Suppressor - Hand EP

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suppressor
Alf Garnett
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Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by suppressor »

Hey guys, i have finally decided to release some of my tracks albeit independently.
I have a release night in about a week and i have a couple of the Subsekt regulars on the bill which is awesome.



I just have one question in regards to european vinyl printing and distro. As i live in Australia i'm rather uninformed.
Do any of you guys have any preferred companies that you use for these services? I'm keen to release the EP but don't know where to start?

Cheers Cunts

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Aurongroove
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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by Aurongroove »

Creating the Lacquer plates is something that you could have done by a professional mastering engineer here in Europe, and will cost about 80 Australian dollars per side, plus 1~3 hours of the engineer's time.


Printing wise, Germany has the best (and in some cases only) printing presses, and most of the very good media companies order their vinyl from there.

A place like discsolutions.co.uk would be an ideal choice for no-shit-professionalism (plus the guy who runs it is so nice to deal with, and he's the guy that designed Aphex twin's Syro packaging, random fact)
They do have an in-house engineer too, quite a good one if you want them to take care of everything, but they will also take lacquer plates.
You're end bill depending on how many copies you're looking at, might be 2~3000 Australian dollars, so do be careful and ask for quotes.


A place like curvedpressings.com is a good choice if you wanna try squeeze a better bargain out of things, you can get 10% off here and there, for stuff like letting them put their logo somewhere on the copy.
They sometimes put up "package deals" and there's one at the minute for 300, 400, 500, and 1000 records, with printed labels in disco sleeves (perfect for EPs), and the prices are amazing.



You're music is good, btw, very well balanced.
I'm Hilarious


Some professional mastering engineers use multi-band compressors.

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suppressor
Alf Garnett
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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by suppressor »

Aurongroove wrote:Creating the Lacquer plates is something that you could have done by a professional mastering engineer here in Europe, and will cost about 80 Australian dollars per side, plus 1~3 hours of the engineer's time.


Printing wise, Germany has the best (and in some cases only) printing presses, and most of the very good media companies order their vinyl from there.

A place like discsolutions.co.uk would be an ideal choice for no-shit-professionalism (plus the guy who runs it is so nice to deal with, and he's the guy that designed Aphex twin's Syro packaging, random fact)
They do have an in-house engineer too, quite a good one if you want them to take care of everything, but they will also take lacquer plates.
You're end bill depending on how many copies you're looking at, might be 2~3000 Australian dollars, so do be careful and ask for quotes.


A place like curvedpressings.com is a good choice if you wanna try squeeze a better bargain out of things, you can get 10% off here and there, for stuff like letting them put their logo somewhere on the copy.
They sometimes put up "package deals" and there's one at the minute for 300, 400, 500, and 1000 records, with printed labels in disco sleeves (perfect for EPs), and the prices are amazing.



You're music is good, btw, very well balanced.
Awesome! Thanks heaps for the advice, i will check all these guys out.
I am at the point now where i am also considering starting a label so if i can get some solid contacts it will make life easier in the long run.
Digital Distro is so simple now but i can't get away from physical copies of music <3

I appreciate the kinds words about the music as well; :)

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Aurongroove
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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by Aurongroove »

The main problem with physical copies are it's cheaper the more you make, but who's gonna buy 'em?

Most labels end up going bust after two years with warehouses full of music no one has heard of and no one gives a shit about.
You gotta be ruthless with music quality (no letting 'mates' put out sub-par stuff but throwing a grand at it to try "mix and master out" the inherent dodginess). You need to be very good with PR and have the money to not skimp on manufacturing quality or run out of spending money 6 months in, while you were waiting for returns gained from sales of releases 001 and 002.
The label mightn't have a hit until release 006.

One idea is to budget for Promotion, but instead of advertising, use the money to commission remixes by established producers.
That way at least the "who cares" factor is a little bit alleviated, "well I don't know the label, and I don't know the artist, but the B side is a James Ruskin remix, so let's have a listen"
I'm Hilarious


Some professional mastering engineers use multi-band compressors.

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Alf Garnett
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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by suppressor »

Aurongroove wrote: You gotta be ruthless with music quality (no letting 'mates' put out sub-par stuff but throwing a grand at it to try "mix and master out" the inherent dodginess).
That is a golden point isn't it? Whats the point of putting out a whole bunch of shit that no one wants to listen to...
You need to be very good with PR and have the money to not skimp on manufacturing quality or run out of spending money 6 months in, while you were waiting for returns gained from sales of releases 001 and 002.
The label mightn't have a hit until release 006.
In reality, its probably the PR and Marketing quality that is really required in the beginning isn't it?
Its all good trying to sell your label a new upstart with local artists, but if you don't have substance behind your label its not going to last long.
Also yes you need to be able to sustain the quality of release from the beginning until you break even.
Aurongroove wrote: One idea is to budget for Promotion, but instead of advertising, use the money to commission remixes by established producers.
That way at least the "who cares" factor is a little bit alleviated, "well I don't know the label, and I don't know the artist, but the B side is a James Ruskin remix, so let's have a listen"
It's strange, but as a producer i have never really thought about paying people to remix music, as a Label Boss it makes A LOT of sense to do this.

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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by dubdub »

The tracks are pretty well produced (for Subsekt amateur standards) but to me they still sound a bit "amateur". Honestly, I don't think they would sell on vinyl. They're a bit generic and too clean for my taste, they sound a bit "Beatport". I kinda like the first track, I'd maybe buy it digitally but not on vinyl. Techno sells like crap, in order to sell 300 copies you need to an established label or have an absolute killer record that stands out. You really don't need "PR", just great music and artwork. I think buying remixes from big name producers is a bit lame, if you're starting a label, the music's gotta stand on it's own.

I think Handle With Care also does everything for you, from pressing to distribution. But you're obviously paying a premium for their service. Most people deal with the pressing plants (I think most techno people press at Optimal or RAND) and distributors themselves because it's cheaper. If you go that way, with mastering etc. 300 copies will you run about 1300-1500 euros, a couple hundred more if you get a fancy cover and master at D&M. But the normal distributors don't take records unless they think they can sell them. But if they don't want it, it's just not going to sell in most cases, even if you get it in the stores. There's soooo many people, I know some personally, that get 300 copies done for their first release done, they hand out like 30 copies as promos, for friends etc. and then they sell 20. And then they just sit on the rest and are out well over a grand.

No offense meant, just trying to be honest with you, the vinyl game is ruthless.

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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by suppressor »

I would prefer blunt, and constructive comments than glossing over any issues so I appreciate the honesty.
You might have saved me a couple of grand than to print something that won't sell.

I have a few mates who have started labels and they are still using digital distro to push their music and it seems a lot safer in the end.

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Alf Garnett
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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by suppressor »

The tracks are pretty well produced (for Subsekt amateur standards) but to me they still sound a bit "amateur".
Just for my musical development is there anything that stands out in particular that takes away from the quality of the track?
Obviously music production is based on learning and using those techniques to create better quality music.

I feel that your right in a way that the music sounds rather clean, but i think that happens due to the fact i want to make my music technically correct.
It might even be the sample selection, i'm not sure.

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Lost to the Void
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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by Lost to the Void »

I master for vinyl but it is usually for established labels who have their pressing on lock.

The best thing to do is approach a distributer. Beware they are just salesmen, and will spin you a yarn, but if you can approach them with a solid 3 releases planned out they might offer a partial P&D where they put up some of the money and you put up the rest.
You do end up getting fucked, don't expect a return, but if it happens the music gets pressed, and most importantly, distributed.
If a distributor thinks your music won't sell, providing you are approaching an appropriate distribution for your music, then that is a good sign that self pressing might not be a good idea.
A distrib might offer you a pure distrib deal where you have to pay for everything, which is, in the long run, the best plan.
Otherwise distribution start telling you who to release on your label and other white.

Honestly unless you are offering something really hot, you are throwing money away with vinyl. If you have the funds for at least 3 releases and some really stand out shit to release, then it might be worth a punt.

I been down this road a few times, so I have good contacts with various pressing plants and some distribution.

I'll take a listen to your stuff 2morro, but from dubdubs "beatport" techno description it already sounds like vinyl might not be a good idea.
Mastering Engineer @ Black Monolith Studio
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Alf Garnett
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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by suppressor »

I'll take a listen to your stuff 2morro, but from dubdubs "beatport" techno description it already sounds like vinyl might not be a good idea.
Maybe i should get a single test press for keepsakes? haha.

By the way, i have been listening to a bit of your music today after you put up Purposeful Cruelty.
You have such an awesome ability to make me feel something when i listen to your tracks which really is my number one when listening to music.
So thanks!

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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by Lost to the Void »

Hello again, just checked out the track you linked.
I wouldn`t say this is typical beatport techno, it has elements of it but there is also some progressive house leanings in there.
Production could be better.

I would go with digital distribution on this, give the label a run and then maybe if it all works out go vinyl a few releases down the road.
As it stands I honestly can`t see this selling on vinyl, it doesn`t really fit the sound of what is selling on vinyl right now, and it would be very difficult to get any hype around it from the usual online magazines etc.

If the production was super super slick you might have more luck in the prog genre with this, but you would really need to step up the quality.

You can`t actually get one off test pressings done, there is a minimal pressing usually of around 150. To get a 1 off test press you would still need the laquer and then all the metalwork made to get the stampers to make that one test pressing. the actual production of vinyl from that point is the cheapest parts. The metalwork is what costs.

You could get a dub plate cut though, for yourself, you can get them done for reasonable money, not sure about Oz, but a decent dub plate here is like, 40 quid.
Mastering Engineer @ Black Monolith Studio
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Re: Suppressor - Hand EP

Post by Lost to the Void »

And cheers for the compliment
Mastering Engineer @ Black Monolith Studio
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