Net Distribution

M

MrLip

New member
I have just finished an album and would like to distribute it on the net.

I am aware that mp3.com does this. You can upload individual tracks, group them into an album and people can buy the album from your mp3.com website. mp3.com takes care of making the CDs, shipping, money, etc.

In my case, I already have the CD mastered and the finished album cover.

Is there any net distributer that I could send my master CD and album cover to that handles distribution of albums?
 
They are good for what they are.... They don't rip you off, and they are friendly to deal with..
The problem with these places is the exposure is shit!.... Unless your doing some spamathon (ala FT) or paying $1000's for ads and getting radio play, no one is gonna buy independent stuff...
I am told my music is "good" and my album has had great reviews... most recently a guy who is sort of famous for doing indie reviews in N
. or S. Carolina (I think his name is Scott Homewood)) did my album in a few magazines down there.... I have a website, and a banner on a
popular Download site....

Guess how many Cd's I've sold.... ONE!!

There's just no exposure...... You have to bring people to your CDbaby page.... people very rarely just happen to show up on your cdbaby page, through general browsing.... You gotta get them there somehow
.... Even the few people that DO actually browse and end up on your page, the chances of them being a prospective buyer and liking yours or my music is slim...

You have to find your crowd and bring them there.....

There are ways... but they cost, and they take time, and Im not really big on promoting my latest album... the new one im working on will be so much better, and THEN I will go nuts and try and get it out everywhere..
 
"Guess how many Cd's I've sold.... ONE!!"

Hi VoxVendor,

I listened to your tunes at CD Baby. You're quote above had me curious to say the least. Not trying to offend but only offering my opinion for what it's worth. I liked your music, but the singing was the weakest part. I fear this is the reason you are not selling cd's. If you are in this for the long run, you may want to hire a singer and work together. With your style of music, it demands a fantastic lead singer. With rock music there is usually two ways to go, excellent rocking music with ok vocals, or simplistic but driving music with an excellent lead singer. Bryan adams fits this mold perfectly. Simple, radio friendly tunes with great lead vocals.

Don't get me wrong, if I didn't like your music I would never have taken the time to respond. Take Care.
 
Hey, no problem at all.. Im open for all suggestions...

Im not really a fan of my singing on that album either...

It's funny, how it goes.... I realize im not a great singer.... And I have had a few people point that out... But many more people point out that my voice fits the music and has a cool "different" sound, if not even a relaxed sound...

I love doing my music, and I love singing, even if im not exactly Micheal Bolton.. (bad example?) :D

So I will keep doing it....:)

If it's any consolation for you... My new stuff is much better, and that older cd, will be coming off cd baby when this one is done, and banished to the basement storage room...

(I love the songs, but the recording is no longer my sound, and not a sound I want to be "known" for)

Click my Website Link, and check out my new stuff.. Im sure you will agree that it's much better.

www.voxvendor.com
 
Hi Voxvendor,

I download and listened to "In My Head". er,uh,what the... WOW! A major difference in overall presentation and sonic quality. I was going to post in my original message to you that you may want to try to write more for the masses then just for yourself. Obviosuly you have already taken this approach. The more successfull tunes ALWAYS have a bit of "pop" in them. I really like this song. It falls perfectly in place with ironically, the same type of music I am aiming for. Good rocking music with a catchy chorus and good overall tap your feet, bob your head music. I love this kind of music. Perhaps we're in the same age bracket? I'm 39 and really love the rock sound of Brian Adams, Journey, Bon Jovi, etc. If your new cd has this quality of tunes, with the right exposure you will sell more than 1-2 cd's. :) For the record, your voice sounds better and does indeed fit the music. I would add a sutle amount of doubling in the verses to give it a tad more thickness. Sing the verse in 2 takes, blend the 2nd one with the first take, slightly.

Also, I was expecting a really nice guitar solo, the synth solo, while nice, just didn't jump out at me. The song really made it seem like a guitar solo or perhaps a more meaty synth solo was coming. One last comment, remember with a pop/rock song you need to catch the listener pretty quick. I really wasn't that "into" the song in that first intro verse. If I was radio surfing I would have had plenty of time to change the channel. I would consider going 4 bars like it is, 4 bars rocked out before going into the first chorus. You would still have that dramatic change but it would just come sooner in the song, hence, pulling the listener in!

Congrats, you're on to something cool! Good luck!
 
I download and listened to "In My Head". er,uh,what the... WOW! A major difference in overall presentation and sonic quality.

Thanks!

I was going to post in my original message to you that you may want to try to write more for the masses then just for yourself.

That can be very, very true... My Music is strictly a hobby, and I love doing it, and I actually DO listen to the songs I record... Why?, cause I like them..
Don't confuse what I said about me liking to sing as not fuffilling the masses needs.... All im saying is, I love singing, and even if im not awesome, I would never hire someone to take the vocals away from me.. But, at the same time I do keep in mind that people have to like the music in order to purchase it. I usually infuse that part in the songwriting.

Also, I was expecting a really nice guitar solo, the synth solo, while nice, just didn't jump out at me. The song really made it seem like a guitar solo or perhaps a more meaty synth solo was coming. One last comment, remember with a pop/rock song you need to catch the listener pretty quick. I really wasn't that "into" the song in that first intro verse. If I was radio surfing I would have had plenty of time to change the channel. I would consider going 4 bars like it is, 4 bars rocked out before going into the first chorus. You would still have that dramatic change but it would just come sooner in the song, hence, pulling the listener in!

Funny, you should mention that..The keyboard solo has been taken out, and replaced... That mix on my website is pretty old..

I guess the intro is a matter of taste... I have had people tell me they love the build up, and then the song "explodes" at the chorus.... I will keep it, but I totally understand where your coming from.

Thanks for listening X....
 
"... I have had people tell me..."

Curious, one thing I have started doing is going to malls or other local places where the locals don't know me and say "hey listen to this and tell me what you think.." Do you ever do this? It seems hard to get an unbiased opinion from family and friends. They either alwasys love it or say it's "fine". :)
 
"I guess the intro is a matter of taste... I have had people tell me they love the build up, and then the song "explodes" at the chorus.... I will keep it, but I totally understand where your coming from. "

FYI - I played your tune to a few locals, all said the exact same thing, that the intro was wayyy to long, border line to the point of making a bad first impression. It is my opinion if this was playing online, streamed, like at mp3.com, the listener would more than likely stop it before it kicks in. Another suggestion would be to start out the song full strength in the chorus (without vocals) but with a guitar lead instead, and THEN go into the mellow first verse. As it stands right now, I thing you are making a mistake. But like you I also enjoy my right to make mistakes on my music, regardless of what others say. Sorry for the unusual extra focus on your music, it's just we have very similar tastes in music. :)
 
misterx said:
"... I have had people tell me..."

Curious, one thing I have started doing is going to malls or other local places where the locals don't know me and say "hey listen to this and tell me what you think.." Do you ever do this? It seems hard to get an unbiased opinion from family and friends. They either alwasys love it or say it's "fine". :)
Click to expand...

As for strangers hearing the song, "In my head" is getting radio play across Canada, so theres plenty of them... Now, the indie Charts will be a good way for me to gauge the response...

I never let family here my music... I don't have a really close family... So, im not exactly the type to go over to cousins house and put my cd on.... I got a great response from people here in the clinic, and thats a pretty unbiased opinion... Those guys can be brutal..:)
 
misterx said:
"I guess the intro is a matter of taste... I have had people tell me they love the build up, and then the song "explodes" at the chorus.... I will keep it, but I totally understand where your coming from. "

FYI - I played your tune to a few locals, all said the exact same thing, that the intro was wayyy to long, border line to the point of making a bad first impression. It is my opinion if this was playing online, streamed, like at mp3.com, the listener would more than likely stop it before it kicks in. Another suggestion would be to start out the song full strength in the chorus (without vocals) but with a guitar lead instead, and THEN go into the mellow first verse. As it stands right now, I thing you are making a mistake. But like you I also enjoy my right to make mistakes on my music, regardless of what others say. Sorry for the unusual extra focus on your music, it's just we have very similar tastes in music. :)
Click to expand...

Interesting.... I will keep that in mind, for the album mix.... Single has already gone out though..... I will talk with the record company. She is very unbiased, and Im sure they don't want to release a song thats going to be "shut off"... And she has never said anything negative about the beginning.

But, as I say, I have had many people tell me the beginning is cool... and I like it.. :).. But , I will keep your advice in the back of my mind..


PS> Any more correspondence should go to my email,

voxvendor@voxvendor.com

This really isn't the thread or forum for critiqueing.... Feel free to email me with any other thoughts.
 
Vox,

A first for me.........I downloaded a song from someone here on HR. "In My Head" I like from first listen.......I can see what misterx is getting at with the intro/first verse, but you are the one that has to be happy with it, time will tell whether it's a problem or not.

I'll have to connect my PC up to my console so I can hear it on my Tannoys rather than the pissy little PC speakers I used on first listen so I wont pass any comments about the sound or production.

Keep it up.

:cool:
 
Hi Vox,

Yah, agreed. Sorry about the public posts about your tune. I should have emailed them to you. Wow, you obviously are a big step ahead of me. "single already out, radio airplay across canada." COOL! Very cool. (See my thread about how to get radio airplay, since this would be good to know..) Thanks!
 
Voxendor,

Just had a read of a couple of these posts and decided to go have have a look at your site. I really enjoyed "In My Head" and I will definately go back and listen to the rest when I have a bit more time. Mate Great song, I think It would do quite well in Australia going by all the pop rock that is out over here (hope you dont mind me classing it as pop rock). And you should jump on the band wagon mate, Canadian rockers are the thing right now. Can you email me at g_miles@telstra.com
cheers vox.
 
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