The Essentials: Getting Your Album or Vinyl out

   * Releasing a CD: 6 Essential Steps for Canadians.
         1. SOCAN
         2. Nielsen Broadcast Data Services (BDS)
         3. Gracenote CDDB
         4. Nielsen Soundscan
         5. Legal Deposit

   * CD Packaging Checklist    -    CD Packaging Logos (stored in a .zip file).

   * 'So You're Gonna Put Out An Album' by myself (Trizoy aka Troy Neilson) at HipHopCanada.com.

   * VideoFACT/Video Tips.

   * 12" Vinyl Tips.

   * View Pimp Tea's Online Press Kit

   * Indie Band Manager Software

Sonic Bids

   * Popular Online System for applying to festivals/venues, etc - www.SonicBids.com
Sonicbids helps bands get gigs. Sign up now, free.

Touring in Atlantic Canada

   * Atlantic Canada Touring Info 2004 (in pdf format - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
   * Atlantic Canada Touring Info 2004 (in htm format).
   * Bar/Venue Contacts in Canada (mostly Atlantic Canada).

   * Moncton Locals
   * PEI Locals
   * Halifax Locals
   * Rock In Halifax
   * Cape Breton Locals

Distribution

   * Sample Distribution Contract from a FACTOR-Recognized Distributor (in pdf format - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

   * Extra Distribution Information: (in pdf - Requires Acrobat Reader) OR (in MS Word).

   * FACTOR Recognized Canadian Distributors

   * Consignment Stores in Atlantic Canada: (in html) OR (in MS Excel)

   * Online Consignment Distributors: (in html) OR (in MS Excel)

Business Plan & Budgets

   * Business Plan (in pdf format - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

   * Budget - Project Cash Flow
   * Budget - Sales Forecast
   * Budget - Break Even Point
   * Budget - Marketing & Promotion

Sample Clearance

Some industry folks advise that if you're not on a major label and don't anticipate that the song will receive much video and/or radio play, then it might not be necessary to clear the sample. As well, it depends how prominent the sample is in the song.

If your song does contain a sample you want to clear, the process requires two steps:

1. Obtain a mechanical license to reproduce the sample on your CD. In Canada, the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) represents a large number of musical works. You can search their database to see if the work is there. The standard royalty rate is close to 8 cents per sample per unit manufactured. So manufacturing 100 CDs with one sample would cost 100 * $0.08 = $8. Contact CMRRA with questions - www.cmrra.ca

2. Performance royalty agreement (SOCAN). When it comes to actually performing the song live, there are no special permission's or licenses you need to acquire. You can perform the work anytime. Now if you want to claim royalties as a performer from either radio, TV or anything else, you will need to come to an agreement with whomever owns the work or the publishing company. If you know where the sample is from, the contact information should be on the CD or LP. Contact SOCAN with questions - www.socan.ca

     * Universal Canada Music & Publishing Request Form
     * EMI Music Publishing

Websites - Grant Agencies

   * VideoFACT
   * Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent on Records (FACTOR)
   * NB Sound Initiatives
   * Ontario Arts Board
   * New Brunswick Arts Board (NBAB)
   * MusicAction
   * Radio Starmaker Fund
   * Canada Council for the Arts
   * Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) Music Fund
   * Bravo!FACT
   * CANADA MUSIC FUND (CMF)
   * Ottawa Funding and Awards

Websites - Artist Associations

   * Music Nouveau Brunswick
   * East Coast Music Association (ECMA)
   * Urban Music Association of Canada (UMAC)
   * Canadian Independent Recording Artists' Association (CIRAA)

Websites - iTunes Distributors (North America)

   * Indie Pool (Canadian)
   * IDLA (Independent Digital Licensing Agency) - Canadian
   * Avatar
   * CD Baby
   * Digital Musicworks
   * Digital Rights Agency
   * IDEA
   * Independent Bands
   * Ingrooves
   * IODA
   * IRIS Distribution
   * Redeye Distribution
   * The Orchard
   * Tunecore
   * Virtual Label

Websites - Other Useful Sites

   * SOCAN - Canadian artists sign up!
   * SoundScan
   * Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems
   * Canadian Small Business Income Tax Guide
   * Canada Revenue Agency - Performing Artist Info
   * Canadian Copyrights
   * Canadian Trademarks
   * US Trademarks
   * Record Pool Listings
   * Canadian Record Company Directory
   * CIRPA DMDS (Digital Media Distribution System)
   * Music is my Business
   * ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) - (US Version of SOCAN)
   * BMI (US version of SOCAN)
   * SESAC (US version of SOCAN)

Non-Music Resources

   * Buying a Home (in Ottawa)
   * Licensing & registering a car in Ontario
   * Gluten Free Recipes

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