Disc2day blog

Here at Disc2day we see hundreds of bands come in and out our doors for their CD duplication or CD replication projects. Many of these musicians continue to come back to us for continued duplication or replication services as well as our other promotional services such as printing posters and fliers. So we have decided to start giving something back to the music community; we will now be doing a weekly band spotlight to help promote local musicians. So feel free to check back weekly for more band spotlights as well as our normal news and information about the CD DVD industry.

This weeks spotlight: Native American Flute Music

Bob Mann was first introduced to Native American flutes when he was visiting a relative in the hospital. His love for the music inspired him to start playing and collecting Native American Flutes. He has now become well known in the flute industry. His CD's have sold on Amazon, CD Baby, and local flute shows just to name a few. His Replicated CD titles include Sky Blue, Moon Rider and his newest release Wings of Change, are now all available on his website www.gcflutes.com. They also carry the finest selection of Native American Flutes and drums in the nation. Rest assured if you purchase a flute or a drum from him, it will bring you great joy.

Disc2day is proud to be his CD Duplication/Replication company of choice and we have done his CD's for several years now, and hope to be a part of Bob's continued success for many years to come.

Labels: band spotlight, bob mann, cd duplication, cd replication, flutes, native american, native american flute music

When it comes to packaging your CD or DVD, there are a lot of different options to choose from. Well which one should you choose for your CD or DVD product? Below we have listed most of the different media packaging options available through Disc2day with a description of each:

Paper sleeve

The paper sleeve is the most basic packaging option available for your CD or DVD. It is made from white paper (colors available upon request) with a single fold flap for keeping the disc in place and an easy view window to display your discs face and information. This option is the most basic but also the most cost efficient way to package your CD or DVD. Holds 1 disc.

Cardboard Sleeve

Cardboard (paperboard) CD/DVD sleeves provide more protection for your disc than paper sleeves. The short, single-fold flap helps ensure your CD or DVD stays inside the sleeve, even during shipping. Also has viewing window to display disc. Holds 1 disc.

Cardboard sleeves are also available in bi-fold and tri-fold to fit multiple discs and they are print ready so you can customize your CD or DVD packaging.

Vinyl sleeve

The vinyl CD or DVD sleeve is also extremely cost effective but is a little higher quality sleeve for holding your disc. Like the paper sleeve it has a single fold flap and a front viewing window to display the disc, however, it is made from plastic vinyl rather than paper for higher quality packaging. Holds 1 disc.

Vinyl sleeves are also available with a pouch flap to hold a small booklet or insert. Holds 1 disc and 1 insert.

Adhesive-backed sleeves

Adhesive-backed sleeves for CDs and DVDs will adhere to a variety of surfaces. This is the perfect packaging option for companies that are including a CD or DVD with other promotional material or attached to a book or magazine. There are many styles to choose from, including sleeves with a tamper evident seals, re-sealable and sleeves with no seal at all. Holds 1 disc.

Digipaks

A digipak is a cardboard sleeve that opens up like a book with the plastic CD/DVD tray inside. They are available in 4-8 panels and can hold up to two discs and a booklet or insert. They can be custom printed to display your own artwork or information. Holds 1-2 discs and 1 booklet or insert.

Slimline cases

The slimline CD case is a thin plastic case much like a jewel case (half the width and half the weight) that offers better disc protection then the paper and vinyl sleeves. The slimline cases are also one of the most basic packaging options that offer holding capacity for a disc and insert. These are high-quality, thin plastic cases that give your CD or DVD a more professional look while still staying cost effective. Holds 1 disc and 1 insert.

Jewel cases

The jewel case is your standard CD case that you would normally find in a music store. It is a slightly thicker plastic case than the slimline but offers multiple disc holding capacity and room for a small printed booklet or multi-page insert. This packaging option is usually the one of the more professional ways to package your disc because of its extremely common usage among music industry professionals. Holds 1-6 discs and 1 booklet or insert.

Clamshell cases

Clamshell style jewel cases are made from light-weight, break-resistant polypropylene. Clamshell CD cases come in a variety of shapes and colors to fit your business or music. The ultra-compact design of the Clamshell jewel case leaves no room for an insert card or booklet. Holds 1 disc.

Standard DVD cases

A standard DVD case is a plastic DVD case like you would find at a store. Usually holds 1 or 2 discs with a plastic pocket wrapped around the case to slide in your insert. Holds 1-2 discs and 1 booklet.

This option is also available for multiple discs which make for a somewhat thicker DVD case. Holds 2-10 discs.

Eco-Friendly CD and DVD packaging

We will soon be offering environmentally friendly CD and DVD packaging options which are made from recycled paper or cardboard. We will be offering eco-friendly sleeves, bi-fold wallets and digipaks.

Labels: cd case, cd packaging, dvd case, dvd packaging, eco-friendly packaging, media packaging

Somewhere there is a box of your precious family memories on VHS or 8mm film out the garage or in your attic collecting dust? Or probably being damaged by the hot summer heat or cold winters? Well converting those precious memories and photo's to a CD or DVD may be the answer. Not only are they taking up a lot more space then you all ready don't have room for, but more than likely they are also being damaged by Mother Nature. So video conversion may be the solution, taking your old VHS or mini DV tapes, 8 mm film or photo's and converting them to a digital format may save those unforgettable memories and be able to pass them on from generation to generation.

This process has significantly come down in cost and it is very affordable to do with today's technology. Just be aware of a few things when getting your old movies converted over to a CD or DVD. Most companies may not be responsible for damaged footage or cassettes that may have cracks in them or some that are warped by the sun. Hopefully it is not too late to have your old videos converted. Any reputable conversion company charges by the hour; or by the foot on older footage. Sometimes it is hard to estimate time correctly if there was a lot more footage per real or the VHS tape is two hours long rather than 30-45 minutes, taking twice the conversion time as needed to complete the tape. Someone who gives you a quote over the phone as a bulk rate may end up charging more once the job is done. Also, be sure that your footage gets titles and dates on each copy for easy organization and archiving. This also allows you to go to specific spots on the DVD instead of having to watch the whole DVD to find what you are looking for.

We hope that those precious memories don't get lost or damaged before it's too late. This may be one of your best investments that you can make when it comes to your family memories. So many people don't realize this until they are gone. Converting your family videos is not only beneficial to ensure that you don't lose these memories but it can also be a great gift to a loved one. The staff at Disc2day want your upcoming Holidays to be special, so give the gift of a digital memory that will last a lifetime. Call us today to find out more about our video conversion services.

Labels: cd, digital disc, digital format, disc2day, dvd, family memories, video conversion

Most all audio CD's need mastering before going to duplication; not doing this step may cause major damage and can affect the quality of your CD. We recommend that you get your instrumentals mastered before shipping them to radio stations or record labels. Most music professionals can determine if your CD has been mastered or not, especially if the initial recording and mixing is not done professionally. Audio mixing and mastering can give your music CD that professional sound that you need to succeed in the music industry. Have you ever noticed that your music is not as loud or full as some of the other commercial artists CD's that you listen too? Well that's because you need to have your CD mastered to ensure the best quality possible. Audio mastering involves EQ, compression, fades, limiting, sequencing tracks, enhancement, and burning you master CD. This process can vary from track to track but it is imperative when it comes to producing your music with the best quality sound possible. A recording by a singer/songwriter requires a different sound than one by a rock band or hip hop artist.

Do not skip the CD mastering process; it is the most important step before going to CD production. CD mastering is the last process before sending your CD out to record labels, radio stations, and CD replication plants. When mastering your CD make sure your CD sounds excellent on any system; in a car stereo, home stereo, club, or studio. Make sure that your final music product will be a perfect "Red Book" master for you CD duplication or CD replication. Also make sure that you edit the beginning and the end of all songs so there will be no noise between your tracks on the Final CD. Hope this information we be useful when considering producing your next music or audio CD.

Labels: audio recording, cd duplication, cd mastering, cd replication, mixing

Social media has become a huge component in the music networking business. Social networks such as MySpace and Facebook are some of the best ways to promote your band or music. Disc2day is now offering social media band websites to help connect all of your social media outlets with your website to create one giant network specifically for your music.

A few people have asked, "Why would you want to create something like MySpace or Facebook when they clearly have already dominated the social media market?" Our pre-made websites are not designed to compete with MySpace or Facebook, but in fact, they are built to connect with all your social media networks. The idea behind this is to create a larger network for your band so you become more visible in the online community. Think about when you type a band into Google; usually the first couple results are their MySpace profile, Facebook profile, and if they have one, an official band website. So by having each one of these you are making your band more visible online and more specifically in the search engines. And the best part is that they will all be connected so if someone finds your website they can easily maneuver to your MySpace or Facebook or Digg or whatever and vice versa; again, you are significantly increasing the visibility of your band.

All of our websites are SEO compatible so they will be easily read by search engines to ensure that your band website has a good chance of appearing in the top search results. The pre-installed social media toolbar makes it easy to connect your website with your various social network accounts. The websites also have other great features available such as an online music jukebox directly on your homepage to play your most popular or current songs, youTube video input to display any band videos you may have, shopping cart capabilities for selling of merchandise and media online, official band blog, photo gallery, and so much more. The websites are also built using a CMS (content management system) so you can easily add and edit your content yourself right from your own home.

So if you are looking for the next step in promoting your band or you just want another way for people to hear about your band, these social media band websites are the ultimate music promotion tool. Visit our social media band website section to see some of our designs (custom designs are available as an extra option upon request) or give us a call today to find out more about our pre-made band websites.

Labels: band websites, disc2day, music promotion, social media, social media band websites, social networking

When it comes to manufactured CD's and DVD's are you finding out that most companies do not deliver your disc's on the due date? This is because there are so many different issues that can hold up the production of a replicated or pressed CD or DVD. Here is a basic breakdown of the CD replication process:

The process begins by first creating what's called a "proof" for the silk screen on the disc. This is just a prepared artwork that will eventually be placed on the disc. Once your design is done then the stamper or glass master is produced. This process checks your master disc for Meg capacity and for any source errors. Once your proofs are signed off on and your stamper is created your CD or DVD goes into production. During the production phase, the information is stamped from your master onto your CD or DVD and is an exact copy of your original master. From there your discs go into the printing process which your artwork is usually silk screened onto the CD or DVD. This is done from a silk screen process which requires 4 films; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK) to produce all colors of the spectrum. The CD's or DVD's are then packed into spindles and shipped out for delivery. This process can be as long as 3 weeks with most CD DVD replication companies.

Disc2day; however, prides ourselves in providing some of the fastest turn times in the CD DVD duplication and replication industry. We understand that in the music and entertainment business, high-quality media product is something that usually needs to be available as fast as possible. Disc2day offers true turn times and we always deliver your product on the date that we scheduled for you; even if this means that we have to work a night shift or work on the weekends to get it done.

See what some of our customers have to say about us:

It is such a pleasure working with Disc2day. I have never found another duplication/replication company that can turn the quality product I need as fast as they do. They have a very friendly staff that greets me every time I go in and I just enjoy working with them. Keep up the good work Disc2day.

I have been using Discmakers for the past 5 years or so to get my CD's replicated and it usually takes about 3 weeks to get my discs back. When I talked to Disc2day and they told me they would be ready in a little over a week I didn't believe it. Low and behold a week later I got my CD's and was blown away. Now I know exactly who to go to when I need my CD's fast. Thank you so much Disc2day, I will see you again soon!

Labels: cd replication, disc replication, disc2day, dvd replication, replication process, turn times

Dis2day is proud to announce the purchase of a Triumph automatic programmable paper cutter and the Digifold scoring and folding equipment; not only will these machines increase our already fast turn times, but they will allow us to produce an even higher quality CD or DVD packaged product. The Triumph paper cutter can cut inserts more precisely to their dimensions and score them before the folding process. This avoids cracking on the 4-8 panel front inserts for your retail-ready CD and DVD complete packages. The Digifold machine allows us to fold all inserts exactly on the fold line keeping your CD or DVD case looking clean and professional.

Disc2day is continually updating their equipment to give our clients the highest quality products with even faster turn times than before. These 2 new additions have increased our production over 30% which allows us to take on a lot more clients and still provide the quick turn times that we guarantee. These machines will also allow us to provide higher quality product for your retail ready CD or DVD package to truly give you that professional retail-ready store look.

Labels: cd packaging, digifold, disc2day, dvd packaging, triumph