Almost every conversation I have with a band about CD Pressing starts like this:
“We would like to replicate X number of CDs, our CD release is scheduled for…..”
The last thing any band wants to do is to have a CD release without discs. Also, having a CD release with an album you’re not happy with, or packaged with art that you regret is potentially worse. CD manufacturing is not a long process (10-12 Business Days in most cases). However, you have to be ready for the unexpected. You may have the art files completed, but when you receive the proofs you may notice a typo, or that there is something missing. Your master may have data issues you may need to address. You may want to completely change your art, or even your track order.
If you have not booked your CD release, you have all the time you need to fix any issues before you begin the manufacturing process. I understand the need to share your newly recorded music with the world as soon as you have left the studio, however rushing this final step could completely undo all of the hard work you have put into your album. Every band wants their CD out as soon as possible, but it's much better to have your CD arrive a month or two early, than one day too late.
So first things first, DO NOT schedule your album release party/show/event while you're still recording. Once you have your CDs in-hand and you have made sure that you are happy with them, the first thing you should do is begin promoting it. This is why major studios advertise, give out flyers, have merchandise in kid’s meals, put out hundreds of commercials and put the album/movie/product in your face as many times as possible. No major studio would ever silently release a CD a week after it was finished mastering and expect anyone to buy it. Here is some great advice from industry experts:
“Give yourself at minimum three weeks to get the CDs out to local newspapers and magazines in time for them to write a review before or around the same time as the official release date. You can even sell limited signed editions as pre-release copies before the official release. This can help considerably with bringing in a little cash flow to offset all the money you just spent on the recording and production process.” David Barber – Former President, Colorado Music Association
“Contact local press about your CD release at least one month before the CD release show. Don’t be like every other band when you contact the press either. Calling on the phone or sending an email is almost the least you can do. Set up a day and time to personally bring an advance copy of your CD to the local entertainment writer(s). Many writers say very few artists bother doing more than call or email them these days. Those same writers say that since so few artists actually bother to come to and meet with them personally, they usually write about the artists that do stop in person 100% of the time.” David Codr – Publisher, The Music Phonebook
“The best advice I can give is to… plan ahead. The biggest mistake is …. I would have to say out of all my orders, 90% of the orders I get from my bands are bands that already have a date for a CD release party, which is usually only a week to three weeks out. They don’t understand that the manufacturing takes three weeks. Every Friday we have bands in our office picking up CDs between sound checks and their CD release party show. When I ask them how much promotion they did for their show, they often say, “None, because we didn’t have any CDs.” And that’s when I say, “There probably won’t be too many people at your CD release party because you didn’t do any pre-releases or proper planning.” Bands tend to think the day they get their CDs should be the day they have their CD release show because they can’t wait. There [is] usually very little planning. There are no reviews in the local newspapers, no Internet reviews. That’s definitely the most common error that I see… In my experience, bands don’t budget well either. They spend all their money on recording. They’ll spend … as much as $20,000 on recording and then … want the best-looking package on no money. Budgeting and timing always seem to be the biggest issues.” Joe Guyette – Owner, Breakthrough Media
These are the steps you should follow and check off in order:
1. Recording and Mastering
2. Graphic Design for Album Art
3. Replication
4. PROMOTION
5. Schedule Your Release
6. Play Your Show
If you skip any of these, or try to bunch them together, it will not be a smooth ride. If you run through these in order, you will make more money, be happier with your product and have a stress free process.
Written By: Aaron Perez
