Who here is still releasing new music?

[Yodelgoat]

Vinyl! How cool is that? I take it you have a place to market this?

Thats a bold step, to release something new on Vinyl. Keep us posted on how it does will you? How many did you manufacture?

[Mister Triscuits]

Thats a bold step, to release something new on Vinyl. Keep us posted on how it does will you? How many did you manufacture?

Well, so far it is, shall we say, highly select in its appeal. (Thank you Spinal Tap.) I had 200 copies made. Who knows, I may die with 175 of them still in my closet! I was hoping to get a write-up on slyvinyl.com, which I think would have stirred up interest in the general collector community, but they didn't bite. I've just had some cards made to promote the album, which came out really bitchin' looking. Our own Zombywoof played a track on his internet radio show a couple of weeks ago, which was very cool of him.

http://www.waysidemusic.com/Music-Pr...ESM-spc-3.aspx
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/michaelpdawson

[Nijinsky Hind]

Well, so far it is, shall we say, highly select in its appeal. (Thank you Spinal Tap.) I had 200 copies made. Who knows, I may die with 175 of them still in my closet! I was hoping to get a write-up on slyvinyl.com, which I think would have stirred up interest in the general collector community, but they didn't bite. I've just had some cards made to promote the album, which came out really bitchin' looking. Our own Zombywoof played a track on his internet radio show a couple of weeks ago, which was very cool of him.

http://www.waysidemusic.com/Music-Pr...ESM-spc-3.aspx
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/michaelpdawson

How much for a copy? Where do you ship from?

[Mister Triscuits]

How much for a copy? Where do you ship from?

You can order it from either of the links in the post you quoted. Price is $20. I recommend buying from Wayside because Steve F. is an awesome guy. THANK YOU for checking it out!

[Nijinsky Hind]

You can order it from either of the links in the post you quoted. Price is $20. I recommend buying from Wayside because Steve F. is an awesome guy. THANK YOU for checking it out!

Got it... Thanks. Really liked the soundcloud track. I try to get hold of private pressings on vinyl. Hope you signed and numbered them?

If you dont mind me asking where, and how much did it cost, to get such a small number of LPs pressed and how much time allowed on each side?
Thanks.
Rick

[Mister Triscuits]

If you dont mind me asking where, and how much did it cost, to get such a small number of LPs pressed and how much time allowed on each side?

I did it through Disc Makers. Supplying them with finished masters and artwork, it cost me a little over $2,500 for 200 shrinkwrapped LPs plus test pressings and extra jackets (including UPC, shipping, and tax), but there are a lot of options that can affect the price either way. Their limit is 22 minutes per LP side. The turnaround time was about four months, but they got the LPs to me ahead of the promised ship date.

Thanks again!

[Yodelgoat]

Wow, so I would say that limited pressings of Vinyl are a break even proposal - at best. I applaud you for your efforts. Almost makes me willing to go and get a new turntable just so I can get into this kind of music. - You cannot pirate it (except by digitizing it) and the people who buy it are truly appreciative of all your work. Wow, what a commitment to your music.

Time to shop for turntables - I always wished they would come out with a laser turntable. They were talking about that years ago, where they would use a laser to read the grooves, and then digitize it and remove clicks and pops and surface rumble. Never happened, but I thought it was brilliant. Of course digital vinyl would have its own problems like the CD wouldn't it? I have also recently gotten rid of close to 1000 records, and I would have to start over with them. Most of which I could never get back, I'm sure. I cry when I realize what I gave away for next to nothing. Stupid, stupid, stupid. (but I have a happy wife for the moment)

Really inspirational MT - Thank you. I miss the days of slipping on a piece of Vinyl, and hearing that ever so slight crackle/pop and then the music jumps out at you...

I still have a linear tracking turntable (with a laser guide that no longer works - it allows you to skip songs etc..)

[robdebank]

I believe that there are still a lot in here that are releasing their own music.

[Yodelgoat]

I'd like to hear from them. Its an open invite. I myself have retired from releasing music because it is just not worth the effort to me. I totally understand the desire to create music, but thats not the same as trying to ask money for it. I do like to hear why people release music in such a seemingly hostile environment - I would even enjoy hearing how they decide whether or not its worth it. I think the semi-indie music sales world has even gotten tougher since 2012 when I started this thread. But what does an artist think when releasing a CD (or whatever format) these days?

Is it something they hope to make money at?
Is it because they want to sell something at shows or on tour?
Is it because they have recorded songs and that's what you do?

I'm not being cynical, I just would like to hear the thought process that artists go through today. CD's sales are kind of dying, A new artists would really have a tough road to get anyone to pay for their product. On the other hand, Existing artists may still do quite well.

When I released my last CD (2005) I thought that perhaps I could release something I really thought was exceptional, and it would eventually pay off, in that I could sell enough copies to pay for keeping a modest studio in gear, and be a hobby that kind of supports itself. It turned out to be a pseudo money-pit. I think it was worth it though I probably never came close to breaking even. The experience that came with it was priceless. I occasionally run into people who are thinking about releasing a CD, and its always interesting to hear what they hope to achieve. Some have no idea, others have a following, like they are a member of a church or organization and have people ready to buy. Its always interesting to hear what drives the desire to release new music. - Which, by the way I am enthusiastically for.

So, if anyone is still participating in the great experiment of revenue from recorded music, Please by all means tell me why and how it's going.

[Nijinsky Hind]

Yeah I want to do a vinyl if I ever get around to mixing all the BL stuff I have in my puter.

[Sputnik]

I'd like to hear from them. Its an open invite. I myself have retired from releasing music because it is just not worth the effort to me. I totally understand the desire to create music, but thats not the same as trying to ask money for it. I do like to hear why people release music in such a seemingly hostile environment - I would even enjoy hearing how they decide whether or not its worth it. I think the semi-indie music sales world has even gotten tougher since 2012 when I started this thread. But what does an artist think when releasing a CD (or whatever format) these days?

Is it something they hope to make money at?
Is it because they want to sell something at shows or on tour?
Is it because they have recorded songs and that's what you do?

I'm not being cynical, I just would like to hear the thought process that artists go through today. CD's sales are kind of dying, A new artists would really have a tough road to get anyone to pay for their product. On the other hand, Existing artists may still do quite well.

When I released my last CD (2005) I thought that perhaps I could release something I really thought was exceptional, and it would eventually pay off, in that I could sell enough copies to pay for keeping a modest studio in gear, and be a hobby that kind of supports itself. It turned out to be a pseudo money-pit. I think it was worth it though I probably never came close to breaking even. The experience that came with it was priceless. I occasionally run into people who are thinking about releasing a CD, and its always interesting to hear what they hope to achieve. Some have no idea, others have a following, like they are a member of a church or organization and have people ready to buy. Its always interesting to hear what drives the desire to release new music. - Which, by the way I am enthusiastically for.

So, if anyone is still participating in the great experiment of revenue from recorded music, Please by all means tell me why and how it's going.

My band has done three CD releases. All three releases are in the black against the direct costs of producing the CDs themselves, which was the only real goal we had for doing those releases. So it was certainly worth doing the CD releases from a financial perspective as it didn't cost us anything to do the CDs, in fact we made a bit of money on each release. I think having the CD also elevated our profile and got us attention that just another bunch of files on Bandcamp would not have achieved. I also really like having something physical to show for our work. So it was totally worth it on a number of levels to do the CD releases, even in the current climate of CD sales. Not sure what else to add, but that's been my experience.

Bill

[Pekka]

Our latest album just came out on vinyl too.

[Yodelgoat]

Wow, thats beautiful! Is producing Vinyl much more expensive than CD's?

[100423]

Our latest album just came out on vinyl too.

Nice!

[Yodelgoat]

That might be fun if its not too expensive - Do you have issues with people making digital copies of your Vinyl and posting it on the internet?

[Pekka]

That might be fun if its not too expensive - Do you have issues with people making digital copies of your Vinyl and posting it on the internet?

The album is already released on cd (12/15/2015) and it's available on spotify, youtube, soundcloud, iTunes and of course some people have already "liberated" it (illegal blogs where you can download albums for free). We take it as a promotion as we have no choice.

The vinyl is a bit more expensive. I think the 200 copies did cost approx. the same as the 500 cd's we had made.

[arabicadabra]

And the wishes came true.....

Congratulations, Mike!

Yes, if things work out, because I love to create new music. I am a guy who thinks he has something to offer the prog world if not the music world at large and I frankly want to go to my grave having played at least one prog festival. It was a blessing to find out that there are people who like what I write, find it listenable, don't care that I don't sing better than Bill Berends, don't mind that I'm derivative because I have so much Yes, ELP and Genesis floating around my brain, think a positive spiritual message is a good thing, like the way I play the keys even if I am no Emerson, and finally, know I'm being honest about it all.

My wife thinks I am nuts, wasting time I could be spending with her. My band thinks what we are doing is worth pursuing because they love creating new music. That means it's worth us all putting up with each other's various deep seated personality disorders and banging our heads against the "who's available and when" wall. It means that putting that idea on the anvil of the creative process and watching it coalesce into a finished piece of prog, even if it's not as intense as Frost or as 990-mph as Niacin, has so much satisfaction for all of us that if we quit they'd be calling the men in the white coats in short order. Wait, I think they're at the door now because I haven't seen my guys in almost a month and I can't wait for next week when they'll show up and we'll argue for two hours before we start playing.

I feel like a guy on a 90-mph treadmill as I watch band after band I never heard of get festival slots and think, next year that'll be us because we're gon' git 'er done this year. I get inspired and depressed as I listen to new music so phenomenal as to be unreal and then realize KE is still trying to figure out how to operate Sonar X-1 producer edition or waiting till we get something decent to at least put on Kickstarter and raise ten grand to go to a real studio with somebody at the controls who knows what he's doing.

I do it because it's in my genes to do it and I aim to get another CD done that is good enough to get us onto a festival before I am done. So maybe if it's pride, a grand delusion or just that the passion for this genre is what lights my fire, and a spirit with a vision is dream with a mission, I can't choose which, and I know there are artists more talented than I, but I am a prog rock keyboardist and what else is a prog rock keyboardist gonna do with his talent? Wait. I know. Put together a bunch of classic rock covers and go play bars so as to get some money for the gear we need to record the prog. Anybody near Richmond come see KE on 1/25.

Music as a commodity: it's an art. I accept the prog reality that either recognition gets you on a festival or a festival gets you recongnized and either way you need both to move some product. I have had this argument with bandmates several times: if we get money it'll be bonus. That's why I drive big trucks 60 hours a damn week. I HAVE a day job. That's facing reality. Reality is what your life is. I'm 60 years old. The music business is done with me. I'm done with it. Prog people, however, if I can reach them I will be as happy as if I achieved Jay-Z status. People who share my passion is for whom the commodity I make is intended.

Formats: I don't even know what that means unless we're talking about CDs vs. downloads vs. shows etc. ... to which the answer is "all of the above." Or if we're talking about what the work will be, well, Powered by Light was a concept album; I think Wonderland Journey is going to be unrelated songs/pieces about this and that with a bunch of good playing supporting them.

I just was feeling a little frustrated as I wrote this .... hope it doesn't put anybody off ... you know I love you all.

[Dimitris]

I just released my first single (2 weeks age)... I've been producing it for 5-6 months, and paid for the production personally

(shameless self promotion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdC0Ila2Dqs)

Why? Because I'm a musician. That's what I do.

And it's an investemt if you see it financially - you have to put effort and money into what you do, if you do it seriously.

[Nijinsky Hind]

I just released my first single (2 weeks age)... I've been producing it for 5-6 months, and paid for the production personally

(shameless self promotion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdC0Ila2Dqs)

Why? Because I'm a musician. That's what I do.

And it's an investemt if you see it financially - you have to put effort and money into what you do, if you do it seriously.

I like iT!!!!

[Nijinsky Hind]

Our latest album just came out on vinyl too.

Pekka, I would like a copy.... How much and where do I buy?

[Rarebird]

Hurray, after 4 years, I finally finished my new Rare Bird Suite. Now I only need to master it, before I can publish it on Bandcamp.

[100423]

Hurray, after 4 years, I finally finished my new Rare Bird Suite. Now I only need to master it, before I can publish it on Bandcamp.

Very nice! Let us know when you do!

[Rarebird]

Very nice! Let us know when you do!

I'm a slow worker.

[Pekka]

Pekka, I would like a copy.... How much and where do I buy?

Hi and sorry for the delay. You can buy it from me

The price is 30 dollars to the USA (includes the shipping). I'll send you a PM.

[Enid]

I tend to believe that what I've been working on for the last 6 years is causing me agony. It originally began with 7 pieces I wrote and recorded that I went back to and observed , discovering that it was more of a suite. I then reconstructed it recording atmospheric sections to be played by string quartet which fell between each of the 7 pieces. In sections of some of the pieces...I had recorded distorted guitar playing 5/chord style , producing an odd effect and decided for a Cello to play that instead. After 4 years of pulling my hair out, I decided to base it on a Chamber Rock approach. I found the right musicians and we rehearsed the material in my house until it was tight enough to perform. I have 4 amazing musicians that play in orchestra pits who don't expect to get paid. I work with two of the musicians on side projects. We are ready...but I have decided that this music could become a Chamber Symphony instead of Chamber Rock. The only aspect of this journey which I'm afraid will annoy the musicians...will be when I ask them to record the entire work as a Chamber Rock piece and then as a Chamber Symphony, so I can listen back to both versions and decide what was meant to be. I have to hear it first in it's entirety to make that decision. Obviously I'm not doing this for money and I don't care...but I desire to release the work to share with others. If I can complete the work , finalize everything, I will put effort into distributing it. I expect nothing in return . Although one of the most beautiful experiences in the life of a musician/composer is for people to tell them that they like their music. That's ultimately the best gift...appreciation.....just don't allow it to swell your head. Stay humble.