Internet Joy

Back in 1986 I made a vinyl LP called Dwellings. Yes, that was the year that CDs started to come out and, you're right, my timing was impeccable. Anyway, except for using the "vanity press" model, I followed a fairly traditional process.

• Spend a bunch of money to record in a 16-track analog studio
• Work with a graphic artist to produce the "camera-ready" cover
  
• Have a record plant produce a fixed number of platters based on my nail-biting estimate
• Attempt to recoup the money by selling records through gigs or shaming friends and family

The results were not good in my case. I did not sell enough alto cover the costs. Every time I moved, I ditched a couple of boxed of albums. Also I was disappointed at the amount of feedback I got.

Flash forward to the recent experience

• I recorded one song on my Mac in the basement. I think the quality of audio was quite acceptable.
• I scoured the Internet for images and used $99 image editing software to create an online poster which also included lyrics, an embedded mp3 player (free), notes, and a link with which to send comments
• I sent the link to selected friends

I've gotten more good feedback from this production than from the entire record way back. It's not the quality of the music that made the difference. This is the most perfect example I can imagine of how software and the Internet improve a process. Not only is it cheap and relatively easy to make and distribute music, you are asking very little of your audience. Click this to listen to one song - if you want to comment, click that. And because it's cheap, I can opt out of the whole commercial aspect and just make it about sharing music.

Sweet.