| CD Baby DIY Musician Podcast |
 June 29,
2009
Ep.65 : Matthew Ebel - Stream your concerts to the world
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| CD Baby Music Podcasts |
 Music Discovery
 Hip Hop
 60's Pop
 Rockabilly
 Top Sellers
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| for those who want a DIGITAL-ONLY release |
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A few artists have said they want to release an album (or songs) as DIGITAL ONLY, with no physical CD, going ONLY to the digital-download
services. Here's my important information for anyone considering that:
For those who want a digital-ONLY release
Some artists want to skip CDs completely, and sell only digital downloads.
Before I tell you how to do this, I need to tell you three things:
1. Only 5-10% of the music-buying market are people paying for digital downloads. Most people do not have broadband connections.
Please ask yourself whether you're really at a point in your career where you're ready to shut out 90% of your potential audience by refusing to
make CDs.
2. Our system was not designed to do this. What I'm telling you here is a workaround “loophole”.
3. This same info applies no matter how many songs. A “single” is considered an album with only one track.
That being said, if you really want to do this, here's exactly how:
1. Burn one finished mastered copy of your music on to a regular audio CD-R. (NO mp3, aiff, or wav. Just regular audio CD.)
2. Sign it up at CD Baby like any other album.
3. Pay the $35 setup cost, and if you don't have your own unique barcode for this new album, have us make you one for $20.
4. Mail that one CD to us, with a note explaining that it is for digital distribution only.
5. Email a 1000-by-1000 pixel TIFF file (RGB, no compression) to art@cdbaby.com, for us to use as the album cover/artwork.
6. We will add it to our CD Baby system, like any other album, except it will be permanently out of stock on cdbaby.com.
7. We digitize it and distribute it to all of the usual digital distribution outlets.
8. Voila! There's your digital-only release.
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Derek-
That's too cool. You're too cool. How wonderful is it, to know that if the floor falls out from beneath you and you find yourself homeless or destitute... whatever... if you can't produce a physical CD because you got no cash... you can still direct anyone to digital downloads from CD Baby!? You can still have that page and soundbites etcetera!
Workaround catch of the month goes to Derek!
Thanks.
Regards, king orba
http://www.cdbaby.com/all/kingorba
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I am so glad to hear there is a loophole to selling music. Why? Because it is damn hard for me to making a cd @ cd quality, without my burner screwing it up! So,since I can sell digitally,I am even more certain that people will buy my music.
Besides,most young catz nowadays prefer mp3's over cd's... Derek- you are a god! Thank you for the info!
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I am so glad to hear there is a loophole to selling music. Why? Because it is damn hard for me to make a cd @ cd quality, without my burner screwing it up! So,since I can sell digitally,I am even more certain that people will buy my music.
Besides,most young catz nowadays prefer mp3's over cd's... Derek- you are a god! Thank you for the info!
Peace,
D-Blak
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To say a comment like that is contradicting. The only reason I paid to register was because your site kept bragging about how there is no over head when you sell your music as a digital download and that your site(cdbaby) is partners with several digital downloading sites. So why would you offer this service and then contradict yourself by saying send it to a children's hospital or something and your album will be out of stock forever. King Orba! Are you a child or a business person. Because trying to make clients feel bad or stupid is childish.
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Not trying to "make clients feel bad". It's just a reminder that CD Baby is a record store. Our Digital Distribution service is a service we offer to clients who have their CD selling with us. I made that as clear as I could everywhere else in the description of the service, so this page is just another reminder.
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hey hey hey!!!!
I HEARD IT THE WAY YOU MEANT IT
IT ANSWEARD MY QUESTION
I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION;
I HAVE ABOUT 72 CD'S WORTH OF MUSIC/HUNDREADS OF ORIGINAL SONGS. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST LIST MY SONGS[YES ALL OF THEM]. HAVE SOUND BITS AND SELL THEM DIGITALLY. WOULD I HAVE TO DO THIS FOR EACH COMPILATION, IF SO CAN I JUST HAND DRAQW A COVER[REALIZING THAT I WILL BE PAYING A HECK OF A LOT OF MONEY IN THE LONG RUN, FOR MY OWN CD'S....."CAN WE WORK A DEAL?" YEA YEA YEA WHAT YOU SAY WILLIS??????? OPTION; LOAD EACH CD WITH A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SONGS[GIVE ME AN ANSEAR-I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE SNEAKY].
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Willie - please email us at dd@cdbaby.com - this is just a public bulletin board and a story-thread that's almost a year old.
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I guess you still believe in the easter bunny and santa claus... or maybe you just don't dig the truth... can't say i am much on sugar coating reality.. sugar rotts your teeth anyway...
-SOUND PROOF
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IN RESPONSE TO THE AFFORMENTIONED COMMENT by J. NORMAN:
A child at heart... that's for certain. But odds are, J. Norman, I am your senior in years on earth. When it comes to music... a business person certainly I am NOT. I am a musician. A singer/songwriter who is more concerned about sharing and spreading my music to the world. Less concerned about selling CD's. That's me.
Some other artist are more concerned about the almighty dollar and the business aspect that goes along with. Moving "PRODUCT" as they say in the "BIZ". May be that's you, J. Norman? And if so... fine. So be it. That's your preogative. As for myself, I saw CD Baby as an opportunity to get my music heard. I see this "work-around catch" as an opportunity as well. For particular artist of course. I'm taking advantage of it. I have a vast selection of songs that didn't make my album cuts, but I still enjoy them even though they're sitting on a shelf at the moment. Well, I want to change that and this is the way I'm going to do it. Sorry J. Norman, if the way I feel upsets you. You see, because of my personal boudaries and sacrifices... yeah, I'll admit it. I'm a near starving artist. Having stated that... time being, I don't have the funds to put together a physical CD of these songs. And when I do have the cash... it's going towards my new material and studio time. This is a way... for me, J. Norman... to have these songs off the dusty shelf.
As for making "CLIENTS" feel bad.... J. Norman, I'm not understanding this comment. I really don't know what you're saying here. Are you implying about my comment on the reality and possibility of not making it lucratively in the music world? J. Norman, that's a personal comment on a constructive, open-forum, reply/chat line offered here by our friends at CD Baby. I see this as a nice opportunity and I stated so... I made a personal comment based on my experiences about the reality and possibility of the future. I couldn't be more serious here... I see myself in the non-ideal world, leaving a mark as a songwriter, but dying penniless. And it WILL be nice in those final days to be able to look up my sights that will ALWAYS be there on CD Baby. God and whoever willing. Is there anything wrong in that thought, which by the way is a personal one?
You need to relax maybe. Not take comments as such so persoanlly. I mean, tell us your thoghts, but no reason to start judging persons (me for instance) who you "don't know from Adam" and insinuate that they're children (me again for instance). Anyway, good luck with whatever it is you're trying to do or achieve. By the way, J. Norman... what is that? Someone reading this might want to know. I shared what I'm trying to do. What are you about, J. Norman? Potential inquiring minds may like to know. Believe me... I need all the business savvy I can get. My passion lies elsewhere. Please clue me in on any business tips you may have in order to help me get the music out there.
Respectfully, king orba
http://www.cdbaby.com/all/kingorba
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What you said makes sense and it's pretty obvious. The problem here is the set up fee... If I wanted to sell just one song, do I have to pay the fee for a whole album?
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Yep. Because for us, it's the same amount of work, whether one song or 22 songs. It's a new album in the database, a new album to upload to all 30+ companies. A new album artwork to scan. New album info to verify.
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For now, yes. It may seem spendy, but I think that was the point of Derek's post - we really aren't set up to instantly shoot out DD-only singles.
We definitely want our artists to be heard through as many outlets as possible, including digital distribution. But it just doesn't make sense right now to suddenly shift the focus of the company from CDs to downloads and streams.
In the meantime, we ARE going to keep on improving our digital distribution program every single day - but I think at the end of the day CD Baby should always be known as a great independent record store.
Check out the "Forsaking CD sales?" post!
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Honestly, this isn't something we've lost, Derek is giving us something new. Not having read this thread, I recently put a number of "singles" I'd previously put out on the internet on to a 5 song EP for the almost sole intent of getting it into the digital download machine Derek and his team have put together. A local studio/production facility was kind enough to professionally print a handful of CD-R's so I won't be ashamed if someone buys a physical copy and the whole thing cost me about $30.00 (not including the very reasonable CDBaby fee). Okay, that's not "no overhead", but it's considerably cheaper than the usual $2000.00 or more dollars for a run of 1000 CDs and if the CD sells at CDBaby too, I can make more for 2 dollars each and still make some money back. I don't currently make my living from my music, but I can't see how this arrangement could do anything but help me.
At some point, I may consider producing a professional run of this EP, but for right now the option of digital distribution seems like a much better deal. I can, in theory, sell as many as I like without having to budget in manufacturing costs. I realize this is a limited market and the promotional burden is still on me, but I see it as a tremendous opportunity to get a lot back for not a lot of investment. All because Derek and his crew continually push the envelope on what is possible for indie artists.
I'm grateful. I think we all should be.
Just my $0.02.
Cheers
Rhett
R-Three
http://r-three.com
http://cdbaby.com/all/rthree
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Honestly Derek there must be 10 of you. How do you find the
time to do all this AND respond to feedback?! Amazing.
I was wondering about digital-only or one-song distributions
and here you've gone and answered it before I got around to
asking. (Guess I wasn't alone).
Thanks for the idea and the explantion. It is time-consuming
producing hard-copy CDs of a high-enough quality that we'd
want to present to the public. (I mean, I'll keep making them,
but having the option to go digital is nice).
Grant
http://cdbaby.com/amberg
http://www.GrantGrueninger.com/
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Derek, I will always have the absolute maximum respect for you,
your ideas, and your attitude. They really should begin the
custom of knighhood in the states.
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You guys make me sick with your kiss-assing. A compliment is nice but to suck up like this is really pathetic. Puke!
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Dude,
What's your problem? I have an MBA in Music Management and presented my thesis on Independent Music Management. Derek has compiled some of the best and most valuable info. out there for independent recording musicians today. Show some respect for his hard work and his business.
Molly
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This system rocks. Everything about it. Thanks Derek.
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Hey Derek,
Thanks for all you do at CDBABY. And thank you for helping out with people like that are new to CDBABY. I hope this will b the beginning of a real nice relationship.
Thank You!
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Derek,
Kudos to you for stickin to your guns and being there for the "little guys". You have a true entrenpeneurial spirit. An american original.
Thanks
Greg Bowman
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Well in response to the previous debate..................
I myself am a musician first, however i am forced to be a business man being that no one is jumping at the chance to invest in me as an artist (time and money). I'm not sure about every type of music but for hip hop/R&B, in order to sell people have to know that you exist. but how do you put together a project with no money? you can't get paid for your work because there is nothing to sell. So what i am forced to do is basically give away music till i get enough of a fan base for me to start selling individual songs or "digital albums". then i can save that money and put together an actual physical album.
and you are probably asking yourself "how does he record songs with no money?"
It's simple you start by saving every dime from a job-- usually non music related till you can buy a cheap digital recorder then you record your voice over pre released instrumentals--(which i know is a form of piracy, but at this rate no one is losing anything from my little 3$ per cd sales)
then as you make more money from your job and selling cd's you either upgrade your production equipment or purchase original music from a local producer-- then you can keep upgrading.
i do understand all the points made in this debate. but in my case both points are covered--i want to be heard more than anything but i need to survive, and i would become alot more efficient if i didn't have to work a 9-5 and could concentrate on my music-- but not everyone is delt an easy hand to play with---
therefore..........
Thank you CDBABY for giving myself and artists like me a better opportunity to expose ourselves and still get paid for it
Kalaj Dame
Sold Out Entertainment
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I will never make 1000 CDs again.
It doesn't fit my model, as I'm not going out on tour, and I believe I can reach more people at odd hours in many time zones through the internet.
On September 15th I am reissuing a 12 year-old album that has been out of print since 1996.
I am making it available FREE for a limited time from my website. I have created a "construction kit" with the artwork and mp3s. They are available individually and as a .zip file.
Is there any chance of hosting "construction kits" on CD Baby?
It would cut out alot of inventory, shipping and free up alot of real estate at CD Baby headquarters.
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>> Is there any chance of hosting "construction kits" on CD Baby?
Nope. We're just a record store. Over at http://www.hostbaby.com though you could host your own website with anything you want on it! :-)
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17 MORE DIGITAL WEBSITES CARRY THE STREET PRINCEOPAL
THANKS CDBABY!!!! ALL MEMBERS LOG ON WWW.STREETPRINCEOPAL.COM HIT LINKS,, THEN MAKE HISTORY! DOWNLOAD A CLASSIC CD HIPHOP SINGLE
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WWW.STREETPRINCEOPAL.COM
THATS A HOT HIPHOP INFO SITE!!!!
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Okay, here's question about Digital
Distribution for anyone who might know the
answer:
I don't have a finished CD yet. It won't be done
for several months. But I do have some
singles done and would like to start promoting
them. I also don't have a website yet because
I can't afford the hosting plus a merchant
account until I start making some money from
my singles. Like many of you out there, I'm
also kind of in the starving artist phase of my
music career.
I would love nothing more than to put my
singles on CD Baby as digital only
downloads, for now, until I get my whole CD
finished because I love the fact that I would be
able to get an artist's page that I could send
people to online instead of having to pay for a
web page right at first. And, I love the fact that I
wouldn't have to have a merchant account yet
in order for people to buy my music.
But, now I run into the problem of having to
come up with $35 set up fee plus $20 for a
UPC code, that's $55 for each single I put out.
That's about how much I would have to pay to
get my own web hosting and merchant
account started.
So, now I'm thinking of waiting until my CD is
finished to put in on CD Baby. But, what would
help me now is to find a digital download site,
where I could post my singles and have an
artist's page.
I'd also prefer a site that let's people download
traditional mp3's instead of those protected,
non-universal formats that all of the download
sites are coming up with these days, where
you have to download a different program from
each download site in order to download
songs from them all. It's getting to be
ridiculous.
Does anyone know of such a site, or am I
dreaming?
I like the fact that emusic.com offers traditional
mp3's, but I don't know if you get an artist's
page there, like you do here at CDBaby, and I
don't like the fact that I'd have to make my fans
pay the monthly emusic subscription fee
before they can download one of my singles.
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There are still some free MP3-upload sites. Off the top of my head, http://www.garageband.com/ and http://www.ampcast.com/ I think are both still free. (I might be wrong.)
But my personal opinion can be summed up as this : STAY FOCUSED. FINISH YOUR CD.
Focusing on music and focusing on promotion are two wildly different things. Yes you wrote a new song last week and are anxious to get everyone to hear it. But I think it's a bad idea to flip into "tell the world about it" mode when what you really need to do is stay in "focus on the music" mode.
Once you have a full-length album there are SO many options that open up to you and make a LOT more sense. Not just CD Baby, but promotion, publicity, radio, etc. They're all geared towards an artist who has AN ALBUM of music for people to check out.
Not to mention that marketing works best when it's ALL AT ONCE. Lay low. Finish your record. Press up 1000 copies or so. Then BOOM - ALL AT ONCE - let the world know about it loudly and persistently.
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www.Soundclick.com will do for you. Also www.bandspace.com ,but bandspace doesn't have any traffic if you ask me.
peace.
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hi
can i release a single here?
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Yes, but it will be treated as an album.
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As an artist with a group that has had an ongoing
12 year battle with the powers that be in the music industry,It is often that I e-mail Derek for timely advise and to this day always receive a prompt response directly from him.Most normally his response requires me to face hard cold facts and try a little bit harder.We are part of an industry that has been completly turned on it's ear,we all have high hopes of doing our thing and having our music heard as well as paying the rent.
Thanks for your help Derek,
Rene
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I disagree with doing the whole album. The whole idea of
downloads is so you don't have to buy the album to get the
song you want.
I haven't seen any mention of cover tunes .
An album of cover tunes can break the bank with Harry Fox.
If I have a version of a beatles tune that is unique why not put it
out there and pay the roylaties when I get paid .
I think I am a little confused on this point . The "how to" section
said you can write the publishers to get permission to sell your
downloads and pay royalties on the ones you sell but if you do a
CD you have to pay for hundreds of copies ahead of time to
Harry Fox .
What if I want to offer 3 or 4 Karioki versions of Misty . Lots of
folks might be interested in one of them .(but not all)
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When we say "doing the whole album" we mean "making the whole album available".
The customer is not forced to buy the entire thing. They can choose any track (or all tracks) they want.
But we do require that our clients make every song on their album available for sale if they want to be in our digital distribution program.
As for cover songs : there's no need to break the bank. You make 50-60 cents income per song, and you pay 8.5 cents of that to the publisher.
Our How to Legally Sell Downloads of Cover Songs section does say that yes you can write the publishers to notify them that you are doing a cover version of their song - and yes if you're releasing a CD with that song on it, then Harry Fox can do that part for you (but yes you have to pay for a minimum of 1000 copies I believe - maybe 500).
I'm sorry I don't understand what's confusing you, so please email us instead of replying on an old out-of-date story on a bulletin board posted last May of 2004. It's very hard for us to monitor the hundreds of old stories that were ever posted to see if someone might be asking a question on them.
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Yeah, this opportunity rocks. Betting $35 against future profits -- no prob. May not make it back immediately, but throw the seed out & harvest your exponential returns.
The problem for many is that this takes time. Let it take time. Save every bit. Learn to budget. Use the earnings as future capital. It's not perpetual motion, but close.
Think the process of water distribution on the planet: Water from lakes, streams, etc evaporates to become clouds, then they condense & eventually rain back down to the lakes and streams. Keep the money in the music - don't blow it on other non-related stuff (rent, car pymt, food, etc) until you have enough funds to run your music business PLUS enough to pay yourself out of it as an employee of YOUR OWN RECORD BUSINESS, INC!
That's my plan, anyways. Digital Distribution is a great way to build capital.
God Bless CD Baby!
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$35 Plus 9% of future profits. Still not a bad deal.
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I think its a great idea for the expanding band + acoustic singer songwriter who wants to cover off both bases ie a physical CD for the band versions & a digital only presence for the acoustic set (or vice versa).
Hod
http://www.hodthegod.com
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well it seems really IDIOTIC to me that a site that promotes itself as 'cutting edge' doesn't use the power of the internet to allow artists to simply upload their music ONLINE as opposed to having to SNAIL MAIL cds to cdbaby..... come on ya tards this isn't 1988....the day u start allowing artist to upload their songs via the web is the day i will use your site
cya
ben
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Never said we're "cutting edge" and never tried to be.
We're a record store.
"Sales and distribution for your CD".
Never claimed to be anything more.
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Just like to say (LOADS) but i'll keep it short.
It's called the music business.
I am a defender of Derric.
Let me repeat it again because it took my manager 4 years to get it into my brain
MUSIC BUSINESS, MUSIC BUSINESS, MUSIC BUSINESS
There's no way I'd be selling my stuff digitally without him. Even better take a look at my website that he has helped me set up.
Because of him (DERRIC) I learned the ins and outs of my website because he cares enough to make it all so easy for us sometimes we take these kind of guys for granted.
So thank you Derric and of course your crew and I look forward to putting my second album onto CD BABY for just a small amount of your American dollars.
Hugs to all that read
Tracy xx (www.misstwelsh.com)
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It takes a person who is dedicated to music and musicians to offer an additional service like digital distribution, and to give a LOOPHOLE like that to allow people to "just" use it. (And people are complaining? Completely beyond me.)
Thank you, Derek, for your dedication to musicians and their craft. I've just released my first CD though CDBaby.com, and I wouldn't have done it anywhere else.
Sincerely,
Elliot Scott
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We would like to thank CD Baby and Derek Personally for all the good advice, and the marvellous job they have all done to get our CDs known out there. I find in our program everyone is never happy, there is always some doubter out there and becomes a fairweathered friend, so we know what CDBaby is going through with all the gripes and moans, and some people do not appreciate your worth.
You Rock Derek !!
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hi i live in the u.k. how do i get my cds to you in the u.s. this means i'm going to incure shipping charges ..what's the minimum no of cd singles..eps or albums i can send to you?
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It has been 4 months now since I have signed up my CD for DD. It has only been delivered to 2 DD sites. I have written about the problem and asked by email twice. Each time someone from Cd Baby has responded saying "if your CD has been delivered to just one DD company, the others will follow, be patient".
Does anyone else have this problem? The DD info page plainly states that it will take 2-3 weeks for delivery.
Thanks,
Johnny
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If you read the info Derek posted, he said it can take up to 12 months after the distributors receive your music to post it to their sites.
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I am quite fond of CD Baby, however it's too bad it can take 12 months as the current state of cover song licence is a 12 month licence. So, one can spend the whole of the licence waiting for the song to even be listed?
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Derek, thank you and keep up the great work. We're looking forward to being in the digital domain. As for some of you, how can you even question the way CD Baby operates, with all they do for us? Just do it the way it is...this incredible service doesn't have to be here at all. Have some gratitude.
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Just got great feedback on the problems. They are behind and have ordered more computers. I believe that this will payoff big time for all with CD Baby.It will just take some time as this new screw turns.
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Help, i filled in the SUBMISSION FORM and clicked,
OK, PAY ME HERE, The next page says,
USERNAME TAKEN, so i press back button and the form
has cleared.
Do i have to keep filling the whole form
untill i get a username that is not taken?,
It seems a bit long winded, or am i doing it wrong?.
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Hm. Yeah I guess so. It'll change soon. Sorry about that.
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I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW CDBABY AND HOSTBABY WORK TOGETHER. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF CDBABY IN ORDER TO SELL MY 1 SONG. BUT ON THE HOSTBABY SITE IT SAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN DOWN LOAD MY SONG. I CONFUSED BUT I AM INTERESTED IN MY OWN WEBSITE ON HOSTBABY.COM. PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW THEY BOTH WORK. WHEN PEOPLE GO TO MY WEBSITE ON HOSTBABY HOW DO THEY GET MY SONG?DOWNLOADED OR BUYING IT FROM CDBABY?
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They are two totally separate companies. The only connection is that I started both of them.
HostBaby hosts your website, which is like renting you an apartment. What you choose to do in that apartment (in your website) is totally up to you.
CD Baby is just a record store.
Please call us (phone # below) if you have any questions.
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I'm curious about the catch 22 of creating the CD for the purpose of DPD, especially of cover songs. When obtaining a compulsory license for a cover, the evidence I've read suggests I am required to pay an advance of 1,000 units' worth of royalties if any of the "fixed medium" units are selected (namely Compact Disc). But the evidince seems to suggest that DPD royalties are "pay as you go." Thus, if the intent is to deliver digitally, then an advance would be required simply because the CD is used as the mechanism to get the music into the system.
Is my understanding of the 1,000 units' worth of royalties paid-in-advance wrong?
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>> if the intent is to deliver digitally, then an advance would be required simply because the CD is used as the mechanism to get the music into the system
No - Harry Fox makes an exception for these cases.
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I can't think of anywhere in the musical universe a performing artist can be presented to the world for $35. Or with $55 and a few headaches, like figuring out how to fill in blanks. I may be naive, but I've been at this for a few decades.
And I think what Derek was trying to say is that you could burn 2 cd's for free on your computer, and sell them on cdbaby, allowing you to take advantage of the digital program. I mean, he's giving you the secret to having a career already for the lowest possible price, and the smallest cut of selling a cd that I know of. AND telling you how to secretly "break HIS rules" so that you have that much more of a chance of being heard. And what hostbaby offers for $20 per month, puts just about everybody else in the shade!
But importantly, he's pointing out that there is some effort, and yes RISK, that an artist confronts to make him or herself AVAILABLE to a listening public. I wish he would book my dates, argue about money, and send a limo to pick me up for FREE everytime I have to appear in public, but HEY, he probably has a life of his own. He certainly isn't getting rich off of me, but still hasn't sent me a "Dear John" letter.
I think this is quite an EXTRAORDINARY setup here. Helpful people, never condescending, free with all kind of guidance and advice. I'm not sure what else I could reasonably expect before I DID think something was fishy, or that I had "signed my life away" on some technicality. Thanks Derek and cdbaby. And for those who can't "get their minds around" how rare these opportunities are, You need to grow up a little.
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Adding to Sterling's post-
He's right. So far the customer service has been great.
Also, if you want it bad enough, you can come up with the $35 +$20. The 9%? I'm thankful I can pay that low commission for someone else to take care of the paperwork and computer headaches rather than paying a management company that would require a min. monthly fee of $1,000 or 20% of my income. Here's a chance to control your own revenue without a lot of overhead. And yes, 50% is not considered a lot of overhead compared to major record label deals. When you sell your song on iTunes and you get your .59cents for that song, just be glad that you're making more off that one song sale than Dave Matthews is making off of his 99cent song sale.
The benefit of being an independent is low overhead. What would you rather have a $250,000 loan you have to pay back to Sony or to dish out $35 to start selling your music and sending 91% of your profits straight to your bank account? and tax free?! come on people..!
Molly
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Derek,
Derek just keep up the good work. You'll never be everything to everybody. However you do well what you have set out to do and thank you for that. Anyone who feels they can do better is free to take all the risks, put in the all work and open up their own business for doing it.
Grateful,
cwest
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I have a new song that has just gotten play on NYC radio and it isn't on an album yet. Can I get this available for digital downloading asap? I'll pay the cost of the album, but want to send you guys the mp3 right away. I could send a cd, but it would only contain the one song.
Please let me know asap.
Thanks,
mike
201 289 0108
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Mike - sorry - it would take us two weeks to deliver it to the digital retailers, then a couple months for them to get it up and selling.
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Obviously your physical album sales (not Olivia Newton) are a priority. As some of the other members expressed, I'm interested, at least at this point, soley in getting my music heard not by the right people, necessarily, but by people in general. I already make a good living as a working musician here in chicago (www.wesjohn.net, www.musicopia.com) and, like most all of us, want to give that same elative rush to people through our recordings that we once felt from our respective Abbey Road's, Dark Side of the Moon's, Kind of Blue's or American Beauty's. Even Bonnie Tylers "Total Eclipse of the Heart". What ever floats your boat (or "Ark" in light of todays Christo-Political environment). Just as our species, planet, and universe evolve, so does and is music. As if it weren't beautiful enough. Various frequencied waves traveling together through gas(air) that create near universal emotional responses in us human folk (i.e. minor chord sad, major chord happy, Am69 mysterious and somewhat foreboding, D69 complacent yet strangely unresolved. I grew a beard when I was 15 so I could head into the city, slide past the bouncer and hear Big Bands, Quirky Rock, Singer/Songwriters, Jazz Combos, etc. in clubs that were ther for that purpose (accepting the 15 year old part). I had such high hopes for my Chicago and it's music. All but a handfull of these clubs have survived the commercialization of music. Regretfully and apparently (as evidenced by sales) the majority of the American Public does not value, is unable to, or is ignorant of music as a science. A science with extremely solid, universal rules that that can and should be broken in infinite ways to suit the composer. Music as a metaphor for infinity as well as specific emotions? Yes. Infinite combinations of notes, tambers, and rythyms. There are, though, relatively few of us humans(considering there are 9 billion of us), who truly speak this language of wavelengths with their own voice. Most seem to spit out poor to decent amalgams of what they've heard. There is nothing wrong with doing this as studying/playing music will only benefit those who truly try; even if they lack ability. Tremendously good musicians live of $20,000 or considerably less per year while other psuedo musicians capitalists make millions doing a job that they're simply not qualified to do. It seems to entertain the kids though.
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I just want to say that this is an awesome service you are doing! $35 is very cheap to pay for the kind of distribution you are providing for my music!!!! Thank YOU!!!
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We are new here but I think this is a fantastic opportunity at a very reasonable price. I am very thankful to Discmakers for turning me on to CDBaby.
The cost is so low that there is nothing to lose and everything to gain. I can't imagine having a sellable CD and not listing it here.
I am highly impressed by CDBaby.
Pastor Steve Winter
http://www.jesusnamemusic.com
http://www.onegodmusic.com
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Derek,
You, sir, have the patience of a saint.
If I understand your original post correctly, you are
HIGHLIGHTING a means by which people can circumvent the
ORIGINAL INTENT of your system--in order to use your system
for virtual digital-distribution-only deal.
For the same, very reasonable price.
How anyone can fault you for offering advice as to how to "pimp"
a system of your OWN DESIGN to their ends is completely
beyond my comprehension. Essentially, nothing is different than
your usual arrangement, other than the fact that you are giving
people expressed permission to contort it to their own DD-only
ends.
Thank you for all you do. I wish we would have had your service
when we released our debut in 2001--we would have easily
doubled or tripled our net profit--and harvested name/email/
address info from every customer! Our next album will be
through you exclusively--and, in fact, we may use exactly the
suggestion you are offering to help "pre-sell" our project before
paying for full-blown replication.
Keep up the good work. 9% cut is more than worth it for what
you do for us. We're on friggin' iTunes!!
Thanks again,
Bart
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I don't really understand why people have to be so negative all the time... If CDBaby were the last place on earth that us small independant musicians could go, then I would understand a little negative sides in any issue.
But frankly, there are mounds of places you can go that is just like CDBaby, and quite frankly if you don't find what is here appealing or too suck-arse, I would imagine you need to just skip on over to the next website.
We all who appreciate what Derek has worked hard to do really don't care for the negative whining of a few all-talk no-show people.
I love my music and I look at it as my freedom from having to work for someone elses greed by busting my arse for $6.00 an hour.
Sure, I could go to college, etc... But some of us really didn't have any help from our parents to get us set up in this screwed-up world so we rely on our natural abilities to survive.
My music is my passion, and so is US Green-Back... But i'll never look at my music as a means to ... get rich. This is how I express myself, and at the same time, survive to write another note, as Elyse O'Connor stated.
Derek,
You are a very respected individual on my book and regardless what negative things those few bad-apples throw at you, there are still hundreds of independant musicians who appreciate the time and dedication you put into getting the worlds' eyes focused on us back-stage musicians <-- metaphoricaly if you will.
Thank you for your help, info and continued support and service to all of us.
Jimmy D.
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Derek - If I go for this "loop-hole" option you outlined here...can I add my new album without a UPC bar code or is that mandatory for all albums setup with CDbaby?
Thanks,
Brian
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the UPC Barcode is required for digital distribution.
(not by CD Baby, but by all our partner companies like iTunes, Napster, etc)
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I have spent the last hour or so reading these post and some of them I don't have a problem with.. but I do have a question to all that this question would apply to.. Have you ever tried to get this type of information or these types of services anywere else.
As many other people on here have stated Derrick is giving information to you that most people wouldn't be willing to share, especially if it is going to cut into their profits.
Also the cost of distribution , be it a physical CD or Digital, is expensive. The cost here is sooooooo cheap it is almost unbelievable. Please stop all the complaining.
Being willing to invest in your music can only produce good results . If your not willing to put up the meesly $55.00 for what CDBaby is offering, you really are not serious about your own music.
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Derek - one last question...is there any way to upload my cover art for display on cdbaby rather than having to print it out at the exact right size and put it with the CD-R which will then only be scanned once it arrives?
Thanks,
Brian
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You can email us an RGB TIFF file if it is exactly 1000 by 1000 pixels.
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Bravo--CDBaby appears to be the answer to the modern day record store.Take a "consignment"fee of 9 percent of wholesale and the rest is the artists money with the correct percentage going to the publishers and or the record company.Cuts down on phone calls,snail mail and inventory costs.
CDBaby allows me to call the shots.Brilliant.
I can sleep tonite knowing that when I release product ,I've got the world listening to songs I've recorded.
"we're RADIOactive"
Stephen C. Hill
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PEEPS, I JUST GOT MY NEW CD IN THE MAIL TO YOU. I'M NOT GONNA START WITH ALL THE OBVIOUS...IT'S BEEN SAID ALREADY...THE DEAL IS GREAT, AS ANY MORON CAN SEE--EVEN ME...HAHAHA HEHEHEH HEEHEEHEE...WHATEVER! WHAT CAN I SAY TO THE MAJORS EXCEPT: "SORRY! DUH, YOU MISSED IT!"? ANYWAY, THE TITLE OF MY FIRST OF MANY CDs TO COME IS "DESKPOP"...NEED I EXPLAIN HOW THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING? I WAS SCRAPIN' AROUND AS JUST A LITTLE FISH IN A LITTLE POND AND NOW, SHAZAM! ALL OF A SUDDEN, LO AND BEHOLD, I'M ACROSS THE POND AND WORLDWIDE...IT'S NO LESS THAN AWESOME!!! YOU ALL ROCK* AND I'M GONNA TRY TO ROLL RIGHT ALONG WITH YOU. I HOPE TO BE GIVING A LOT OF THE MONEY TO CHILDRENS' CHARITIES AS SOON AS AND ONCE I MAKE ANY. ME, I DON'T REALLY NEED THE MONEY AS MUCH AS I WANT THE POWER. ART IS POWERFUL AND THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD ETC.ETC...BLAH BLAH BLAH...WE CAN RULE THE WORLD WITH LOVE... JUST DO IT...RIGHT? RIGHT!!! LUV YA 25/8, ADDAM
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HUGE THANKS to Derek for his vision and his work. What a gift he has been and will remain to be. He has done so much good in encouraging us all to succeed. Success is defined so individually, but he has influenced all of us in staying positive, to keep trying and to persevere in the uphill climb. He's a mountaineer guide for sure!!!!
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It is getting easier and easier to self-publish, self-distribute (CDBaby), self-promote (Phantom Power, etc...) and self-record... The world is changing fast.
Thank you for your hard work.
Do you have access to physical brick & mortar distribution?
Dave - http://www.phantompower.net
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Someone mentioned earlier it would be great
to have digital downloads to refer people to in
case of homelessness or whatever, but
here's the thing...there are no such sales
made at Cdbaby.com directly. Its all these
other companies that people are sometimes
too lazy to sign up for. You guys should make
an option on Cdbaby.com that lets Cdbaby
visitors buy downloads directly there. Why
not?
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Hey Derek,
I just read the synopsis for a digital-only release, and I think I want to try it.
Sounds right for me / because my recording-only costs are dirt-cheap (otherwise affordable) and my everything else costs are beyond (or otherwise) over the rainbow...so (no wizards in sight!) I think it is my most realistic approach at the moment.
If nothing else - it might be a good way to find out what kind of response I can get to the stuff I'm working on now.
As usual - your explanations and help mode come across as primarily trying to help musicians further their fortunes (as opposed to the typical corporate rip-off.)
cheers!
jp
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Hey Derek,
Gustav Bertha told me to tell you that he would like to have your babies! You are a god amongst mere flesh and blood mortals, we lick your boots and as soon as we've sold enough dd we'll have paid off our debt to you. Honest guv. Can't say fairer than that, wink, wink, nudge, nudge say no more!
GB.
http://www.gustavbertha.com
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The ***Digital only Deal*** is a cutting edge approach to the inevitable. . .Still everyone in the music business needs to go through the entire production process of the art of CD making atleast once before jet-ingressing up against the cartels and top to mid tier independents. Really, there's
so much to learn. And creating the masters with computer softwares, burning with percise machines like I/O Magic, finding that the sound quality is not as pristine as one would like enforces the theory of compatibility of sound interacting with
different playback systems: ie; there's your neXt
process--a real market called Mastering Services,
and on to the pressing plants where you familiarize yourselves with production terms such
as 1X to glass and clearance of samples while
having the pleasure to interact with the elements
of graphic designers who is ultimately going to
eXpress your pictorial visions while both capturing the millions of will be eyeballs on your product and making that product graphically technical in requirement for the standards that
the web impose on media art, and finally your finished product along with bills of laden invoices bearing your name that suggest to any new media lawyer that you were the principal investor
of your manufactured product in the land of the copyright Gods. . .
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Artists/independent labels should be aware that as of this writing CD Baby's digital distribution has an unintentional "glitch" concerning multiple-disc albums.
Your multi-disc album will appear on iTunes (and possibly other services) with a "full album" download price of $9.99, regardless of the number of tracks involved.
Not a problem if these are personal compositions (where any profit is good profit).
But for cover songs that require payment of mechanical royalties to third-party publishers, having 25-100+ tracks sell for $9.99, can put you in the red.
And so far the "full album" feature can't be de-activated, so that only individual tracks can be downloaded.
NOT A CRITICISM OF CD BABY, just an FYI.
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Rex : this is easily fixable. Just email cdbaby@cdbaby.com and ask us to contact the retailer to fix that.
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I notice that on my releases where I am selling media, you can click a link to DOWNLOAD my album as MP3, but on my DIGITAL ONLY releases, that link is not present. I dont want to generate packaging and physical media for these DIGITAL ONLY releases but would still like to benefit from having listeners being able to click on a DOWNLOAD link and purchase the albums in mp3 format. Am I missing something?
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| NOTE: If you need a reply you should email CD Baby directly instead of posting here. We don't often read old message board postings, and have no way of replying to them!
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