Release a record

Wax poetics - what, why, how

So, you’ve discovered a great unsigned act with some tracks that are just waiting to take off. You’ve decided that the best way to start building the hype, catch the attention of DJs and journalists and start seeing some money rolling in is to put out a limited edition record. Nice idea, but how do you do it?

Well, the good news is you don’t need to be a millionaire to self-release a record. The bad news is it’s not going to make you a millionaire either. But pressing up some vinyl can be a brilliant way of kicking off an act’s career whilst teaching you the basics of the music business at the same time.

To help you, here are our six steps to putting tracks on wax without ending up with 500 black Frisbees gathering dust in your Dad’s garage.

Do your research

Start by doing your homework.

Figure out what kind of demand there will be for your track.
Play it to a few muso type friends, DJs or vinyl junkies and ask them if they would buy it.
Talk to some independent record shop owners and ask them how many they think they could shift and at what price and how much they would give to you for them.
If no one’s interested maybe it’s just not ready yet.

Make a plan

Now you need to work out how many you can actually afford to press up and, crucially, how much each individual record will cost you to make and distribute.

Look at all the costs and services required to get the music from CDR to vinyl, into the shops and to the consumer.
Put all of this information down on paper in a detailed plan.
Work out how the profits, if there are any, are going to be split between you and the artist and songwriter.
Get a basic contract written and signed by all parties with band name, song details and term of copyright (see www.musiccontracts.com)

Get the records ready

There are a few key steps that you will need to take to get the records ready.

Make sure the music files are in the correct format for pressing to vinyl.
WAV is the industry standard; MP3’s are ok, but the clarity and quality is lost in the compression process.
Research a reputable mastering house to get the tracks polished up and the lacquers cut ready to be sent off to the manufacturing company.
Think carefully about what format will be best for your tunes.
12”s are often best for the DJ-driven dance market, indie kids love 7” 45s and vinyl collectors go crazy for specials, like 10” triangular picture discs - but those will cost a bomb to make.
Artwork is very important but if you’re just testing the water with a few hundred copies then a mysterious white label can be just as effective and a lot cheaper.

Get promoting

Promote the act and the tracks through press, radio, gigs, flyers and word of mouth!

Mark Gurney from 2nd Drop Records says “you can’t rely on your 2,000 Myspace friends to go out and buy your product. You have to innovate by blending cheap but time-consuming online promotion with traditional methods such as flyers, t-shirts and free CD demos at gigs. Get ‘em hooked on free stuff then drop the hard sell.”

Making sure your act has a good fan base with a busy gigging schedule and the fans are in a salivating frenzy for their music.

Get it in the shops

Look for the right kind of distribution company to work your record. This will ensure your product will get into shops across the country, into Europe and potentially worldwide.

Alex Melia of Z-Audio suggests you “try and persuade your distributor to give you a P&D deal (production and distribution). This means they will pay for all of the above and split the profits with you after the costs are recovered.”

Get the timing right

When releasing records timing is absolutely crucial. If you are too early no one will be interested, If you are too late, the hype may have passed or someone could have beaten you to it. If your production slows you down and you end up missing your distribution slot because the artwork wasn’t ready, you could end up out of pocket. But if your records hit the stores or are available online, just as the record buyers are hearing it in the clubs, on the radio, online and from their friends, then you could have an underground smash on your hands.