Re: Quality Control

[Christopher Murphy <chris@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dear All,

Firstly, thanks Joshua for your kind comments...

I'm inclined to agree that the 'virtual' vs. 'real' offers us the best of
both worlds: 'hold in your head' and hold in you hands' (as our friends @
fals.ch so elegantly put it).

Like Sakr though, I would add the proviso: the publisher as well as the
musician has a responsibility as an editor of sorts to try and ensure a
level quality on their label be it 'real' or 'virtual'. Releasing every
single demo that hits your doorstep does nobody any favours, I think we'd
all be in agreement about that.

For me, though the debate goes deeper, I wonder if we held the following
poll what the outcome would be... Would you prefer:

A) a free .mp3 release (which dissolves when your hard drive crashes); or

B) the same release well-packaged and beautifully-designed (which burns when
your house goes up in flames).

Personally, no amount of quality .mp3 material will ever replace the
enjoyment of holding a lovingly-crafted 'object' in my hands. In that
regard, I often wonder if the production of CDs and vinyl will become akin
to that of limited edition book production, or letterpress printing: the
creation of that Holy Grail 'added value'.

Who knows what the future holds. As for the following:

<So real labels have a goal which is to make money, whereas virtual
labels are more about the music, the art, the abstract.>

However poetic this might sound, I suspect you don't run your own label
'real' or 'virtual'. I've run Fallt for years and I've never made a penny,
quite the opposite in fact. Every ounce of so-called profit is ploughed
straight back into the next release 'virtual' or otherwise...

In fact the (media-mogul) co-owner of this 'real'/'virtual' label received a
VISA bill tonight for a mere GBP 900, 90% of which was used for Fallt
releases; and when I wasn't crying about that or worrying about how to pay
it, I spent the other half of my evening filling in an (endless) form for a
personal loan - emphasis on the word 'personal' - to finance GBP 5,000
towards the cost of producing the 24 CD invalidObject Series (which has, I'm
sure you'll all be pleased to know, finally reached the pressing plant!).

<I see 'virtual' labels and 'real' labels as being pretty much the
same with the exception that the 'virtual labels' don't have as large a
monetary investment to deal with, nor as much profit to be made.>

Re.: "as much profit to be made..." See above. =]

Take care,

Christopher


| """..NOW PLAYING..00.02.0001---||||...
| 0000
| XXXX¨¨¨¨AUTECHRE | EP7 --------------------- <>
| XXXX¨¨¨¨STEPHAN MATHIEU | FREQUENCY LIB. ----------- \\
| 0000 \\\\..\\\\


http://www.fallt.com  |  info@xxxxxxxxx