For Artists Only

NEXT, RECORD THE ALBUM - January 2013
Now that you have selected your tracks, written your lyrics, and have put everything in album order, it is time to set your budget. You are going to need to pay for your tracks and then record your lyrics on them. It does not make sense to record on a track you have not officially leased/purchased. I am sure you don't want to go through all this only to hear six other artists put the same track on their mixtapes. Tracks can be leased on a sales cap basis. Meaning once your sales reach a certain amount, you have to re-lease the beat. This is great option for people with small budgets, but there is a downside: You will spend many hours searching for, and listening to beat after beat to get the right one for you. In the end, if you take your time, it will be worth it. So, if you have 12 tracks at an average of, let's say, $30 per track lease, you will spend around $360 to lease all the tracks for your album. Some producers will only charge $15, while others will charge $35, so your final cost will vary. Be sure to read each producer's agreement VERY carefully as they are not all the same. You will find most use your standard agreement, but there are a few that will have different rules. Also, try to get the producers' real names, email addresses and phone numbers if possible so if anything gets crazy, you will be able to reach them. They play a HUGE role in your project so you want to remain fair when it comes to sales and royalties.

Once you have cleared all of your tracks, it is off to the recording studio. Try to choose a professional studio close to home. Not many people realize that if you Google "recording studios" in their local area, a good few will pop up. Some studios can charge out the wazoo, so search for the best quality in your price range. Remember: you want mainstream quality sound. Although we are all for the indies, "my boy Butch down the street with the home made studio in his closet that uses clothes as padding and has a hole in the door so everyone can see me do my thang" will not give you the professional sound you need. Not unless "Butch" paid $10,000 or more to have his studio professionally built, has all updated equipment and software, and knows how to use it. There's nothing like trying to work with a studio that has everything, and not one clown in the place knows how to use any of it. And believe me when I tell you they ARE out there. Choosing the right studio to meet your needs cannot be a rushed job. TIP* Whichever studio/friend/enemy's system you choose to record on, they will mix and master your work, therefore they "own" the plates to your music. This means that the recording "studio" collects points from sales and royalties. Ever wonder why when you purchase a CD, you look at the back cover or inside the booklet, it always tells you where (and there can be more than one) the songs were recorded? Now you know why.

Recording studios charge a wide variety of prices, but they charge by the hour. They have packages that include many of the services you are going to need all rolled into one, but they are still broken down by the hour. Even if you are a one-hitter-quitter; you don't need do-overs. They have a minimum fee for any service you request so choose wisely. The average cost for recording a 12 song album breaks down to around $50 per hour. Now, we know you will not be able to complete the entire album in one day, so lets say you record 2 songs per day, at a 4 hour minimum. That's $1200 to complete the recording. I know the number looks big, but if you record one day every two weeks, you walk in the door with $200 each session, and after 6 sessions and 12 weeks, you have a completed album.

So your budget has started at around $1560 (1200 + 360), give or take a few dollars. There is less sticker shock value if you break it down bi-weekly, or even weekly. It is good to start doing that now because the costs only go up from here. While saving money is everyone's goal, you are going to have to invest a pretty penny in your project, so get the best bang for your buck.

NEXT TIME...
How to choose your album title, album art, and cd packaging.


FOR ARTISTS ONLY

Lately, we have been coming across many artists looking for a large or major label to invest in either them or their projects, or do not have projects at all but are still looking for that investment. Actually, it is very surprising to re-connect with people we worked with in the past only to discover they currently do not have completed projects. Since the dawn of the Internet age back in 2000, the plethora of information provided to artists regarding how the music industry operates could educate a mid-sized country. Wooded Hoods created our solid foundation by learning early the do’s and don’ts of the music industry, and we continue to grow by staying informed of new music industry processes, products and advancements. One thing we learned from the beginning is this: major labels do not invest in an artist if the artist has not shown why anyone should invest in them. Just being able to sing, rap, be a great band, or just play an instrument is nowhere enough for label investment. From a business standpoint, it does not make sense. As a label rep, I regularly have my inbox full of music from indie artists all over the world. Some of the music is worth chasing the artist down and discussing signing a contract. However, when I get the artist on the phone and begin asking about their current music project, I get one of two answers: “I’m working on my mixtape” or “I’m looking to have a major label invest in me”. Both of these answers are not what label reps want to hear; not even an indie label. A mixtape is not worth investing hundreds of thousands (or just hundreds) of dollars into due to the label not being able to recoup their monies from sales, unless you are the next Michael Jackson… maybe. In addition, mixtapes are not usually original music, not worth mixing and mastering, or promoting. If you answer the question with the latter answer of label investment, the label is going to ask you questions like how many units you have already sold, how big your audience following is, what do you charge for stage performances and event appearances, and how much promotional material (t-shirts, posters, etc.) you currently have in the streets. If you can’t answer these questions with hard data, they are going to tell you to come back when you can.

PUTTING TOGETHER AN ALBUM - December 2012
If you are truly interested in getting global exposure for your creativity, the first step is to put together an album. Album: a compilation of seven to ten original songs (music and lyrics) that are either BMI or ASCAP registered, Soundscan registered for BDS, and can be sold for profit. Putting a good quality album together takes time, focus and dedication. Pulling tracks that complement one another, creating lyrics that flow well from song to song on the album, keeping with the theme of the album, all require a lot of attention. Not to mention costs: tracks/producers, licensing, mixing, mastering; they all add up quickly. Don’t let these things overwhelm you. If you take things one step at a time, before you know it you will be done. There are many ways to obtain good tracks from indie producers for a cheap leasing price. Soundclick.com is a great place to go for tracks. They will also sell you the beat if you choose that option, and it still is not a bad price. After writing your lyrics to the tracks, record your songs. There are local recording studios all over the place, no matter where you live. We recently discovered many mainstream artists also utilize the professional recording studio we use when they are in our area. Some studios will work with indie artists who show they are driven to complete their project, when it comes to cost. Once all your songs are complete, compile them in the order you think sounds the best, and then give it to a few close people to listen to for feedback. Mix and master, get a barcode, and you’re done. It does sound easier said than done. Money is always a factor; people have lives, families and bills. However, if you believe in your music enough to have a major label invest in you, then you investing in yourself is a no-brainer.

MORE INFORMATION TO COME
If you are interested in learning more about getting your project together, submitting to labels, promotion, marketing, and many more things about the music industry, check back frequently for posting updates. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have, or review any music for feedback. You can also leave a comment requesting topics you would like more information on. We would like this to be an interactive posting page so feel free to express yourself. You can also drop us an email here: admin@woodedhoods.com.