Help with signing to a label?

JakkP

Member
My band and I have recently recorded a new EP and were considering sending it to labels.
My question is should we send it to labels? It was recorded in a professional studio so both the production and playing are perfect on it. Its very heavy blackened death metal. Weve heard that sending your demo to a label limits your say in the deal, so is it really worth it? Sending it in means the label actually hears it, whereas you could be waiting years for anyone in any label to hear it by chance. I know some bands get picked up by labels but the chances of that happening are very small. So is it a good idea to send your demo to the label, instead of waiting for them to just come across it online, or seeing the band play?
 
My band and I have recently recorded a new EP and were considering sending it to labels.
My question is should we send it to labels? It was recorded in a professional studio so both the production and playing are perfect on it. Its very heavy blackened death metal. Weve heard that sending your demo to a label limits your say in the deal, so is it really worth it? Sending it in means the label actually hears it, whereas you could be waiting years for anyone in any label to hear it by chance. I know some bands get picked up by labels but the chances of that happening are very small. So is it a good idea to send your demo to the label, instead of waiting for them to just come across it online, or seeing the band play?

I say you should skip the "labels" process and send the EP out for mastering (which will tweak the EQ and overall volume so that the songs sound good on a variety of sound systems, from a mono iPhone speaker to a car stereo to a regular stereo), and then upload it to Bandcamp or CDBaby. Don't waste time shopping your songs around to labels, start selling them now and if people like them and you get a following then the labels will come to you. CDBaby / Tunecore can push the songs out to iTunes, Amazon, etc.. with full Soundscan reporting so your friends can buy the EP and you get 70% of the money instead of pennies on the dollar like with a label. If you can stand behind your recordings as being polished representations of your songs, then go for it!
 
I say you should skip the "labels" process and send the EP out for mastering (which will tweak the EQ and overall volume so that the songs sound good on a variety of sound systems, from a mono iPhone speaker to a car stereo to a regular stereo), and then upload it to Bandcamp or CDBaby. Don't waste time shopping your songs around to labels, start selling them now and if people like them and you get a following then the labels will come to you. CDBaby / Tunecore can push the songs out to iTunes, Amazon, etc.. with full Soundscan reporting so your friends can buy the EP and you get 70% of the money instead of pennies on the dollar like with a label. If you can stand behind your recordings as being polished representations of your songs, then go for it!

Thanks for the reply! The CD is completely mixed and mastered. Were just waiting on artwork and duplication at the minute. We just want to know is it worth sending labels the EP as apposed to waiting to be noticed. Like i said before, weve heard sending the label your demo limits your say in the deal, yet if you wait to be noticed that might never happen in the first place! Its a vicious circle at best!
 
The best way to get noticed is thru networking. Do whatever it takes. Take the record to a radio station and see if they will play it. Take it to a gig and see if they will play it during a break. Again, whatever it takes. If they don't know about you that can't say yes.
 
Saw a drum clinic recently featuring a Mr Derek Roddy who had a lot to say on this subject- namely that he would NEVER go back to being signed to a label and that there's nothing the label can do that your band can't do themselves with some cash and the internet.
You're halfway there already with a professionally mixed EP- just get it out there through social media.
 
With all due respect, the genre isn't going to appeal to the majors given the state of the industry these days, and if you find an indie label who'll distribute the album, they're going to grab most of the money anyway.

You're really better off marketing it yourself. You'll probably sell less, but you'll definitely make more per track/album. And, you keep all of the publishing (on your own songs) as well as own the masters.

Bermuda
 
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