Make Sure Your First Independent Album Looks Professional

Releasing your first independent album is a big job, with lots to think about. Chances are you'll be heavily focused on the music side of things, and might not have spent much time thinking about how your album will physically look. This is a big mistake. An album which looks unappealing or unprofessional is unlikely to sell well, especially if you plan to have it on sale after gigs or at events.

An album with a brilliant, eye-catching cover that encompasses what you're all about can draw interest from potential fans who've never even heard your music. The design of your album is a powerful tool that you need to utilise if you want to find success as an independent musician. Read on for advice on key album design areas.

Front cover

The first and most obvious design choice you'll need to make is what to put on the front cover. There's a reason it's called 'album art' - you'll need more than just something you threw together in ten minutes on your computer. Considering hiring a professional designer who can create art that you can use across all of your promotional channels, including social media, to present a coherent image for yourself or your band.

If you want to save on costs, then you could ask around and see if any of your artistically inclined friends or fans would like to contribute. This grassroots approach can work really well for artists who want to play on the fact that they are 'underground' and indie. Having your cover professionally printed is a must. Even the best artwork will lose quality on cheap paper, and fans won't be happy to receive a substandard product.

CD design

Now for the fun part - how will you design the physical CD that holds your album? You could choose a simple design, like your logo, on a plain background. This will use less ink than other designs, making it cheaper, and can still be striking. For a really stand-out look, then a full color design is perfect. You could incorporate the circular shape of the disc into your design - what if it was decorated to look like a doughnut? Get creative and sketch out some ideas, or commission a designer.

For a small number of discs, you'll want to choose the option of duplicate printing at the printing shop you choose - this recreates your chosen image in a high quality, without costing too much, or taking long. If you're producing a larger number of discs, usually more than 500, then replicate printing is the best option. Replicate printing takes longer than duplicate, and will usually cost more. The color of the data side of the disc will vary according to your choice - on duplicates it will be a greenish silver, and on replicates it will be plain silver. For more advice, contact a local printing service.