http://www.jammiethomas.org/music-label/how-do-you-start-your-own-music-label Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:25:59 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.jammiethomas.org/music-label/how-do-you-start-your-own-music-label/comment-page-1#comment-2562 █▓▒░me░▒▓█ Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:16:59 +0000 http://www.jammiethomas.org/music-label/how-do-you-start-your-own-music-label#comment-2562 OK it's been a half an hour and nobody's answered your question so I will give you my advise and "wisdom". What you mostly need is money. That's essentially what you'll be, money. Band or artists need some one to foot the bill to have music recorded, pressed and possibly promoted and distributed. Having resources like recording equipment would help but it's not essential. Granted you can call yourself a record label if you have recording equipment, a bunch of blank CD-Rs and just stick your name and/or logo on the back of a CD but most bands aren't gonna need someone else to do that for them. Now if you're going to just start releasing your own music¹ and you've got this stuff you're all set. Though that's more self-releasing than a record label, though you could expand into one.² To be an actual label you need to have funds to have CDs or vinyl or even cassette tapes (as some bands still do) recorded and pressed. Your best bet is to get into music some other way (start a zine, book shows in your area) and gradually easy your way into it. A lot of minor labels started as zines³ and began to include 7" records with there magazines and gradually they shifted to record labels. Either way start small. Find a band (if you don't already know one), either borrow some money or earn it somehow, record a two or three song 7", they sell it you recoup expenses maybe earn some more money and you put that towards your next project. This seems kinda scattered to me but I think I got it all down. Good luck.<br><b>References : </b><br>¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_MacKaye ²See: ¹ ³http://www.noidearecords.com/ OK it’s been a half an hour and nobody’s answered your question so I will give you my advise and "wisdom". What you mostly need is money. That’s essentially what you’ll be, money. Band or artists need some one to foot the bill to have music recorded, pressed and possibly promoted and distributed. Having resources like recording equipment would help but it’s not essential.
Granted you can call yourself a record label if you have recording equipment, a bunch of blank CD-Rs and just stick your name and/or logo on the back of a CD but most bands aren’t gonna need someone else to do that for them. Now if you’re going to just start releasing your own music¹ and you’ve got this stuff you’re all set. Though that’s more self-releasing than a record label, though you could expand into one.²
To be an actual label you need to have funds to have CDs or vinyl or even cassette tapes (as some bands still do) recorded and pressed. Your best bet is to get into music some other way (start a zine, book shows in your area) and gradually easy your way into it. A lot of minor labels started as zines³ and began to include 7" records with there magazines and gradually they shifted to record labels.
Either way start small. Find a band (if you don’t already know one), either borrow some money or earn it somehow, record a two or three song 7", they sell it you recoup expenses maybe earn some more money and you put that towards your next project.
This seems kinda scattered to me but I think I got it all down. Good luck.
References :
¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_MacKaye
²See: ¹
³http://www.noidearecords.com/

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