Guest kevinb Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 How could i start? well for quite some time ive been toying with the idea of starting a label to get lp's pressed for some of my favorite albums that havent gotten the vinyl treatment yet... i guess this is like a Press FAQ.. I mean as far as a website & all that jazz go's my friend is prety decent at making websites,so im good there.. I know i have to figure the LP's getting presses, jackets,inserts,shipping materials... i know its a low amout but is $500.00 a good start for a first release? im leaning torwards a 7" for my first release. im not realy looking to profit just break even, and get some of my favorite albums on LP format. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadetapplesauce Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 label Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deville Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 How could i start? well for quite some time ive been toying with the idea of starting a lable to get lp's pressed for some of my favorite albums that havent gotten the vinyl treatment yet...i guess this is like a Press FAQ.. I mean as far as a website & all that jazz go's my friend is prety decent at making websites,so im good there.. I know i have to figure the LP's getting presses, jackets,inserts,shipping materials... i know its a low amout but is $500.00 a good start for a first release? im leaning torwards a 7" for my first release. im not realy looking to profit just break even, and get some of my favorite albums on LP format. yes please make a label and press all the Bigwig albums on vinyl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forgeagain Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Breaking even is not as easy as you'd think. Be prepared to make nothing back on your first few releases. And learn to spell label correctly before approaching bands/labels about licensing stuff;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kevinb Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 ha ha yeah sorry for my shitty spelling, just checked out pirates press..yikes looks like id need more than $500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cactusbot Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Yeah. Definitely need more than $500. I saved up a couple grand so I could start up. There are a lot of threads on here about where to master/press/jackets. Just look around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobe Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 With all the folks that run labels on here there should be either a stickied thread or even perhaps an entier forum for "label" questions. There's a wealth of information here and I'd hate for people that have great advice get sick of saying the same things over and over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaggle Von Swift Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 $500.00 as a start up? definitely not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlovecolouredx Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 i wanna start my own record label on one day when i have my own company and have some million thai baht. if that time arrived,i will looking for some partner who based in the states or other country where easier to contact record plant than me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jailhouse Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 yeah 5-6000 maybe, to possibly. and you will probably lose most of it, never to return again. That question is a large umbrella, which entails hundreds of other questions. Put out some short run cd/tape releases and have fun with it Maybe that could one day blossom into something bigger, and can teach some ropes along the way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kevinb Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 yeah well, thanks for the response guys, i did try & search here on the boards but didn't realy come up with anything, damn i didnt think id need a few g's... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaggle Von Swift Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 and if you're just looking to put out existing albums on vinyl, you're going to have a real tough time if you have no connections. labels aren't going go 'ok' some random guy [no offense] with little start-up that wants to press their back catalog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Admin Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 at some point in the near future, I plan to write up something with how to press records and all that good stuff. I am so busy right now, but hopefully soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kevinb Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 and if you're just looking to put out existing albums on vinyl, you're going to have a real tough time if you have no connections. labels aren't going go 'ok' some random guy [no offense] with little start-up that wants to press their back catalog. Ha ha no i definetly understand, the first ep i was thinking about putting out is actuly owned by the band, so that woudln't be to hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlovecolouredx Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 at some point in the near future, I plan to write up something with how to press records and all that good stuff. I am so busy right now, but hopefully soon. use some recorder as inspector always use when they arrived crime scene,virgil. you just press record button before say something about press records and ask someone for transfer your voice to article. i think ithis can help you,brother.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest afsdan Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 start by pressing a few 7". they're cheaper to press, so you don't have to throw down a few grand to start out with. that can be pretty discouraging. but, if you do a 7" or two and sell em, you could make some money back and get the feel for pressing/selling. You'll make less profit margain on a 7"......but it depends on how many records you press. I often just press 300, so each record might cost $2 or more to make. So, I'll sell them for $4. An LP could cost $4-$6 a piece, so you could sell for $8+, and make more money. But much more money went into it, and you could be left wondering where all your rent money went. good luck. any questions just ask! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flood Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 yeah $500 won't get you anywhere. even a shortrun 7" is going to run you close to a grand... because unlike cds all the cost in vinyl is the upfront set up costs... so 500 7" isn't much less than 1000 7". and yes... breaking even is a horrible bitch. and you need like 2-3 successful projects to absorb the money lost by one failed project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbannon Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 It really depends on how dedicated you are willing to be to your label, even if it's a hobby of sorts. Anyone can press a release, but the real work/effort/expense is in creating visibility and interest in the band and your efforts. No matter how you approach starting one, it will be an expensive undertaking regardless. Release costs come out of the wood work that you likely would have never have predicted. It's just the way it is and forever will be. Deathwish for example operated for over 7 years in the negative (yes, really). The key is to do it because you love it and are a fan of the bands that you work for. Without those two things, I would think staying motivated would be hard for anyone involved. Hope that helps. -J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihprstl Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Deathwish for example operated for over 7 years in the negative (yes, really). Woo Hoo!!! Two years down and five to go for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbannon Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Exactly. -J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flood Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 we're going on 12 and we're starting to actually be profitable on a regular basis... after we abandoned normal distribution methods too.. gotta love the music industry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobe Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Chris Wrenn (Bridge 9) wrote up a nice little "So you wanna do a label" article that's a pdf somewhere on the B9 page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 How could i start? well for quite some time ive been toying with the idea of starting a lable to get lp's pressed for some of my favorite albums that havent gotten the vinyl treatment yet...i guess this is like a Press FAQ.. I mean as far as a website & all that jazz go's my friend is prety decent at making websites,so im good there.. I know i have to figure the LP's getting presses, jackets,inserts,shipping materials... i know its a low amout but is $500.00 a good start for a first release? im leaning torwards a 7" for my first release. im not realy looking to profit just break even, and get some of my favorite albums on LP format. yes please make a label and press all the Bigwig albums on vinyl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keevhren Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I recall sending Floyd at fat a question like 5 years ago about starting up a label, and his reply was something along the lines of "go in your backyard, dig a really deep hole, and throw all your money into it and dont ever plan on seeing it ever again...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timpopkid Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 How to start a record label. Go into your backyard and dig a hole. Put $5000 in this hole. Light the money on fire. This way at least you won't be surprised when you never see your money again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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