Pre order new LP records for manufacture

[soundbuff]

Hi,
I am basically interested in hindustani classical vocal, just about anything, provided its from an analogue master. I have two suggestions not sure how much sense they make.

1. Lets make out genres: eg Hindi film, Ghazal and Quawwali, Hindustani, Karnatak, and form groups which are interested. Lets see how many line up.

2. Lets see how much money we can put up per person. supposing I say that I am willing to budget 2.5 to 5 K for a particular genre, and we find about 50 to 60 people on board it becomes possible to reach 2 lakhs. If we can have a minimum amount ready, then we can decide on the pressings which we want. This way the exercise will begin to get serious. Even though I am not sure what we can do with multiple copies of a record, it may not be impossible to sell them in an innovative way. Its messy i know, but beginning with deciding on an album looks like a non-starter to me.

If we can get even one record on the platter, it will be a great start.

 

[arj]

Hi,
I am basically interested in hindustani classical vocal, just about anything, provided its from an analogue master.

I am all for this one

not sure if we can get a quorum on this just by HFV..but maybe if we go by prems suggestion of a distributor as well

 

[vmscbe1974]

Can we form a distribution network from forum members? If each member willing to invest Rs.7500/- for 10 Lps, then 30 member pooling shouldn't be a big task. The member can sell the Lp later at his own pricing or fix it at Rs.1000/- per Lp for gaining a profit too.

Lets bring back Vinyl.
Regards
Srinivasan.M

 

[navinsinha]

Can we form a distribution network from forum members? If each member willing to invest Rs.7500/- for 10 Lps, then 30 member pooling shouldn't be a big task. The member can sell the Lp later at his own pricing or fix it at Rs.1000/- per Lp for gaining a profit too.

Lets bring back Vinyl.
Regards
Srinivasan.M

Hi,
I am game for it! Let's see the response.

 

[soundbuff]

I am game too, with one caveat.
7.5 K is a bit big and will restrict the number enlisting. A little less say 5K and more will likely sign up. Lets see what kind of theoretical figure we can put together.
We will need some advice from FM's having a finance background too. I am sure there are some here.

 

[TD150]

If somebody can convince big distributer/ dealers such as Pritam to invest in few titles & we forum members could book our copies by paying advance (at the rate suggested Rs. 750/- per copy) to them.

1). Such forum members would get their copy for Rs. 750/- and

2). The distributor/ dealer can sell the remaining to open market (online or offline website) at whatever rate which makes them handsome profit.

Definitely it is business risk to such agency, but they may agree also as such agencies fear extinction now a days due to digital downloads provided by music labels.

One of the strategy for their survival should be to promote revival of LP. Their business risk may get them handsome gains considering the Domestic & International customers for Indian music.

Just my two cents ....

 

[Selvin]

If somebody can convince big distributer/ dealers such as Pritam to invest in few titles & we forum members could book our copies by paying advance (at the rate suggested Rs. 750/- per copy) to them.

1). Such forum members would get their copy for Rs. 750/- and

2). The distributor/ dealer can sell the remaining to open market (online or offline website) at whatever rate which makes them handsome profit.

A good idea. We may explore the possibility.

Before that we should freeze the Number of titles and tracks either by a poll or suggestion. Then count the interested people and with that figure only we can move forward.

 

[Selvin]

Can we form a distribution network from forum members? If each member willing to invest Rs.7500/- for 10 Lps, then 30 member pooling shouldn't be a big task. The member can sell the Lp later at his own pricing or fix it at Rs.1000/- per Lp for gaining a profit too.

Lets bring back Vinyl.
Regards
Srinivasan.M

I feel it is time to decided the titles and tracks.

Are we are going to Movie title or compilation?

If movie, may be consider two movies in one LP if the movie having 3 or 4 tracks. If we are planning compilation then may be choose 15 tracks per LP and out of the 15 tracks further we must select only 8 or 10 tracks based on master copy quality.

The outcome LP should be in Audiophile quality.

 

[soundbuff]

Not sure if others will agree, but right now (imho)it is perhaps not so important to decide on the album. Right now what we need to buy into is the idea of the process and sort that out. For argument sake, let me say that I am willing to buy anything that the largest number decides on (even hindi film music which I don't much care for!), and just go for the targeted number with a budget of 5K per individual, with each investor either on his own for the sale of the excess albums or agreeable to selling it through an agent entrusted by the group. It's not impossible, book publishers do in fact something like this when they bring out on demand copies, although there are of course big differences in the technology, which make small runs economically viable. What I am excited about is the possibility of a consumer driven production run.

 

[peace_sells]

Right now what we need to buy into is the idea of the process and sort that out. ...What I am excited about is the possibility of a consumer driven production run.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that Of course 'how' we do this entire pre-order thing needs to be sorted out, and most people seem to have their list ready (it looks like everyone is only interested in bollywood titles..anyone in for some instrumental hindustani classical as well? A lot of those are still out of print. I'd love to get nice clean pressings of those!!).

This is a very nice initiative, but will just deciding on the titles be enough? Once we have the titles, who do we present the list to? Who decides where the new records will be pressed? Who will handle licensing issues? Or do we not need to bother about these things?

 

[smedhavi]

Great initiative! Reminds me of the HMV music mail, that I was part of in the 1980's. They used to send me their detailed catalog in print every month, and I could order LPs and cassettes out of that using VPP (cash on delivery). This included some albums that I never saw in the market (example: PMLP 1131-Fursat Ke Raat Din).
Though HMV did a very poor job with mastering on CDs. For instance, the many of the Begum Akhtar's albums that were crisply recorded in stereo on vinyl and cassette, were released as dull sounding mono CDs. We would have to make sure that they don't use that same digital copy for pressing the LPs. I would be ready to pay more per album if the LPs are 45RPM (so 2 LPs per album, 3 or 4 LPs for double albums such as 'Dil Padosi Hai').

Unless we locate a distributor it's impossible to be able to sell 300 units on this forum. Maybe someone should speak to Anup Rajpal at NGH or Pritam Music. They are the only guys who may be interested in taking an order of 300 lps. If they come on board it could be a possibility. On titles too we will need to take their advice as only they will know which title can sell 300 copies.

I am proposing

Saathiya from Saregama
Dil Padosi Hai from Saregama
Mirza Ghalib from Saregama
Barfi from Sony

There appears to be a good concurrence in terms of the titles. All the collectors seem to realize which titles are rare/premium. I would buy 2 copies each of all the above listed by Prem and the following as well:
Saregama

• Ijazat
• Jaal
• HOUSE NO. 44
• Varsha Ritu-Songs Of The RainySeason (ECLP 2414)
• Manna Dey Soulfully YourGeets & Ghazals (ECSD 2914)
• Hum Dono (45NLP 1125)
• Rita Ganguly Traditional Love Songs Of India (S/45NLP 4008)
• Leela (Soundtrack, by Jagjit singh)
• 78rpms Ghazal albums transferred to 45rpm LPs (Begum Akhtar, Mukhtar Begum, Grija Devi, Gauhar Jaan, Habib Wali Mohamed, Malika Pukhraj, etc.)

Sony

• Mehdi Hassan - Classical Ghazals - Live (Volume 1,2 &3)
• From the Sony-Navaras records collaboration:
  
  [*] - Jugalbandi Series: Confluence - Ustad Amjad Ali Khan & Girija Devi
  [*] - Muzzafar Ali's ~ Paigham e Mohabbat ~ The Songs of Love
  [*] - Songs of the Mystics Abida Parveen
  [*] - The Masterworks of Satyajit Ray​

I would suggest to take a poll. And we should go for only those LPs for which the Masters are are available, let's make it clear to both Saregama and Sony. This should be for the titles and copies one needs. For example, I want the following:

Titles No. of LPs required
Masoom 5
Abdulla 5
1942 A Love Story 5
Mirza Ghalib (2 LP set) 5

I may add more later on.

navinsinha, 'Abdulla' was recorded by Polydor, so the rights would be with universal now.
They already re-released 1942 A Love Story recently, but it was a digital master.

If somebody can convince big distributer/ dealers such as Pritam to invest in few titles & we forum members could book our copies by paying advance (at the rate suggested Rs. 750/- per copy) to them.

We would definitely need to collaborate with distributors/ dealers to make this happen.

 

[prem]

Guys, it's unlikely you are going to get analogue masters for any title. Most of them are gone or are in a very bad state. Which is why all Saregama releases of old titles about 3 years back were from digital masters. That's the reality.

Pretty much all Sony titles will be digitally recorded and mastered.

So this whole thing makes sense only if people are willing to buy lps cut from digital masters.

 

[vmscbe1974]

Present day titles are all digitally mastered. Converting to analogue is an option which we will have to look into. If we have the masters sony is ready to do the rest and get us the Lp. Will also have to opinion if they would release Lps as HMV did reproducing from Older Recordings for sake of Nostalgia.
Regards
Srinivasan

 

[prem]

Vmscbe, Saregama does not have the original analogue masters in most cases. They have archived everything on digital. That is what they use now. In my business I deal with the heads of music companies. So am talking from experience. Not some heresay. Even if they have analogue masters of few titles, they have not been preserved well and as a result will cost a ton to restore it

Getting vinyls of old titles is genuinely wishful thinking unless you are ok to a vinyl from a digital master which according to me is a waste of time since they haven't archived the stuff properly in the digital format.

So that basically leaves titles post 90s which were recorded and mastered in digital. Those on vinyl is a possibility.

Whatever Saregama claims I will never order any pre 90 title from them on vinyl.

 

[prem]

Since there is a lot of interest in classical, Sony has the Navras catalogue, many of whose titles are well recorded and mastered. They are digital but would be a good option to look at on vinyl

 

[prem]

Music Today's Soundscapes which is a 4cd set would be also great on vinyl. That set is extremely well recorded

 

[harishraj123]

If the master is in digital format, it is better to go for SACD which also sounds far better then Audio CD. Sound will be smooth as Vinyl when it is really mastered in 24bit or 32bit 96 or 192Khz sampling frequency. You can see most of the western classical music were mastered and released in HD audio format. If the analog master is really available in good condition you can go for Vinyl which is good option.

 

[arj]

From all all of the above posts a couple of things appear to be very apparent
1. For good quality that we are all looking for, the recordings need to be post 90's

2. We will not get a quorum of 300 min people from just HiFiV so we will need to have some sort of an external arrangement and for that a distributor does make sense. and for that we need albums which will sell otherwise as well.

3. need to freeze on the list of compilation/album which will meet the above 2 criterion ie good masters and what will sell and also liked by a majority of us
Eg music Todays albums like Soundscapes (Music Today)

4 This is not something which Srinivasan/prem would be able to do themselves hence may need a 2-3 folks also who get together as well to forma core group of 4/5..

if we all agree then we can put a google spreadsheet to at least put in the needed music and Count/Poll ?

 

[prem]

Arj, agree with you. It's a great initiative started by Srinivasan. Am willing to extend whatever help I can since I know most of the top bosses in the music companies.

Can we get 4 or 5 more volunteers so between 6 to 8 of us, we can put a list of titles and work other modalities out.

Ideally arj, if you can join in, we will have you and Srinivasan from South. If one more can join from west, we will have 2 from here. Ideally would like volunteers from North and East so that all zones are represented

 

[arj]

Ideally arj, if you can join in, we will have you and Srinivasan from South. If one more can join from west, we will have 2 from here. Ideally would like volunteers from North and East so that all zones are represented

Sure.. am all for it :thumbsup: