Cd Making Decisions

By Author: Gabe Sullivan
Total Articles: 10
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Songs chosen, recording done, and post-production on the tracks is also done. Now your band is ready to have the CDs made. There are still a lot of things to worry about, and lots of decisions to make as each decision will determine how your CDs will sell. But here are some of the most important factors you'll need to consider.

ALBUM ART

The CD Cover is very critical and important because it will be the first thing a person sees—and it will also determine whether that person wants to pick up your CD and actually consider buying it. Your CD cover needs to be catchy, appealing, and consistent with the overall vibe of your project. The design is one thing to decide on, but whether you're going to include photos in the album art, what colors are best suited for the cover and how much text will be included, still need to be decided. And also don't forget to decide if the CD itself will carry a similar design, and if it will be printed directly onto the CD or onto a label to be pasted to the CD.

PACKAGING

These days, CD packaging is not limited to the classic plastic packaging. Your CD can ...
... be packaged in a simple printed cardboard sleeve, or a fold-over cardboard wallet, or a multi-fold digipack. There's also a choice of slim jewel case, or a flexible plastic case. You'll also need to decide if you're going to include an insert or booklet, and how many printed panels it will have. Will your lyrics be printed, or just thank-yous? Will the final package be shrink-wrapped? These things are based on your budget. One thing to remember: your CDs don't have to look too fancy, just professional will be enough.

DUPLICATING

If you decide to distribute your CDs in larger quantities, duplicating them is recommended. It takes less time and is recommended for small runs. While replication is the pressing of your CD from a glass master; which takes more time and money up front, but is recommended for larger quantities. In the end, there's no difference in the sound quality between these two methods; you just need to decide what's best for you.

HOW MANY CDs TO PRINT

Financially, this is the most challenging. Bands often print way too many CDs in order to get a better cost-per-unit, while in reality they have stacks of unsold products months later. The reverse situation would be paying too much for a smaller run and have to overprice the CDs or take a loss to get them sold. The key is, print only what you reasonably believe you can sell.

The author works for Mixonic, a leading CD and DVD production service, which deals duplicate CDs and duplicate DVDs as well.