Frequently Asked Questions

You’ve Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers!

Why should I release under a label and not independently?

For some musicians, releasing independently might make sense; however, we would submit at least five primary reasons why releasing under a label is preferable for most classical musicians. The first reason is professionalism. Both for the quality of the final product and the association with a label for reasons of career development, releasing under a label with other curated artists is professional; releasing independently is not. Secondly, releasing an album is labor intensive and requires technical expertise. From knowing which of many distribution companies and disc printers will best serve your needs to purchasing and learning to use professional design software (let alone the process of design itself), releasing under a label allows you to concentrate on making music without needlessly struggling to navigate the challenges of releasing your own album. The third reason is that we provide web hosting for your album. Seven Eight Records hosts a separate page for each of our albums on SevenEightRecords.com including downloadable liner notes, artist biographies and headshots, as well as links to purchase and stream your album. The fourth reason is the acquisition of professional reviews. Album reviews are critical for career development and can generate interest in your recording. Finally, a label has tools and contacts to help you promote your album. Ask yourself how many independently released recordings you can recall hearing lately and you might have a sense why releasing with a label will help you reach a much larger audience.

Do you pay royalties?

No. Because we do not emphasize selling physical discs and the revenue generated from the usual volume associated with classical music streaming is extremely minimal, we have developed a business model based on immediate up-front cost savings for our clients, which we believe in almost all cases represents a significantly higher figure (in some cases several thousands of dollars) than the potential royalties paid over the contract in a traditional relationship.

Can I buy back my recording from Seven Eight Records?

Yes, our contracts allow an artist to buy back their recording from Seven Eight Records for a fee of $500. Buying back your recording means we will remove your album from digital distribution and from the Seven Eight Records website. We, of course, would hope that you would never choose to do so; however, we want to create a relationship with all of our artists based on security and trust.

How do I use music not in the public domain on my album?

You must obtain written record for full permissions from the copyright holder(s) and submit those documents along with your other materials before we begin work to release an album. We recommend, if necessary, that artists agree to pay copyright holders a one-time fee in exchange for full permissions to use their material.

How will you promote my album?

We craft a different promotional strategy for every album; however, all albums are announced on social media and promoted in relevant interest groups. All albums are hosted on our company website, SevenEightRecords.com. Additionally, we selectively distribute albums to various sources to solicit reviews and place announcements in trade journals when possible.

Can you accommodate projects that fall outside of your standard packages?

Probably. If you have an idea that seems not to readily fit into one of our release packages we invite you to contact us to discuss how we could meet your needs.

Can I mix and match release packages?

No. We cannot, for example, fulfill an order of 50 "jackets" and 50 "jewels" for the reason that form-factor is registered as a part of an album release and would represent two releases of the same recording.

If I sell all of my CDs can I order more?

Yes. We will reorder discs in batches of 50 at cost plus a $65 shipping and handling fee per 100 units.