How many tunes on a CD?

General recording topics.
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rammer24
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How many tunes on a CD?

Post by rammer24 »

Hey bastards and bastettes,

I'm thinking of putting a CD together and throwing it on CDBaby to begin my journey towards fortune, fame, drug addiction and herpes.

Problem is, I have about 25 songs that I like enough to put on a CD, not counting a bunch of covers.

I'm having a fuck of a time deciding which ones I would ditch if I had to cut it down. So, I'm even thinking of maybe releasing 2 CD's.

When I made a few CD's years ago, I think I went with 12 originals and 3 covers. Even that might be a lot.

So, how many tunes maximum would you put on a CD? What's your original to cover ratio?
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ido1957
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by ido1957 »

Without looking I think it's based on a certain maximum number of minutes of audio- maybe around 80
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Greg_L
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by Greg_L »

I go by minutes. 35-40 minutes is plenty for an album. For me, that's about 12-14 songs.
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Tadpui
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by Tadpui »

My attention span for an album is about 40 minutes. If its a concept album, I can give it another 15 minutes maybe. A couple of my favorite albums clock in at about 76 minutes, but they're kind of exhausting to listen to from start to finish.

I think that I'd consider doing the OK Computer/Kid A thing and release the strongest material as one cohesive album, then follow it up with what's essentially the B-sides album with the rest of the cuts that didn't make the 1st album.
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rammer24
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by rammer24 »

Thanx guys. Ok, so about 35-40 minutes sounds good. For me, that's probably about 12 tunes. 10 originals and 2 covers. I think I might have done that, too. I can't remember.
Tadpui wrote: Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:29 pmI think that I'd consider doing the OK Computer/Kid A thing and release the strongest material as one cohesive album, then follow it up with what's essentially the B-sides album with the rest of the cuts that didn't make the 1st album.
^^^^^That actually sounds like a great idea. I think I'd end up doing something like that wether I meant to or not, since I know I'd put my 10 best tunes on the 1st CD. But, the good thing is, by the time I do get to the second CD, I'll probably have written and recorded more songs, too. This is getting interesting.

Considering the whole world is going to buy this, these are important decisions. :crazy: :metal:
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ido1957
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by ido1957 »

When I was getting a CD mastered, I asked the ME to decide the order. I was told "Best" song is #2, "Second Best/Catchiest" song is # 1. The rest is strong to weak to the end. Ballads in the middle to latter part. When I got the finished CD (actually Numbered WAV Files) the order was pretty spot on (according to the above) when I analyzed it.
People want something for nothing, they want it right now. Either they can't tell quality or don't care but feel it is important that everyone agrees with them.
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ido1957
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by ido1957 »

My three CD's were 10, 9 and 9 songs respectively. Not exactly sure the duration because I chose # of songs not duration. Probably 40 minutes on each.
People want something for nothing, they want it right now. Either they can't tell quality or don't care but feel it is important that everyone agrees with them.
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rammer24
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by rammer24 »

ido1957 wrote: Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:43 pm When I was getting a CD mastered, I asked the ME to decide the order. I was told "Best" song is #2, "Second Best/Catchiest" song is # 1. The rest is strong to weak to the end. Ballads in the middle to latter part. When I got the finished CD (actually Numbered WAV Files) the order was pretty spot on (according to the above) when I analyzed it.
That's good to know, thanx. That's pretty cool. In the past, I just went "best" to "worse". I figured if you're unknown, might as well give people the best stuff at the beginning. But I'm going to approach this as if I already have a following and an audience and be more creative with the order. :like:
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Greg_L
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by Greg_L »

A while back I analyzed tons of albums that I thought were amazing and came up with an order formula that I think pretty much applies to anything. I'll see if I can find it. I typed it out somewhere. Probably at the stupid other place.
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rammer24
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by rammer24 »

A little random, but I'm thinking of dropping the "I" and just calling my "band" RAM. I think that sounds cooler. RAMI sounds too.....um how you say....ethnic. I don't like it as an "artist" or band name. "RAM", with that logo I already use which is my tattoo of a ram, is cool I think.


RAM. Can be a dude or it can be a band. Oooooh.......the mystery. :D :D :D
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miroslav
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by miroslav »

Or a pickup truck. :D

Why not go with your "Ramirami" thing?

10-14 songs depending on their length.
Some people feel the need to use up every minute of space on the CD...but I don't think that helps anything.
Last edited by miroslav on Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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rammer24
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

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Yeah, I don't know. Ram, Rami....maybe I should go for something like "Electric Placenta" or something.
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Greg_L
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by Greg_L »

How bout Rambi?

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rammer24
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

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Actually, I might go back to "Skinny Mulligan", which was what I called my music-self at the very beginning of the internet. :)
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rammer24
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by rammer24 »

Greg_L wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:21 am How bout Rambi?
HA! Lol!. Deeroids.
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miroslav
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by miroslav »

Or the porn version....Rambone
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rayc
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by rayc »

I had no prob listening to your previous CDs from beginning to end Rami.
As a general listener I can cope with an hour but if the album is full on with no let up 45mins would exhaust me - I'm old.
I've been looking at doing something similar but from the 5 incarnations I've recorded in over the last several years The Newlings, Miriam & Me, Pygmy Beat, Pygmy Beat Augmented and Pygmy Beat Extended. It would be a simulacrum of a compilation of EPs BUT I think the range of styles and quality would kill of the idea as well as the length for equal representation. Maybe I should just base it on the three Pygmy Variations and call it that? It'd go from Softdance to Thanatogenous to The Keeper.
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rammer24
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by rammer24 »

What I need is 25 people to listen to all my songs for 2 weeks and then list them from best to worst, and then take a cross-section of the results. Like a market survey. I can't decide. I love/hate all my songs, depending on the day.
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Greg_L
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

Post by Greg_L »

I always take the fan-unfriendly approach. I decide what you will hear, and the order that you will hear it. When I play live, I play the songs I like and like to play. They're my songs, not yours.

That's why I'm eternally happy, but have no fans.
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rammer24
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Re: How many tunes on a CD?

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Greg_L wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2017 11:37 am I always take the fan-unfriendly approach. I decide what you will hear, and the order that you will hear it. When I play live, I play the songs I like and like to play. They're my songs, not yours.

That's why I'm eternally happy, but have no fans.
Yeah, I should probably have more of that attitude. Actually, I do sort of, but I think I get insecure and wonder what "people" will think, whoever the fuck they are.
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