Are your discs compatible with all playback equipment?

Since we are a short run specialist, our discs are all burned—rather than pressed. Occasionally a playback device that appears to work fine with pressed discs, will have problems with a burned disc. Considering how popular CD burning has become, one would have to think that the inability to play a burned disc is the fault of the player, not the disc. At any rate, our customers don‘t find this to be a significant problem, but it does occur once in a while. If you feel you cannot live with less than 100% compatability, you may want to get your CDs or DVDs pressed rather than burned. However, pressing isn‘t usually an option for less than 500 discs.


Does Put It On CD offer any alternate packaging, like cardboard sleeves or Digipaks?

At the present time, we are unable to offer any other packaging options than those described in our Packaging section. One option we do offer that may not be obvious, is placing a 1- or 2-panel front cover and disc in a clear vinyl sleeve. It makes a decent promo package at reasonable cost..


I don‘t have the means of putting my own artwork together. Can I just send you my photos and text and have Put It On CD do my layout?

Yes, but we only do basic layout work. Expect this to add an additional week to your time frame. We would need you to supply any photos or illustrations you want included in the design. Because we keep it simple, the cost will usually range from $60 to $100, but it depends on what you want. We encourage you to also consider the graphic designers in the Resources section. Most designers charge by the hour, or a per project basis, but should be able to give you an rough estimate.


If I provide the artwork and master, will there be a setup fee or any unexpected costs compared to the custom price quote your online calculator gave me?

Unless you make an error with the price calculator (for example, specifying thermal printing on the disc when your job requires an Everest^® print), there will be no additional fees—if you pick up your order at our Dartmouth shop. If we have to ship, additional costs will be added for postage. Also, if you require an unusually fast turnaround, we may ask in advance for a rush fee as a condition for meeting your deadline.


What are your typical turnaround times?

For most disc duplication without covers: 1-4 business days, plus shipping time if required. For most disc duplication with covers, 3-7 business days, plus shipping time if required.


Will my song titles appear when I put my CD into a computer?

For a computer program like Windows Media Player to recognize the song titles, that information must be uploaded to an online CD identification service such as Gracenote. You can perform the upload yourself if you have iTunes running on an internet connected computer. It can even be done after your discs are made. The procedure is described below.


How do I upload the CD title information to Gracenote using iTunes?

Instructions:
1- With iTunes open, insert the disc in your CD drive. In a few seconds, iTunes will display an Untitled track list for the CD. (If iTunes asks if you want to import the CD, say “No”.)
2- Choose File >Get Info
3- Enter the Title, Artist, and Genre information for each track. You may have to select the first track and hit “next” to select the remaining tracks.
4- Choose Advanced>Submit CD Track Names (you must be connected to the internet)

You will need to check the disc on another computer to confirm that the upload has worked. It may take a few hours for the information to become available.

There is another kind of CD text information, officially called “CD-Text format”, which works with the displays on some CD players. We copy this information if your master contains it. If you want CD-Text you should ask your studio or mastering facility about it.


What is the MAPL symbol used for?

The MAPL symbol indicates Canadian content. Radio stations in Canada have quotas for playing a mimimum amount of Canadian content, so they look for the MAPL on CDs. The most common version has all the letters showing, indicating that the Music, Lyrics, Artist, & Production are all Canadian but some versions have some letters blacked out or reversed, indicating only partial Canadian content.


What is Put It On CD‘s Copyright policy?

You must either own the rights to the master you bring to us for duplication, or have permission from the owner. Our agreement to duplicate your discs is based on this. We reserve the right to refuse or halt any duplication job that we feel may violate copyright laws. To make sure there are no delays, you should provide written proof of any applicable licensing agreement.


What if our CD contains cover songs?

Even if you own the actual recording, you must still obtain permission to legally duplicate the songs you did not write, unless they are old enough to be in the public domain (generally 50 years after the death of the songwriter). In Canada, licensing of most songs is handled by the CMRRA (www.cmrra.ca), and also by SODRAC (www.sodrac.ca)—although in some cases you may have to contact the publisher directly. If you go to the CMRRA‘s site, you can search for song names in their
database to find out if they handle licensing for the songs in question.


How much does it cost to license a cover song?

If you obtain a license from the CMRRA, the usual rate is a minimum of $38.50 per song, if the song is not more than 5 minutes long, based on 500 copies. If you are ordering less than 500 copies, the rate is still $38.50, but it goes up if you order more. This information is subject to change, so consult the CMRRA site for the most current information.


I‘ve written all my own songs. What should I do to protect them?

You automatically own the songs you write, but you should put a copyright declaration on your disc and jacket (© symbol followed by the date and the name of the copyright owner, for example: “©2007 John Smith”). Additional sources of copyright information can be found in the Resources section.