The Forum CD Project is ON!

[steverok]

I have officially given up on this one. Can we change the last word in the title of this thread to "dead" ?

[admin]

I have asked Gary for an update on where the project stands at present.

Steve, dead would be hyperbole in my view.

In addition to all those who took the time and effort to make submissions, it should be remembered that we also made demands above and beyond the call of duty to the sound engineer and "Tardis Distributing." Tony and Gary have a life beyond the RickResource Forum (sorry guys) and free time is limited for all of us.

[alanz]

Seriously, how hard can this be?

I have a fully functioning ProTools-based studio in my home, with mastering software and a big piece of iron powering it. I also have Illustrator and Photoshop and an audio file translation software tool.

How many CD are we talking about here? If it's no more than two dozen then send me the .wav files. I'll load them into iTunes, make a play list and then burn a couple dozen disks. If you have some artwork you want I can print that all up and send it with each disk. I won't cut the art down to size and stuff it in a jewel box but you'll have your CD. In fact, we can bittorrent the whole thing if you're willing to live with higher bit rate mp3s and jpeg artwork. You download the bittorrent (See? File sharing IS useful and valid!) and the artwork, burn a CD or load it into your mp3 player with the artwork and you're a modern music listener and not some dinosaur who pines away for the good old days of vinyl records and "artwork you can actually see."

If you opt for the bittorrent option I'll do all of this FOR FREE. Because that's what music should be.

You want fancy shmancy packaging, extensive liner notes and some kind of accolade like you're part of a REAL record or something? Alrighty then, keep waiting.

[alanz]

If you're truly interested in my offer, emails (put "RickResource CD" in the subject) or PMs, please.

[admin]

Thanks for your offer to assist Alan. Let's wait for Gary to reply and see where he is in this process.

[manta]

I can also help with any Photoshop needs. Sounds like a plan.

Manta

[tony_carey]

Do we know what is happening yet???? I have a copy of the master here.

[alanz]

So I read page 23 of this thread out of coincidence and then read the "How many do you want?" thread.

Seriously, you guys are going about this all wrong. There is usually a minimum run for a mass manufactured CD and that minimum is pretty high, like, 1000. Getting a jacket printed up is not cheap either. I can totally see why this has dragged on - it's freakin' expensive to do it this way PLUS it seems there is an expecation that this will be continental-based, that this process is getting repeated in AustAsia and maybe Europe as well.

So, you have minimum runs AND those minimum are for a region, not for the entire highly-geographically diverse group. You have an expensive process because of the desire to make a "professional" package, too.

For efficiency's sake the process for now should be 1) create 192 Kbps MP3s zipped as a package with jpeg artwork, 2) make a bittorrent, 3) done. Downloaders can make their own CDs from those files and a 192 kbps MP3 sounds just fine. Make them 256Kbps MP3s for more fidelity if you have to. Bittorrent is super efficient and easy to do. Leverage the internet, use technology. This isn't 1979 where we're recording cassette tapes from a turntable fercrissakes. This way the material can get out there for people; if they still want to wait for a pretty package they can.

If someone sends me the material I'll have a bittorrent running within 24 hours of receiving the package.

Tony, check your PMs and contact me off list.

[sowhat]

Sorry for a stupid question, but... are you guys talking about the first forum CD?..

[ram]

maybe - cdbaby.com????

[jps]

Has anyone considered the possibility of discussing this project with John Hall and his RIC Media label?

[alanz]

Does cdbaby ship internationally? And anyway, you have to give them the CDs so they still have to be manufactured BUT they do have a download service so you could do it that way if you wanted.

You guys could even load these up to the iTunes Music Store for that matter.

Solutions solutions solutions; we have 'em.

[alanz]

Has anyone considered the possibility of discussing this project with John Hall and his RIC Media label?

Who?

[rikk]

CD Baby does not manufacture CD's, it only distributes them. You'd still have to send them a bunch of CDs. If anybody did a cover song then you are responsible for the mechanical rights to be paid to the publisher. CD Baby insists on it, so should you, if you are selling it.

Low number runs can be done (I even offered my help in that.) High quality cover can also be done in low quantity. Sure not as cheap as 1000 minimum replication, but still reasonable.

But as Alanz pointed out, making them downloadable is virtually free, or at least very cheap. Again, if I can help in any way, I'm up for it. My company has replicated/duplicated tens of thousands of discs, probably hundreds of thousands. And I've been known to master a disc or two.

[admin]

Sheena: Yes the first CD. Gary has done a lot of work on this and I would like to hear from him, especially if he requires assistance at this stage.