FAQ
- Frequently
Asked Questions About CD Production
-
- Notice To User
- The contents
of this FAQ segment is made available strictly for information
purposes. Summit Sound SIAD Inc. specifically disclaims any and
all liability regarding the use of this information. The data
contained in our repertories is obtained from a variety of sources
and is updated on a regular basis. Nevertheless we cannot guarantee
its accuracy. For this reason we invite you to contact us directly
in case of doubt regarding any information contained herein.
- If your question
isn't here email us directly at: info@summitsound.com or call 1-800-403 9755
and one of our representatives will provide a personal response
to your inquiry.
Q: What is Audio
CD mastering (or pre-mastering) & do I need it?
Q: Why should I
check the reference CDR of my master?
Q: What is the
"CMYK process" required to print a CD cover?
Q: If I have a
PC or MAC and some graphic ability, can I do my own cover artwork?
Q: What are the
typical problems with PC (non-Mac) graphics files?
Q: What happens
if I want to change the graphic or CDR proof I receive?
Q: How can I get
permission to record/release songs that I did not write? (Mechanical
licenses)
Q: How can I protect
songs I have written? (Copyright)
Q: Why should my
original songs be registered with a performing rights organization?
Q: What is the
Canadian MAPL symbol & should I use it?
Q: Do I need a
resale certificate in the USA or Vendors permit in Canada to
sell CDs?
Q: What is a catalogue
or release number & do I need one?
Q: Do I need a
barcode & how can I get one?
Q: Why do CD manufacturers
have a policy of shipping up to 10% over or under?
Q: What are your
terms of payment?
Q: What is Audio CD mastering (or pre-mastering)
& do I need it?
A: Audio CD mastering in it's most basic form is the step in manufacturing following mixdown where this master is loaded into a digital workstation and a final master "Red Book compatible" CDR is created including proper P&Q codes and a time/frame accurate log. More advanced mastering can be a very complex process involving additional compression/ limiting (for louder CDs), noise reduction, EQing, reverb and/or stereo enhancement as well as very sophisticated editing. Summit Sound offers all of these services at competitive rates.
If you can provide Summit Sound a professionally formatted "Red Book" compatible CDR including P&Q codes and a time/frame accurate log, (and you are fully satisfied with the present sound of your master) you may not need additional mastering services. It has been our experience that most masters benefit from post production "mastering" services.
Q: Why should I check the reference CDR of my master?
A: If Summit Sound is involved
in mastering your CD, we routinely send a reference CDR for your
approval. It should sound and perform exactly like your finished
CDs. This CDR will be created in our mastering suite with industry
standard software and includes the proper P and Q codes as well
as a time/frame accurate log (both) required to generate a glass
master for CD replication.Whether we create a reference CDR master
for you, or you supply your own, you should take the time to
check it (listen to every track) CAREFULLY since your finished
CDs will be exact copies of this CDR. Our responsibility is to
recreate digital "clones" of the final CDR master.
Q: What is the "CMYK process" required
to print a CD cover?
A: The term CMYK stands for
C-Cyan / M-Magenta / Y-Yellow / K-Black. This is the industry
printing standard 4 colour "process". All full color
cover content (including photographs) must be divided (or separated)
into the 4 CMYK (primary) colors (usually on computer) and then
uploaded to a digital press for "Direct-to-plate" print
production. The traditional process (prior to direct-to-plate
presses) was to create a piece of negative film (and a colour
proof) for each of the 4 CMYK colors. (These films are created
from computer files on a high resolution 2550dpi imagesetter
by a graphic service bureau.) Thus it requires 4 digital plates
which are created from hi res PDF files and placed on a digital
press OR 4 negatives plus a color key proof of each of the 4
colors, which are then used to produce the final printing plates
on a conventional offset press. Note that even for covers printed
direct-to-plate, the film process is still required to create
Pantone (PMS) color negatives & plates for direct-on-disc
CD imprinting.
- Q: If I have a PC or MAC and some graphic ability,
can I do my own cover artwork?
A: Although Apple (Mac) computers
have long dominated the graphics (and music) industry, recent
changes in digital print processes involving the use of printable
PDF files, have made it much easier for PC owners to also create
files that can now actually be used for "direct-to-plate"
offset printing. If you are a Mac or PC user with current professional
graphics software capable of creating hi-resolution printable
PDF files, and are familiar with the process involved, you can
easily download our applicable cover layout templates in either
QuarkXpress or the Acrobat PDF formats and then supply your final
design to us in the universal PDF format - from which we can
go direct-to-plate. (See our design specifications for more details)
- Mac or PC users commonly use
programs such as QuarkXpress, Photoshop, Illustrator or In-Design
to create their design and to manipulate images... when the design
is complete convert all colors to CMYK, "flatten" layers,
and embed text, then re-save as a high quality 300 dpi Acrobat
(PDF) file and write to CDR or upload to our FTP site. If additional
file conversion or extra design work is required by Summit, it
is billed at $60. per hour over and above any package prices
quoted.
Q: What are the typical problems with client-supplied
PC or Mac graphics files?
A: Common problems with supplied
files from amateur or part-time designers, typically involve
file and font incompatibilities, missing bleed and crop/fold/perf
marks and poor color matching, (due to improper monitor calibration
and a general lack of understanding of the CMYK process) which
means the final output can vary DRAMATICALLY from what you see
on your monitor. If you have never done this before, your CD
or DVD cover isn't a great place to experiment. Not everyone
who owns a computer is a graphic designer! Summit Sound designs
music product covers every day, and our professional staff can
provide all related services with no hassles and guarantee "major
label quality" results. To avoid extra cost and needless
work, before beginning any "DIY" cover design work,
be sure to call and speak with one of our consultants to ensure
that you are taking the best approach.
Q: What happens if I want to change the graphic
or CDR proof I receive?
A: Summit Sound usually provides
a PDF color proof of customer supplied files or our "in-house"
designs. We also routinely do a laser printed pre-press proof,
to ensure the printed result is accurate before going to press.
We guarantee your satisfaction with our design and any proofs,
but if additional work is required that exceeds the package limitation(s)
or you want to change the cover, or alter the audio master further,
(after we have presented proofs) we do charge for the extra work
required. In order to avoid extra charges, please make sure all
cover information is complete and supplied to us correctly, and
that you are clear about what mastering services, song re-sequencing
etc. (if any) that you need us to do.
Q: How can I get permission to record/release songs
that I did not write? (Mechanical licenses)
A: In order to record and release someone else's copyrighted
composition(s), you need to obtain a written mechanical license.
Mechanical licenses cannot be denied (as long as you do not alter
the original words or music), but obtaining them can be VERY
time consuming, and sometimes quite a complex process.
1.) The first step (if you don't already know the author and/or
publisher's names and addresses) would be to contact the performing
rights organizations to find out who owns the copyright for the
song(s) you are recording.
In the USA contact BMI (212) 586-2000 www.bmi.com,
ASCAP (212) 621-6160 www.ascap.com,
or SESAC (800) 826-9966 www.sesac.com.
In Canada contact SOCAN 1(800) 557-6226 www.socan.ca
Once you have this information, you can contact the author/publisher
and negotiate your own rates.
2.) If you don't want to negotiate your own rates, there are
recognized agencies who act on behalf of affiliated publishers
to issue mechanical licenses for them at standard statutory rates
(out of which they deduct a commission)
In the USA contact: The Harry Fox Agency/NMPA (212) 370-5330
www.nmpa.org OR Integrated
Copyright Group (212) 370-5330 icgi@ix.netcom.com
.
In Canada contact: CMRRA (416) 926-1966 or www.cmrra.ca
OR SODRAC (514) 845-3268 www.sodrac.com
For songs up to 5 minutes long, standard rates are currently about 9¢ per song, per copy released. Songs over 5 minutes are calculated at approximately 1.62¢ per minute additional.
3.) If you are part of a nonprofit group and cannot afford the
standard fee, in the USA contact: Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
(215) 545-3385 and they may be able to help negotiate reduced
royalties.
Q: How can I protect songs I have written? (Copyright)
A: Any original work (song,
poem, art etc. ) is your copyrighted property, the moment you
conceive it, but it is up to you to validate this.
1.) The most common method is to mail a tape or CD of each of
your songs (in separate envelopes with the song title written
on the back) to yourself by registered mail. When you sign for
this at the post office they will have a record of your signature
and the date, but DO NOT OPEN the letters. (These should be kept
in a safe place to be produced as evidence in any legal proceeding.)
2.) Copyright registration: In the USA you may also choose to
register your copyright with the US Library of Congress in Washington,
D.C. (202) 707-9100 http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright
In Canada contact: Canadian Intellectual Property Office/Industry
Canada (800) 567-2345 or http://cipo.gc.ca/
Procedures and fees vary in the US and Canada, but the Library
of Congress is generally considered the better alternative, because
they place a copy of your work on file (unbelievably, CIPO do
not) and the "L of C" rates are about 1/3 of the $65.
CIPO fee.
Q: Why should my original songs be registered with
a performing rights organization?
A: Performing Rights organizations
such as BMI, ASCAP, SESAC in the USA and SOCAN in Canada, exist
to track and collect royalties for the use of music on radio,
TV, film and even live performances. Technically, radio/TV can
refuse to play music that does not list performing rights affiliation,
since part of their licensing agreement with the FCC in the USA
or the CRTC in Canada requires that they pay these collectives
for the use of all music that they broadcast. Since it is impossible
for individuals to know what every station is playing at any
given time, performing rights organizations provide this service
to affiliated writers and publishers through a very sophisticated
polling process and then divide proceeds collected between their
members according to usage. If you plan to collect royalties
for public performance of your music, you will need to join one
of these organizations and list them in your author/publisher
credits on your CD cover to serve notice to those playing your
music.
In the USA contact BMI (212) 586-2000 www.bmi.com,
ASCAP (212) 621-6160 www.ascap.com,
or SESAC (800) 826-9966 www.sesac.com.
In Canada contact SOCAN 1(800) 557-6226 www.socan.ca
Q: What is the Canadian MAPL symbol & should
I use it?
A: The MAPL symbol was created
by an executive at RPM magazine (the Canadian equivalent of "Billboard")
to make it easy for Canadian broadcasters to determine if music
qualifies for broadcast under "Canadian Content" regulations.
When the symbol is used, MAPL compliance is graphically represented
using a "pie-chart", with the quarters of the "pie"
representing the following 4 items as defined by the Canadian
Radio Television Commission (CRTC) : M - Music / A - Artist /
P - Production / L - Lyrics. In order to qualify as "Can-Con",
a minimum of 2 of the 4 MAPL categories must be Canadian. Canadian
broadcasters are required by law to play minimum percentages
(typically 7 to 40% depending upon their licensing agreement
with the CRTC) of Canadian Content. If any song on your CD meets
2 or more of the 4 MAPL requirements, you may want to include
the MAPL symbol beside it. You can find a MAPL symbol on the
Summit download page. (This could also apply to US artists seeking
Canadian airplay who co-write with Canadians and record/manufacture
with companies like SUMMIT in Canada.)
Q: Do I need a resale certificate in the USA or
Vendors permit in Canada to sell CDs?
A: Resale Certificates or
Vendors Permits, license you as a retail vendor and usually allow
you to purchase your CDs or cassettes without paying state or
provincial tax on the wholesale cost for these items; but you
are then obligated to collect and remit that tax on the retail
selling price. In some states or provinces it may actually be
illegal to sell your CD or Cassette without a license (and add
tax), however, in some parts of the USA, unless you run a full
time business, it is may be difficult to get a resale certificate
from your state. To be safe contact the sales tax dept. in your
region and get a written ruling on your specific situation.
USA customers of Summit Sound are exempt from both Canadian Federal (5%GST) and Ontario provincial (8%PST) sales taxes and CDs are duty-free if your product is shipped to you from Summit by a common carrier (such as UPS).
Canadian Summit customers must
add GST, and unless your product is shipped out of Ontario by
a common carrier (such as UPS) or you have an valid Ontario vendors
permit number, you will also need to add applicable Ontario PST.
Q: What is a catalogue or release number &
do I need one?
A: This is a specific identification
number for your CD or tape. The number consists of a combination
of letters and numbers (At Summit we use "in-house"
numbers such as SCD 5432 for a CD and SC4 5432 for Cassette)
Every project needs a release number to help the manufacturer
keep all your parts straight. At Summit Sound, we keep track
of your project by release number so it is ESSENTIAL to include
it on ALL artwork or negatives. The bottom line is that each
part MUST contain your catalogue/release number.( If you do not
provide a catalogue number with your project, we will assign
it one.)
Q: Do I need a barcode & how can I get one?
A: A barcode or UPC code
(as it is known in North America) is usually required if you
plan to sell your CDs or cassettes in stores. (You also need
a different barcode for both your CD and cassette ...unless they
both are the same price.)
Summit Sound can create & provide you with a UPC barcode
and incorporate it in your design for a fee of $50. per bar code.
You can purchase your own barcode number (approx $600.US./yr) PLUS you will also need special software (approx $300.US) to generate the barcode if you do it yourself.
To get your own (license to create) Barcode(s):
In the USA contact: Uniform Code Council, 1-800-543-8137 or (513)
435-3870
In Canada contact: Electronic Commerce Council of Canada, 1-800-567-7084
or (416) 510-8039
Q: Why do CD manufacturers have a policy of shipping
up to 10% over or under?
A: In any custom manufacturing process there are fluctuations in the actual quantities manufactured. At Summit Sound we usually manufacture extra units, because we may reject a few units that do not pass our high quality control standards. Depending on the number of rejects, your total quantity will vary slightly, plus or minus 10%. If for example we were 25 CDs short, it would not be practical to put your CD back on the presses to create 25 more copies... so you will not be billed for any product you do not get. By the same standard, if there 25 extras you will be billed for these . You only pay for the exact number of tapes or discs received (up to 10% plus or minus). This process is completely determined by quality control, so please don't ask us not to MAKE specific numbers of overs or unders. At Summit if you pre-pay your order in-full at time of placement, including applicable taxes and freight, any over-run is FREE!
Q: What are your terms of payment?
A: A minimum deposit of 60% is required to begin any project. Balance (with adjustments for +/-10% on the final quantity shipped), applicable taxes and shipping fees are payable PRIOR to final shipment. If you pre-pay your order in-full in advance including applicable taxes and freight, any over-run is FREE!
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