Self-releasing physical media: CDs, USB, tapes, vinyl

[shmaller]

I'm done mixing my album, and in anticipation of my upcoming release, I'm weighing various physical media. Here is a brain-dump on my findings, evaluations, and musings.

Why physical media?​

I want physical media because I think it's important. I'm not content for my album to exist only digitally. Is this in line with how people typically listen to music today? No. Do I care? No.

Here is my list of release options, from most to least popular mode of music consumption, based purely on my own perception:

Digital / streaming release​

I'm planning to release initially on Bandcamp. I want to collect as much income as I can from the initial release of the album. This will likely be driven through voluntary donations from friends & family, because honestly, from my perspective, there's not much of a reason to "buy" a digital product.

Once this initial phase of purchase runs its course, I'll release it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, etc., just because that's where everyone is today. So people who want to stream for free on their favorite platform will be able to do so, but not before they've had the chance to donate directly to the project.

USB drives​

Pros:

• Everyone has a PC, so everyone has a music player for files on a USB drive.

Cons:

• If you're using a computer to listen to the music anyway, why bother with a dongle when you can just go to Bandcamp, or eventually, Spotify?
• Many computers are even eliminating USB-A ports entirely, so I'm reliant on them owning and being able to find a USB-A to USB-C dongle.
• Easy to lose.
• No visible artwork on the medium. No one is proudly displaying their USB drive collection (correct me if I'm wrong).

Vinyl​

Pros:

• Vinyl is hot again. Many people of all ages own turntables and stereos.
• A record works on an AudioTechnica, a U-Turn, a Crosley, and a toothpick and string attached to a soup can. Universal compatibility with player.
• Big, beautiful artwork.

Cons:

• Pressing vinyl is crazy expensive relative to other media replication.

CDs​

Pros:

• Medium availability today of CD players; they can be gotten cheaply at electronics and thrift stores, and many cars have CD players (though becoming less common).
• Other media players like video game consoles and DVD players often have CD playback functionality.
• Small, beautiful artwork.
• Cheap to produce relative to other media replication -- but with caveats (see Cons).

Cons:

• CD replication seems to be universally supported by CD players and has cheap per-unit costs, but I can't find a place that will replicate CDs at a run of less than 300 units. I don't need more than maybe 50-100.
• CD duplication is even cheaper and can be done on short runs, but seems to be no better quality than if I just bought a stack of CD-Rs and burned them myself. These are incompatible with some older CD players, such as my own Technics SL-PD845 (related thread: Order CDs vs. burn my own CD-Rs - a problem of CD player compatibility). I don't want to sell someone a CD that doesn't work on their player.

Cassettes​

Pros:

• There's definitely an aesthetic to selling cassettes, it feels "underground" and "cool." There is definitely a type of guy who buys, sells, and listens to music on cassette. He wears corduroy. (Before you get mad at me: I own a corduroy jacket.)
• Pretty cheap replication, seems to cost slightly more than CDs.
• I assume a cassette will work on any player? that there are no formatting / compatibility considerations?
• Small, bendy artwork.

Cons:

• Very low cassette player ownership. Despite having friends who own cassettes of music, and seeing cassettes at shows and in record stores, I do not know a single person who owns a cassette player. I haven't seen one since my mom's '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee (her selection featured a lot of Queen).

Conclusion​

I'll probably do a mix of:

• Burning my own CD-Rs and sell them dirt cheap. I'll have to learn a bit about proper CD formatting, but I can do this as needed and a dodgy $2 CD is unlikely to seriously ruffle feathers.
• If I really feel inspired, I'll make a short run of cassettes, and if I like it, make a few more.
• If this thing takes off (not expected), I'll make a run of replicated CDs.
• If this thing really takes off (really not expected), I'll make a run of vinyl.

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If you read this far, thanks! let me know what u think!
s

 

[Slouching Raymond]

I noticed that an old SoundOnSound magazine had many pages devoted to CD production businesses.
However, if you buy a recent copy of the magazine, all those adverts have gone.

 

[TalismanRich]

I would toss the cassette. If you have a cassette deck at home, you can always burn one from the CD or your digital files. If someone has a cassette deck at home, they can do the same AND not have to worry about the cassette getting mangled or just wearing out. Sell them a CD and let them dub their own. (we used to do this when cars had cassette players and NOT CD players).

Cassettes really suck in comparison to the other media. Take it from a guy who still has over a hundred cassettes. One will get played about once every 2 years or so. Heck, I even gave away about 8 BASF Chrome C-60 tapes for nothing.

If you have any local record stores that's the place to hit to sell CDs. We have a few local places and they often will have a dozen or more CDs from local artists in the rack. $10-12 is a nice price point. If you're doing shows, then you put a stack on the merch table for $10. If you sell 75 total, that pretty much pays for CD replication, and you still have a few hundred to put under the bed.

I don't think I've even seen cassettes on a merch table at any of the concerts that I've attended over the past 5 years. It's all DVDs and CDs. Occasionally a vinyl copy but they are usually $30 or more. (ya gotta fleece the hipster crowd). Gov't Mule, Tommy Emmanuel, Tedeschi Trucks, Mike Keneally, Brian Setzer, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. I've gotten CDs from each at the table.

 

[elly-d]

I like your Song 'Gone'.

I would Do Bandcamp and streaming. Maybe offer Cassette tapes from Bandcamp. Just copy your own as you receive an order. And make some homemade covers/sleeves?

I wouldn't do vinyl unless I could guarantee sales.

Don't listen to me though.

 

[shmaller]

If you have any local record stores that's the place to hit to sell CDs. We have a few local places and they often will have a dozen or more CDs from local artists in the rack. $10-12 is a nice price point. If you're doing shows, then you put a stack on the merch table for $10. If you sell 75 total, that pretty much pays for CD replication, and you still have a few hundred to put under the bed.

Great advice, I really hadn't thought about hitting up record stores to sell CDs. Is this something you've done before, or known anyone to do? Any advice on how to approach this?

Maybe offer Cassette tapes from Bandcamp. Just copy your own as you receive an order. And make some homemade covers/sleeves?

This is an excellent idea and definitely the way to go. DIY cassettes seem to be much more reliable to play in any player than CDs.

I like your Song 'Gone'.

Thank u so much for listening!!! More coming very soon!

 

[TalismanRich]

For locally owned stores like I'm talking about, go inside and see if they have the work of local bands. If so, then approach the owner and let him know you're putting out a CD. I don't know what the going rate is for wholesale CDs, but if you can get CDs pressed in a jacket for $1.50 and sell 20 copies to a store for $5 per, then you are one step further.

There are at least 3 independent record stores here who carry CDs of local bands that I know of. One place used to have a display on the checkout counter with one or two local bands. I don't know if they still do that. You just need to do the leg work in your area.

It helps to have a working band. We used to have a great record store, EarX-tacy that would even have CD release parties. Unfortunately the owner ran into financial issues and closed up shop after 26 years, but his store was legendary. Jim James of My Morning Jacket went there. It even showed up in the artwork for Gin Blossom's New Miserable Experience.

 

[Steenamaroo]

I didn't see any update in the previous thread to suggest you'd tried decent quality media.

There's every chance your player just won't play any home-burned CD-Rs but testing with cheap media isn't the way to find out.

 

[TalismanRich]

There is a reason why newer players will be better able to read burned CDs. The lasers/photodiode detectors used in newer CD and DVD players are better than the ones initially used back in the 80s. They have been continually refined over 40 years.

With DVD, they use a shorter wavelength to be able to read the more tightly packed data. Drives need to read much finer variations for DVD since the pits and distance between loops is half of what a CD uses. They are also designed to read the dye layers of CD-R and DVD-R discs rather than just the aluminum of early CDs. BluRay takes the design even further.

Here's a comparison of the differences between CD, DVD and BluRay. CD is near-IR, DVD uses a red laser and BluRay uses a blue laser.

 

[shmaller]

I didn't see any update in the previous thread to suggest you'd tried decent quality media.

There's every chance your player just won't play any home-burned CD-Rs but testing with cheap media isn't the way to find out.

I mentioned it here, but a friend gave me a commercially-made CD of his album and that didn't work either. So I assume he had them duplicated. I would guess they use nicer CD-Rs!

 

[Grustifrut]

Solid plan. Burning CD-Rs is cheap and flexible, good for small runs.

 

[shmaller]

Following up: in the end, I found a local place that would press 200 replicated CDs for me, so that's what I did, and they kick ass.

 

[Papanate]

Following up: in the end, I found a local place that would press 200 replicated CDs for me, so that's what I did, and they kick ass.

Right - and now you have 200 CDs to give away - BTW there are only about 14 people left in the US who would pay for CD -
and Vinyl is a status project - it’s very hard to sell Vinyl - the majority of people want the convenience of a smart phone.
But hell if you don’t mind fronting the money for that hardware - what’s it matter to me?

 

[TalismanRich]

Right - and now you have 200 CDs to give away - BTW there are only about 14 people left in the US who would pay for CD -
and Vinyl is a status project - it’s very hard to sell Vinyl - the majority of people want the convenience of a smart phone.
But hell if you don’t mind fronting the money for that hardware - what’s it matter to me?

Yeah, they all have smart phones, and they all sound like .

I don't buy a lot of CDs these days, mainly because I've already got hundreds. But I still listen to them and have a 100 disc changer in the bedroom. I have a friend who collects records. The only issue is finding music that is worth buying. When I come across something good, I pick it up.

 

[rob aylestone]

I got given a CD last week. Home studio has no facility to play them (or DVDs) the mac in the corner with a slot is now so old it cannot connect to youtube. In my office and video studio I have a duplicator for CDs and another for DVD and bluray. Both years old now and the bluray burner has not burned a single disc, ever!
As for vinyl, my last turntable was 1995. Millenials probably think they are drink coasters.

 

[Papanate]

Yeah, they all have smart phones, and they all sound like .

Through the onboard speakers sure - but who listens using the onboard speakers? I have my earbuds and it’s alright - sometimes it is even great - about the same ratio for great bands - there just aren’t that many.

I don't buy a lot of CDs these days, mainly because I've already got hundreds. But I still listen to them and have a 100 disc changer in the bedroom. I have a friend who collects records. The only issue is finding music that is worth buying. When I come across something good, I pick it up.

So you are one the 14 people buying CDs - and have you seen the price of Vinyl? I think I can still play a CD - I’d have find the Player - Can’t play Vinyl or Cassettes and really
don’t want to - Vinyl is too bulky to keep around and cassettes are pathetic -

 

[TalismanRich]

About 3 ft from my recording setup, behind a door is some of my original stereo stuff, and a few of my albums, CDs and cassettes. I built everything into the wall, so I had more open space. Plus it was more solid for my turntable. The old IMF transmission line speakers can put out some low bass.

 

[Papanate]

About 3 ft from my recording setup, behind a door is some of my original stereo stuff, and a few of my albums, CDs and cassettes. I built everything into the wall, so I had more open space. Plus it was more solid for my turntable. The old IMF transmission line speakers can put out some low bass.

View attachment 152907

Welcome to my life in 1975 - I had a ridiculous amount of LPs - probably close to 1000 - had a Kenwood Turntable that had a Granite Base - it sounded cool - too much to play music these days.

 

[shmaller]

Right - and now you have 200 CDs to give away - BTW there are only about 14 people left in the US who would pay for CD -
and Vinyl is a status project - it’s very hard to sell Vinyl - the majority of people want the convenience of a smart phone.
But hell if you don’t mind fronting the money for that hardware - what’s it matter to me?

Weirdly negative comment that does not comport to reality in my experience... 16 months later I'm about halfway through the box because people buy CDs to support artists and live music, regardless of if they have a player. Bundling with a Bandcamp download code also makes it more than just a donation for the person who's buying it. And CD players are not very expensive, I can think of multiple friends who have recently bought modern CD players. You're right that I am fortunate enough not to be starving because I haven't made 100% of my money back yet, but I have the rest of my life to sell about 90 CDs, I like my chances.

I have indeed given some away, but strategically, by shipping more copies than ordered to friends in far-flung places that I would never reach through digital-only marketing. Once the initial shipping cost was paid for, the added weight of like 10 more CDs was basically negligible, and if they get donated to second hand stores or whatever, they can sit there for years until someone takes a chance on them and hears my music, which they never would have just by shuffling on Spotify. Slim chance is better than none, and someone looking in the CD section of a record store is pretty likely to buy a CD, I'd say.

Young people are also leaving Spotify in droves because of their exploitative payment structure and investments in, let's say, dubious endeavors. I would not bet the farm on the streaming model maintaining its supremacy for the rest of time.

The biggest issue with the CDs is that I have learned since creating them, but my flaws which I can now hear are pressed to them forever, lol.

 

[Papanate]

Young people are also leaving Spotify in droves because of their exploitative payment structure and investments in, let's say, dubious endeavors. I would not bet the farm on the streaming model maintaining its supremacy for the rest of time.

No they are not - they are questioning the payment structures and artist results - but Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music have been growing the last 5 years.

The biggest issue with the CDs is that I have learned since creating them, but my flaws which I can now hear are pressed to them forever, lol.

What do you mean? How do you create flaws?

 

[rob aylestone]

payment structures seem pretty sensible to me - they have tightened up on how multiple users of one account get on, but that is understandable