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<channel>
	<title>Let Me See Your Package&#187; CD Manufacturing</title>
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	<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog</link>
	<description>We love music packaging and distribution!</description>
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		<title>If you’re not focusing on CD packaging, then you’re F)*&amp;^ed!</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/youre-focusing-cd-packaging-youre-fed/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/youre-focusing-cd-packaging-youre-fed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:45:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>James Hill</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CD Packaging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[musician tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=10672</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/youre-focusing-cd-packaging-youre-fed/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/166419_177028369004811_100000929466454_395588_2746404_n.jpg" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="here" title="custom CD packaging- Unified Manufacturing" /></a>Humans are like magpies. We like pretty things. If your CD packaging stands out, there’s a change we would want to pick it up and maybe even buy it. Don’t roll your eyes now. I know 2008, 2009- in fact a lot of 2000-sucked for a lot of us. The industry has changed. Digital downloads [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/166419_177028369004811_100000929466454_395588_2746404_n.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10680" title="custom CD packaging- Unified Manufacturing" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/166419_177028369004811_100000929466454_395588_2746404_n.jpg" alt="here's a sample work of LA-based CD/DVD manufacturing company Unified Manufacturing" width="395" height="305" /></a></p>
<p>Humans are like magpies. We like pretty things. If your CD packaging stands out, there’s a change we would want to pick it up and maybe even buy it. Don’t roll your eyes now. I know 2008, 2009- in fact a lot of 2000-sucked for a lot of us. The industry has changed. Digital downloads are 50% of revenue for major artists. And another thing: people are broke. So simply releasing an album in a CD takes courage.</p>
<p>I know what&#8217;s on your mind. Why would people pay for music when they can get it for free? And why, pray tell, should musicians invest in a creative (expensive!) CD packaging when they’re not even sure they’d sell half of their CDs?</p>
<p>But hey, did you read the <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/2011-music-sales-report-nielsen-billboard/">latest in music sales report</a>? In 2011, according to Nielsen, overall physical album sales declines 5%, BUT this is significantly less that the 19% decline in 2010. Yes folks, contrary to popular belief, CD sales is going up. It never left despite digital downloads and by the looks of it, it is here to stay.</p>
<p>Even though the major music industry has for sure taken a back seat in the previous decade, the plus side is that people still love music. People still go to music shows, live music is still a great place to increase your fan base, and they still buy CDs if they’re really good (worth their dollars). CD packaging/ CD duplication saw a 62% increase in 2011, according to Sony Manufacturing.</p>
<p>If you’re not focusing on CD packaging, then you’re F)*&amp;^ed.</p>
<p>This one is truer that true. People are getting picky. They want fun stuff, cool stuff, whimsical stuff. If they can’t find that in your CD packaging, then they might as well just get the music online. People are broke and they want value for money more than ever. So if you’re really scared that people won’t buy your CD, the best solution is this: Market your CD by having a really impressive CD packaging.</p>
<p><strong>You got to do more for the common folk nowadays</strong>, my friends. This is why you see major labels put out CD box sets more than ever. Custom CD packaging, creative 4 panel digipacks, 8 Panel digipacks…Heck, we are being asked to do &amp;^% I didn’t even think was possible till recently. Give people value for money. If that means increasing your effort on your CD package or by throwing in extra merch, go do it.</p>
<p>WHY? Because you go to do that little bit of extra to convince them to buy the CD.</p>
<p>Another advantage of a kick-ass CD package is that <strong>record labels and potential investors are going to take note if it looks like you give a shit</strong> and you spent time coming up with a decent CD package. If you’re sending stuff out to get airplay on radio stations, station managers, program directors are going to notice if your CD package is decent. If it’s anything below exceptional, it’s going in the trash.</p>
<p><strong>If you worry about money</strong>, do less units. Yes, you hear me. Do less. Less but more. Instead of doing 3000, do 500 or 300 but make them awesome. Put the extra cash into marketing the best CD package you can.</p>
<p>You’re an artist. It’s your job to be creative. Your CD package should be an extension of your music. Dude, you’re about to cross the finishing line, don’t drop out now.</p>
<p>__________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) &#8211; Then <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/get-detail-quote/">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>

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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Kick-Ass Collectors Edition Packaging of Kick-Ass Video Games!</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/kick-ass-collectors-packaging-of-kick-ass-video-games/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/kick-ass-collectors-packaging-of-kick-ass-video-games/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:17:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bauer</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CD Packaging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DVD Packaging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=10228</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/kick-ass-collectors-packaging-of-kick-ass-video-games/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2992137992_b7387f1166.jpg" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="" title="Fallout Collectors Packaging" /></a>I&#8217;m no gamer- in fact I do hate games because I believe they promote laziness and violence. Yes, I&#8217;m unpleasant like that. But I do love collector&#8217;s edition packaging! So much that it made me forget my hatred for video games. If you&#8217;re looking for a perfect gift for a gamer in your life or [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>I&#8217;m no gamer- in fact I do hate games because I believe they promote laziness and violence. Yes, I&#8217;m unpleasant like that. But I do love collector&#8217;s edition packaging! So much that it made me forget my hatred for video games. If you&#8217;re looking for a perfect gift for a gamer in your life or if you&#8217;re simply looking for CD/DVD packaging inspiration, then this is for you. Here are some of the most creative packaging and collector&#8217;s items for video games.</p>
<p><strong>Fall Out 3</strong></p>
<p>I&#8217;m not a gamer but I fell in love with Fall-out 3&#8242;s goodies! The set comes with the iconic bobblehead and a functional lunch box. Too cool!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2992137992_b7387f1166.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10240" title="Fallout Collectors Packaging" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2992137992_b7387f1166.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>___________________________________________________________</strong></p>
<p><strong>Shogun Total War 2</strong></p>
<p>Definitely the best gift to give a video gamer who&#8217;s a chess addict as well. Spell N-E-R-D. The Shogun Total War 2 Collector’s Edition has been announced, and it includes a complete chess set, artbook, &#8220;Art of War&#8221; Bamboo box replica, and a Takeda Shingen Daimyo figurine.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Shogun-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10230" title="Shogun 2" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Shogun-2.jpg" alt="" width="540" height="271" /></a></p>
<p>_______________________________________________________________________________<br />
<strong>Batman: Arkham City</strong></p>
<p>Warner Brothers Interactive  Collector’s Edition of Batman: Arkham City. This $99 set includes custom Batman statue,art book, early access to the Iceberg Lounge Challenge Map and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns skin, Batman: Arkham City album, Batman: Gotham Knight Four collectible cards. I just love the black and white and red combo. Makes the whole set a work of art.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Arkham-City-Collectors-Edition.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10231" title="Arkham-City-Collectors-Edition" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Arkham-City-Collectors-Edition.jpg" alt="" width="540" height="327" /></a><br />
_________________________________________________________________________________<br />
<strong>Rage</strong></p>
<p>The Special Edition of RAGE contains an individually numbered A3 Rage Print, Rage Wing stick, Gang Badges, and Anarchy Edition.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Rage1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10234" title="Rage Collectors Edition" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Rage1.jpg" alt="" width="540" height="274" /></a><br />
___________________________________________________________________________________<br />
<strong>Uncharted 3: Drake&#8217;s Deception<br />
</strong><br />
This set comes in &#8220;Travelling Chest&#8221; which contains the kick-ass 8.5&#8243; Nathan Drake Statue, Wearable replica of Nathan Drake&#8217;s belt buckle, Wearable replica of Nathan Drake&#8217;s ring with necklace strap, Exclusive Steelbook™ game case. Kudos for the wearable concept. Perfect gift for hard-to-please men (or boys). If he finds the game lame, at least he still has the Nathan Drake statue. If after 2 minutes he gets tired of it, well&#8230;at least he has functional items like the buckle and necklace.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/uncharted-3-collector-edition.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10235" title="uncharted-3-collector-edition" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/uncharted-3-collector-edition.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="432" /></a><br />
_______________________________________________________________________________________<br />
<strong>Gears of War</strong></p>
<p>Includes an Artbook, redemption code,game items, and of course- a handsome statue.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Gears-of-War-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10237" title="Gears of War 3" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Gears-of-War-3.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>_______________________________________________________________________________<br />
<strong>Deus Ex: Human Revolution</strong></p>
<p>Aside from the usual stuff, this also contains 10,000 extra credits that can be used to purchase or upgrade in-game artillery.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/human-revolution-collectors-edition-01.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10238" title="human-revolution-collectors-edition-01" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/human-revolution-collectors-edition-01.jpg" alt="" width="440" height="292" /></a></p>
<p>___________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>What other games did I miss?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>__________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) &#8211; Then <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/get-detail-quote/">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<title>Be Strategic With Your CD Artwork (or How Weezer Uses CD Packaging Effectively)</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/strategic-cd-artwork/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/strategic-cd-artwork/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:11:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marion Isobel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CD Packaging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=10197</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/strategic-cd-artwork/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" height="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/93790-150x150.jpg" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="" title="Weezer Blue Album Packaging" /></a>Before we talk about CD packaging, let me first convince you why branding is necessary for musicians. Some of you might wonder why you need to create a marketing plan when your music should be the only basis for your music career. I know some of you do not want to think about marketing because [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Before we talk about CD packaging, let me first convince you why branding is necessary for musicians. Some of you might wonder why you need to create a marketing plan when your music should be the only basis for your music career. I know some of you do not want to think about marketing because you are musicians, not uhhh,marketers.  You do not want to appear cheap. You want people to appreciate you for your music and not for your marketing tactics.</p>
<p>But here’s the thing: If you are serious about having a career in music (yes folks, a career), then you should market yourself.  As simple as that! If you want to have a career, then you have to establish your brand. However, if you just want to play music for sheer pleasure and nothing else, then there’s absolutely no need to create a marketing strategy. Since you’re here, I assume you want to have a career or else you wouldn’t be reading this article. You have to embrace this mindset before you can fully develop your brand.</p>
<p>Now, let’s move on. In order to market yourself well, you should have a brand or personality for people to recall your band quickly. Your band&#8217;s distinct personality should reflect on your website, your clothes, your music videos- everything. You should be sure how you want people to perceive your band. Deep and emotional? Funny and down to earth? Aloof but kind? I dunno. List down traits that you want your band to be known for. Then narrow down the list to 3.</p>
<p>This is very easy to do. I’m sure some of you already talked about these things and you might even have a very solid idea already. This is simply a reminder that you should apply this to your CD packaging.</p>
<p>Your album artwork is not just another requirement for releasing an album. It’s an avenue, a tool for establishing your band’s personality. Some great artworks can give you a clue of the personality of the band even if you still haven’t heard a single song from them. That’s how powerful it is. It can create an impression. And with the tough competition for attention, we are here to take advantage of every opportunity to market our band.</p>
<p>The CD packaging can give us an idea of the personality of a band. Let’s use Weezer&#8217;s  Blue, Red and Green album artworks as example.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/93790.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10198" title="Weezer Blue Album Packaging" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/93790.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/weezer-red_album-cover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10199" title="Weezer Red Album artwork" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/weezer-red_album-cover.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Weezer-The-Green-Album-with-Mikey-Welsh.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10200" title="Weezer-The-Green-Album Artwork" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Weezer-The-Green-Album-with-Mikey-Welsh.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="496" /></a></p>
<p>Their artworks make them look cool, laid-back, and hip. It&#8217;s as if they don&#8217;t give a damn. It&#8217;s as if they&#8217;re not too serious about their career. Using band photos as the main CD artwork is not unusual but the minimalist background, wardrobe, and facial expressions make their album artworks remarkable. And of course, it helps that they&#8217;re doing the same concept for the 3 albums.</p>
<p>Now, is this purely coincidental and effortless? Are they really cool, laid-back, hip and all those things when they’re not performing? Is that really their personality? We couldn’t tell for sure. But my guess is that they are all of these things. They just magnified their personality and promoted it through their music videos, album artwork, etc. The purpose is to solidify their personality as a band, to make it more or less clear and official.</p>
<p>So do not just be random with your CD artwork, do not use a forgettable band photo-  be strategic! Try to come up with something really unique, and remarkable. It will not only help you marketing-wise, it will also help you build your confidence. Knowing that you give your best in every aspect of music production will heighten your band’s esteem. And wouldn&#8217;t it be nice if people will not remember you for your music alone?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>__________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) &#8211; Then <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/get-detail-quote/">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>

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		<title>Creative CD &amp; Vinyl Invitations</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/creative-cd-invitation/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/creative-cd-invitation/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:09:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marion Isobel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CD Packaging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinyl Packaging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=10163</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/creative-cd-invitation/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/screen-printed-album-invitations1-1.jpg" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="" title="screen-printed-album-invitations1 (1)" /></a>Are you a music freak who&#8217;s about to celebrate your 25th birthday? Or, are you about to get hitched with a person whom you share your love for music? Then, you might get inspired by these cute CD and vinyl invites. Vinyl- looking CD Invitations These custom screen printed invites may look like a vinyl [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Are you a music freak who&#8217;s about to celebrate your 25th birthday? Or, are you about to get hitched with a person whom you share your love for music? Then, you might get inspired by these cute CD and vinyl invites.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.invitationcrush.com/vinyl-album-style-wedding-invitations/">Vinyl- looking CD Invitations</a></strong></p>
<p>These custom screen printed invites may look like a vinyl album, but the clever design is actually a personalized mix CD with a hand screen printed case and coordinating wedding details pieces. If you’re a couple of music lovers, then these may very well be the invites that you’ve been looking for!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/screen-printed-album-invitations1-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10177" title="screen-printed-album-invitations1 (1)" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/screen-printed-album-invitations1-1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="380" /></a></p>
<p>____________________________________________________________________</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/screen-printed-album-invitations3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10178" title="screen-printed-album-invitations3" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/screen-printed-album-invitations3.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="350" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/screen-printed-album-invitations4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10179" title="screen-printed-album-invitations4" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/screen-printed-album-invitations4.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="350" /></a></p>
<p>____________________________________________________________________</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://mackburry.com/wedding-invitation/creative-wedding-invitation-design-with-a-lasting-impression/attachment/creative-wedding-invitation-design3">Mackburry&#8217;s CD Wedding Invitation</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Creative-Wedding-Invitation-Design3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10164" title="Creative-Wedding-Invitation-Design3" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Creative-Wedding-Invitation-Design3.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="498" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>_________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://proekt.co.uk/en/category/toyota/">Designer Night Invitation</a></strong></p>
<p>This CD invite is for the Designer’s Days’ and Designer’s Night Party. People working in the sphere of industrial and automobile design, scattered about the world, gathered together in Moscow in the last night of the passing away summer.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/big_433.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10165" title="big_433" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/big_433.jpg" alt="" width="515" height="500" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/big_438.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10168" title="big_438" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/big_438.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="650" /></a></p>
<p>__________________________________________________________________</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://roominmyhead.blogspot.com/2010/04/wiggo-karoliussen-cd-50th-birthday.html">50th Birthday CD invitation and pins</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Resized-invitation-Wiggo.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10167" title="Resized invitation Wiggo" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Resized-invitation-Wiggo.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="400" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Resized-button.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10187" title="Resized button" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Resized-button.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="350" /></a><br />
<strong></strong></p>
<p>______________________________________________________________________</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/paper-record-player-wedding-invitation/">Wedding Invitation that Turns Into Paper Record Player</a></strong></p>
<p>A wedding invitation that plays a record. The hand-spun record yields a garbled, but scrutable listening of an original song by the couple. It requires a bit of tinkering and folding —effectively championing the inner science-nerd kid in the recipient. The whole thing serves as an interactive packaging for the song—which can be experienced on the paper record player, unscrewed + set on a regular turntable, or enjoyed online</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Adorable-and-Creative-DVD-Wedding-Invitation-Doubles-As-Paper-Record-Player.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10170" title="Adorable-and-Creative-DVD-Wedding-Invitation-Doubles-As-Paper-Record-Player" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Adorable-and-Creative-DVD-Wedding-Invitation-Doubles-As-Paper-Record-Player.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="250" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Adorable-and-Creative-DVD-Wedding-Invitation-Doubles-As-Paper-Record-Player-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10171" title="Adorable-and-Creative-DVD-Wedding-Invitation-Doubles-As-Paper-Record-Player-1" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Adorable-and-Creative-DVD-Wedding-Invitation-Doubles-As-Paper-Record-Player-1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="320" /></a></p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.weddingchicks.com/2010/11/11/diy-retro-wedding-invites/">&#8220;Fifties is Alive&#8221; CD invite</a></strong></p>
<p>“The theme of the wedding is 50s Rock and Roll, when music is still alive! Thus, the couple tried very hard to obtain that look.The CD contains their wedding invitation, some wonderful songs from the fifties, and a picture folder with some of the pictures taken on their d.i.y. photo shoot</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/diy_cd_wedding_invite.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10175" title="diy_cd_wedding_invite" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/diy_cd_wedding_invite.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="750" /></a></p>
<p><strong>__________________________________________________________________</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/il_570xN.248877031.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10176" title="il_570xN.248877031" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/il_570xN.248877031.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="740" /></a></p>
<p>____________________________________________________________________</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://karynjimenezelliott.com/1148564/Wedding-Invite">Brandon and Karyn&#8217;s DIY invite</a></strong></p>
<p>This personal wedding invite &amp; playlist is made by the couple. All hand typography is done in chalk. The CD is silk screened with a vinyl press varnish. Sweet!</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/INVITE_REVISED_MOCKUP-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10191" title="INVITE_REVISED_MOCKUP (1)" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/INVITE_REVISED_MOCKUP-1.jpg" alt="" width="670" height="417" /></a></strong></p>
<p>__________________________________________________________</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) &#8211; Then <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/get-detail-quote/">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>

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		<title>Best of the Best- Our top 10 Articles of 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/top-10-articles-2011/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/top-10-articles-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:30:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marion Isobel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CD Packaging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DVD Packaging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[musician tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=10110</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/top-10-articles-2011/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" height="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/post_default_thumbnail.png" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="" title="" /></a>Branding Yourself as a Musician- A Checklist Branding and promoting your band is not like selling Avon products or vacuum cleaners. Here is a list of things a band should have if you want to brand your band and make a career out of your craft. 6 Reasons People are Buying Vinyl Records Again According to industry [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/branding-musician-checklist/">Branding Yourself as a Musician- A Checklist</a></p>
<blockquote><p>Branding and promoting your band is not like selling Avon products or vacuum cleaners. Here is a list of things a band should have if you want to <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/music-advice-brand-band/">brand your band</a> and make a career out of your craft.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/6-reasons-people-buying-vinyl-records/">6 Reasons People are Buying Vinyl Records Again</a></p>
<blockquote><p>According to industry tracker Nielsen SoundScan, vinyl record sales reached 1.9 million units in 2008, and then grew to 2.5 million in 2009, to 2.8 million in 2010, to 3.6 million in 2011 (projected). Here are some of the possible reasons why it’s back</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/top-10-vinyl-record-myths/">Top 10 Vinyl Record Myths</a></p>
<blockquote><p>Only old music sells on vinyl and other myths.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/rules-confronting-difficult-band-member/">Rules for Confronting a Difficult Band Member</a></p>
<blockquote><p>Don’t confront him in front of his girlfriend or sister or mother.Don’t confront him over some beers.Don’t tally his every bad deed.</p></blockquote>
<p>5 Personality Development Tips for New Musicians</p>
<blockquote><p>Being socially detached does not make you more talented or interesting. In fact, these social interactions and relationships can open new opportunities and can help you learn more about the music industry and its ropes. Let’s face it- when it comes to music, personality and social relations do matter…a lot.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/rich-musician-poor-musician/">Rich Musician, Poor Musician</a></p>
<blockquote><p>I realized that we should not wait for things to get easy and comfortable so we can start making your art or doing something that we love. Things will never get easier. It is part of the challenge and we have to do something about it and not use ‘real life’ as an excuse.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/music-fashion/">Why Creating a Fashion Statement is Good for Your Music Career</a></p>
<blockquote><p>Your image can clue your new fans into what your music’s all about and make your band more recognizable. And if you work on maintaining a certain image, not only will you be recognizable but you will also be memorable which is the most important thing.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/records-cassettes-cds/">CD Packaging: Records, Cassettes, CDs Then Nothing</a></p>
<blockquote><p>Album art used to be a serious pursuit, as if it was equally important to catch both the eyes and the ears of the music shopper. Perhaps, we don’t need the allure of album art anymore, since we can instantly gratify our need to hear the music we want to buy or steal.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/music-marketing-10-expert-insights-great-music-marketing/">Music Marketing: 10 Expert Insights Into Great Music Marketing</a></p>
<blockquote><p>some of the highlights on getting a marketing and distribution campaign started</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/6-easy-ways-incorporate-creativity-daily-life/">6 Easy Ways to Incorporate Creativity to Your Daily Life</a></p>
<blockquote><p>You do not have to leave your security in order to become creative. Here are some of the tips for incorporating creativity to your daily life. I hope these tips will help us remember- and not just remember, but actually do- the things we are passionate about.</p>
<p>__________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) &#8211; Then <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/get-detail-quote/">CLICK HERE</a>.</p></blockquote>

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		<title>How to Create a Buzz for Your CD Packaging</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/create/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/create/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:54:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marion Isobel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CD Packaging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=10085</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/create/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" height="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/8467504_Animalcollective--150x150.jpg" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="" title="Animal Collective CD artwork" /></a>As a new artist releasing an album for the first time, it is one of your goals to get as much attention as possible. You are willing to experiment and do whatever it takes in order for people to talk about your album, your gigs, your posters, and of course, let’s not forget- your CD [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>As a new artist releasing an album for the first time, it is one of your goals to get as much attention as possible. You are willing to experiment and do whatever it takes in order for people to talk about your album, your gigs, your posters, and of course, let’s not forget- your CD artwork. This is the time that you’re creating a brand for yourself and your band. One of the best ways to do this is by making a CD packaging that everyone will surely talk about. A creative CD packaging will not only make your album more attractive to fans, it will also make people(columnists, critics, bloggers, magazine writers)talk about your band.</p>
<p>Here are some of the best ways to get them talking about your CD artwork:</p>
<p><strong>First things first: Create a buzz-worthy packaging.</strong> I know this is a given and I should not have included this on the list but hey, some people do not know what’s buzz-worthy and what’s ho-hum! Buzz-worthy means something is extremely, extremely awesome you can’t help but click and share.  Some album artworks look good but they’re remarkable. Yes, remarkable is the word. If you want to go viral, you better have something remarkable.  It could be as to-the-point but unforgettable as <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/kick-ass-packaging-of-the-week-animal-collectives-merriweather-post-pavilion/">Animal Collective’s Post Pavillion</a> or as astrounding (and also unforgettable) as <a href="http://sleevage.com/spiritualized-ladies-and-gentlemen-we-are-floating-in-space/">Spiritualized’s Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space</a>. If you are not so sure of your concept and design, try asking the opinions of 20-50 people first.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/8467504_Animalcollective-.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10086" title="Animal Collective CD artwork" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/8467504_Animalcollective-.jpg" alt="" width="430" height="430" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ladies_gentle_pack_all1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10087" title="Spiritualized ladies_gentle_packaging" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ladies_gentle_pack_all1.jpg" alt="" width="435" height="350" /></a><br />
<strong>Document everything.</strong> Shoot good, hi-res pictures of how you did your CD packaging- from conceptualization, revisions, to manufacturing. If your album art is more interactive and 3-dimensional, then I greatly recommend that you create a video  demonstrating how to assemble it.</p>
<p><strong>Make a press release.</strong> One advantage of having a creative CD packaging is that you have more things to talk about aside from your album release.  Create a press release about your awesome album packaging and send it to bloggers.</p>
<p><strong>Give free CDs to writers.</strong> Make a list of good music bloggers and send them CDs to review.  Be ready for bad reviews though. It doesn’t mean that they’d praise your stuff just because you’re sending them freebies. If you’re scared of bad reviews, stay away from hard-to-please critics.</p>
<p><strong>Get interviewed by bloggers.</strong> Aside from blog reviews, it’s also a big plus if you get interviewed by bloggers. Approach the credible ones with reallygood reputation and traffic. You don’t want to have thoudands of interviews all over the web. Only choose the good ones.</p>
<p><strong>Throw a contest on Facebook.</strong> Post pictures and reviews on facebook about how awesome your CD packaging is. Then throw a contest with your CD as the prize. You have to be strategic. You have to spread your awesomeness like a virus. Try to come up with something where they have to ask their friends to vote for their entry. Maybe a sketching contest or a band logo? Come up with something fun. The prize should be great so lots of people will join, of course. Well, unless you’re already a hotshot.</p>
<p>__________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) &#8211; Then <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/get-detail-quote/">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>

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		<title>Yes folks, the CD is safe for now</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/folks-cd-safe/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/folks-cd-safe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Dec 2011 15:07:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Erick Yankton</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Compact Disc News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=10079</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/folks-cd-safe/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cds402bb062607.jpg" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="" title="CD rack sales" /></a>You can download a huge music library without ever leaving home, but reports of the compact disc’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, writes BRIAN BOYD . Read this article from the Irish Times. &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211; IT WAS INEVITABLE. The report went like this. By the end of next year the major record labels are planning to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>You can download a huge music library without ever leaving home, but reports of the compact disc’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, writes BRIAN BOYD . Read this article from the <a href="http://www.irishtimes.com">Irish Times</a>.</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cds402bb062607.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10080" title="CD rack sales" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cds402bb062607.jpg" alt="" width="402" height="268" /></a><br />
<strong>IT WAS INEVITABLE.</strong> The report went like this. By the end of next year the major record labels are planning to have abandoned the CD and replaced it with downloads and streams through iTunes and similar music services. That’s because the CD is an anachronism from a pre-online era, according to the online music magazine Side-Line. CDs won’t disappear completely, the report continued, but the format will occupy as small a niche as vinyl does now. Its end not only makes economic sense, as downloads are cheaper than a physical product to provide, but is also in tune with how we consume music in these days of the smartphone and the tablet.<br />
The story was widely blogged and tweeted, and almost everyone accepted that technological progress had lapped the physical CD and that we were going to live our cultural life happily ever after in the cloud.</p>
<p>There’s just one problem with the Side-Line story: it’s wrong. At first it looked solid: more and more people are opting for downloads, and CDs have the drawback, when they don’t sell as well as expected, of leaving retailers and record labels with return and storage costs. Downloads, on the other hand, incur no packaging, transport or storage costs and minimal distribution costs.</p>
<p>Music stores have been giving CDs less and less floor space in recent years, as video games are now the big sellers on the high street. More people are getting their music from iTunes and other digital services, and a whole generation of music consumers each own hundreds of albums but have never touched a CD.</p>
<p>After Side-Line published its story, people started to wonder about magazines, books and films. Surely, the argument ran, if it’s cheaper, easier and more convenient to acquire music, books and films online, we’re looking at the end not only of the CD but also of physical copies of books and films as well.</p>
<p><strong>BUT WHAT IF THE END</strong> is not nigh for the CD? And what if that means our cultural future will not be entirely digital? Side-Line contacted three major labels – Universal, EMI and Sony – about its story, but all declined to comment. That probably fuelled a grassy-knoll theory that the majors had privately decided to kill off the CD next year but didn’t want the news to be reported too soon.</p>
<p>This week, at least, it was easy to find music-industry people who will talk about the future of the compact disc. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide, and CD sales are its lifeblood. “This story was first written back in October, and as far as I can see it hasn’t gained any credibility at all,” says Adrian Strain, the federation’s director of communications. “CDs still account for more than 60 per cent of industry revenues globally – more than 70 per cent in some markets, such as Germany – and there is still healthy consumer demand for the physical product. This is despite the rapid growth we have seen in the industry’s digital revenues.” <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/2011-music-sales-report-nielsen-billboard/">Check the Nielsen Report for 2011 here</a>.</p>
<p>Gennaro Castlado, a spokesman for HMV, says, “I don’t think we should write off the CD just yet, as there are still a huge number of people who like the idea of owning and collecting music in physical formats, especially when they can make their own digital copies to get the best of both worlds. There will be a viable market for CDs for quite a while to come.”</p>
<p><a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/1217/1224309200893.html">Read the whole story here&#8212;&#8211;&gt;</a></p>
<p>__________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) &#8211; Then <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/get-detail-quote/">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>

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		<title>10 Things to Know before You Launch a Music-Based Company</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/10-launch-musicbased-company/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/10-launch-musicbased-company/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2011 05:21:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marion Isobel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[graphic design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[musician tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=10040</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/10-launch-musicbased-company/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/BillWilson2011-250x300.jpg" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="" title="BillWilson2011-250x300" /></a>Bill Wilson is Vice President of Digital Strategy and Business Development for the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), the #1 trade association for professionals in the music industry. For almost 20 years, Bill ran Blackout Records in New York City, which originated as a label for hardcore bands and was responsible for putting out [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Bill Wilson is Vice President of Digital Strategy and Business Development for the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), the #1 trade association for professionals in the music industry. For almost 20 years, Bill ran Blackout Records in New York City, which originated as a label for hardcore bands and was responsible for putting out albums by bands including Guided by Voices and H2O. He has also worked at a variety of other independent labels and distributors, such as Relativity Records, Caroline Distribution and Earache Records and was an A&amp;R consultant for MCA Records in the 1990s. In 2001, Bill started working with internet start-ups and throughout the 2000s has acted as Director of Business Development for several music marketing and research companies. He currently runs NARM’s Digital Think Tank, designed to address issues surrounding enterprise-level digital music commerce. He is an active member of many music industry organizations, such as the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM)’s New Media Committee and speaks regularly about the digital space at CMJ, South by Southwest, Bandwidth, New Music Seminar and many other industry events.</p>
<p>Recently, Bill shared 10 valuable insights about what it takes to launch a music-based business in the climate of the modern music industry:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/BillWilson2011-250x300.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10041" title="BillWilson2011-250x300" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/BillWilson2011-250x300.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="300" /></a></p>
<p><strong>1. Know the Animal You’re Dealing With.</strong>As a mature business, the music industry can be terribly confusing, but it’s necessary to understand the players if you want to do business as an artist or a startup. Educate yourself on the industry food chain, and understand where your product or service fits in.</p>
<p><strong>2. “Two for One” = Two Clearances for Every Song.</strong>If you plan on using a pre-recorded song from a signed artist, make sure you have clearance from the two main rights-owners – usually the label and publisher, but sometimes the artist themselves.</p>
<p><strong>3. Yes, You Need to Track Them Down.</strong> In the age of the internet, there’s no excuse for not doing due diligence on who owns what, and there’s no indemnification for ignorance of copyright law.</p>
<p><strong>4. But There’s Help.</strong> Resources to find out publishing info/to see who owns the recordings include Rightsflow and the Harry Fox Agency and any retailer like Amazon or iTunes.</p>
<p><strong>5. “Fair Use” is Not Fail Safe.</strong> “Fair Use” is a list of potential defenses for copyright infringement, not a clearly-defined right. It’s a term that gets misused a lot and a grey area that must be adjudicated in the courts … and that is expensive. So if you want to go that route, be prepared for a long war of attrition with deep, deep pockets and a strong possibility of losing … or get the licenses.</p>
<p><strong>6. “It’s Cool” is Not A Business Model.</strong>When approaching a large content aggregator like a major label, understand they don’t care how cool you are. They need to take care of their needs and won’t disintermediate or undercut customers that drive their revenue.</p>
<p><strong>7. It Still Comes Down to “Sex, Drugs &amp; Money.</strong>”These three things are key to obtaining a license. Well, not literally. It means: your app or product needs to have real sizzle and marketing oomph behind it (sex), it must be a “sticky” or addictive, repeat experience for the customer (drugs) and of course, it must provide a real, scalable revenue opportunity ($$$).</p>
<p><strong>8. Mind Your Ps and Qs … Literally.</strong>Metadata – the data around a particular track – is more important now than it ever has been. Names need to be spelled correctly and consistently, songs need to be titled properly, correct release dates and label information must be applied. Collecting and matching collateral contextual information such as liner notes, lyrics, photos and more are also becoming increasingly important to the products of the future, as well as information about how it was recorded: producer, studio, etc. It’s not just the music, it’s all the information that surrounds it – which you can curate yourself – that creates value.</p>
<p><strong>9. Context is King.</strong> Artist? Album name? Song title? Music isn’t just about those three things. There’s a story in who produced the album, side musicians, additional songwriters and other information. Artists in the studio need to keep track of these details because the products will be based on deeper and deeper levels of information. A picture isn’t just pretty; it’s a wealth of information that can be used to drive people to an artist. Who’s in that picture? What are they playing? What are they wearing? Amazing discovery experiences such as the 955 Dreams History Of Jazz App on the iPad use artist context to build immersive apps that lead to content purchase.</p>
<p><strong>10. Rome Was Not Built in A Day … But a Modular Home Can Be.</strong> If you’re looking for speed to market, you may want to look to see what APIs are in the marketplace that could apply to your business to get up and running quickly without additional licensing hassles. You need to weigh this against the benefits of having control of your own relationships with the providers of the music and related information.</p>
<p>This post originally appeared in <a href="http://musiciancoaching.com">Music <a href="http://Coaching.com" title="http://Coaching.com" target="_blank">Coaching.com</a></a>. To learn more about Bill Wilson and the work he does, visit the <a href="http://www.narm.com/">NARM website</a>.</p>

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		<title>CD Packaging for Beginners: 8 Things You Must Know</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/cd-packaging-beginners-8/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/cd-packaging-beginners-8/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Sep 2011 02:22:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bauer</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CD Packaging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=9654</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/cd-packaging-beginners-8/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/cd8panel-sleve-case.jpg" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="" title="Maroon 5 CD packaging" /></a>Designing the CD packaging of your album may seem easy. You may think “What’s so difficult about it? It’s just simply putting an artsy picture of your band and some important text. Besides, my design is so simple.” You might even wonder why there are graphic designers who specialize in album art when it’s so darn [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img title="Maroon 5 CD packaging" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/cd8panel-sleve-case.jpg" alt="" width="470" height="470" /></p>
<p>Designing the CD packaging of your album may seem easy. You may think <em>“What’s so difficult about it? It’s just simply putting an artsy picture of your band and some important text. Besides, my design is so simple.” </em>You might even wonder why there are graphic designers who specialize in album art when it’s so darn simple.</p>
<p>But when you actually start designing your CD packaging, you slowly realize it’s not that easy. Lots of questions pop in your head that need accurate answers. Questions like: Where should I put the barcode? Am I using the right dimensions? What is the right size for the image?</p>
<p>To guide you in making the CD packaging for your first album, here are some basic guidelines you should follow:</p>
<p><strong>Use your CD manufacturing company’s template.</strong> This is the number one rule if you are going to use a CD duplication house (which is the way to go if you’re a newbie, btw).  Different manufacturers have different templates because they have different sources for their CD cases. If you don’t follow your manufacturer’s template, expect them to send it back to you for revisions. Every millimeter counts.</p>
<p><strong>Use 300 DPI for your artwork.</strong> The resolution of your album artwork must not be less than 300dpi. Anything lower than this would look ugly.</p>
<p><strong>Send them your fonts.</strong> Make sure you send your CD duplicators the fonts you used to make things easier and faster. They might not have the font you’re using and you don’t want this to be one reason for delay.</p>
<p><strong>Ask for print samples. </strong>There is a big chance that the colors you see on your computer screen would look different in the actual print. A computer monitor displays color using RGB mode whereas physical print is either CMYK or pantone color. Ask your printer/ manufacturer for some print samples before you give them the go signal to print thousands.</p>
<p><strong>Supply Bleed &amp; Safety Margins.</strong> Bleed is the extension of artwork beyond the cut line which gives the printers a margin of error when trimming the sheets. Make sure your artwork has 1/8-inch bleed on all sides. Safety Margin is kind of the opposite of bleed. They are required to prevent cutting off some important parts of your artwork (text, images,logos). Make sure all essential elements are within the safety margins. The basic concept is that there shouldn’t be text or artwork within or beyond the area where the artwork will be trimmed.</p>
<p><strong>Remove template layers.</strong> Make sure template layers are removed from uploaded designs.</p>
<p><strong>Your barcode should be easy to find. </strong>Just make sure it is located on a viewable surface so your retailers and distributors won’t have a tough time.</p>
<p><strong>If you’re using a photo by/of someone, make sure you’re doing this legally.</strong> You do not want to be like Baio, a web developer, who paid photographer Jay Maisel more than $32,000 settlement over a <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/album-artwork-copyright-learn-kind-bloop-case/">copyright infringement claim</a>. Or like Vampire Weekend who is facing a $2M lawsuit for using the Polaroid photo of an 80’s model without permission. Better be safe than sorry, I guess.</p>
<p>There you have it, folks. These are just very basic CD packaging tips and you should get more specific tips from your manufacturer or designer once you actually start your project. For the meantime, I hope this list will help you get an idea of what you’ll be doing.</p>
<p>__________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) &#8211; Then <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/get-detail-quote/">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

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		<title>CD/ DVD Packaging: Spinal Tap&#8217;s Creative Box Sets</title>
		<link>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/cd-dvd-packaging-spinal-taps-creative-box-sets/</link>
		<comments>http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/cd-dvd-packaging-spinal-taps-creative-box-sets/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Sep 2011 06:19:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bauer</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[CD Manufacturing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CD Packaging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DVD Packaging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Merch]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/?p=9629</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/cd-dvd-packaging-spinal-taps-creative-box-sets/"><img align="left" hspace="5" width="150" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/tap_product_1-455x530.jpg" class="alignleft wp-post-image tfe" alt="" title="Spinal Tap CD packaging" /></a>Over a year ago, I featured Spinal Tap&#8217;s cardboard cutout packaging for their album Back From the Dead. It was nominated at the Grammy Awards for Best Packaging alongside Sagmeister’s work for Byrne &#38; Eno and four other nominees. Although Sagmeister bagged the trophy, I should say it is equally remarkable. Take a look and you&#8217;ll agree: [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Over a year ago, I featured Spinal Tap&#8217;s cardboard cutout packaging for their album <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/kick-ass-packaging-of-the-week-spinal-taps-back-from-the-dead/">Back From the Dead</a>. It was nominated at the Grammy Awards for Best Packaging alongside <a href="http://unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/2010/03/931/">Sagmeister’s work for Byrne &amp; Eno</a> and four other nominees. Although Sagmeister bagged the trophy, I should say it is equally remarkable. Take a look and you&#8217;ll agree:</p>
<p><img title="Spinal Tap CD packaging" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/tap_product_1-455x530.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="570" /></p>
<p><img title="Spinal tap CD packaging 2" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/tap_product_3-520x290.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="285" /></p>
<p><img title="Spinal tap album artwork" src="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/tap_product_5-520x393.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="380" /></p>
<p>This is not the only remarkable album packaging of Spinal Tap. Their packaging for  &#8221;This is Spinal Tap&#8221; is probably one of the coolest album packaging ever created. It reminds me of <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog/music-packaging-play-the-box-set-while-listening-to-the-box-set/">AC/DC&#8217;s music packaging</a>. Spinal Tap&#8217;s &#8220;<strong><em>Limited Marshall Amp Edition&#8221;</em></strong> comes packaged in a miniature Marshall Amp described as &#8220;going up to 11&#8243; which tells me the thing actually works. The outer packaging also resembles an amp, while the interior includes five total discs with the original soundtrack and over five-hours of bonus features.</p>
<p><img title="spinal tap collector edition" src="http://www.fusioncreativela.com/images/corp-spinallg1.jpg" alt="Spinal Tap" width="500" height="306" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>And here are some more designs made by <a href="http://www.fusioncreativela.com/">Fusion Creative</a>.</p>
<p>Spinal Tap&#8217;s Electric Guitar DVD Kit</p>
<p><img title="spinal tap collector edition 2" src="http://www.fusioncreativela.com/images/corp-spinallg2.jpg" alt="Spinal Tap" width="500" height="306" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>and the Spinal Top Guitar Pick</p>
<p><img title="spinal tap collector edition 3" src="http://www.fusioncreativela.com/images/corp-spinallg3.jpg" alt="Spinal Tap" width="500" height="306" /></p>
<p>And if you still want more creative Spinal Tap Stuff, here&#8217;s a merch that will make any fan (and non-fan) drool. Too bad it&#8217;s sold out. This is a set of amazing 12 inch action figures. Figures feature over 20 points of articulation, an &#8220;autographed&#8221; guitar pick base, a miniature LP of a Spinal Tap album, instrument, and other themed accessories from the film. Too bad it&#8217;s sold out.</p>
<p><img title="Spinal tap collectibles" src="http://www.entertainmentearth.com/images/AUTOIMAGES/SID35003lg.jpg" alt="Spinal Tap Collectors Box Set" width="554" height="288" /></p>
<p>About Spinal Tap:</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_Tap_(band)">[Source]</a></p>
<p><strong>Spinal Tap</strong> is a Grammy-nominated parody fictional heavy metal band that first appeared on a failed 1979 ABC TV sketch comedy pilot called &#8220;The T.V. Show”. The sketch, actually a mock promotional video for the song &#8220;Rock and Roll Nightmare&#8221;, was written by Reiner and the band.</p>
<p>Later the band became the fictional subject of the 1984 rockumentary film <em><a title="This Is Spinal Tap" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Spinal_Tap">This Is Spinal Tap</a></em>. The band members are portrayed by <a title="Michael McKean" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_McKean">Michael McKean</a> (as David St. Hubbins), <a title="Christopher Guest" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Guest">Christopher Guest</a> (as <a title="Nigel Tufnel" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Tufnel">Nigel Tufnel</a>) and <a title="Harry Shearer" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Shearer">Harry Shearer</a> (as <a title="Derek Smalls" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Smalls">Derek Smalls</a>).</p>
<p><em>This Is Spinal Tap</em> was accompanied by a soundtrack album of the same name. In the years since the film was made, the actors who portrayed the band members have played concerts and released music under the Spinal Tap name.</p>
<p>__________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) &#8211; Then <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/get-detail-quote/">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>

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