Plugola Inc.

Vinyl Packaging & Design Inspiration

Filed under design, packaging

I realize it’s not always easy to think outside the box when it comes to vinyl records and their packaging. I mean, they’re round and they come in a sleeve or jacket. How else can they be more customized other than in record size, shape and color?

As you may already be aware, part of the Hifidelics experience is in artists releasing very limited edition records in their own packaging concept. While artists DO have the option of releasing black vinyl in your standard cardboard sleeve, we strongly encourage they push their creativity and release something grand; a limited record that everyone must get their hands on. Admittedly, there are not a lot of examples out there to get the creative juices flowing if you don’t already have a concept in mind. So I collected a few of the interesting recent vinyl releases I have run across in the last couple weeks for some inspiration.

Someone on Twitter was showing off some of his vinyl gems and this photo caught my eye. It’s a limited edition 12″ ep with grooves on only one side and a stenciled image on the other, from Chicago Thrash Ensemble. It comes complete with a nice, clear jacket and a baseball card collection of the band members. Apparently, there were only (100) copies pressed. Please keep in mind, on Hifidelics it’s not just about  the record, but the full presentation. If you have other artwork that goes with the record that is just fine.

I just stumbled across this video today. It’s a handmade booklet of records from old Reader’s Digest books, from PIAPTK Records. Pages include band artwork, while other pages contain a 5″ vinyl record in a pocket. Labor intensive, yes; but it’s very cool and it’s something that will never be reproduced.

Last, but certainly not least, is a 2011 double-vinyl release from Explosions in the Sky. You really have to see all the angle views of this, because it’s pretty darn incredible! I’ve never seen anything like this release, but I know you can beat it; or at the very least, match it’s cool factor.

Hopefully these examples spark some ideas to start putting your plans into action. I’m getting anxious! I want to get some records out by you guys! :) If you have any questions or need to discuss some things about your release, please feel free to contact me: hifidelics@gmail.com

UPDATE: If you’re still looking for more inspiration, our sister project; Flexi of the Month posted a video of another clever release concept – a booklet of flexi disc records.

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[This is a mirror post from the Hifidelics Blog]

Market Your Music on SoundCloud

Filed under marketing, technology

The last several of months I’ve spending a lot of time on SoundCloud and besides discovering a bunch of very cool up-and-coming artists I’ve been learning a lot about how artists market themselves and their music. I can honestly say that I have not been to every single artists’ Soundcloud page – I probably haven’t even put a dent into the amount of band pages up there – but I have been to a lot of them. I’m writing this assuming you already have at least a basic/free Soundcloud page, or you’re thinking about setting one up. I’m going to give you basic steps to start attracting new fans almost right away.

I’ve noticed that a lot of artists seem to think that uploading their songs to Soundcloud, or any social network for that matter, will be enough for music fans to find them. The phrase, “build it and they will come” is only half true. First, you have to show them the way. There are a lot of artists out there and if there isn’t a clear path to your music (and/or website), it will likely get lost in the giant sea of bands. Targeting a specific niche of music fans is exactly where you should begin. This is no easy feat on Facebook or Twitter, but on Soundcloud it’s all about discovering new music and getting feedback. So they have the tools necessary to allow the right people to find you.

Complete Your Profile

First and foremost, be sure your biography and links are added to your page before you start promoting yourself. I can’t tell you how many times I have come across some really great music only to discover there is no real band name present (just a person’s name) or it isn’t clear who the artist is, and there are no links to their website/social sites. That is pretty much the end of the road. I have no idea where to go from there. If I really enjoy the music I will try a quick search in Google or Facebook. It’s even more frustrating to learn that they are elsewhere on the web, because it would have just been so much easier if they would have linked to these destinations in the first place. I wouldn’t count on fans going to that length to seek you out. For the best results, you want to take as much work out of it for fans, as possible. Just click on “settings” and then “advanced profile” and you can add your bio and site link(s).

Advanced Profile

Add Your Meta Data

Each track you upload has it’s own page and it’s own control panel. By adding all the correct meta data you can really increase traffic to your music and ultimately to your website and/or the links you just added. This will help your search engine visibility, as well as, search within the site.

• Description – Do not stuff this area with keywords. You will want take this opportunity to really talk/tell about your songs.
• Image – Be sure to add an image for EACH track. Good images always attracts eyeballs. It will also increase listens and when/if someone shares your song on Facebook, it will look pretty so people don’t just scroll right by it.
• Type/Genre – This step is pretty self-explanatory. I was going to say to add the correct genre, but some of the made-up genres is what peaks my interest to begin with.
• Tags – A lot of sites use tags to categorize content these days, but I get the feeling that a lot of people don’t quite understand how they work. This results in good content being in the wrong place & the people you’re aiming for will more than likely never find it. Think of tags as keywords or categories. On SoundCloud, most people add additional, or more targeted genres as their tags. This is the correct way. Take a look at their tag cloud and click around a bit. You can get an idea of how the tags work or which tags are popular.
• Select License – Again, this is self-explanatory and easy to do.
• Show More Options – Clicking here you can add label info and/or links to your digital store or videos.

Track Info & Meta Data

You have your profile set-up, your tracks uploaded and all your meta data added. So, now what? Now the fun can begin! It may take a little time to get things going, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Start Following Other Artists

You don’t want to just start following bands/people blindly. You will want to target your specific niche or genre of bands and fans. Unless you already know where other similar artists are on the site, the best way to do this is just to type in your music style into the search or use the tags function. In my opinion, it can’t hurt to go the extra mile and listen to a few tracks of each artist before following them. Not only is it polite to your musical peers, but this is also so you know who you’re lining yourself up with and hopefully developing some sort of relationship. Leaving good comments on their tracks (do not spam your stuff here) will expedite communication with fellow musicians and a lot of times their fans will visit your profile, and listen to your tracks, as well. Every time I leave a comment on someone’s track I notice an influx of visitors and new followers, and I’m on there just as a fan/listener. Be sure not to abuse this, though.

Join Relevant Groups

While you’re on other artists’ profiles, take a look at some of the groups they belong to and join the groups where your music fits. It’s free and there are no annoyances (spam, emails, etc.) after joining. This is where the real listens from relevant music fans will begin.

You should see a “share a track” button next to the “join group” button. From there, click on “select an already uploaded track” under “Choose File”. Voila! You have just added one of your songs to the group. All the fans of that group will have the opportunity to check out your music. If you repeat this several times every week, you should develop a nice flow of organic listens and hopefully new fans/followers.

Some Observations on ‘Groups’

• A lot of music bloggers search and find new music here.
• Some ‘Groups’ require that your music be approved first.
• It appears you can submit the same tracks to the same Groups, but you should wait a period of time before doing that.
• Try not to submit all your tracks to the same group at the same time.  I would recommend no more than one (1) track a day per Group, depending on the size and popularity of that group. This way it will provide a steady flow of new listeners, rather than just one quick burst.

Additional Comments

By now, I’m sure you have heard a million times about how important communication is these days for artists. To assist in building your fans base, it’s important that you respond to all comments and/or questions. I’ve seen a few artists go as far as asking people who left comments to share the track on Facebook or with their friends. I’m not sure how effective that is, but if an artist I liked asked me I would probably do it just to help out. If you become popular within the Soundcloud community responding could end up being a full time job. So you will have to use your judgement on what works best for you.

I’m not trying to upsell you to premium memberships, or anything, but it’s something you may want to seriously consider. The free/basic membership doesn’t have all the metrics and customization capabilities that you may need. If my steps work well for you, taking it to the next level may require you getting more information on who is listening to your music and who is promoting it.

This will help you start to building a relevant following and attract new ears to your music. If your music is good, it will get the attention it deserves. You just have to show the right people the right path to find it.

If you have any tips you would like to share, please feel free to leave them in the comments. We always like to hear what is working for others!

UPDATE: I just got word that Soundcloud has added their own tutorials for getting the most out of their service. You can view it at Soundcloud 101

How NOT to Treat Your Fans

Filed under customer service, musicians

You may have already come across this little tidbit, as I’m a bit late posting it. A couple months ago I came across an indie band on Facebook by way of another band I was checking out. Their music wasn’t/isn’t great, but they were doing something a little different. Being a fan of obscure bands & musicians I began following them on Facebook. I’ve been playing on SoundCloud a lot lately & began following the band there, too. This past Saturday they posted a video from a live show they played in Chicago. I made an innocent comment about how I wished I knew this band was playing locally & was met w/ an attempt at belittlement by the band.

What a dick, right? Keep in mind that this is some band no one has ever heard of besides maybe a few of their friends and perhaps a couple outsiders in their own town. You would think any artist, let alone one whom no one has heard of, would be happy to have fans interested enough in them to catch them live. Especially with status updates like, “WE REALLY SHOULD BE SIGNED” and “We sound awesome”. Not this band. Their brilliance is above us peasants who support them…or USED to support them.

I wanted to show artists this as a lesson. There’s no quicker way to drive away your fans than talking down to them or taking them for granted. And without any fans playing music is pretty much just a hobby. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a big shot within the music industry, but this band doesn’t know who I am. I could have been their break, or at least pointed them in the right direction. This reminds me of this quick video by country artist, Big Kenny:

I’ve been on the other side, too. In the early ’90s I played in a touring band. We were playing a venue in Omaha called, The Capitol (I think), when a young guy approached my band to introduce himself & tell us about his band. I don’t recall being rude to him, but we blew off the brief conversation as just some local musician that was a ‘nobody’.  Well, that was a huge mistake. We learned a big lesson in humility. They treated us very well in Omaha and our heads were too swollen to realize the opportunity we just ignored. That musician who approached us was in some little, unknown band called, 311. So, yes, it’s true. You never know where the next great opportunity will come from.

As for the band on Facebook, they will never get anywhere with that attitude. Their arrogance tells me that they are only playing for themselves anyway. And even worse than that, I noticed one of their logos is a blatant rip-off of Steve Albini’s first band, Big Black‘s first album, Lungs. They even use Steve Albini’s face in their logo! This is also a BIG no-no. Don’t copy someone else’s image. Especially so blatantly.

What Are Our Options?

Filed under design

I was speaking with an artist the other day and he was very interested in using Hifidelics, but he didn’t feel that he, nor his fans, would be ready for a full-length LP. He went on to ask if it was okay if he were to release a split 7″ with another artist. Yes, you absolutely can do this!

When we first announced that Hifidelics was open for beta, I purposely didn’t mention record sizes, colors, shapes, etc. because I didn’t want to plant anything in anyone’s mind. Now I’m realizing that may have been a mistake if artists are thinking we require your record to be an LP only. That is definitely not the case. To end the mystery, below I have posted a bunch of options. Of course, traditional colors/sizes is also acceptable.

Record sizes: You can go as small as 5″ and as big as 13″.
Record colors: Record can more-or-less be any color you would like. Custom colors are doable, but can be tricky.
Vinyl designs: Here I mean the design within the vinyl; two-tone colors, splatter design, etching, etc.
Record shapes: Again, just about any shape you would like, however shapes cannot be too intricate.

If you (or you label) would like to start-off with a single, just to test the waters, that’s perfectly acceptable. If you would like to do a split record, or even a compilation, that’s fine too. Hifidelics is set-up for its members as ‘profiles’ and ‘projects’. Whether you are an artist or a music fan, all profiles are the same. From your own profile you can start a ‘project’ and easily add other members to the project/record release.

If you are an artist and considering taking the plunge into Hifidelics, please get in touch with me before you begin your project. We can discuss your plans and I will help you get set-up. In the meantime, if you would like to know how to prepare, please see this post, “How to Prepare for Hifidelics“.

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[This is a mirror post from the Hifidelics Blog]

Sharing The Creative Process

Filed under marketing, technology

Hifidelics isn’t just about releasing cool records. From the day of it’s first conception we have strived to develop an experience between artists and music fans, as well. Music consumption isn’t just about products anymore, but increasingly about relationships and personal experience. Artists on Hifidelics are strongly encouraged to keep their project ‘Journal’ regularly updated with a behind-the-scenes style content; showing the creative process or even just day-to-day operations of the band.

I was actually scouring the web for a particular video when I came across this one. The video clocks in at just under six minutes and it shows how they silk-screened (1000) album covers for an upcoming release. I found it a great example of how artists could document some great behind-the-scenes footage. Perhaps the video is a bit more professional than what some artists are able to produce, but it’s just an idea I thought I would share with you.

[This is a mirror post from the Hifidelics Blog.]