These days, technology is always available for any inspiring musician to record, create, and even duplicate CDs. The duplication of CDs will involve CD-R media. CD-R media prices have dropped a lot over the last several years, making them affordable for anyone who wants to use them.
If your band is ready to start selling CDs, your best option may be to have your CDs replicated. Replicated CDs are the same CDs that you’ll find in music stores by major label artists. They all have excellent artwork printed on the CD inserts, nice tray card inserts, screened art on the CD, and they are even shrink wrapped.
The retail CDs that you buy aren’t duplicated, they are replicated. This means that an exact replica of your master CD has been stamped out on all of the other CDs. If you are serious about selling your music for profit, replication is the way to go.
The fact is, most stores simply won’t sell duplicated CDs. Duplicated CDs can be against the law, which is the main reason retail stores simply won’t carry them. Replicated CDs let the stores know that the CD is legit, and they will almost always carry those CDs.
For musicians and inspiring bands, CD duplication can tend to be a bit more expensive than that of replication. To duplicate CDs, you need a computer with a CD burner, your CD-R media, cases, and a lot of man hours.
With CD replication, you can get many more copies, professional artwork, a barcode for inventory, and cases included. Replication is obviously to expensive for those looking to simply back up pictures and data on a personal computer, although the prices are just right for musicians looking to make profit off of their CDs.