Music stuffs

[spacebug]

I've been thinking about the projects I have in the hopper and what wants to/needs to get done when.

Stuff Right Now:
Get my set together for Burning Man (I'm playing in the center camp cafe!)
Make a CD to give away to burners, friends, use for promotion, etc.
Work on film score

Then there's the Back Burner (read: stuff I want to pursue after Burning Man):
Possibility of another film score
Zurround archive project
Trip Hop with pied_piper
More Low Orbit!
More gigs!




So, I want to make a cd. I could use your opinions.

Here are my thoughts:
I won't have time to get a really polished full length thing done before I go, so I'm thinking of making a demo-y thing of at least 3 tracks, maybe more if I have the time. r4c and I made mini-cds of that many tracks for Low Orbit. I like the size and I like having something super portable to give away, (this is especially handy in the desert), I like that they look different, I like that the size kinda identifies them as a non-full length, and somehow it feels less wasteful to put 3 songs on a little cd even though the cost between them isn't really any different. Well, it *is* more economical in terms of printing labels...
But- people can't put them in some regular cd players, some people think they're minidiscs instead of cds, they tend to get lost among regular sized cds, things like that.
What do you think? Should I put the tracks on a full sized cd or the little ones? Do those of you who got a mini-version of the low orbit stuff like it or was it annoying?

Comments

[earlapricot.livejournal.com]

i mostly listen to music on my GMini, which means i have to rip it from a computer. i have a feeling neither my PowerBook G4 nor my work PC will accept a minidisc. so i'd be less likely to listen to it soon or often, honestly, since i think the only cd player i have that might accept it is my tinny little boombox. so unless i'm wrong about being able to rip it from my mac or work PC, i guess personally i'd like it on a regular sized cd.

[dangerdhotrod.livejournal.com]

minidiscs are cool for the look, but they get lost easily and i doubt my lappy disc thing would take a minidisc.

[kittekaat.livejournal.com]

I don't have a suggestion, I just want to know when to come see you at center camp!

[spacebug.livejournal.com]

I'm playing at 2am on Thursday (so my brain thinks of this more as "Wednesday night".) My stuff is mellow, so I wanted to play for all those people who are sipping tea in the cafe before going to bed. :)

[spacebug.livejournal.com]

oops! Got swapped. I'm now at 2am on Wednesday, which would be "Tuesday night". I'm also going to be helping out with music scheduling, so I'll be in the cafe most every afternoon from 1-3pm, so you could always stop by and visit!! :)

Just 'cause it's 2 out of 2 who've said minidisc...

[spacebug.livejournal.com]

Is it clear that I'm talking about mini cd's and *not* minidiscs? They're two different kinds of media.

Re: Just 'cause it's 2 out of 2 who've said minidisc...

[dangerdhotrod.livejournal.com]

i know what you mean, i'm just not particular about the words i use i guess.

basically i'm just saying those small cds are cute, but ultimately not useful.

Re: Just 'cause it's 2 out of 2 who've said minidisc...

[spacebug.livejournal.com]

'k. I thought so. It's just funny, since while it seems like no one ever uses minidiscs anymore, for whatever reason they're almost a standard format for theatre sound designers and board ops. Almost every booth I've worked in has a player, often two.

Re: Just 'cause it's 2 out of 2 who've said minidisc...

[omaha.livejournal.com]

they're considered more robust being encased in a cart, which is why dvd-ram and MO discs are still popular in other circles.

[gunn.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I like it in concept, but my computer won't eat anything but normal discs.

[alisgray.livejournal.com]

twelfthed. although I do have a Low Orbit little disk, which I had to find a tray-loading computer to use to get it into my iTunes library. Cars usually only have slot-loading cd players, and those don't like the little disks.

I blissfully anticipate more gigs! and triphop with the Piper! and More Low Orbit! which makes me wonder what I could do to help, other than effervescence.

[echoegami.livejournal.com]

well... minicd are novel and for that reason will attract the "oh shiny!" in people. it may get lost but perhaps what you are after is the initial hook of it anyway. if they can't play it on their laptop perhaps they can play it on someone else's. perhaps you make sure there is plenty of contact info for you on the disc itself, like with a url, and maybe you post those same three songs online where if they can't play the disc they can dl it directly. problem solved. give 'em a taste and then point them to more.

perhaps you could even personalize each disc... don't know how much time you're alloting for yourself but, if people who got the discs knew each was unique it may prompt them to keep better care of it, and 'sides, if they don't have a computer or laptop that plays the minicd now, perhaps they will next year.

[spacebug.livejournal.com]

Hmm. good thoughts!

I may have to make myself another myspace account. Ugh. I already have one for derby and one for Low Orbit.

[echoegami.livejournal.com]

heh.. c'mon, you know you love the flashing ads! and the 18-26 yr old women who want to be your friend!

[spacebug.livejournal.com]

And those guys with wifebeaters and mullets and flashing god bless america tiled backgrounds. They're hhhott.

[sarendipatree.livejournal.com]

More disc mechanisms than not actually have a detente to mount mini-cds. Most people just don't actually know it, because they've never put a mini-cd in their player.

Color me in favor. Small is cute. Cute is memorable. Memorable is good in an overcrowded market.

[dangerdhotrod.livejournal.com]

really? so my mac cd thing will eat a minicd and not freak out? how about those credit card shaped ones?

i didn't know - i just figured that i wasn't living in the future yet.

[star5.livejournal.com]

i idon't think you're mac will happily eat it.. well, it might eat it, but i doubt it will spit it out. i can't say for sure about your laptop.. but i've seen people try to put them in a mac that's the slot loading kind and it not being happy about it.

[sarendipatree.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Slot-loaded probably won't play them adequately. I'm sorry -- I should have qualified that. Most *tray-loaded* cd players have a detente to play mini-CDs.

I am under the (mis-?) apprehension that most players in the world are tray-load rather than slot-load.

[star5.livejournal.com]

i like the idea of the minicds.. i like the design. and the size is perfect for the playa.. but.. i do agree.. that in the end functionality wins over cuteness. to me, the minicd is more of a collector's edition. it's neat and shiny and something to keep on a shelf. but as far as playing it.. i mostly put cds into my computer, or my car.. and both are slot-loading.. while it's possible that it might work.. i'm not really keen on testing it and having it get stuck.

[sithlet.livejournal.com]

I say OOH! CUTE! SHINEY!!!! That's just me, though.

I bought a stack of mini CD cases from MicroCenter once just because they were SOOO cute! (And I already had a stack of mini CDs for the same reason.)

Still, I think that if you want as many people as possible to be able to use them, you should probably go for normal sized.

[omaha.livejournal.com]

the 3”/80mm discs are a standard red-book size and are supposed to be supported by any player, but they’re not.

they are considered non-standard for use in most slot-loading drives...

i like them a lot and used to use them for small mixes, but not anymore as my only working cr-rw drive is a slot-loader.

[yaaren.livejournal.com]

well, everyone already answered this for you, but just in case you need one more person... mini-cds = cute but non-functional. :( Go with the big ones.

Also, i'm excited to see you planning music stuff for Burning Man. :) Yay.

[rgeorge.livejournal.com]

If you want something extra-cute, you might take a peek at business card cds. They're mini-cds with enough cut off of the edges to make a business-card size rectangle. They hold about 45-50 mb, dunno how much that is in audio.

but like everyone says, cute only works in tray drives, not slot-loaders.

[nicholay.livejournal.com]

I'm in the cute=good camp. I still think that *most players will play them; and if they don't, they'll still be an attractive shiny thing to hand out. Also, I think most people have multiple CD players, so if it doesn't work in a car, for example, they can just take it home and put it on their old skool cd player or computer, possibly burn it to a larger one if its that important to them. echoegami's suggestion that you include a url is a good one.

[hexagonalcarbon.livejournal.com]

I agree with what Rogers said. And fuck slot loaders. Nobody cares about them. Regardless, I would recommend making your music more available online and printing your URL onto the disk. If nothing else, it can then function as a good business card.