Happy 40th Anniversary to the CD!
The CD turns 40 this year. We’ve got fun facts, personal anecdotes, and an answer to the mystery of “what was the first CD ever made?” Sorta. Read the post.
Disc Manufacturing & Design
A collection of articles from the Disc Makers blog that relate to CD manufacturing and design, including CD album planning and more.
Your 90-day record-release plan
This post is excerpted from The 90-Day Album Release guide, which helps you plan and organize all the events and decisions that go into making an album — from day one in the studio to your continuing sales and promotion efforts. Read the post.
Preparing your music for distribution: How to release and sell your music, Part 3
There are many steps to successfully releasing and selling your music, and getting your product prepared and your distribution channels aligned are critical elements of your plan. Read the post.
The art and science of vinyl records
Excerpted from “The Musician’s Guide To Vinyl,” we review a brief history of vinyl records and share some basics when it comes to mixing for your vinyl release. Read the post.
The vinyl manufacturing process at work (watch the video!)
Whatever your relationship to music is, the manufacturing process for CDs and vinyl is just plain cool to see in action. Let’s take a look! Read the post.
Are you going basic or premium?
As the music industry evolves, artists are thinking about physical product in new ways: there’s a split between basic and premium CD packaging and which best reflects their brand. Read the post.
Are cassette USBs your next merch table hit? Indie Music Minute
Thinking about making cassettes? Why not cassette USBs? You can release something really deluxe with music, video, photos, journals from the road… whatever you want.
Read the post
Disc replication vs. disc duplication: The Indie Music Minute
Disc duplication technology has been around for a long time, but clients still ask us what the difference is between disc replication and disc duplication. Let’s go behind the scenes to the Disc Makers replication line to find out. Read the post
Get social with Disc Makers!
You already know that Disc Makers sets the standard for independent CD manufacturing for musicians. Now it’s time to get social with Disc Makers’ social media. Read the post.
Selling your music on USB drives: Tips from I Fight Dragons’ Brian Mazzaferri
I Fight Dragons has been selling music on custom USB drives for years with notable success. Here are some tips from Brian Mazzaferri on how to make the most of the venture. Read the post.
Is it time to sell your music on USB drives?
While CDs and vinyl records are a major revenue source for indie musicians, custom USB drives are the latest merch table draw when it comes to physical product music sales. Read the post.
Why indie musicians make CDs [Infographic]
Independent artists rely on the tangible media that is the music CD. As a physical representation of their hard work, a means of increasing revenue, and to establish their brand, independent musicians use CDs in ways major label artists don’t. Read More.
Some things I wish I’d known before making an album
In life, and when making an album, things happen. The more you understand about the process and the more detail-focused you are, the better your chances for success. So here are some things I wish I had been told before I started putting together an album’s worth of material to be pressed and distributed. Read the post.
Music news: Happy Birthday’s disputed rights, vinyl vs. streaming, and the last CD-R for Taiyo Yuden
“Happy Birthday To Me:” a complicated history – and future – for the world’s simplest song; vinyl sales continue to make headlines, with sales generating more revenue than free Spotify, YouTube, and VEVO combined; JVC and Taiyo Yuden to stop producing optical media – FalconMedia remains a reliable option. Read more.
9 groovy facts about vinyl records
Perhaps the most famous records in the universe are the two copies of the Golden Record aboard the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecrafts. The records feature musical selections and spoken greetings in fifty-five languages. Read more.