So the fun part is over, you’ve recorded your tracks and now you’re ready to produce the finished album! There are a few things to deal with before you can get ready for the big launch party, but we have good news…wewow are here to help!
Having dealt with hundreds of bands, wewow understand what a minefield planning a CD release can be! Excellent organisation is essential to a successful album launch and that’s why we’ve put together a few handy tips to help you plan your next release!
Manufacturing License
It is important that you obtain licenses for any copyrighted material, or cover versions, you have used on your CD. If the material on the CD is entirely your own work, you do not require a licence. You must contact the Mechanical Right’s Protection Society (MCPS) in order to obtain a licence and we would advise that you contact MCPS as early as possible, as it can take a few weeks to obtain a license. Unfortunately, wewow can’t obtain licenses on your behalf, so you will need to contact MCPS directly.
wewow just require you to sign our indemnity form in order to confirm that you have the rights to publish the material on your CD – this means that you can avoid the whole MCPS process, if the material is entirely your own.
You will need to decide upon a manufacturer before you apply for a license, as MCPS require the name and address of the manufacturing company, so make sure you ask wewow for a quote well in advance. We’ll be able offer you advise on how to obtain licenses at the same time, so it’s worthwhile contacting us as soon as possible.
Artwork
Don’t leave the artwork design until the last minute! It’s a good idea to get started on this at the same time as you’re dealing with MCPS and mastering, as it will make things much simpler for you if you can supply the master and artwork to the manufacturer all at the same time.
wewow have a team of in-house designers who will be happy to help you design your album cover, if you decide you don’t want to prepare the artwork yourself. The beauty of this is that they are experts in producing artwork for CD projects, so they understand what works best and can ensure that the artwork is technically perfect! All we require is a short brief and any specific images you’d like to use. Then our creative geniuses will whiz together a fantastic design for you!
If you decide to design the artwork yourself, we have a range of resources to help you out! Artwork guidelines and templates can be found on our website.
MCPS will let you know if there are any compact disc logos, copyright information and similar features which need to be included on your artwork and our customer service team are always on hand to offer advice!
Mastering
It may only take you a couple of days to produce your CD, but there is a chance it will take you a few weeks, especially if it’s your first go at mastering a CD. People often feel differently about a mix after they’ve had time to reflect on it, so it’s always a good idea to give yourself plenty of time for those creative juices to flow!
Giving yourself plenty of time in which to produce the CD, means that you won’t have to stress out over any technical problems that may occur. You also need to allow a day or two for posting the finished master disc to the manufacturer.
Delivery
Once wewow have received your master, artwork and initial payment, your dedicated Account Manager will confirm a dispatch date for the discs with you. If you need the discs for a specific date, such as a few days before your launch party, please let us know when placing the order and we will schedule your order into production so that it arrives in plenty of time.
Dealing with the media…
Promo copies
Another thing to consider is whether you require any promotional copies to be distributed before the official release. Distributing promos is a great way it built up media interest and ensure that your release receives as much media attention as possible!
Bear in mind that any promotional copies must be labelled up with the words ‘Promotional Copy Only – Not For Resale,’ as requested by MCPS. This must be agreed with MCPS when applying for your licence, if you are paying royalties to a third party.
We can offer help with printing the stickers and collation into press packs, depending on quantity, so please feel free to ask a member of our sales team how we can help!
Deadlines!
It is really important that you account for magazine and distributor deadlines when planning your CD release. Having your CD reviewed in a magazine is a great opportunity to get local or even nationwide coverage! But for this to happen, you need to allow yourself plenty of time to distribute your promotional copies. In some cases you may need to send out your promos 3-4 months in advance, in order to accommodate for the magazine’s production schedule. Some magazines may have a shorter turnaround time, but the last thing you want is to miss an opportunity with a monthly magazine because your promo doesn’t arrive in time!
Distributors also have strict deadlines which you will need to meet in order to have your CDs in the shops before the big realise date!
This may all seem a bit daunting but it needn’t be problem as long as you plan ahead. Find out what the deadlines are and plan according.
wewow are experienced in planning projects and ensuring that deadlines are met so just ask us and we will help you make your project run as smoothly as possible…just don’t forget to invite us to the big launch party ;)
