Is it still worth it to press vinyl these days????
Phill_Most
4,594 Posts
I'm getting a 6-song EP by my group G.U.N (Greed's Ultimate Nemesis) mastered this week, and I'm trying to decide- vinyl or CD? What with more and more dj's making the switch to CDJ's and/or Final Scratch-type set ups, I'm just wondering if it's a waste of money to even press up actual vinyl records in this day and age. Deejays, music buyers, collectors, LET A BROTHA KNOW WHAT IT IS! 
Comments
Gosh Phill, I'd buy your rackord.
maybe.
If you have the option do both. It really all depends on who you're marketing this to. Are you doing this on a big level or all yourself? If it's the latter why don't you do half and half with the first batch and see what moves more?
And then use that $ to get you some new kicks.
and how much cheaper is it to press cds compared to vinyls?
Those are hideous.
A friend of mine is starting up a house music label, and after three 12"s that they have promoed and released in vinyl and cd, they are now doing away with vinyl promos because it's not cost effective for them anymore. They'll get cd promos out to who matters and let their distributors decide on the vinyl run I guess. However this is house music and not hiphop, cdj's are more prevalent over there I think.
about $1 cheaper per unit to press, and significantly cheaper to ship.
but vinyl seems a lot more legit to DJs than cds or MP3s. ANYBODY can get CDs duplicated.
Off topic, but I like this cover art:
i'll agree with this completely.
but that aint to say i havent heard some wack independent vinyl releases, but i initially gave them more of a chance prior to listening.
these days, EVERYBODY has a CD.
press some wax, phill. you know you could sell a ton of em to the record heads on this board alone, not to mention a bunch of others im sure.
let us know though, regardless.
Gee, thanks for the unwavering vote of confidence, Dizzy! Don't worry, it'll be worth the dollar you pay for it when you cop it three months from it's release date. No, but really... we've been playing the demos of this stuff at the coolest parties out in Pittsburgh PA and the crowds have been going INSANE over it!
Dude I bought 5 copies of the On Tempo Jack just to give three away to folks, press some vinyl foll.
yeah, that's kinda what I was thinking... some people don't even think twice about a new cd, because errrbody and they moms got a cd out. I think I'm gonna just do the vinyl at first just to see what the reaction is. I agree with what my man said about folks not wanting just a few songs on a cd, so I'm thinking just get some vinyl 12"s out first then if and when we build up a following we can hit them with the full length album on cd. Okay, I think that might be the plan. We'll see.
And yo, I'm gonna be giving out as many of these EPs as my pockets can bear to part with when I get the first run in- I'll let all my soulstrut famlee (deejays and industry dudes especially) know the deal when the wax is done. I'm tryin' to get the internet goin' nuts!
Yo, GOOD LOOKIN' MY MAN SWEEN! That record actually did sell pretty good and the distributors want me to hit 'em with the follow up Phill Most Chill circa 1988 joint soon... I'l letcha know if I decide to give 'em more of the oldness.
From what I've seen there is a built in niche for vinyl in underground music circles rock,rap, whatever). Alot of people are buying to spin, collect, or save to e-bay later. Music lovers, collectors, and DJ's buy vinyl. Casual listeners and the curious, sometimes buy cd's but more often than not download.
Something to consider is that with CD's you only need to sell about 350 (give or take) out of 1000, to make your money back. You can use the rest for promo and profit. With vinyl the profit margin is alot smaller.
I would do both if you can.
Lauren
The last time I pressed up records was three years ago, and I've done a lot of music since then. I hope to do more before the end of the year. For me, if I am able to, I will release vinyl, and I would add something on the vinyl that isn't on the CD, just to give people incentive to buy it. It's not going to stop someone from WAV'ing it up and turning it into an MP3, but there are still ways to make that piece of wax worth the extra effort.
If you can do both, do both. But if you're marketing towards just the vinyl junkies, keep it at that.
I hear ya, John. Really, I'm not marketing this particular project at just vinyl junkies- I'd really hope that once it gets out that regular rap fans will take to it and be interested in the group. But do regular rap fans even buy cd singles or cd EPs with just 6 songs? I see singles really as just being a promo tool for a full album... but I'm not all that certain about that, which is kinda why I'm posing this question to the Soulstrut think tank. I know a number of y'all have put some stuff out recently, so all input, insight, advice etc. is appreciated.
*that* came into my mind too - supposedly its due to a change in the petrol manufacturing process right, the by-product currently used to produce vinyl will no longer be made ..
and I've heard that technics have ceased production of the 1200 or something like that ..
meanwhile in the *real world* demand (seemingly) continues to grow
"Regular" rap fans buy bootlegs on 125th Street: 3 for $5...Accessible and on the circuit!
Cool... you mean they buy bootleg CD singles at 3 for $5? Or is that full bootleg albums? (If so then DAMN them sh*ts done got cheeeeeeap!)
Full albums, but the pricing usually depends what time of day it is (they get cheaper as the sun starts going down). I'm not sure what the going rate for a mixtape is--I think $2 to $5?
I see a lot of people doing it street team style and giving away singles/EPs on CD on Saturdays. Faux_rillz always tells me not to take them, but I do (and listen).
Peace,
Amir
If ROI (return on investment) is a big concern, mass produce these and do a customized label. Real headz will know the deal. Get your paper, mang.
Sure, CDs probably make sense for massive distribution in terms of return on investment and mainstream market penetration, but vinyl is a quality product which will outlast that digital dreck by many decades.
if not, you may wanna think twice, or do a small run, no more than 500 units...
fuck a cd...
If you cut down all the other costs (mastering, layout, no-cover, promotion...) to a minumum you can already make a little money with 1.000 12"s. That's what I do. I don't know if pressing records in Europe is cheaper though and I don't mail out more than 20 records for promotion.
I also don't care too much abourt what this or that kind of buyer would buy or not. My bottom line is: would I buy it? And since I never buy CDs it's out of question for me to not press vinyl.
The vinyl market is only a small nice market but vinyl sales in the whole are rising. The overall percentage is nothing compated to CD sales but it shows at least that vinyl isn't dying yet.
But as I said that's a euro view on things...
Amir, when is your new 12" being released?
I remember getting these when I was there, worst copies ever. I picked up a Jay-Z mixtape and they didn't even bother with cutting the cover right so half of the front cover is on the back of jewel case.