Should bands make C.D.'s anymore?

[GoldieLocks]

What do you think the future of music product is? I'm questioning whether its worth it for a local band to make a C.D. anymore. Or are bands just going to record songs and stick them on the internet.
If I asked my 40 friends whats the last C.D. they bought they'd all say "I don't even remember its been so long".

I doubt I could sell 500 units anymore.

What are the goals of other local bands?

[Big John]

Given how little it can cost to get something finished and ready for sale isn't it a good idea to have some at gig's to sell 'there and then' before the audience get home and forget who you are and that they were supposed to 'download' something ?

It might pay for your diesel to get home too !

[Poppatwang]

If you can sell 500 units, then sell 500 units.
Here's another marketing angle. http://www.noiseland.com/soundtrax.html
Seems like you could DIY something similar. Lets you sell downloads at the gig.
I think it's going to be a hodge-podge for a while. I still buy CDs as well as vinyl.
No cassettes or 8-tracks though.

[pengipete]

I'll often buy a CD at a gig especially if there's no charge at the door - pub gigs and such like.

I've got some pretty good CDs from "unknown" singers and bands for the price of a pint or two - seems like a bargain to me.

[Nighthawk]

Good to have 'em at the gig.

[Oster]

No.

Ideally (some exceptions of course) a band shouldn't have to record or manufacture their own product at all.

If they're serious and good, someone else should step in and record them or they should just quit. Bands should just be better bands.

CDs, MP3s, LPs ...they're all the same.

So my basic answer is if there's a demand, supply the product. Until then, don't bother (or just post on myspace for free).

[vjf1968]

Originally Posted by GoldieLocks

What do you think the future of music product is? I'm questioning whether its worth it for a local band to make a C.D. anymore. Or are bands just going to record songs and stick them on the internet.
If I asked my 40 friends whats the last C.D. they bought they'd all say "I don't even remember its been so long".

I doubt I could sell 500 units anymore.

What are the goals of other local bands?

I do not think that a quick poll of 40 friends is a good gage of whether the making of CDs is worth it. Like Big John said, you should have them at the gig when the punters have the cash in hand and are still in awe of your rockability. I am not to crazy about the download thing either. Most people want a concrete product not a abstract.

[weiner71]

There are organizations out there such as "tunecore" www.tunecore.com that allows musicians to sell their music through the online MP3 vendors such as iTunes, MSN music, etc.

If you use something like tunecore, it might be just as effective to hand out a little flyer that says where your music can be downloaded.

[Just-Jim]

I am starting to think about stopping collecting CD's all together. I am finding my digital library has way out numbered my CD's. My plan was to convert my digital library back to CD's so I have both, but I just don't have that kind of time. So, from a dinosaur such as myself, that doesn't think much of keeping up with technology, even I would say digital would be the way to go. But that's just me.

Jim

[emu!]

What about using one of these:

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_...&category_id=3

at a gig to record live? Would be a good alternative to expensive studio time, no?

[Big John]

Originally Posted by Oster

No.

Ideally (some exceptions of course) a band shouldn't have to record or manufacture their own product at all.

If they're serious and good, someone else should step in and record them or they should just quit. Bands should just be better bands.

CDs, MP3s, LPs ...they're all the same.

So my basic answer is if there's a demand, supply the product. Until then, don't bother (or just post on myspace for free).

Ummmmmmmmmmm, did i miss something here ?

Since when has getting a deal (whatever that means today) meant you are A) serious or B) good ?.

"If there's a demand, supply the product. Until then, don't bother"

Oster, you may be shocked to the very core to learn that markets are usually created for artists to fill, with respect, i think your quote should read "If there's a demand, supply the product. If there isn't then create the demand ! "

[chet]

I you can do it cheaply enough and make a profit then go ahead. Just make sure noone copies it and sells it somewhere else. That's what I'd be cautious about.

[Stackabones]

Depends on your crowd ... if they are over 35, maybe. Under 35, no way.

[chet]

See how much it would cost to make your own vinyl album. If it's good I'll bet it would sell whatever you made.

Maybe I'll make my own with some TDPRI buddies.

[strummin67]

CDs I thought were a great idea to give something to the audience to take home. These were two or three song samples of originals. Then they could rip it for their Ipods.

[surfoverb]

Yes...A friends band just put out some vinyl.

[charlie chitlin]

Radio stations still want a CD in a jewel case with your name on the spine.

[Little Ricky]

My friend makes hand drawn cassettes to sell to people. Reasoning is that the artifact is a piece of art, not just an archive of recorded music. Kind of similar to how people like vinyl because you can do better artwork on the larger surface. This friend does lo-fi noise rock, so sound quality of the cassettes is secondary to presentation.

As far as typical bands go, I still like to buy CDs to see the artwork to get a glimpse of the musician beyond the songs, and I like to look at it while I'm listening. I think the cardboard fold-out CD packages are the best because they have the most printable surface and they're eco-friendly.

It's nice to give CDs out at shows too. Better than saying, check my myspace. I'm going to start bringing a laptop to shows and tell people to bring their mp3s and I'll let you download our songs from the laptop for a buck!

[Little Ricky]

Originally Posted by emu!

What about using one of these:

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_...&category_id=3

at a gig to record live? Would be a good alternative to expensive studio time, no?

I use a Fostex VF-160 to record live shows. One condenser mic on each side of the stage, and maybe, extra mics on vocals or amps, but usually just the two are great.

[Dave_O]

I think that CD's are like any other gig merchandise... If you ain't got 'em, ya can't sell 'em. And once you've got the recording, they're dirt cheap to make; here in Aus, I pay $2.50 (give or take) per copy, and sell them for $10. Did the recordings at home on my son's computer (cost-$0.... he offered!!). That's 300% profit on only 50 units. Do it, it won't cost your first-born!!

[Dave_O]

Originally Posted by Little Ricky

It's nice to give CDs out at shows too. Better than saying, check my myspace. I'm going to start bringing a laptop to shows and tell people to bring their mp3s and I'll let you download our songs from the laptop for a buck!

you a GENIUS Little Ricky!! Seriously. That is a very cool idea.

[esteban]

YES.

And I agree with having them at gigs. Takes out the hassle of finding a music store willing to carry the album. A band can do that in addition to TuneCore (which I think is only $10).

Many of my CDs recently have been bought at gigs by local bands. It works. Sometimes, they're even free!

[kidA]

Originally Posted by Stackabones

Depends on your crowd ... if they are over 35, maybe. Under 35, no way.

or if they're under 17... i bought so many cds at local shows and had the band sign them right there when i was growing up.

CDs still need to be made, if only as everyone's saying, to sell at shows, or for the die hard fans that demand a physical copy with album artwork. Also, for the audiophiles out there that demand the uncompressed copy. Then again, this last one assumes that your production is up to snuff and merits an uncompressed rendering.

But I really wanted to respond to above who was talking about how a band shouldn't have to record and put their own stuff out there. That just HAD to be trolling sarcasm, I wouldn't think that anyone could be serious about that, especially given the abysmal state of the "music industry" at the moment on all fronts, but especially anything you'll see on mtv, vh1, bet, and cmt or hear on the radio, if anyone listens to radio anymore.

The CD isn't dead, but the big CD sales driving the marketing for a band and getting the word out there is dead. We've moved far beyond "hey listen to this cd!," it's a simple link to a myspace, blog, youtube video, etc. the future is independent bands bending genres, innovating, and amassing fanbases however they can. it just so happens that the internet is the fastest and most effective way to market yourself these days and the result is thousands of bands, all of which could become overnight hits if they get picked up by the right blog. Further, everyone including big acts are moving away from "deals" and paying for their own recording fees, look at what Radiohead or NIN did with their latest albums. Hopefully all the money the greedy RIAA punks are losing to illegal downloading will serve as a reality check, that their way of doing business, of degrading music to another extension of the mass produced market isn't going to work because people want music and they won't just take it lying down.

[Beatbx]

Originally Posted by Oster

No.

Ideally (some exceptions of course) a band shouldn't have to record or manufacture their own product at all.

If they're serious and good, someone else should step in and record them or they should just quit. Bands should just be better bands.

CDs, MP3s, LPs ...they're all the same.

So my basic answer is if there's a demand, supply the product. Until then, don't bother (or just post on myspace for free).

cranky, cranky, cranky...

I kind of agree that bands should always try to improve, but with your rationale nobody should even play music if Capitol records isn't knocking down your door.