
mjr
ADD -- blessing and curse
All,
I'm beginning to focus some serious time on finishing my debut CD. I have decided to take the "self-promotion" route, to get my name out (initially). I'll be doing all the guitar tracks (electric, acoustic, and bass), keyboard, vocals, and relying on CakeWalk for my drums.
As far as marketing and promotion, what advice can be given? I don't have a band, so it's difficult to play at various places.
I will probably start out with about 100 CDs (99 actually, one is going on my wall, kind of an "accomplishment" thing). Many of those will be given away, and some will be mailed to A&R people at legitimate record companies (as many as I can here in the Dallas area), and possibly some radio stations. After that, I'll probably do another run of 100 - 200, depending on how high I feel demand is.
Another thing I've considered doing, once my website is finished, is putting up a "press kit" on my site, and some black & white photos, and some 30-second snippets of a song or two. Maybe do an autograph signing, and give away a few singles in the process.
I've also considered T-shirts, bumper stickers, local newspaper advertisements, and so forth.
I've ruled out selling the CD for $15 - $20, unless production costs warrant so (they shouldn't, since I'm the sole songwriter, copyright holder, and musician on the album, and the artwork was free). The only real costs I will incur would be the costs of the CDs and the costs of jewel cases, paper, and printing.
Thoughts/advice? Is there anything I'm missing? Is there anything I should/shouldn't do?
I'm beginning to focus some serious time on finishing my debut CD. I have decided to take the "self-promotion" route, to get my name out (initially). I'll be doing all the guitar tracks (electric, acoustic, and bass), keyboard, vocals, and relying on CakeWalk for my drums.
As far as marketing and promotion, what advice can be given? I don't have a band, so it's difficult to play at various places.
I will probably start out with about 100 CDs (99 actually, one is going on my wall, kind of an "accomplishment" thing). Many of those will be given away, and some will be mailed to A&R people at legitimate record companies (as many as I can here in the Dallas area), and possibly some radio stations. After that, I'll probably do another run of 100 - 200, depending on how high I feel demand is.
Another thing I've considered doing, once my website is finished, is putting up a "press kit" on my site, and some black & white photos, and some 30-second snippets of a song or two. Maybe do an autograph signing, and give away a few singles in the process.
I've also considered T-shirts, bumper stickers, local newspaper advertisements, and so forth.
I've ruled out selling the CD for $15 - $20, unless production costs warrant so (they shouldn't, since I'm the sole songwriter, copyright holder, and musician on the album, and the artwork was free). The only real costs I will incur would be the costs of the CDs and the costs of jewel cases, paper, and printing.
Thoughts/advice? Is there anything I'm missing? Is there anything I should/shouldn't do?