get your name out. that's my plan anyways. i actually got my submission "accepted" for the United Vision Mixtape coming out March 1 '07. it's got indies and known emcees on it. it's also a free download........ please hold for the promotional plug....... you can get the mixtape for FREE from www.trailblazinministries.com on or after march 1........ :D

my own cd was a little rushed. i got excited when it was nearly finished a skipped a few things that could have made it better. BUT, without giving to much info, there was A LOT a freebies on that cd that i was blessed with. comparing the output costs of some people i know making there own cd... i'd say between $3K and $6K is a good amount to expect to pay.

bless.
 
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I personally don't like mixtapes either, but it's being done, and I won't pass up the offer, so for now, I do both. When being an Artist, a successful album release is more credited than a mixtape release. That helps them out. That also helps the label have more official releases under their belt. Mixtapes are great promotional material though. If you have your own studio team, production costs can be lowered. Marketing & Advertising is where it starts to burn a hole in your pocket. I would spend more than triple the amount it costs to manufacture a product easily. The more successful official releases you have, the easier it is to either get signed by a major label, or be bought out for a nice chunk of change , or co release with another larger label.
 
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I think this a great topic. I never understood the purpose behind mixtapes and now I guess i do! I can see it's purpose, but I guess you shouldn't get comfortable with that role. I guess original beats and what not, is the ultimate goal, like BK said you can call it yours. But to hustle and market yourself initially, for less money and less work (as far as beat production) you can flood the airways with a couple of sample bangers. When you're able to do the Indie thing later when you have the time and money, your name may be remembered as "Hey, that's that cat I heard on a mixtape". " He's nice wittit!!!
 
I think after 50 used the line of G-Unit mixtapes to succesfully crossover to the majors, everyone has been trying to duplicate his success. In my opinion the best thing about the mixtapes were the fact that you had fire beats that were proven sellers with a whole new and in some cases better breed of emcee on it. Mixtapes are still usefull to fuel the fires of anticipation for an artists release, but when you are dealing with bootleggers to distribute your stuff you are playing with fire. I can tell you first hand about all of the bootleg copies of 50's mixtapes that were and still are floating around Queens. In his case he eventually went on to sell millions of records but imagine his situation if the majors never came a knocking. Imagine thousands of bootleggers walking around selling his mixtapes in the streets and saturating markets that he didn't even get to reach yet. And all of that with no legal recourse!!! Indie releases are the way to go.

And on the subject of free beats, I think as a producer it is your duty to put your music out there in a way for it to be well recieved. It's cool and all to let a fellow musician here your beats on the forum but.... CONSUMERS DO NOT BUY BEAT CD'S. You will need someone to demonstrate what can be done with your music for it to really shine. I think it is flat out stupid to make hundreds of beats and sit on them waiting for buyers to come running to you. Get out there, network, let people rip your beats to shredds and keep making better ones. I spoke to a succesful producer once who told me "it's not the beat that they will pay for, it is their opportunity to work with you, the producer."
 
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yo tha mixtape market is oversaturated but if you really about your business n you hustlin youll be aiight


n everybody out here jack beats and use orginal beats n make a mixtape/album hybrid, n still get a barcode n all that, n it works too these niggas be doin good numbers...
 
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