THE DIY GUIDE TO RELEASING YOUR MUSIC

Your track is finished, the I's have been dotted and the T's have been crossed. The mastering engineer has done their thing, and you've even changed the track's name from “Crazy Idea 8”. Your piece of sonic art is nearly ready to be flung out to an unsuspecting public, but hang on, is it really so simple?

Of course not. Here, another huge job is starting – and it's not one about dynamic range compression, EQ or synth programming; it's one about sample clearance, artist bios and press kits. Without the proper packaging and marketing groundwork, your unsuspecting public might be so unsuspecting that they miss you entirely. So what on earth should you do now? Or in other words, what should you have started in the days and weeks prior before now? Being ahead of yourself is always preferable, but we'll give you a way forward, and offer some strategies, ideas and inspiration for releasing your music professionally.

This article is written forwards, but in a way it needs to be read backwards. Everything we discuss over the first few pages comes together in our The release section, but without knowing what you'll do on release day, you won't know where to focus your efforts of preparation in the run-up and beyond.

Getting seen

For your music to be heard online, it will first have to be seen. No matter how good it is, combining your music with artwork and video enhances its appeal, and you'll find that having quality visuals makes it easier to promote on social media and other platforms. Here are some things you should consider.

Artwork

Increasingly since music first became a product, it's gone hand in hand with visual imagery – whether that's a concert poster, a vinyl sleeve or Spotify album artwork. The