Offering digital download for free with vinyl records

Yo.

I came up with a weird idea recently, to start a vinyl-only record label. I may have mentioned that I spent a lot of my teenage years in bands, touring & putting out records and I also had a small label that I put out our CDs on and distributed some other bands' records. After a few years away from making any kind of music, I fancy getting into this side of 'the biz' again to help out a friend who has a new album recorded. Another guy expressed interest and we are going to do it as a joint venture, with all profits from sales going back into the label for future releases (no real plans on even trying to make money for myself out of this). The focus will be on small runs of collectable singles, low key packaging & hand numbered.

One thing I was thinking about was how major / big indie labels often sell an LP with a unique code included that will let you download the tracks so that you don't have to go through the hassle of ripping them from vinyl. Since there are plenty of kids these days that don't even have record players but are still into music I was thinking that a free digital download would help sales a bit. Does anyone know of a simple way to do this? I can arrange hosting myself, and don't even mind using a password generator to get the codes made up myself. Just don't have a clue what would be the simplest way to get the buyer what they want.

I could keep a spreadsheet with each code and just get people to email it - then email them back a zip of the MP3? Seems slightly unprofessional though. Suggestions please?

thx

Main Issue wrote:Yo.

I came up with a weird idea recently, to start a vinyl-only record label. I may have mentioned that I spent a lot of my teenage years in bands, touring & putting out records and I also had a small label that I put out our CDs on and distributed some other bands' records. After a few years away from making any kind of music, I fancy getting into this side of 'the biz' again to help out a friend who has a new album recorded. Another guy expressed interest and we are going to do it as a joint venture, with all profits from sales going back into the label for future releases (no real plans on even trying to make money for myself out of this). The focus will be on small runs of collectable singles, low key packaging & hand numbered.

One thing I was thinking about was how major / big indie labels often sell an LP with a unique code included that will let you download the tracks so that you don't have to go through the hassle of ripping them from vinyl. Since there are plenty of kids these days that don't even have record players but are still into music I was thinking that a free digital download would help sales a bit. Does anyone know of a simple way to do this? I can arrange hosting myself, and don't even mind using a password generator to get the codes made up myself. Just don't have a clue what would be the simplest way to get the buyer what they want.

I could keep a spreadsheet with each code and just get people to email it - then email them back a zip of the MP3? Seems slightly unprofessional though. Suggestions please?

thx

that's an awesome idea, what is the current bulk vinyl package prices

I believe buying a physical product, album art on records is like an adventure

bandzoogle has a feature that generates codes to downloads


but actually coulf package these download cards with the vinyl

http://www.digstation.com/DownloadCards.aspx

I love the idea man. My buddies and I had similar talks a few months back. It would be nice to get the life back in vinyl. You just cant compete with a physical piece of music man. Please follow up on the progress

I actually did almost all of the work to press the last single we did before we sort of unofficially disbanded. Part of the problem was that the guy 'running' the label and putting out our single as his first release had no clue and no real interest in actually distributing/promoting it. I would be phoning around all of these record shops, negotiating sale-or-return prices, getting addresses to send out posters etc and giving him the info...he just never acted on it. So I have done this once before.

Price i've been given for 300 7"s, black & white labels and black disco bags is £480 including taxes & delivery.

300 might not seem like a lot, but I'd rather sell out a run than order 500 copies at lower cost per unit and be left with 200 that I can't sell. The rough price for a 7" we're aiming towards is around £3 which will make a bit of profit on direct sales, and cover all of our costs for the ones that go out to shops etc.

The music to begin with will be mostly guitar rock/indie/pop type stuff since the only people I know who have any success in music whatsoever tend to play in those kind of bands. Ultimately I'd like to get all sorts of funk/soul/hip hop stuff released as well as the strange solo project i've been slowly working on recently (sort of sample based psych pop with miami bass style beats) once it's ready to be unleased on the public. Problem again is that Aberdeen is not a cultural hub for any kind of interesting music - it's mostly crappy heavy metal bands or 90s brit pop rip-offs...and very little outside of rock music in general. I'll find the good stuff though, and when I do, I'll press it up

BG thanks for those links, both have a cost though. I think the best way to do it for small runs is possibly just to have a form on the website where people submit their email address and the code. The email comes in to us, we check the code against a spreadsheet and score it out, then email back the zipped MP3/label art.

The label name we have all but settled on is TUFF WAX...

I THINK IT WILL WORK OUT AND A SMALL RUN IS FINE

THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BUY THE VINYL WILL BE YA HARDCORE MUSIC FANS NOT THE PASSIVE LISTENERS


LIKE WITH FILESHARING/FREE DOWNLOAD MUSIC PEOPLE JUST KIND OF PLAY IT WHILE DISTRACTED BY OTHER THINGS

PEOPLE WHO BUY AND LISTEN TO VINYL, REALLY LISTEN,,,,, FOR THE EXPERIENCE TOO

PUT THE RECORD ON THE TURNTABLE AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE SONGS AND NOT BE TOO DISTRACTED BY OTHER STUFF SO CAN FLIP IT WHEN REACH THE END.

IT'S A NICHE PRODUCT, BUT THERE IS A DEMAND OUT THERE

I think it would be dope if you could download the music. Or just throw a cd in, you don't need any artwork or anything on it. I never rip my vinyl anymore, I am lazy, so I need it digital. I usually buy a CD copy of any record I buy for listening (not sampling) purposes.

good idea, good luck!

i'm gonna get some 7's pressed when i get around to it, one day..

yo,

the website is up at www.tuffwaxrecords.com, have a look around hopefully you'll find some interesting content

About the download codes.

Most any and all of the decent web shop CMS packages feature a code generator. It's mainly aimed at generating rebate coupons and such, but will work for downloads as well. Basicly what it does is generates a set amount of codes into the database. You then decide what the code is worth. If your recording would for example cost $5 you set the codes to be worth that much, or jsut tie them to that specific download.

You can then export the codes as data sheet for either printing out or digital distro.

That's a dope idea for keeping the vinyl alive and also keeping listeners up to speed with the mp3 of the same product!

you certainly stumbled on a concept already being done. it's a great idea because these days, anyone who wishes to have a physical copy anymore would most likely appreciate the vinyl version over the cd anyhow. and you throw them the mp3 format for their ipod, badabing.

This company is from Tennessee and they do just what you're looking for, I'd check them out.

http://www.urpressing.com/