Starting a Band, Part I: Printing & Duplication

[sloop_john_b]

This is the firts post in what's going to be a continuing series, where i'm going to be the one seeking information from the more initiated on starting up a band from the bottom.

After years of writing and rejecting, hemming and hawing, I'm finally releasing my solo album, under the name The Jazz Funeral (link in sig). The songs are all by me and everything on the album was played by me, save for the drums and perhaps a few keyboard parts. I've also secured four others to round out the live setup (and perhaps the recording ensemble for next time as well). I've set my recording deadline for April 27th - my goal is for an album release party in mid-May.

So, the first piece of advice i'm seeking is in getting album covers printed up. I simply don't know a good place for this. I'm going for a fairly modest insert, perhaps just a card with the album cover on the front and salient information on the inside. I'm not printing up the lyrics, so a "book" will not be necessary.

In the area of duplicating CD's, I can do it myself - however, I would also like printing on the CD itself.

And finally, though this is a bit of a pipe dream, i'd like to have about 100 vinyl copies printed up.

Is there some great one-stop-shop for all this? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

[scotty]

I take great pleasure of being the first RRF member to congratulate you John.I wish you all the very best in your album and im looking forward to hearing it.

[sloop_john_b]

I take great pleasure of being the first RRF member to congratulate you John.I wish you all the very best in your album and im looking forward to hearing it.

Thank you kindly, Scotty.

[blueflamerick]

http://www.discmakers.com does everything you want and they do it well.

[tmossman]

+1 for discmakers

[jdogric12]

Yep, discmakers. It Rhymes With Orange will be releasing our first two albums at the same time real soon, probably mid-April. We're going to use DM. My bandmate used them about 8 years ago and raves about them. If you want decent printing on the CD you won't want to do them yourself, though.

[sloop_john_b]

If you want decent printing on the CD you won't want to do them yourself, though.

You're absolutely right and I didn't plan to - what I meant was that I have access to equipment that can burn up to 100 CD's at a time, so I can do the duplication myself - just not the printing.

[jdogric12]

Thank God - I hate those awful peel-off labels people put on their own CDs.

[shamustwin]

Duplication and replication (preferred) are two different an-yoo-mals.
But as long as it's mastered well, who'll know?

My pal in Port Angeles just sent me his new CD, and the CD "case" is cardboard, but feels like leather, and the printing is embossed on that. I waill ask where he had it done, classy touch.

[jdogric12]

Oh yeah, I forgot mastering. Very important.