CD Production Basics

Replication vs. Duplication:
There are two ways to manufacture CDs
for distribution.
• Replication OR Duplication
Replication
• Higher quality product
• Replication--the process used by professional record labels
• Discs are made from scratch
• Stamped in an injection molding machine
• More labor intensive
• Larger runs required: 500 minimum

Replication vs. Duplication:
There are two ways to manufacture CDs
for distribution.
Duplication
• Lower quality
• Duplication--for home use and inexpensive
promotional copies
• Existing discs are burned with lasers
• Faster and easier process
• No minimums required

Before You Begin: Budget and
Schedule
• BUDGET: Typical expenses to consider
• Mastering
• Graphic Design
• Replication costs– per unit
• Price breaks- usually at 500, 1000+ units
• Color printing more expensive than B&W
• Printing on CD?
• Packaging– jewel case? Spine & Bar Code printing?
Polywrap? Tray card?

Before You Begin: Budget and
Schedule
•SCHEDULE: Typical timing issues to
consider
• Mastering- 2 days to several weeks
• Graphic Design- 1 week+
• Replication- at least 15 business days
• Project Planning tool- Gantt Chart

LEGAL ISSUES: Securing Permissions
• Remember to secure all permissions
and licenses
• Mechanical License- for reproducing
songs in a “mechanical” format- CDs,
ringtones, DPD, etc.
• Master Use License- for previously
recorded songs
• Talent Release
• Work for Hire

LEGAL ISSUES: The Original Copyright Holder
•Locate copyright holders for song that you
don’t own:
• Search www.copyright.gov database
• Search “Songfile” database on www.hfa.com
• Search “ACE” database on www.ascap.com
• Use “Search the Repertoire” feature on
www.bmi.com
• Search www.gracenote.com database
• Search record label websites
• Search iTunes, Amazon, Google and MySpace
• Look at actual liner notes on existing CDs

Developing Marketing and Creative Plans
• Develop your vision for the final work
• The sonic concept/story-producing
• The sound- mixing
• The look and feel- design
• The quality- mastering, manufacturing
• Research and hire the production companies/talent
you need to complete your project
• Develop your promotion and distribution plans
• Where and how do you plan to sell/distribute your
work?

PRODUCTION: Professional Mastering
Purpose of Professional Mastering:
To optimize and standardize CD playback on any
playback device
•Ensures consistent sound quality and volume
control
•Cleans up any noise still in the original mix
•Burns in TOC information- Metadata about
the music- Album name, Artwork, Song
Titles, etc.
•Creates track sequence and spacing

Production: Professional Mastering
Standard delivery specs:
• Final 2-track mixes
• “Unmastered“--no EQ and no compression on
final 2 tracks
• Stereo Interleaved, 24bit WAV files in the same
sample rate they were recorded
• No limiters on the master fader of the mixes.

Production: Packaging
• Options for your consideration (based on budget):
• Quantity
• Jewel case? In bulk?
• 4-color printing? 1 color printing?
• Printing or label on CD?
• 2 or 4 page insert? Booklet?
• UPC code- needed for professional distribution
• Spine labels
• Polywrap?

Distribution:
About the UPC code:
Universal Product Code
Required for all products in retail
Two approaches to UPC:
1)Your own company that will launch 10,000
products
2)Independent small company that will launch a
small amount of products over time

Distribution: The UPC Code
Company that will launch many products:
• UPC information can be obtained from the Uniform
Code Council- GS1 http://barcodes.gs1us.org
• Barcode contains a country identifier
• Barcode contains a unique company prefix that identifies
your company as the manufacturer or distributor of
the product
• Barcode contains a unique item number for each
product you sell

Distribution: The UPC Code
Company that will “borrow”/sublet a barcode:
• CD Baby, Disc Makers or other replicator
will issue you a bar code for your CD for
low price
• They will be the “Parent Label” and you will
be the “Sub Label”
• When scanned Bar code will read:
• United States
• Hit Media Inc. (the “parent company”)
• Your Label

Distribution: Tracking Performance
• Implement an accounting system for tracking
revenue and expenses (for taxes purposes)
• Implement a database system for tracking CD sales
• # of units produced
• # of units sold
• Where sold
• Price per unit; cost per unit
• Collect, report and pay sales tax for CD sales at
retail

Distribution: Tracking Performance
• Register your CD
• with BDS (to track radio spins)
• With Soundscan (to track unit sales)
• Gracenote (to have CD metadata automatically load
in digital retail databases)
• Register your Sound Recording with SoundExchange
to received performance royalties
• Protect your sound recording copyright by
registering a “SR” form at copyright.gov