Vinyl single, good or bad idea?

bbottom · February 01, 2014, 11:01:50 PM

Tapes!?! Jesus they were awful back when they were popular.

mortlock · February 01, 2014, 11:22:57 PM

cassettes rock!!

MichaelZodiac · February 02, 2014, 08:40:01 AM

Same here, imo tapes rule. As for the sound, that's part of the attraction for me. Nothing better than some 4-track recordings released on a tape.

Jake · February 02, 2014, 11:24:50 AM

A predominance of HISSSSS is an attractive characteristic for you? Or do you just like how the whole thing sounds worse each time you play it?

If you really, really need to identify yourself with some quirky, obsolete media, you could at least pick one that doesn't sound like balls.

http://www.obsoletemedia.org/audio/

AgentofOblivion · February 02, 2014, 11:27:06 AM

I don't know if this would work for everybody, but a couple of the bands around my town that actually seem to sell well have a specific approach. They make very small quantities and have very labor intensive packaging that looks awesome. One of them has released two 7". In once case the package is made of acrylic with their name seemingly laser etched in and the other is made of wood with the info carved into it. It all looks very professional and sleek. If you're going to do a limited run 7" you might as well make it look as supremely badass as possible.

http://jackbuck.bandcamp.com/

Jake · February 02, 2014, 11:36:40 AM

I can picture the conversation now...

"Did you check out Caleb's new (ironic) metal band's merch? They've got PBR branded mustache wax and their new EP on tape. Yeah, their demo was released on answering machine micro cassette tape, but their EP is on Dictabelt. Nothing beats the analog warmth of a good Dictabelt recording."

http://www.obsoletemedia.org/dictabelt/

MichaelZodiac · February 02, 2014, 12:52:45 PM

Quote from: Jake on February 02, 2014, 11:24:50 AM
A predominance of HISSSSS is an attractive characteristic for you? Or do you just like how the whole thing sounds worse each time you play it?

If you really, really need to identify yourself with some quirky, obsolete media, you could at least pick one that doesn't sound like balls.

http://www.obsoletemedia.org/audio/

Whatever dude, difference of opinion I guess.

Ombrenuit · February 03, 2014, 09:15:39 AM

Imo, cassettes are a great medium for one-off weird stuff that wouldn't be released otherwise. If Electric Wizard released a bunch of 4 track demos on cassette as a collector's item I'd probably buy it knowing full well the sound quality would be shit. That's part of the charm. But a proper release? No thanks.

JemDooM · February 03, 2014, 04:20:46 PM

I like the sound of tapes too, it's like comparing the ambience of say the hostel films with an old hammer film...

Lumpy · February 03, 2014, 04:35:47 PM

Quote from: Jake on February 02, 2014, 11:24:50 AM
A predominance of HISSSSS is an attractive characteristic for you? Or do you just like how the whole thing sounds worse each time you play it?

Vinyl is noisy too, and also degrades over time.

I really hope my Entombed cassette tape will last forever.

spookstrickland · February 03, 2014, 07:10:40 PM

8 track tape would get my vote, but cassette is a close second. I used to work in radio and we had some awesome tape machines and you could make a tape recording that sounded really really good. a lot of it has to do with setting the record levels, you want it to hit into the red slightly but you need good quality tape too.

liquidsmoke · February 03, 2014, 09:54:17 PM

I know a few 20 somethings that prefer cassettes to CDs and downloads so I don't see the harm in making a few available. People giving you actual money for your music is a good thing.

Ombrenuit · February 04, 2014, 09:04:27 AM

Quote from: liquidsmoke on February 03, 2014, 09:54:17 PM
I know a few 20 somethings that prefer cassettes to CDs and downloads so I don't see the harm in making a few available. People giving you actual money for your music is a good thing.

What's stopping them from making their own cassettes from digital / CDs?

liquidsmoke · February 04, 2014, 10:42:06 AM

Quote from: Ombrenuit on February 04, 2014, 09:04:27 AM
Quote from: liquidsmoke on February 03, 2014, 09:54:17 PM
I know a few 20 somethings that prefer cassettes to CDs and downloads so I don't see the harm in making a few available. People giving you actual money for your music is a good thing.

What's stopping them from making their own cassettes from digital / CDs?

Nothing, some probably do but they'd rather go home with a cassette from you if they have the money to spend.

bbottom · February 06, 2014, 12:39:36 AM

Quote from: Jake on February 02, 2014, 11:36:40 AM
I can picture the conversation now...

"Did you check out Caleb's new (ironic) metal band's merch? They've got PBR branded mustache wax and their new EP on tape. Yeah, their demo was released on answering machine micro cassette tape, but their EP is on Dictabelt. Nothing beats the analog warmth of a good Dictabelt recording."

http://www.obsoletemedia.org/dictabelt/

ha ha ha

moose23 · February 06, 2014, 06:29:42 AM

I'm enjoying the slagging of tapes here, guess you guys pay no attention to the huge resurgance of tapes in underground metal (and punk) over the last bunch of years. We released our first album on tape and sold out about 180 copies fairly easily. What we sold through bandcamp had a digi download along with it so you have the choice of high quality digital along with the analogue tape. They're also very affordable and next to no time limit on how much music you can get on.

Back to vinyl, 10 dollars is way too much for a 7", 8 dollars would be max I'd charge but I'm sure I've paid more for an established band that I really wanted to have. I wouldn't go near flexis as they always sound shit. Also avoid 33rpm 7"s for heavy music as it'll sound crap too.

If you really need something either tape or cdr and put loads of effort into the artwork. I really like something like a fancy poster along with a cdr.

That's my 2 cents.

Jake · February 06, 2014, 03:39:47 PM

I'm not saying that cassette tapes won't sell -- they do seem to be the du jour scenester medium.

I'm just saying that they sound like dirty buttholes. And I'm only saying that because I've owned like 500,000 over my lifetime.

jibberish · February 06, 2014, 04:05:44 PM

evidently, more than one type of tape has completely stymied you. best advice, dont touch any kind of tape ever again ijs.

bwaaahaaahaa

edit: ps. I heart my "Psychoblaster and the Mis-use of Power" cassette. heh

spookstrickland · February 06, 2014, 06:25:24 PM

Why not do both? tapes and cd's....myself I like tape!

Ombrenuit · February 06, 2014, 06:26:46 PM

Any cassette duplication places you'd recommend?

fallen · February 06, 2014, 10:00:07 PM

Honestly I would preferably buy vinyl but do most of my listening in MP3 on my phone so would gladly buy tape or 8-track or flexi-disc or sheet music as long as it comes with a slip of paper for a digital download.

JemDooM · February 20, 2014, 12:45:31 PM

my record player is so old and knackered it makes tapes sound like the holy grail of high quality compared to vinyl in my home

Lumpy · February 20, 2014, 06:27:48 PM

Quote from: Ombrenuit on February 06, 2014, 06:26:46 PM
Any cassette duplication places you'd recommend?

People seem to like NAC, I haven't used them, but they do a lot of business.

http://nationalaudiocompany.com

mortlock · February 20, 2014, 07:15:21 PM

i too have heard that, but i havent used them either..

Lumpy · February 20, 2014, 09:46:22 PM

Remember when Steve Albini was complaining about how CDs sound like shit, compared to vinyl... because the analog waveform is a smooth slope when you magnify it, but a digital waveform looks like stairsteps. But nobody seems to talk about that any more. Maybe because your ears can't hear those artifacts. Anyway, high fidelity isn't one of the hallmarks of heavy rock. And there are lots of steps along the way where your sound quality will take a hit, from crummy amps, bad microphones, lousy recording interfaces, bad mixing, bad mastering, substandard pressing/dubs, and in the end somebody listens to your record on their 1 inch computer speakers, or with bookshelf speakers from KMart. Fidelity almost doesn't matter at all. Some of my favorite records sound like shit (Hell Awaits, anything on SST, etc). For some music, bad fidelity is considered a feature, not a bug (trebly black metal, blown out bass for hip-hop). Don't worry about it, get your music out on whatever format you can afford.