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CD's Obsolete?

Started by robin35051, December 01, 2009, 01:49:47 PM

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robin35051

Just curious and seeking some discussion.  Are other musicians/groups seeing a decline in CD sales?  Our CD sales this past summer were much lower than past years and I'm not sure if it is economy driven or are people starting to want to download everything and not carry a CD out the door.  I've done some general research and many believe the CD will be obsolete by 2015.  We would be due to record our 6th CD this winter and I am just not convinced one way or another whether we should.  Any thoughts?

Prof. John Bull

We're planning a new CD for next year's run.  So far we haven't had any trouble selling them.  There are certain crowd-pleasing songs in our set list that aren't widely recorded that sell the CDs for us.

CD sales are our largest source of revenue.  I think that's true for nearly all musical groups that perform at fests. 

I suppose we could sell memory sticks with MP3s on them instead.  They cost a little more than CDs, but not much.

lys1022

As a consumer, I think it would be great to be able to pay and download music directly from my favorite groups' websites.  Rather like Amazon.com does with some of their music, you know?  I have no idea how easy or difficult that would be to set up, though.
Lys
I am not an employee of Scarborough Faire and to not represent them in any way.

meauho

Setup varies based on whether using a program or not, and knowledge with coding.
That having been said, it is a feature that comes with Zen cart..

I know Tartanic is on iTunes, and think more Ren-players should look into it.  I don't have a clue what the process is, but it could be worth it; I have all of Tartanic just because it is on iTunes.
"New ideas are always suspected, and usually opposed,without any other reason but because they are not already common."

renfairephotog

I buy cds at faire. I do buy single songs from iTunes but it's from acts I like that are at faires I can't attend.
Twenty seasons of covering renaissance  festivals. Photos/calendar/blog.
Fairy photographer

Lady Renee Buchanan

Here's a response from another consumer - in the 40's - 50's age range.  We buy CDs at faire.  I have never downloaded one thing in my life, and neither have most of my friends.  I would check the age range at your shows.  This is a complete generalization, not set in concrete.  But a lot of older people either don't feel comfortable with downloading because they don't really know how to do it, or don't want to do this.  So if you have a mostly younger audience, then not producing CDs and downloading may be the way to go.  But if your audience is older, although some may embrace this, a lot will not do it.  I'd rather buy a CD at faire, take it home, and put it in my player and press a button to listen, rather than going on the computer and paying to download songs.  My own preference, not a blanket statement.
A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich

VIII

If your electronic medium crashes, then you would still have the CD's.  Luckily, I have a computator that can upload CD's for recording onto my MP3 player, so I should be able to keep my music for the life of the CD's.
Former King Henry VIII
Renaissance Magazine Issue #66 Cover Boy

robin35051

Thanks everyone!  I appreciate the input.  I am looking into CD Baby (which then helps you get into ITunes) and other media like flash drives.  Keep the thoughts coming, it is very helpful!

lys1022

Regarding the age of your crowd:  Well, I'm in my mid-40's, and I prefer to download over buying a CD.  So I don't know as age really has a lot to do with it.  Most of the people that I associate with are computer savvy enough that downloading tracks for purchase is a viable alternative.  I'm not saying to go SOLELY with that, but offering it as an option (whether you offer individual tracks, full CD's, or both) only serves to increase your marketplace opportunities.

Regarding having a CD as backup:  Once I've downloaded a track / CD, I usually burn myself a copy to serve as a backup and to use in my living room stereo system, which has a 300 CD changer and a 400 CD changer linked together.  (Hubby and I are still working on filling 'em.  The 300 is full, but we've still got space in the 400! *grin*).

Just my two pence. :)
Lys
I am not an employee of Scarborough Faire and to not represent them in any way.

iain robb

I'd stay away from flash drives. Using them for music distribution strikes me as gimmicky -- and since I work in marketing, I have seen a lot of gimmicks come and go and stick folks with a lot of weird swag.

I personally prefer CDs. I buy CDs, mostly at faires, and I don't download music. Now, things may be different if you can set up point-of-sale downloads directly to my personal music device right at faire, but until then, I'm buying CDs.

Jademozingo

CDs, always cds. I only use cds in my car, and that is where I listen to most of my music. I can put them on my computer to put them on my froggy MP3 player to listen to at work. It's really nice to have a hard copy, and I can buy a cd at faire and not have to remember what performer(s) I want to buy music from when I get home.

Jade

ladylissame

I still buy CDs. For me, if my hard drive(s) die I want to be able to get back my music.

winterland

One thing to remember is if you buy downloads and they are MP3's they dont sound as good as a CD.
MP3's are compressed audio and are missing a lot of sound quality compared to CD's. Some downloads are full CD quality. MP3's are smaller that is why they are so popular. 
It is something to keep an eye on.
It is strange how with all this technology we have went backwards in sound quality.

Lady L

I buy only CDs. I have never downloaded any music, either. I have some GREAT speakers and they dont' connect to my computer in the basement office. I only use them upstairs and all the CDs I have sound fantastic on there! I also hook up my piano keyboard to those speakers.
Former Shop Owner at MNRF

renfairephotog

Quote from: winterland on January 03, 2010, 12:42:18 AM
One thing to remember is if you buy downloads and they are MP3's they dont sound as good as a CD.
MP3's are compressed audio and are missing a lot of sound quality compared to CD's. Some downloads are full CD quality. MP3's are smaller that is why they are so popular. 
It is something to keep an eye on.
It is strange how with all this technology we have went backwards in sound quality.

Amen, and most people dont care or don't notice the difference. There's a big difference from playing on a stereo system or just on earbuds.
Twenty seasons of covering renaissance  festivals. Photos/calendar/blog.
Fairy photographer