manufacturing & distribution

[tonyc2002]

i basically want to find out more about the processes involved in taking a bounced down wave all the way to seeing a record in my local record shop?

whats involved etc? does it help to have the music published? licensing?

enlighten me old wise ones....

[The 818 Kid]

there's a ****in lot involved.. lotta money bein spent..

and if u gonna distribute it yea.. get ur shit copyrighted..

[tonyc2002]

there's a ****in lot involved.. lotta money bein spent..

and if u gonna distribute it yea.. get ur shit copyrighted..

care to elaborate?

[dirty_bass]

Well.
Publishing, mcprs registration and copyright etc are very handy.
For techno on vinyl it`s not so much of a point.
Not many people buy it, let alone rip it off, especially from vinyl.
Most good digital distribution contracts handle all this nicely now anyway.

So, after bouncing down your WAV, and then mastering it correctly for vinyl, you will need to sort out a distributer.
A hit and miss stage (I`ll talk about self financing rather than P&D (which is a titanic rip off for the artist anyway)), where you send your prospective (and possibly 2 other releases to follow, so they have an idea where you are heading) release to the distributer.
Let`s say they decide to distribute your label, you`ll next need to sign a distribution contract (very similar to signing your soul away to the devil).
You`ll also need some actual designs for the label to go on the vinyl.

After that you can book a cut at a vinyl cutting room.
You`ll probably (if you are serious about things) want to attend the cut.
At this stage the Dub plate will be cut which will then be sent to the manufacturing plant to be made into a master stamp. These stamps will be duplicated to be fitted into a vinyl press.
Next you`ll book your pressing (or get an all in one cut and press deal) (and supply the art for the labels)
you`ll recieve some test pressings to try out, and if you are happy with the cut you can give the go ahead to mass produce.

You`ll probably want to send your TP`s out to some DJ`s who will play it (preferably some DJ`s who get about a bit).
And maybe send some to magazines for review (which although good for your ego, has little effect on sales these days, as magazine sales are so low, and most people can form their own opinions by listening to the music via E-vendors such as Juno).
You`ll then receive the final pressings.
You`ll salivate over them and feel all warm inside.
you`ll want to do a mass mail out to your promo list, to get more people to play the record.
After a good amount of time to let the promo`s take hold in the clubs etc, you`ll set your release date and the record will go on sale.

Around 3-6 months later hopefully you`ll get back the money from sales (minus the distributers fee, of course).

If your really lucky at some point the record will sell out and a repress might be in order.

[loopdon]

Thanks for the explanation, Steve. Good read.

[rhythmtech]

Well.
Publishing, mcprs registration and copyright etc are very handy.
For techno on vinyl it`s not so much of a point.
Not many people buy it, let alone rip it off, especially from vinyl.
Most good digital distribution contracts handle all this nicely now anyway.

So, after bouncing down your WAV, and then mastering it correctly for vinyl, you will need to sort out a distributer.
A hit and miss stage (I`ll talk about self financing rather than P&D (which is a titanic rip off for the artist anyway)), where you send your prospective (and possibly 2 other releases to follow, so they have an idea where you are heading) release to the distributer.
Let`s say they decide to distribute your label, you`ll next need to sign a distribution contract (very similar to signing your soul away to the devil).
You`ll also need some actual designs for the label to go on the vinyl.

After that you can book a cut at a vinyl cutting room.
You`ll probably (if you are serious about things) want to attend the cut.
At this stage the Dub plate will be cut which will then be sent to the manufacturing plant to be made into a master stamp. These stamps will be duplicated to be fitted into a vinyl press.
Next you`ll book your pressing (or get an all in one cut and press deal) (and supply the art for the labels)
you`ll recieve some test pressings to try out, and if you are happy with the cut you can give the go ahead to mass produce.

You`ll probably want to send your TP`s out to some DJ`s who will play it (preferably some DJ`s who get about a bit).
And maybe send some to magazines for review (which although good for your ego, has little effect on sales these days, as magazine sales are so low, and most people can form their own opinions by listening to the music via E-vendors such as Juno).
You`ll then receive the final pressings.
You`ll salivate over them and feel all warm inside.
you`ll want to do a mass mail out to your promo list, to get more people to play the record.
After a good amount of time to let the promo`s take hold in the clubs etc, you`ll set your release date and the record will go on sale.

Around 3-6 months later hopefully you`ll get back the money from sales (minus the distributers fee, of course).

If your really lucky at some point the record will sell out and a repress might be in order.

you forgot the part where you pull all your hair out, your girlfriend pulls all hers out and your bank manager threatens you with violence

[dirty_bass]

you forgot the part where you pull all your hair out, your girlfriend pulls all hers out and your bank manager threatens you with violence

I thought I`d ommit that part, as it`s stressful enough going through it without having to write it down.

[tonyc2002]

Well.
Publishing, mcprs registration and copyright etc are very handy.
For techno on vinyl it`s not so much of a point.
Not many people buy it, let alone rip it off, especially from vinyl.
Most good digital distribution contracts handle all this nicely now anyway.

So, after bouncing down your WAV, and then mastering it correctly for vinyl, you will need to sort out a distributer.
A hit and miss stage (I`ll talk about self financing rather than P&D (which is a titanic rip off for the artist anyway)), where you send your prospective (and possibly 2 other releases to follow, so they have an idea where you are heading) release to the distributer.
Let`s say they decide to distribute your label, you`ll next need to sign a distribution contract (very similar to signing your soul away to the devil).
You`ll also need some actual designs for the label to go on the vinyl.

After that you can book a cut at a vinyl cutting room.
You`ll probably (if you are serious about things) want to attend the cut.
At this stage the Dub plate will be cut which will then be sent to the manufacturing plant to be made into a master stamp. These stamps will be duplicated to be fitted into a vinyl press.
Next you`ll book your pressing (or get an all in one cut and press deal) (and supply the art for the labels)
you`ll recieve some test pressings to try out, and if you are happy with the cut you can give the go ahead to mass produce.

You`ll probably want to send your TP`s out to some DJ`s who will play it (preferably some DJ`s who get about a bit).
And maybe send some to magazines for review (which although good for your ego, has little effect on sales these days, as magazine sales are so low, and most people can form their own opinions by listening to the music via E-vendors such as Juno).
You`ll then receive the final pressings.
You`ll salivate over them and feel all warm inside.
you`ll want to do a mass mail out to your promo list, to get more people to play the record.
After a good amount of time to let the promo`s take hold in the clubs etc, you`ll set your release date and the record will go on sale.

Around 3-6 months later hopefully you`ll get back the money from sales (minus the distributers fee, of course).

If your really lucky at some point the record will sell out and a repress might be in order.

really appreciate the info mate. thanks :)

[tonyc2002]

PS

ill have more questions soon



oh hang on ive just thought of one (:cheese:)....

are there any companies that you would personally reccomend? ive heard Amato are pretty on the ball....

[rhythmtech]

PS

ill have more questions soon



oh hang on ive just thought of one (:cheese:)....

are there any companies that you would personally reccomend? ive heard Amato are pretty on the ball....

amato
elektronik (spelling?)
z-audio
triple vision

[tonyc2002]

nice one guys.....

so the general jist is this...

write your amazing track -----> master for vinyl ----> send to distributer -----> get some sort deal (which may/not include publishing) -----> have the vinyl made ----> send out promos -----> release record



just want to point out that ime not investing anything till my music is spankingly phat, ime just dipping my toes in the water (so to speak) so again thanks guys. its brilliant being able to ask people "in the know" like this. really really good :)

[dirty_bass]

PS

ill have more questions soon



oh hang on ive just thought of one (:cheese:)....

are there any companies that you would personally reccomend? ive heard Amato are pretty on the ball....

Amato are very very picky about what they will handle now.
They pretty much have given up on techno.

I would say that techno distribution has reached an almost 1 company monopoly stage now.
The pecking order of size is basically this.

Neuton (all other distributers pretty much go through neuton at some point)
Triple Vision
Others.

Dealing with Neuton will get you the best coverage and returns, but again, they are picky.
Triple are good, but deal through Neuton, so you are looking at dealing with 2 sets of middle men before sales point.
Then after that it`s a free for all of "will this company make it through the year?"


I really can`t recommend dealing with vinyl to anyone sane, and if you have any business sense, you will avoid it like the plague, but as techno people, none of us are sane.
It`s an exceedingly expensive hobby to run a vinyl label.
Whereas 4-5 years ago a good release hit 1500-3000 copies.
These days a good selling release does 500!!!!

Is that crazy or what?

[tonyc2002]

Amato are very very picky about what they will handle now.
They pretty much have given up on techno.

I would say that techno distribution has reached an almost 1 company monopoly stage now.
The pecking order of size is basically this.

Neuton (all other distributers pretty much go through neuton at some point)
Triple Vision
Others.

Dealing with Neuton will get you the best coverage and returns, but again, they are picky.
Triple are good, but deal through Neuton, so you are looking at dealing with 2 sets of middle men before sales point.
Then after that it`s a free for all of "will this company make it through the year?"


I really can`t recommend dealing with vinyl to anyone sane, and if you have any business sense, you will avoid it like the plague, but as techno people, none of us are sane.
It`s an exceedingly expensive hobby to run a vinyl label.
Whereas 4-5 years ago a good release hit 1500-3000 copies.
These days a good selling release does 500!!!!

Is that crazy or what?

ahh just seen this post...

your right....the production costs of an MP3 compared to vinyl are obviously much better, i think ime just in love with the idea...

why have sales dropped so much tho? i cant believe that many dj;s are abandoning vinyl for digital media?

[theledge]

These days a good selling release does 500!!!!

Which you will barely break even on, if you sell all the records.

Unless you are hopelessly infatuated with the idea of running a vinyl label, have thousands of pounds you're prepared to potentially not see again, shed loads of time and determination and probably a good streak of stupidity i wouldnt bother

The future is digital, so you might as well embrace it early

[eyeswithoutaface]

yeah and the bit afterwards where label owners turn into bitter old men venting about "sales back in t'day" when the latest scraping of the barrel only sells 100 copies or so

it aint always greener on the other side godamnnnnnnn

[rhythmtech]

when the latest scraping of the barrel only sells 100 copies or so

must be just you scott :briggin: :briggin:

[eyeswithoutaface]

must be just you scott :briggin: :briggin:

add another 0 onto that and you'd still be a few hundred short mate :)

[dirty_bass]

My advice is send your music to one of the bazillion labels out there.
Labels don`t mean anything any more.
There`s 2 labels for every 1 DJ, the balance is all ****ed up.
Just go to juno each week and count all the 001`s every time.

Find some labels you respect and taylor some decent demo`s for them.

[tonyc2002]

My advice is send your music to one of the bazillion labels out there.
Labels don`t mean anything any more.
There`s 2 labels for every 1 DJ, the balance is all ****ed up.
Just go to juno each week and count all the 001`s every time.

Find some labels you respect and taylor some decent demo`s for them.

i think that is probaly the most logical route for me

*begins to ponder*

[acos1]

Nice one, looks like your label is goin well for ya man fairplay.