CD Money Blues

Subject: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Kim C
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 12:03 PM

Well, some of you know that Mister and I have been working on getting a new CD together for about a year now. We finished the recording some time ago, and everytime we had the money to proceed with production, we had to spend it on something necessary, like car repairs and root canals. Finally after Christmas we had all the money together, we chose all the songs, I got a quote from the CD people... and this morning, we find out Mister's Jeep needs a new engine.

Sigh.

It would be easier and cheaper to get the new engine than to get a new car, and with any luck a new engine would go another 200,000 miles. I think we probably have enough money to pay for it all, but if we had to do it all at once, it would pretty much clean us up. So it isn't entirely bleak, but sort of a bummer.

Reckon it's time to sell Daddy's Rolex. Anybody interested?

Any and all good prosperity thoughts welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks---

Kim C

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: alanabit
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 12:58 PM

This sounds like something I know too much about already. Wishing you a run of good luck. Even a bad run can't go on forever.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: fat B****rd
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 01:04 PM

I hope things start to go well for you soon.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Kim C
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 02:19 PM

Thanks y'all.... it ain't necessarily that things are bad... I'm thankful we have the money to get the car fixed... I just didn't want to have to spend it on that! ;-) It's just a little pothole. Perhaps the road will get smoother later on.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Allan C.
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 02:37 PM

I just hate it when "real life" gets in the way like that. It happens all too often. Best of luck with the repairs and the renewed efforts toward saving for the CD. Keep us posted. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who would love to hear it.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Hollowfox
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 04:34 PM

Wellwellwell, sounds like I'd better fire up a !@#%-reduction candle tonight when I get home. When the cd finally does come out, be sure to let us know so we can all buy a copy.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 11:29 PM

here's to you KimC. What's on the CD?I hope you do better than break even on it.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 12:39 AM

Kim, I know it may not be exactly what you wanted, but have you looked into www.mixonic.com? You upload your files to them, design your own cover or use their stuff, then order as many as your budget can handle, from one on up. They're not bad depending on the quality of your sound files, etc. and the staff are really great.

Sorry you've had other necessities for yer cash. Sending lots of good thoughts for whatever works out best for you and Mister.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Kim C
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 12:55 AM

Hmmmm..... mixonic.com ........... I'll look into it. Thanks! :-)

What's on it? Well, there's a few original things, and a few really really old things, including the one about Lord Randall and the poison eels.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: open mike
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 01:11 AM

maybe some cats would like to pre-pay for thier copy to help you establish your funding to be able to finalize this project!

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 01:21 AM

You're welcome.:-) I first heard about it when Amos did some investigating for the Mudcat CD collection. We've used it for my brother's CD's and I've really been very happy with them. And, not just the Cds themselves, but also the quality of service. They're really good!

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Kim C
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 09:00 AM

Open Mike, we have thought about that... but I don't want to take people's money until I have a better idea of when the product will actually be available.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 09:03 AM

Fundraising party/concert/bash?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Kim C
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 01:21 PM

Well, that's an option. I have entertained that thought. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 02:56 PM

Why not just stick them up on a website? Very cheap, and we all get to hear your music.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Kim C
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 05:30 PM

Haha, very funny.

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 07:26 PM

CAMSCO Music * 28 Powell Street, Greenwich, CT 06831 * USA
800/548-FOLK (3655)                                                                         [e-mail]
                                
                


New CD? Or One That's Gone Out Of Print?


There are a couple of ways to handle this. You could lay out a couple of thousand bucks and have it produced privately—if you have room to store all the ones you won't sell in the immediate future. Or you could buy a lot of equipment, and spend a fair amount of time learning to do your own publication.
Or you could try to get one of the established labels, like Rounder or Green Linnet to produce it for you, if they're willing to do it. This approach has the advantage of having a distribution network in place, but all you'll get from this distribution is a standard royalty, which come to about 75 cents per CD. And they'll sell you back copies for you to sell at about $7 per copy.
Let's face it. The value of a CD, to a performer, has little to do with royalties (unless you're Britney Spears or Bob Dylan.) That CD is something you'll sell yourself, and it represents an opportunity to double (roughly) the fee you get at a gig.
CAMSCO Music is offering a new service, based on the Japanese Kanban, or just-in-time inventory approach. If you provide a usable master and copyable artwork, I'll make you a professional duplication (disk label printed directly on disk, full color jewel case cover artwork, tray card and booklet (if any) for 5 bucks a copy in quantities of one and up. Considering that the usual retail price is $15, this represents a handsome profit along with no risk. You retain all rights; there's no commitment to future orders and the quality is guaranteed. CAMSCO would like to reserve the right to fill orders for your CDs if we get any—we'd pay you $5 for each one we sell.
CAMSCO is currently serving Skip Gorman (2 titles), Margaret MacArthur (1 title) and is doing repackaging for Juneberry Records (7 titles) and Folktrax (6 titles.) We're discussing jobs with several other reasonably well-known folk artists.
If this sounds interesting, give me a ring at 800/548-FOLK (3655) from the US or Canada, or E-Mail me at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: BS: CD Money Blues
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 09:07 PM

Dick, is your service glass master or burn?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: CD Money Blues
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 11:56 PM

HeyaDick, that is fantastic! Next time we decide to do more of my brother's, we will switch to Camsco. Thanks!

kat

Subject: RE: CD Money Blues
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 16 Feb 04 - 12:06 AM

Uncle DaveO-
I burn them. They come with a lifetime warranty (my lifetime, I guess) I don't know of any feasible way to do a glass master for very short runs.

Subject: RE: CD Money Blues
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 17 Feb 04 - 10:52 PM

BTW-
the price is for the complete package--CD, jewel box,tray card, cover insert and shrink wrap.

Subject: RE: CD Money Blues
From: Allan C.
Date: 17 Feb 04 - 11:41 PM

For the sake of comparison, you can find some more traditional methods here.

Subject: RE: CD Money Blues
From: Cool Beans
Date: 18 Feb 04 - 12:47 PM

A suggestion for patient folks (it worked for me):
    Every time you get a five-dollar bill, tuck it away somewhere. You you won't acquire them so frequently that you'll feel the pinch in your cash flow (and, let me tell you, that's painful); for instance, most ATMs won't spit out anything smaller than a ten-spot.
    That's how I made my CD which is called "Drawerful of Fives." I saved fives in my sweater drawer for two years and paid for studio time, mixing, mastering, duplicating, design, packaging, shrink wrap, and the startup fee at CD Baby. I paid everyone with stacks of five-dollar bills --except CD Baby, they got a check.

Subject: RE: CD Money Blues
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 18 Feb 04 - 04:39 PM

Just to clarify:
A big chunk of the cost of a CD is often in its recording and mastering--studio time, processing fees, accompaniasts' fees etc. CAMSCO isn't trying to address this part of the operation; in any case, a burgeoning number of artists are doing their own recording and mastering.
    What I'm offering is an alterntive to filling your house with hundreds of shiny coasters ordered to meet a minimum order size. Michael Cooney summed it up nicely when he referred to his "million seller CD"---he had a million of them in his cellar. If you use CAMSCO's services and find later that you can sell a couple of thousand copies, there's nothing stopping you from leaving CAMSCO and going to more-conventional production outfits.

Subject: RE: CD Money Blues
From: Cheap Tracks
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 10:52 PM

"A big chunk of the cost of a CD is often in its recording and mastering--studio time, processing fees, accompaniasts' fees etc. CAMSCO isn't trying to address this part of the operation; in any case, a burgeoning number of artists are doing their own recording and mastering."

If you're within a few hours drive of Indianapolis, I can help out with that aspect of your recording project. I've got the gear, the ears, and the know-how to get you a quality recording and I charge only $25/hour. I get good results recording live performances or I can setup for a recording session in any quiet space.

I also provide low-volume CDR duplication.
Talk to Uncle DaveO if you need a reference.

Check out the Cheap Tracks Web Site for more information.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.