Releasing vinyl ?? And digital download sites like beatport

[BenJonesLikeWhoa]

I wasn't sure where to post this or frankly how to find an answer to my question.
I guess it's a general sort of question.

I am learning the fine art of djing atm. But to be honest I'm very confused when it comes to vinyl releases. As well as ep's and sites like beatport and iTunes. First of all I've never bought or owned a vinyl recording. I've always been a rapper and made all my own beats. Just recently I've gotten into the 'rave electronic' scene purely for the fact that I love dubstep and in the states that's really the only place to see/hear it live. I would like to do live djing and mixing. I am pretty good at it so far and am making my own tracks. I'm working very tirelessly on them in fact so I can play them in my sets.

I want to know how one goes about releasing something on vinyl and why. With all the digital djing setups that I see in the clubs and bars , vinyl releases seem unnecessary. I personally find no use for them.

Also how does one go about putting music on a download site such as the iTunes and beatports. Do you have to be on a label or is there some form or music registration to go through.

Any insite into this dark hazey area of my understanding would be helpful. Is there some form or article or blog that explains the proper way to release a track after it's been mixed and mastered or do you just toss it on YouTube and spam it? That seems wholly unprofessional. I'd certainly like to have my stuff available on my page and other sites but I would also prefer that it be available through a reputable source.

Obviously I'd have to build a fan base first, but I'm very curious as to how independent releases work on vinyl, online, and so on.

Thanks!!!!

[Teknicyde]

Also how does one go about putting music on a download site such as the iTunes and beatports. Do you have to be on a label or is there some form or music registration to go through.

1. Vinyl = label pays for a run of them, sends them to confirmed retailers which sell them, label collects money, pays artists their share. Its worth it for the honor of it, and because digital is a joke.

2. Digital - yes you can just sell your stuff on itunes, doesnt mean anyone will by it, and noone will take you serious for a self release. beatport has strict standards, and only works with labels.

[triggy]

With all the digital djing setups that I see in the clubs and bars , vinyl releases seem unnecessary. I personally find no use for them.

CDj's are horrible compared to turntables and piss easy to learn, always respect the vinyl DJ's more, Obv you can get good DJ's who use CDj's but its just a play button really, You'll be considered a DJ if you use turntables.
No offence to any CDj's out there

Beatport is a bit fussy with who's with them and even then there pretty crappy at sorting everything out, itunes is easy to get onto but you'd need to market it properly, really not as easy as it sounds.

Edit* Bandcamp would be your best best for self releases.

[etidorhpa]

Beatport is a bit fussy with who's with them

This is a myth, have you looked at Beatport lately?

[Teknicyde]

Beatport is a bit fussy with who's with them

This is a myth, have you looked at Beatport lately?

Go look at a well established distributor/aggregator, they will typically have 30-50 different retailers on their list, all of which individually would come with sales fees, initial registration forms as well as individual track upload forms, individual pay statements at individual rates, ect.

Do you want to deal with all that on your own over a few dubs no one else had the confidence to invest in? Do you suppose youll even break even after the retailers charge you their initial placement fees?

Nope. No one wants to deal with that. Id rather just sign a contract and send off a few wav's, let someone keep a percentage and sit back and let it do its own work.

This is why artists need a label, and why labels need distributors. No one will take a release seriously if its only partially distributed, if its not well promoted, if it doesnt have thorough, established support, ect. And chances are, if your music is good enough to be commercially viable, labels will approach you after a bit of networking.

[etidorhpa]

retailers charge you their initial placement fees?

Myth Part 2.

[prisoner]

CDj's are horrible compared to turntables and piss easy to learn, always respect the vinyl DJ's more, Obv you can get good DJ's who use CDj's but its just a play button really, You'll be considered a DJ if you use turntables.
No offence to any CDj's out there

this is such bullshit.

[baddis98]

CDj's are horrible compared to turntables and piss easy to learn, always respect the vinyl DJ's more, Obv you can get good DJ's who use CDj's but its just a play button really, You'll be considered a DJ if you use turntables.
No offence to any CDj's out there

this is such bullshit.

indeed

[triggy]

CDj's are horrible compared to turntables and piss easy to learn, always respect the vinyl DJ's more, Obv you can get good DJ's who use CDj's but its just a play button really, You'll be considered a DJ if you use turntables.
No offence to any CDj's out there

this is such bullshit.

indeed

Im afraid its not, Im a new DJ, I've had CDj's for about a year but never really used them because Ive always wanted to do vinyl,
practicing vinyl for a couple of months and am still doing very basic mixes,
thought i'd have a go and see what my CDj's are like...And its so easy, you can get it in time in literally 2 seconds, press play and your good to go,
I'd be able to play live with CD's
But I refuse,

and like I said, you can get serious DJ's that use Cd's, you think Im calling youngsta, distance etc crap? There not, they put effort into there mixes, I'm talking mostly about the DJ's that pick up CD's gig quickly, but there not doing good sets, fade in, fade out, play, boring mixes,

You can see where Im coming from yes?

[arktrix45hz]

CDj's are horrible compared to turntables and piss easy to learn, always respect the vinyl DJ's more, Obv you can get good DJ's who use CDj's but its just a play button really, You'll be considered a DJ if you use turntables.
No offence to any CDj's out there

this is such bullshit.

indeed

Im afraid its not, Im a new DJ, I've had CDj's for about a year but never really used them because Ive always wanted to do vinyl,
practicing vinyl for a couple of months and am still doing very basic mixes,
thought i'd have a go and see what my CDj's are like...And its so easy, you can get it in time in literally 2 seconds, press play and your good to go,
I'd be able to play live with CD's
But I refuse,

and like I said, you can get serious DJ's that use Cd's, you think Im calling youngsta, distance etc crap? There not, they put effort into there mixes, I'm talking mostly about the DJ's that pick up CD's gig quickly, but there not doing good sets, fade in, fade out, play, boring mixes,

You can see where Im coming from yes?

Everyone has to start somewhere.

[baddis98]

CDj's are horrible compared to turntables and piss easy to learn, always respect the vinyl DJ's more, Obv you can get good DJ's who use CDj's but its just a play button really, You'll be considered a DJ if you use turntables.
No offence to any CDj's out there

this is such bullshit.

indeed

Im afraid its not, Im a new DJ, I've had CDj's for about a year but never really used them because Ive always wanted to do vinyl,
practicing vinyl for a couple of months and am still doing very basic mixes,
thought i'd have a go and see what my CDj's are like...And its so easy, you can get it in time in literally 2 seconds, press play and your good to go,
I'd be able to play live with CD's
But I refuse,

and like I said, you can get serious DJ's that use Cd's, you think Im calling youngsta, distance etc crap? There not, they put effort into there mixes, I'm talking mostly about the DJ's that pick up CD's gig quickly, but there not doing good sets, fade in, fade out, play, boring mixes,

You can see where Im coming from yes?

the only main advantage of cdjs is that you have cue points, which allows you to return to the first beat by a push on a button. everything else (pitching, pitch bending) is technically the same process like on turntables; you need a good ear and a good feeling for your hardware. One could also say that dubstep is piss easy to mix, as 99% of the tunes are in a speed range of about 5 bpm or something like that. but as you already said, there's more to mixing than just synchronising two tunes and using the cross fader and i dont think a turntable helps you there.

[Riddles]

CDj's are horrible compared to turntables and piss easy to learn, always respect the vinyl DJ's more, Obv you can get good DJ's who use CDj's but its just a play button really, You'll be considered a DJ if you use turntables.
No offence to any CDj's out there

this is such bullshit.

indeed

Im afraid its not, Im a new DJ, I've had CDj's for about a year but never really used them because Ive always wanted to do vinyl,
practicing vinyl for a couple of months and am still doing very basic mixes,
thought i'd have a go and see what my CDj's are like...And its so easy, you can get it in time in literally 2 seconds, press play and your good to go,
I'd be able to play live with CD's
But I refuse,

and like I said, you can get serious DJ's that use Cd's, you think Im calling youngsta, distance etc crap? There not, they put effort into there mixes, I'm talking mostly about the DJ's that pick up CD's gig quickly, but there not doing good sets, fade in, fade out, play, boring mixes,

You can see where Im coming from yes?

the only main advantage of cdjs is that you have cue points, which allows you to return to the first beat by a push on a button. everything else (pitching, pitch bending) is technically the same process like on turntables; you need a good ear and a good feeling for your hardware. One could also say that dubstep is piss easy to mix, as 99% of the tunes are in a speed range of about 5 bpm or something like that. but as you already said, there's more to mixing than just synchronising two tunes and using the cross fader and i dont think a turntable helps you there.

This, I have 2 turntables and 2 cdjs, both require understanding of the hardware to use but its how you mix that makes it a good mix, not whether you use vinyl or cds.

[triggy]

its how you mix that makes it a good mix, not whether you use vinyl or cds.

This, Alot of people learn the basic's, then go out and DJ, thats what Im trying to get across, and that its easier to fuck up on turntables, hence there a bit harder and take more practice, Im not against CD Decks, all for them, hence why I have a pair =]

EDIT* this is getting off point, no point in another CD v Turntable thread as it wont work as Im all for both,

vinyl releases seem unnecessary. I personally find no use for them.

It is necessary
As previously stated in the forum, its down to preferences, there's still plently of DJ;s who only want to play vinyl

[Widowmaker]

Why would u want to go see someone fuck up on turntables and play a shite set when they can just mix on cdjs and its better and more enjoyable..?

literally can't believe people are still going on about this, if the sound quality wasnt equal to vinyl then i dont think youngsta would fucking be using them now would he, quit whining.

[Widowmaker]

oh and vinyl releases are incredibly neccissary, i dont mix vinyl and i think they are incredibly important within the scene.

[Teknicyde]

retailers charge you their initial placement fees?

Myth Part 2.

no its not, stop basing your info on Juno and beatport - they are jokes.

[Sheff]

op are you getting confused with djing and producing?

[Teknicyde]

its how you mix that makes it a good mix, not whether you use vinyl or cds.

This, Alot of people learn the basic's, then go out and DJ, thats what Im trying to get across, and that its easier to fuck up on turntables, hence there a bit harder and take more practice, Im not against CD Decks, all for them, hence why I have a pair =]

EDIT* this is getting off point, no point in another CD v Turntable thread as it wont work as Im all for both,

vinyl releases seem unnecessary. I personally find no use for them.

It is necessary
As previously stated in the forum, its down to preferences, there's still plently of DJ;s who only want to play vinyl

Everyone stop picking on triggy. Been there supporting my mixtapes since day 1, and its never been judgements when I use my CDJs.

He's not arguing cdjs cant be an amazingly vital and respectable part of a DJs setup, just that they are a bit easier to learn on, which is true, they dont have platter tremble and vinyl does. And kids do use that as an esy-button so to speak...

He's not taking away from those of us whove poured sweat over a mixer for years learning this shit. Just the kids who jump up there and stare at the beat counters.

Each has advantages and disadvantages, all I gathered hes been saying.

Can of worms trigg!!!

[baddis98]

picking on triggy? argueing about sound quality? guess i missed something then...

[mr_wobble]

[quote="triggy]

hmm just wondering what kind of cdj's you got?

i've recently bought Traktor pro scratch 1 but have had so much head ache installing it so its all now disconnected and back in the box..
i be keen to do a straight swap if your keen i also preferr turntable reason i bought it but dislike new age technology installing this shit is a c**t,

its only 2 weeks old never used but looking to put on ebay soon tho..

if your keen to sawp please let me know..

at the moment am just going to keep my turntables for old vinyl collection and hopefully cdj's for newer stuff.