Another Music Question...Digital or Digital AND Physical?

[mjr]

Ok, as I'm (hopefully) getting closer to finishing my first ever album, I'm starting to think about formats.

One of the companies I'm thinking about using can help with digital distribution, but can also do physical CDs.

The thing is, I don't perform live.

So I'm wondering if I should go exclusively digital, or digital and physical (i.e. CDs).

There are a few companies I've found that will do short runs. But they can get kind of pricey. Two places essentially offer the same stuff, and if I get 50 CDs with content, with black printing on a silver disc, Slim Jewel Cases, a two panel insert, shrink wrapped, no distribution, and a UPC code, that runs $135, with $34 shipping.

Changing the silver disc to full color changes the price to $140 before shipping. Swapping the jewel case for a "jacket" raises the price to $160.

And that's without distribution. If I add in "pro" distribution (which I think does the digital thing), that raises the "base" price (from the initial $135) to $214.

So, CDs or not?

As I've said before, I also found a place that does short-run vinyl, and will do as few as one. So I want to get one of those to put on my wall.

But as far as the CDs go, I kinda want something tangible, since I'm finally getting around to finishing this project. That, and maybe something to hand out to family and friends. I don't know.

Of course, I guess I could consider the vinyl as the "tangible" thing.

Thoughts, everyone??

[EricKei]

I think physical seems like a good idea. I'd be up for a CD, meself.

That sounds reasonable on the pricing - and while a $5 difference on black vs color is a no-brainer, keep in mind that only certain colors will likely show up and look good on a silver disc. As for vinyl, maybe see if there's a way to feel out your potential buying audience to see who actually owns a record player these days I know it's made a comeback in the last several years, but it's still a much smaller market. Not actually sure what they mean by "pro" distribution.

[mjr]

I think physical seems like a good idea. I'd be up for a CD, meself.

I'll let you know when I finish. If I go the CD route, maybe I'll send ya one.

Fair warning: It's country music...some of it with an "older" (almost Americana or "neotraditional" feel).

Or if I sell them online, point ya to where they're on sale. Though in that case, if I "run out" I'd have to place another order so that I can either sell them myself, or have one of the companies sell them for me.

But what do you think looks more professional? A Jewel Case or a "Jacket"?

That sounds reasonable on the pricing - and while a $5 difference on black vs color is a no-brainer, keep in mind that only certain colors will likely show up and look good on a silver disc.

I'm not sure of their exact printing process, but I think they're not just running them through ink jet printers. I think they're using more "industrial" type printers. The pricing does sound reasonable. Though I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with 50 (or 100 if I go that route). I have a few ideas for some of them, but then I'd still have 40 or more left, if I ordered 50.

As for vinyl, maybe see if there's a way to feel out your potential buying audience to see who actually owns a record player these days I know it's made a comeback in the last several years, but it's still a much smaller market.

Vinyl runs are VERY expensive. For kicks, I priced out 100 of them (that's the minimum quantity on one of the sites I'm considering), with similar features to the CDs I priced, and that came out to $2,070.00, with $70.50 shipping.

I found a place that will do a "one-off" (so they'll just make me one of them) lathe-cut vinyl, for about $60 or so, not including shipping. That's what I mean with the vinyl.

Not actually sure what they mean by "pro" distribution.

I think, if I'm not mistaken, that they distribute to the streaming services, and help collect royalties and such. Though the payments for streaming are very small (often times fractions of a cent) per stream. So it takes a LOT of streams to make any decent scratch that way.

[Kristev]

Cases. Jackets lead to nothing but scratches and unplayable discs.

[EricKei]

For CD's? Cases.
Heck, dude, I live in not-quite rural Mississippi (read: I don't have to drive too far to see cows, but at least I can't smell 'em from here); that sounds like what the locals would enjoy. Once it's up on digital, I'll share it on my FB feed (such as it is) - you might get a few sales! I'll ask my brother to pimp it, too; he has an actual audience in the area.

[mjr]

For CD's? Cases.
Heck, dude, I live in not-quite rural Mississippi (read: I don't have to drive too far to see cows, but at least I can't smell 'em from here); that sounds like what the locals would enjoy. Once it's up on digital, I'll share it on my FB feed (such as it is) - you might get a few sales! I'll ask my brother to pimp it, too; he has an actual audience in the area.

Awesome! I'll let you know when it's up. I still need to design a cover, and CD art, though. I'm hoping to have everything ready to go by late July or early August.