Re: Looper CD

[Henry Throop <throop@bogart.Colorado.EDU>]

Doug Michael writes:

>  Count me in for the Looper's CD along with the $100.00 to get it done. 
> There is a very good article on doing a project like this (CD over the
> internet) in the latest Keyboard magazine - Janurary 1998. The article
> describes the internet compilation CD "Giant Tracks." It ended up being
> completed in a very professional way, many people contributed their
> talents and they did the web site thing with samples of each tune. There
> is included a breakdown of costs and they actually sold enough CD's to
> make a little profit.  Anyways I'll check to see if this article is on 
>the
> Keyboard mag web site. 
>   Doug Michael

Another list I'm on (the didjeridu list) recently put out a similar
compilation, which was hugely successful.  Some relevant facts are:

o The list is about the same size as this one.

o The final CD is just about 74 minutes, with ~ 25 3-minute tracks.

o Submissions were limited to one per person, and mostly fixed at 3 
minutes.
  Everyone who sent in a tape ended up on the CD.  Most of the people
  on the disc ended up bought multiple copies, so there was no additional
  'submission fee.'

o ~ 500 discs were pressed at first and sold for $15 each, to list-members
  and through a music store one member runs.  I believe they're all sold
  out now.

o The biggest unforseen problem ended up being what to do with the
  left-over $$.  Nearly everyone had strong opinions and they all
  differed... the most popular options were a) send back profit to
  contributors; b) donate it to non-profits in Australia; b) bankroll
  it in making a 2nd CD.  Beats me what ended up happening.

o One list-member took nearly-entire control for collecting submissions,
  producing, mastering, printing, and distributing the disc.   He had
  experience in doing such things before and -- as he works at a
  professional studio -- was able to use their facilities for free.
  90% of the time invested was his, and it would have been done far
  less efficiently by committee.  Other list-members a) designed the
  cover art, and b) did a once-over review of a cassette before the
  disc was pressed.

The final CD ended up looking and sounding very professional.  The only
negatives really came from the compilation format: lots of short
tracks.  The liner notes couldn't include anything more than names and
track titles, and ended up mostly on the web.  Nevertheless, it's a
fun, diverse, and highly interesting disc.

I'd be happy to forward the the address of the compiler to anyone who's
interested -- don't have it right now.

I believe there's at least one other didj member on this list -- any
additions?

henry
throop@colorado.edu