Now that CD burners are very cheap and CD sales are not as perky as before, it is very tempting for indie musicians to just DIY albums completely. DIY album recording and manufacturing sounds like a clever idea since you don't have to pay extra fees to CD manufacturing companies. The plan is to burn by demand so you are assured that you won't have unsold copies piled in your basement by the end of the year.
Before you start shopping for CD burners and printers, let me give you reasons why this is not a very clever idea. Sure, it might seem like you're being wise and frugal at first but you'll realize in the end that it's not as easy as it seems. Here are some reasons why I still prefer having my discs manufactured by CD replication companies.
1. CD Manufacturing companies have good machines. This is the number one reason why you should let CD manufacturing plants do your project. They have the big, expensive machines that can make high-quality, good-looking albums which you don't. You should never DIY at home with your computer and cheap printer if you want to be taken seriously as an artist. Doing so could ruin your image! Cheap-looking artwork plus cheap cases and discs equals cheap artist. CD replication and artwork printing should never be compromised.
2. CD Manufacturing companies know where to look. If you want to burn CDs at home, you have to buy discs, paper, inks, and a whole lot more! Do you know the specific requirements, which brands to look for, where to get the cheapest ones?
3. CD Manufacturing companies have names to protect. That means, they are scared to displease even a single client because it could ruin their business. The bigger the CD manufacturing company is, the bigger the guarantee of good service.
4. CD Manufacturing companies will give you tips. CD manufacturing companies have worked with a lot of musicians and they might even be musicians themselves so when it comes to advice in releasing albums and many others, they have plenty to share. It is important to develop friendship with a lot of people working in different aspects of music production as they will help you on your way up. Their simple tips and words of encouragement will keep you interested in what you do.
5. CD Manufacturing companies know the right people. When you have friends in CD manufacturing companies, your network will grow. If you want to stay at home, promote everything online, burn your own discs, and sell your music online, your network will not grow fast. Yes, it's still possible to have lots of virtual friendships but you should go out and meet these people. They will then introduce you to more people who can help you on your way to achieving success.
6. CD Manufacturing companies will do all the hard work. If you burn your CDs at home, expect your house to be really messy for weeks. You should also expect lots of hard work especially if it is your first time. You have to do lots of research, you have to wait for each CD to finish burning so you can insert another disc, you have to check if everything is correct and complete.
So do you still want to DIY? Well, it's not that bad especially if you have plans of setting up a CD manufacturing company in the future. You'll definitely learn a lot of stuff about printing, artwork rules, burning, materials, etc. But if you're pressed for time and you just want to focus on your music career, let them do it. You have more important stuff to do-like promoting your album or spending more time with your kids.
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