CD Preparation

[Mixnow3]

Hello,

I'm going to my first Road Rally and very pumped. When creating CD's, is it acceptable for the Road Rally to put computer typed labels on the CD and computer typed inserts to put in the CD jewel cases? Another words, home-made CD labels and inserts? Or should I hire Discmakers, etc. to put artwork on the Jewel case inserts and on the CD along with all of the contact info on both? I know it needs to look professional but would like some feedback.

Thanks a bunch.

[Paulie]

I think I'm going with my own labels. Even a short run package at Discmakers costs a few hundred bucks.

http://www.discmakers.com/products/short-run.asp

[TheElement]

most important is the music on the CD and contact info, tracks names etc.

if you want to impress with the artwork then yeah discmakers. I do a CD once a year and use discmakers. kinda of a fun project to use to track progress each year, have something to give to friends and take to the rally. But I seem to have a couple more tracks that dont make the CD and are last minute productions so will burn my own CD's for those.

[Mixnow3]

Thanks for the input. I just went to Staples and found I can make my own cd's, labels, inserts much cheaper than getting it done professionally. I have a sister in law who will help with the labels and it's time to start selecting the music I will put on the CD's. Hard to believe that I'll be flying out in 3 weeks to the Rally.

[Russell Landwehr]

Thanks for the input. I just went to Staples and found I can make my own cd's, labels, inserts much cheaper than getting it done professionally. I have a sister in law who will help with the labels and it's time to start selecting the music I will put on the CD's. Hard to believe that I'll be flying out in 3 weeks to the Rally.

Yup, that was what I was going to suggest.

[Mixnow3]

Russell,

I read your interview. Pretty cool and inspiring. Looking forward to my first Road Rally and hopefully I will take a few steps forward to making some money with my music. I know I'll be taking a ton of notes at the Rally.

[Russell Landwehr]

Russell,

I read your interview. Pretty cool and inspiring. Looking forward to my first Road Rally and hopefully I will take a few steps forward to making some money with my music. I know I'll be taking a ton of notes at the Rally.

Hey, Thanks!

The Road Rally is overwhelmingly invigorating. I predict serious momentum afterward!

Russell

[TerrellBurt]

Do you all use mp3's or WAV's to burn your Road Rally audio CD's? Which is best for quality?

[Casey H]

Do you all use mp3's or WAV's to burn your Road Rally audio CD's? Which is best for quality?

Terrell

Burn AUDIO CDs, not data CDs! All players will play AUDIO CDs.

It's best to burn your AUDIO CDs using any reputable CD burner software (iTunes or one of many others) using your highest resolution versions (wav or aiff) of your files as the source. So if you exported from DAW to wav or aiff, use those. Or if someone else made the mix for you, make sure you have the high resolution files. If you burn from mp3 files, the sound quality will not be any better than that of your mp3, which is lower quality than wav or aiff. (Not awful at 320K but you still want to use your best source).

This question comes up a lot. If you bring a CD that is just a data CD with a directory of mp3 or wav files, it will NOT play on all players and you could be wasting your time. Imagine giving a CD to a mentor who can't play your music on his/her boom box. Or dropping a disk for a panel, the CD gets picked but won't play! Or giving a CD to an A&R rep, he/she plugs it into the car player on the drive home, and nada...

AUDIO CD... FROM .wav or .aiff

Casey