FROM BRAINSTORM TO MARKETPLACE:PLANNING THE RELEASE OF A MUSIC ALBUM

A Major Qualifying ProjectSubmitted to the Faculty of theWorcester Polytechnic Institute

March 2013

Authored By:

José Ramon Navedo

Advised By:

Professor Steven S. Taylor

Sponsored By:

Professor John F Delorey, on behalf of the Glee Club Associates.

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TABLE OF CONTENTSABSTRACT.........................................................................................................................3CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION......................................................................................4CHAPTER 2 – BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW.....................................7

2.1 – THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.....................................................................................72.1.1 -THE OLD MODEL..............................................................................................82.1.2 - THE CURRENT MODEL...................................................................................92.1.3 - WHY BOTHER GOING PHYSICAL?...............................................................92.2 - NON PROFIT MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS...................................................102.3 – FOUR FRAME ANALYSIS................................................................................12

2.3.1 – THE STRUCTURAL FRAME.....................................................................142.3.2 – THE HUMAN RESOURCE FRAME..........................................................152.3.3 – THE POLITICAL FRAME..........................................................................172.3.4 – THE SYMBOLIC FRAME..........................................................................19

2.4 – SUMMARY.........................................................................................................20CHAPTER 3 – METHODOLOGY...................................................................................22

3.1 – WHAT MAKES AN IDEAL PRODUCT?...........................................................233.2 – WHAT MUST BE COMPLETED?.....................................................................23

3.2.1 – THE RECORDINGS....................................................................................253.2.2 – THE ARTWORK..........................................................................................253.2.3 – THE FORMAT.............................................................................................263.2.4 – WHERE CAN IT BE PURCHASED?.........................................................263.2.5 – THE CREDITS.............................................................................................27

3.3 – DISCUSSION WITH THE ALUMNI & DIRECTOR........................................283.4 – SUMMARY.........................................................................................................28

CHAPTER 4 – RESULTS & FINAL PRODUCT.............................................................294.1 THE ALBUM'S COMPONENTS...........................................................................29

4.1.1 SONG SELECTION AND TRACK LISTING...............................................294.1.2 – ALBUM ARTWORK...................................................................................304.1.3 – DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION AND PICKING AN AGGREGATOR............314.1.4 - PHYSICAL COPIES....................................................................................32

4.1.5 - THE CREDITS.................................................................................................334.2 – THE RELEASE....................................................................................................334.3 – MEETINGS AND COMMUNICATION.............................................................344.4 – THE ABRIDGED GUIDE TO RELEASING AN ALBUM................................35

CHAPTER 5 – CONCLUSION ................................37REFERENCES..................................................................................................................40

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ABSTRACT

This project took recordings of the WPI Men's Glee Club (WPIMGC) brought them from

a hard drive to the global marketplace. As a member of the group, I was on these

recordings and had a personal interest in seeing their release. As producer, I was

responsible with managing the desires of the group director and members with the

realities of the music industry.

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CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION

Academic organizations have long struggled to afford all of the equipment and

experiences they desire to impart upon members, generally requiring these organizations

to resort to donations and fundraising drives. Such endeavors do not have continuous

revenue streams and require numerous hours from many members in order to be

successful. Is this the most effective or most profitable way to support such

organizations? Can some groups utilize their organizations’ talents to create a different

revenue stream through which they could gain more funds?

The WPI Men’s Glee Club [WPIMGC] is the oldest organization at WPI, with a rich 137

year history. A well established and engaged alumni association and a booming

undergraduate attendance continually beg the question: What can be done to make the

WPIMGC even better? From selling apparel to performing yard work, the WPIMGC

works hard to elicit donations towards its endowment - funds which get used to promote

its own activities and help subsidize costs for its members.

In addition, a demand for recordings of the group exists, as indicated by various

performances uploaded to Youtube that have several hundred hits (Haupt, 2012). While

none have gone viral, these videos have been sent to friends and family and have been

rewatched by WPIMGC’s own members wanting to relive the moment.

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However, this requires constant internet access. While they are accessible, these uploaded

performances appear to be amateur products and releases. As such, there is a market for a

packaged recording with various add-ins that can be sold at a profit. These profits can be

donated to the WPIMGC Endowment, ensuring future generations have increased

financial support within the organization.

This is not a minor undertaking, however. The recordings have to be consolidated, mixed

and mastered to sound their best. Decisions about where, when and how to release an

album as well as its digital distribution, all must be made. Furthermore, details such as

acquiring album artwork need to be organized and resolved. Creating an album is a large

undertaking that requires someone to manage the various groups and talents involved,

while keeping the desires of many people in check. Yet, as more members enter the group

each year, more members will find themselves without a recording and the desire will

return.

There is no guide on how to work with an academic choral group and bring their

recordings to market. This MQP is intended to be not just a catalog of my own endeavors

in creating this, but it will also assist individuals with future choral group productions by

outlining decisions that need to be made in the process and helping them to organize the

steps within this daunting task. Coordinating the parties working together - such as the

WPI Recording Club, CDBaby, Glee Club Associates [GCA] etc. - and bringing forth a

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product all involved can be proud of is an intricate engine. It is the creation of this engine

that requires a Management Major’s expertise and thus creates the need for this MQP.

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CHAPTER 2 – BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW

When I first undertook this project, I knew that much care must be taken to ensure that

not only was the project completed, but that it was done so in a manner reflecting the

research ability and prior knowledge of a WPI Management major.

This chapter will bring to light what needs to be known in order to release an album in

the current market. The chapter will begin with a brief overview of the music industry,

starting when the first recordings of music came out. Various nonprofit organizations

within the music industry were analyzed in order to better align with the process of

producing this specific album. Following this, an in depth analysis of the WPIMGC and

this project will be included to assist in the production of the album as tailored to the

desires of the WPIMGC.

2.1 – THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

When first learning about a new industry, it is important to understand its origins and the

direction it has been swinging in most recently. Ultimately, there are many more steps

and individuals between the artist in the studio and the consumer at home than most

people realize. Even within the music industry's rapidly changing field, while there are

fewer people involved, it is a lengthy process to bring an album to market.

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2.1.1 -THE OLD MODEL

The invention and rise of the phonograph shook the music world to the core. Music

lovers could suddenly own a personal copy of a recording as opposed to strictly

experiencing live music. This moment marks the advancement of the music industry as

something beyond simply the artists themselves. There would be people at the recording

sessions setting up the microphones, people mastering the recordings to sound best

played over specific setups, companies that would produce the physical copies of the

recording, artists who design the album work, lawyers who secure copyrights for the

songs composed by the group and by others, payroll accountants, and drivers of the

trucks carrying the records to stores.

As one can see, it is a lot of time and effort sunk into a single recording. Greg Kot, the

Chicago Tribune's music critic, summed up the process as “...a handful of big

corporations funneled heavily marketed recordings by superstar artists through a few

radio chains and MTV to the public“ (LA Times, 2009). By gambling on these superstars,

labels hoped for big payoffs which would be funneled into additional recordings, whether

from the same group or from new gambles. Regardless, it was very tough to get into the

industry or make private recordings with such a barrier to entry. (Krasilovsky, Shemel,

Gross, Feinstein, 2010)

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2.1.2 - THE CURRENT MODEL

Since the advent of the internet, however, the landscape has been continually changing.

By bringing us all closer together, the internet allows any artist to quickly and easily

reach their listeners and fans, whether by simply having a MySpace webpage or by

hosting their music on one of the several online distributors for music such as the iTunes

music store, Amazon .mp3 store, Google Play store, etc. In fact, on April 3rd 2008, Apple

announced that their iTunes Store had become the largest music distributor in the world.

(Neumayer, 2008)

Independent artists can release their recordings to the exact same store as more well

known artists, receiving the same treatment & pay. Some artists, such as Radiohead, Nine

Inch Nails, and Jay-Z, have even taken to releasing their newest works directly onto their

own websites, asking people to donate what they feel so inclined to pay. (Kaufman, 2007)

However, with the ease of transferring data comes the rise of piracy (Keegan 2010). Greg

Kot noted that “...By some music biz estimates, for every music file that is purchased

online, 40 are shared -- or "stolen," if you prefer to use the industry's parlance (LA Times,

2009).”

2.1.3 - WHY BOTHER GOING PHYSICAL?

With the explosion in popularity of digital storefronts and the ease of piracy, the

usefulness of a physical release has diminished. CDs require money to print, and even

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small runs (100 CDs) can quickly add up to over $500. Digital downloads can be set up at

a fraction of the cost. They also will be easier to access in the coming years and

generations, as both CD players slowly disappear from and access to the cloud slowly

permeates into every device.

However, after the initial crash of sales in physical copies at the hands of digital

downloads, it’s been slowly growing again. There is a sense of possession and tactile

ownership simply not found with digital releases. But CDs are still selling for one

particular reason - cars offer CD players as part of almost every audio package available.

For the alum driving home from work on Tuesday afternoon and they feel like going back

to their Glee Club days they can do so. Pop in the CD [saves the step of hooking up an

MP3 player!] and The Stars Brightly Glancing starts coming in over the speakers.

2.2 - NON PROFIT MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS

As the WPIMGC is a non-profit organization, it seemed logical to research similar groups

involved in the music world. While I couldn’t find any literature produced by any

academic groups, the information available on groups like the Red Hot Organization and

Smithsonian Folkways record label helped give some ideas for running and raising

money for a non-profit organization.

The Red Hot Organization has dedicated itself to ‘rais[ing] awareness and money to fight

HIV/AIDS and related health and social issues.’ (RHO, 1989) They achieve their goals

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indirectly. The organization attempts to accrue the maximum amount of funds possible to

donate to groups that are directly working towards completing these missions. By selling

and organizing albums and other programs, the RHO looks to “tap basically new money,”

offering different products to compete for consumer dollars normally spent elsewhere

than charity. (Farley, 1999) RHO mostly focuses on compilation albums when releasing

music, getting one-off agreements with artists for very unique compilations. These

products are critically acclaimed alongside their for-profit counterparts: Stolen Moments:

Red Hot+Cool reached #9 on the Contemporary Jazz Billboard charts (Billboard, 1994),

and was TIME Magazine’s Album Of The Year in 1994.

Smithsonian Folkways is a dedicated record label NPO whose mission is “to support

cultural diversity and increase understanding among peoples through the documentation,

preservation, and dissemination of sound.“ (Folkways, 1987) Geared more to a folk and

world music crowd, the label still represents 10 GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award

Winners, as well as 5 GRAMMY Awards. Their revenue is used to create educational

programs and to pay those who created the recordings, from the engineers to the artists

and their communities.

In a similar manner, revenue earned by the WPIMGC can be used to assist in minimizing

any out-of-pocket costs for the groups. One of the tacit missions of the WPIMGC is to

promote the experience of choral music making to all interested, regardless of ability or

personal finances. An example of one of these costs are the yearly tours to New York

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City to perform in Missa Gaia at St. John the Divine Cathedral, at a cost to each singer of

approximately $200. By gaining an additional revenue stream, these out-of-pocket costs

could be decreased, making such a trip even more affordable for all involved, thereby

allowing more individuals to go and enjoy this fantastic experience. To these ends, a non-

profit group should strive to gain the maximum possible revenue from their actions.

As an academic group, the WPIMGC's livelihood is not dependent on financial success of

the members. Its members can view their time and effort put into the group differently

than those in a performing ensemble dependent on paychecks. As Robert Vagt of The

Heinz Endowments put it, "Not every nonprofit is run with the kind of financial precision

you'll find in a well-run business.” (Grant, 2012). Assignments will be accomplished, but

not necessarily with the drive seen when one's livelihood is on the line.

2.3 – FOUR FRAME ANALYSIS

I love the WPIMGC. Plain and simple. I would not have signed up for this project if I did

not, I would not have conceived of this project if I did not, and in fact had it not been for

the WPIMGC I would not have graduated from WPI. Not even close. This project is a

labor of love undertaken to give back to this organization that I love so much, as well as

show my ability in the management field.

However, being so close the organization sometimes makes it a little too large for me to

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visualize. It's hard to think about all the different aspects and parts that make up such an

important part of my life. Thankfully, there is a system through which I was able to

properly dissect and re-examine the WPIMGC.

Reframing Organizations has offered windows through which to change how we perceive

the groups and cultures we are a part of. As the writers state it is, “a prism or lens that

enables you to see and understand more clearly what goes on day to day.” (Bolman &

Deal, 1984). By thinking about the relationships between those in the group through these

frames, some of the subtler details of an organization's heart shine through. It is through

the understanding of the complexity of such a group that close professional relationships

can grow. These allow the soul of a product to be magnified and distinguish itself

amongst similar goods on the market.

In order to help look into this project, a frame analysis of both the group and the project

were completed to best shine light and give direction to this MQP. This will not only

assist the reader in understanding the group, but also help myself ensure that the product

best met the full range of the WPIMGC's presence. This frame analysis was especially

helpful to me, as I have been a member of the WPIMGC since my first term at WPI. It

has been difficult for me to think about the group as anything other than a collection of

my best friends and, truly, some of my brothers. The four frame analysis has helped me to

identify parts of the WPIMGC that I would not have put into words otherwise.

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2.3.1 – THE STRUCTURAL FRAME

The structural frame showcases the chain of command between those in the group,

defining who makes the decisions at which level. In the WPIMGC, the chain starts all the

way with WPI President Berkey. From there we go to Emily Perlow, director of Student

Activities, as well as Professor Boudreau, Associate Dean of the HU&A department at

WPI. Under these two, Professor John Delorey operates. Professor Delorey, as the

Director of Choral Music, acts as the academic advisor for 7 choral groups at WPI, and

conducts 4 of the groups. One is the WPIMGC, which has two leaders: the President and

the Student Conductor. The Student conductor leads the group during rehearsal time that

Professor Delorey has assigned him to, and is a musical leader among the group. The

President, on the other hand, is not only the public face of the group but also the leader of

the Officer Corps. Then follows the General Manager, the official stand-in for any

member of the Corps, followed by the Treasurer, Secretary, Stage Manager, Fundraising

Manager and Social Chair. The Fundraising Manager position has been created only in

the last few years as an effort to better coordinate fundraising efforts. The members of

Glee Club elect the 6 voting members of the Officer Corps, but others are appointed to

the Corps.

However, this is the organizational structural frame as seen by those outside. The

WPIMGC is special in that in addition to this, they have the motto 'Fratres en Cantu', or

Brothers In Song. It resounds so firmly with the group that there exists an established

fraternal side of the group, stemming from the days of Louis J. Curran's tenure as

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Director of Choral Music. As the father figure, he initiated 11 members into the group,

who have become the branches of our Family Tree. A lot of ritual and traditions are held

onto through this side of the group, so this will be further delved into later when

discussing the Symbolic Frame.

This CD project starts with Professor Delorey. As the sponsor for the MQP, he has final

say on any details or decisions involving it’s production, from track listing, to artwork,

etc. Additionally, Professor Steven Taylor is the advisor for the project, ensuring that the

work performed is being approached with concepts from the Management program at

WPI, reflecting the education I have received over the past 4 years. Under me comes the

various companies and individuals that I have contacted to assist me in this project -

Christopher Petrie, Worrest Photography, and CDBaby are a few examples.

The structural frame assists in organizing the people whose desires and concerns needed

to be constantly attended to and addressed throughout this project. By gaining a better

understanding of who these people are, it became substantially easier to know which

ideas from which people could be overlooked, as many people would offer input and

substantially complicate the project.

2.3.2 – THE HUMAN RESOURCE FRAME

From a Human Resource perspective, one views how the members of the group

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contribute to the organization and help it grow. Almost nowhere is this easier to observe

than in a chorus – each member's voice adds to the whole to help the sound grow and be

distinctive. As the soul of the group, how each one invests his time and energy greatly

affects the group. The group really pulls together and shines at the Alumni Weekend

concerts, and these moments are what this project aims to capture. Ultimately, I hope to

give a lasting memento of the time spent at rehearsals and concerts with friends.

The brotherhood aspect is apparent again here as each member is not only a singer, but a

member of our community. A member attends rehearsals and performances to be a good

example to new members, and by doing so help propel the group towards something

greater. They are dedicated beyond the requirements of a job – it's a work of love.

Members of the group can also spend extensive amounts of time involved in optional

fundraising efforts. Weekend mornings and days often have fundraising work scheduled,

be it raking, shoveling, spring cleaning etc. Members looking to go on tour for a cheaper

rate can spend some hours completing some tasks on behalf of the WPIMGC. Successful

and professional work promotes the name of the group and encourages further donations.

Careful maintenance of all parties had to be taken. As the sponsor, Professor Delorey

wanted to have the best product possible, and was not concerned with implementation

details such as my decisions to oursource artwork, or how to pick an aggregator or

manufacturer. Professor Taylor, on the other hand, was much more interested in the

reasoning behind those decisions, looking for evidence and linking it to prior coursework.

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While their goals were not in opposition, the demands for time and attention to detail

from both was exhausting, and careful time management was required to meet both of

their lofty expectations.

Viewing this through the human resource frame gives me an idea of who needs to be

credited on the final release product. Those who had a hand in its creation will want to be

credited for their work, for every step along the way. As a manager, it is important to not

only assign tasks and ensure that deadlines are met, but also to properly commend the

people working with you so they feel desired and wanted. Publicly giving credit, perhaps

by naming people on the credits of the CD, is one of many different ways to go about

doing this.

2.3.3 – THE POLITICAL FRAME

When arguments arise, parties flex their authority until either they reach a compromise or

additional parties step in. It is the flow of power through these interactions that the

Political Frame is used to visualize. In every group there are those who squabble, and in

the WPIMGC, a constant source of tension comes from those who are in an auditioned

group and those who are not.

Within the project, there are very few components of the political frame at work. As I am

the sole student organizer, almost no power plays or political influences occur. I have

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liberty to work on the project and guide it as I see fit, as long as I complete the tasks laid

out before me by Professors Delorey and Taylor. Several members have come forth to

me, and while all have differed on the details, one thing is clear: that the group be

represented in the best possible light.

At a basic level these recordings will give more power and influence to those who are

soloists on the album. As the group has a permanent record of their sound, those who had

solos will be more respected and listened to outside of rehearsals, which will translate

into more people listening to them during rehearsals and concerts throughout the year.

While listening & balancing to soloists will improve the group, a solo is recognition as an

individual, and for members of a group, that's the most powerful thing available.

Looking outside of the WPIMGC, however, there is a lot more of the political frame at

play. With the Alden Voices, the men have a sister group. However this group is much

younger than the WPIMGC and as such has less of a repertoire and history. The two

groups, while working cooperatively on most issues, do have a fair sense of

competitiveness between the two of them. The presence of a recorded CD will certainly

be used as a 'one up' on AV, until AV creates their own CD. At which point the men will

simply insist that their product is better but will still wish to create a new and superior

one. It is this exchange between the men and the women that will continue the tradition

of excellent music making at WPI, and lead into continuing album projects.

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2.3.4 – THE SYMBOLIC FRAME

The frame that’s the hardest to see is also the one most used by members. Symbols

generate powerful emotional responses, from such obvious one’s as a flag, to more

abstract ones such as the 2004 Red Sox, with their triumph after almost 100 years of

working towards a World Series Championship, or Ted Kennedy, Massachusetts’ lion of

the US Senate.

The WPIMGC’s fraternal aspects and social events help bring alumni back. In fact, the

weekend most packed with these rituals and traditions is the same weekend that the

recordings for this MQP are made. This product will be a permanent reminder of their

time in the group that can be simply stored in a car. As they drive they get taken back to

their times in school, remembering wonderful days gone by.

While the project is symbolic in that I relive those memories as I’ve been working on it, it

also will be symbolic to those in the group. A permanent record of their time spent, that

they can show to friends and family. There is a lot of symbolic value attached to releasing

a CD, and this project strives to ensure that the best representation possible of the

WPIMGC shines through, as it will symbolize the new and old members’ hard work put

into learning the music, building their friendships and creating memories.

One additional symbol of this CD is that this recording is the last recorded performance

of our late member, Shuang “Brother In" Song. When asked “What does glee club mean

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to you?,” Shuang responded "Glee Club is a dream come true." Shuang passed away

early in the summer of 2012, but had not been able to attend school for a full year prior as

the results of medical complications stemming from colon cancer. His death was a huge

blow to us all, and having spoken with his Glee Club family, I have chosen to dedicate

this project to his memory.

2.4 – SUMMARY

The music industry has changed dramatically in a very short time span. The release of

recordings to the mass market has become attainable to anyone, and the amount of music

the average listener has access to has exponentially increased with the advent of internet

music stores and streaming music. Additionally, non-profit organizations such as the

RHO and Folkways record label have been utilizing music sales as a way to generate

funds to achieve their missions and goals for the betterment of others and society as a

whole.

The political and symbolic frames offered the push necessary to ensure that everyone on

this project felt not only requested, but driven to perform at the highest level. While these

frames had little direct effect on the product, there was an enormous effect on those

involved in the project. This drive for excellence will create a magnificent lasting product

which all involved can be proud of for years to come. Looking at the whole of any group

is tough, especially as a member of it. The reframing process allowed us to more

concretely see specific aspects of it, and gain an appreciation and perspective on the

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whole of it, including parts otherwise taken for granted.

In this midst of all of this, the WPIMGC is looking to find new ways through which they

can generate funds to further its' goals, with new focus on fundraising to assist in paying

for tour. With all of this, next comes the question of what to do with it.

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CHAPTER 3 – METHODOLOGY

Armed with the knowledge of the state of the music industry, and keeping in mind the

specific story of the WPI Men’s Glee Club at this point, I set forth to help the WPIMGC

in completing the goal of providing outstanding choral music making opportunities to all

interested in the WPI community. The interest in maximizing revenue streams for

fundraising culminating in the creation of a fundraising chair, combined with the desire

for a new published recording, directly led to the birth of this project.

Some fundraising options have been explored. Raking and spring cleaning have been

done for several years, with fundraising credits given to those who participate. While

helpful, even a full year’s worth of attendance at such events would garner $100 to $300.

While not an insignificant amount, this only goes to the students with the time and

physical ability to contribute, and the amount they perform these services for is at a less

than minimum wage rate.

Additionally, the WPIMGC has begun to sell apparel, getting personalized sweatshirts

[even monogrammed] and selling these at a slight profit. While these have also been

successful, these have proven to be difficult to sell to any outside of current or former

members of the group, and not to any outside of the group.

This chapter will talk about more general themes and goals for a product intended as a

NPO fundraiser and identify a product that succeeds in these parameters. Then I will lay

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out the necessary components of that product that are necessary to create a complete

package.

3.1 – WHAT MAKES AN IDEAL PRODUCT?

An ideal product for a group of this style and stature would be designed so that the

members feel attached to it before they purchase it. It should be geared towards more

recent members, as they will have more family and friends to advertise to, and are more

familiar with social media, which is so useful in creating word-of mouth hype. It should

have a low startup cost outside of time invested, as to maximize returns. In short: it

should be an item everyone wants and wants to share with others, that in moments

conveys the concept of the WPIMGC.

With the music industry becoming so digitized, and the ease of internet music sales, the

idea came to me to sell recordings of the WPIMGC as a method to generate additional

funds for the group's activities.

3.2 – WHAT MUST BE COMPLETED?

I proposed to Professor Delorey the possibility of a project where I would research and

release a proper album alongside a paper in which a guide to future album releases at

WPI. He liked the idea, and so it was proposed to Professor Taylor. He agreed to oversee

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and advise the project, and thus all of this was started. The album's content and the guide

are included in Chapter 4.

I then identified the key parts of an album release and coordinated the retrieval of these

components by contacting those responsible for their original creation or contracting

those able to create the new content desired. I recognized these components as the

following:

1. The recordings included with the album

2. The album artwork/cover art

3. The physical form of the album, be it physical or digital

4. How/where the buyer obtains the recordings

5. The credits for those who worked on the album

I decided early on to outsource the work I would not feel competent completing myself.

The change in quality between a homemade CD and a professional one is enormous.

Some of the easiest discrepancies can be seen in the clarity of the printed booklets, the

level of production the recordings receive, and the quality of the artwork included on the

album. These could be easily and cheaply addressed, allowing me to focus on simply

coordinating the delivery of the product to the WPIMGC.

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3.2.1 – THE RECORDINGS

To find the recordings for the album, I spoke with former WPI Recording Club member

and Glee Club alumni, Christopher Petrie. Chris had been the recording engineer for

every Alumni Weekend concert I have performed at, as well as on the group's previous

tours to Berlin, Prague, and Ireland.

I evaluated these recordings based on what I had learned from my tenure as the WPIMGC

Student Conductor. If the recording showed the group had multiple sloppy entrances, was

out of tune, sounded bored or was otherwise musically poor, I would cut the tracks as

necessary. There's no reason to release a recording which does the group a disservice.

3.2.2 – THE ARTWORK

For this project, I have contacted Peter Worrest Photography. Peter, a WPIMGC alum,

designed the album art for the last SHM CD Vital Sines. I knew Peter would be

passionate and care about the look and feel of the project, while also having the skill set

to back up his vision with a product. I contacted him online, and over the course of a few

phone calls arranged a photoshoot and a price for his work.

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3.2.3 – THE FORMAT

Unlike prior releases, I decided this project would be released digitally, complimented by

a limited run of physical CDs. Physical CDs are a much larger investment than digital

releases, and can become sunk costs if not sold, as evidenced by stacks of unsold CDs in

Alden produced by SHM and Insterstate 8. These back-end costs could be lessened by a

simultaneous digital release.

Download cards are a new concept which are having fantastic results in the music world.

Printed business-cards with the album art, title and artist on one side, and a code

redeemable for the .MP3 files of the full album. They cost a fraction of what a printed CD

does, and by generating impulse purchases, generates more money than an album

digitally available without a download card.

3.2.4 – WHERE CAN IT BE PURCHASED?

To get the maximum possible revenue, a product needs to be available to any interested.

This means global distribution if possible. For those just leaving a concert, a physical

copy gives the instant attachment and gratification associated with a purchase, and

potential fans instructed to buy the album online may forget by the time they arrive home.

On the other hand, those in remote locations may not want to wait for the delivery of a

physical copy. Members of the GCA are found internationally – several travel around the

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world for business, some have even moved permanently out of the United States. I

decided that CD's and download cards should be both sold at concerts and reunions, and

to make all aware of the availability of the recordings on major digital storefronts to those

interested in purchasing solely digital copies.

To assist with the process of dealing with digital storefronts, new businesses, known as

aggregators, have been sprouting up with prices affordable for an individual or smaller

organization. An aggregator acts as a one-stop middle-man between the artist and their

fans. Storefronts such as iTunes, Amazon MP3, etc. require many contracts and

paperwork between the two parties. An aggregator takes on the work of filing this

paperwork and maintaining relationships with these storefronts, and streamline artists

through. I decided to utilize an aggregator, and would make a decision as to the best fit

based on fees, profit sharing, and availability of other services which would be useful to

this release.

3.2.5 – THE CREDITS

I contacted Professor Delorey and asked him for the programs from the concerts I had

recordings of to make sure I did not miss including someone who had sung on the

recordings. For the other steps, I listed them with the work they performed, and

recognized companies and organizations who were involved.

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3.3 – DISCUSSION WITH THE ALUMNI & DIRECTOR

In order to keep the parties who are investing both finances and reputation happy with the

quality of the work, I planned on sending regular update emails to both the GCA officer

board and Professor Delorey. In addition to this, I scheduled regular meetings with

Professor Delorey and made plans to meet with the GCA officer board throughout the

development of the project. The goal for these meetings was for me to come in with

updates on previous agenda items, and be given action items by the group to accomplish

for the following meeting.

3.4 – SUMMARY

With the necessary components laid out, it was time to go to work assembling a package

that represented the findings and requirements listed in the above sections.

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CHAPTER 4 – RESULTS & FINAL PRODUCT

This chapter is the direct consequence of the planning, research and meetings organized

and completed since the undertaking of this project. Where Chapter 3 discussed the

components necessary and the plans going in, Chapter 4 will discuss what happened.

4.1 THE ALBUM'S COMPONENTS

4.1.1 SONG SELECTION AND TRACK LISTING

When I contacted Chris Petrie, he informed me that he not only had the recordings on his

hard drive, but in his personal time had gone and added a few post-production effects like

reverb and some EQ work. After listening to the recordings myself, I agreed that they

sounded superior to the unedited tracks and decided to include them on the final release.

While 18 songs were recorded and edited, 4 of them were poorly rehearsed, and the

group simply did not perform as well on them. As former Student Conductor for the

group I felt confident that my feelings on these performances were accurate. The final

tracklisting is as follows:

1. Long Worcester Victory Song

2. Wake Freshman Wake

3. Brothers Sing On

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4. Motherless Child – Featuring Geoff Hook

5. Byker Hill

6. Calling On Song

7. Soon Ah Will Be Done

8. Workin' On The Railroad

9. Suantrai – Featuring Peter Worrest

10. Psalm XXIII

11. Down Among The Dead Men

12. Vive L'Amour – Featuring Peter Worrest

13. Quodlibet on Sea Shanties

14. Ave Maria

See the attached .ZIP file for the music files themselves.

4.1.2 – ALBUM ARTWORK

Please see the attached .ZIP file for the artwork.

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4.1.3 – DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION AND PICKING AN AGGREGATOR

As the content of the product was completed, the focus shifted from creating the product

to distributing the product. As discussed in Chapter 2, the music industry has become

much more digital. iTunes is the largest storefront for music in the world, and various

other music storefronts provide instant access to the group's music to its fans.

Here are three of the best reviewed aggregators -TuneCore, CDBaby, and Catapult – and

comparisons between them.

TuneCore was founded in 2006 and currently represents 250,000+ artists, as well as

almost 10% of the songs available through the iTunes music store (Sisario, 2012).

Tunecore's pricing model follows a subscription system. After paying initial costs of

$0.99/song as well as per store released on, an annual fee of $40-$50 [getting cheaper

with longer-term deals] is also given. TuneCore also does not have a direct link with a

CD printing/publishing company, and would involve an additional step. (Lazarowitz,

2007)

CDBaby was founded in 1997 and has since grown to represent 300,000+ artists.

CDBaby operates on three tenets – to pay the artists every week, to inform the artists of

precisely who is purchasing their music, and to keep them in the system forever, never

penalizing artists for not selling enough. While CDBaby offers a single fee of $49 per

album to track and manage it's sales, there's a caveat. CDBaby will take $4 from every

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album sold as a fee. However, CDBaby also offers CD Printing/Publication deals linked

with their online store, as well as download cards.

Catapult Distribution was founded in 2006, and similarly to TuneCore and CDBaby, offer

connections with most digital storefronts in the world. They are the cheapest of the

aggregators researched, at a flat rate of $25 per album. (Catapult, 2006) Their profit is

made, however, on their payment deal – 9% of all payout is taken by them, but the

remainder does get forwarded to the artist. (Catapult, 2006) They do not have a direct link

with a printing company, however.

In conclusion, CDBaby offers a great combination of price and services and was the

aggregator chosen for this project.

4.1.4 - PHYSICAL COPIES

CDBaby offered a bevy of options when designing the package. I aimed for a design

which was extremely similar to CD's I had purchased in the past. Including art on the CD

itself, a folded CD booklet as a front sleeve insert, jewel cases with fresh packaging were

all decisions I made about the product. I decided to order 100 copies of the CD as I was

balancing concerns of over investing in physical copies, especially with download cards

being a fraction of the cost. I decided to purchase 500 download cards, as they were

extremely cheap to manufacture and even easier to distribute than CD's.

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4.1.5 - THE CREDITS

I obtained a listing of those present at Alumni Weekend 2011 from John Delorey and

gave it to Peter Worrest for inclusion in the album artwork. This can be seen on the inside

fold of the artwork.

4.2 – THE RELEASE

Some artists have chosen to release their content as soon as it is completed, making their

fans feel constantly connected and reminded of the group's existence. Others choose a

have very specific release dates announced months in advance and drum up hype by

releasing singles, interviews, and advertising.

I decided that a release during the 2013 Alumni Weekend would be most appropriate.

With so many alumni present, a CD release would give them an excellent memento for

the occasion, not to mention all of the family coming out to support the undergrads

present. It's the largest event of the year for the WPIMGC, and such a release would only

increase donations to the endowment.

While normally a release of this magnitude would include a dedicated party, the nature of

Alumni Weekend is already filled with get-togethers for the WPIMGC. It made the most

sense to augment one of these get-togethers by mixing in the release, as opposed to

33

creating an additional separate event. With the festivities beginning at O'Connors

restaurant the Thursday before, I decided to have a release date of March 22, 2013.

4.3 – MEETINGS AND COMMUNICATION

My correspondence and meetings with Professor Delorey and the GCA was more

scattered than planned. Some meetings fell through, and while it's easy to read an email,

it takes a little more time and effort to respond effectively, and even more to schedule a

successful meeting. To counteract these shortcomings, I would make a point of giving a

brief in person update whenever I came across him. For example, at one point I was at his

aunt's house helping him pack and move some of her things, and we held a meeting right

there. I would catch him before rehearsals, while heading out for lunch, anywhere I

could.

Coordinating with the entire GCA officer board along the way was a goal of the project,

but doing so was even more difficult than coordinating with Professor Delorey.

Thankfully, James Haupt, secretary of the GCA officer board, took the effort to discuss

with them my position, and informed me that the GCA officer board trusted that my work

would be up to par, and would not feel it necessary to check in on the project along the

way, but simply be presented with a product for their approval at the end of the process.

While this reduced further communication, it was extremely important to get this go-

ahead before most work was undertaken.

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4.4 – THE ABRIDGED GUIDE TO RELEASING AN ALBUM

1. Record a great performance. It's hard to do this as a performer, so get some

outside help and recruit the Recording Club to help out. Failing that, get a pair

of microphones, go look up some introductory recording techniques, and

make it happen!

2. Collect a roster of those who were just recorded. Do it right then, because it

only gets harder with time.

3. Identify an online aggregator/CD manufacturer to go through to release

product, set up an account. Every situation is different, and while the

WPIMGC was best served by CDBaby this time, mileage may vary.

4. Have Artistic Producer take recordings, edit/clean up as able/necessary.

Export as whatever filetype required by aggregator/manufacturer – CDBaby,

for example, required 44.1kHz, 16 bit, stereo .WAV files.

5. Aquire mechanical rights to release cover songs as necessary. Some services

have this built in – CDBaby, for example, had a partnership with a group to

coordinate buying the rights to release recordings of songs that are owned by

others.

6. Coordinate a release window/event with the stakeholders in the organization –

in this case, Professor Delorey and the Glee Club Associates agreed with my

decision that with Alumni Weekend being the height of the year for the group,

it was the most logical time to release a product on behalf of the WPIMGC

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7. Coordinate album artwork – Contract if necessary, but get enough material to

cover needs of both Digital & Physical releases. Include Roster & Names of

people who were necessary to creation of album [backers, producers,

directors, etc.]. Ensure dimensions of art are the ones required by

aggregator/manufacturer.

8. Give aggregator/manufacturer album tracks, artwork, credits, in advance of

release date as instructed by aggregator. CDBaby had an average turnaround

time of 10-14 days, so tracks were submitted accordingly.

36

CHAPTER 5 – CONCLUSION

Throughout this project I strove to answer 'Why”. Why does the WPIMGC need more

funds? Why should they release an album? Why should it be done in one way or another?

Why did I decide to go with X business or Y business? In answering these questions I

feel that not only have I educated those who read this paper, but also myself. By thinking

about all of the decisions in the light of the business world, I have grown and have

acquired a new skill. Projects and obstacles seemingly too large to overcome I have

summated and presented in these pages here.

Beginning with an analysis of the music industry', I researched how groups released

recordings, and particularly how musical releases could be used to advance a group's

missions and goals, from personal profit to charity. In depth analyses of both the

WPIMGC and this MQP were conducted, helping to bring the scope of the project into

perspective, and ensure that the product was designed to adhere to these wishes. I have

grown by gaining a better understanding of how the world of music management and

recordings influences the decisions to be made for this project and others in the future.

From here the design of the final product was discussed, and the steps necessary to ensure

it's completion were undertaken. I assumed the role of Executive Producer, keeping

people aware of time tables, coordinating to get various components complete, and

37

eventually placing the final order. I then sought to streamline the process for future

recording releases by bringing the process to it's essential step-by-step walkthrough.

While it requires skilled and artistically demanding labor from many to create the final

project, the push to create it must come from a designated source – the Executive

Producer. By praciticing this role, armed with the research I conducted, I have gained a

more intimate understanding with the position and am capable of performing it in the

future. With the guide I have provided in this paper, anyone can gain an appreciation and

understanding of the process behind the production of an album, even with the artistic

decision process absent from discussion.

This project was not without its own trials and tribulations. Several times along the way

failiures occurred. Any project will suffer failiures – an action item will have been

forgotten, someone is sick the day of a meeting, or an idea simply takes too much time to

fully develop and detracts from the rest of the project. These, and many other obstacles

can pile up and become extremely stressful. To combat this stress, it was critical for me to

remember that this project was born as an act of love, to try and ensure that others could

experience the joy that comes with being in a brotherhood of song. In sticking with the

project through to the end, I have shown the tenacity and dedication a leader must to

ensure a project is given its due diligence, energizing and coordinating a team. By

managing sponsors, artists and deadlines I have managed a CD release from it's

conception the the release, gaining invaluable experience in leading multiple contracted

groups.

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Even if I were to never release an album again, my experiences in this project would

translate to the rest of my life. In the direct sense, I've learned incredible lessons on

communicating effectively with those hard to reach, convincing others that what I'm

presenting is really what they wanted the whole time, and coordinating individuals in

completing very different distinct tasks to create a product much greater than the sum of

it's parts. These are all extremely useful skills in the world as a manager and leader. It is

my experience, knowledge, and ability with these skills that qualifies me as a

management major.

39

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