Here’s How to Get Started…

Every project is different so please complete our quote request OR phone us on 03 5762 5490 so we can provide you with the information you need.

There are 3 key components that we need to get your order into production:

1. Your completed order form including your deposit
2. Your production master
3. Your final artwork files

Complete the Order Form

Complete our order form and return it to us. If you need assistance completing the form please call us 03 5762 5490

Your Production Master

AUDIO MASTERS: We recommend you go to a studio or mastering house and have a production master prepared professionally. We accept CD masters as a DDPi fileset OR a physical CD Audio Master. If you don’t have a compiled master but you do have mastered tracks then we can compile your master for you. Prices start from as little as $60 for up to 6 tracks. Contact us for a quote.

DVD MASTERS: Can be supplied on DVD-R, ISO file or DDPi 2 files. We recommend that you use a professional DVD Author to provide you with a DVD Production master.

Master links can be emailed to us; physical masters can be mailed to: PO Box 72, Benalla VIC 3672

A note about Masters:

It is your responsibility to make sure that the master you supply is correct, for example the tracks need to be in the right order and contain no jumps or glitches; your DVD Master should play the way you want all the copies to play. If your master has mistakes then so will all the copies.

Your Artwork Files

No doubt you will have ideas about what you want your discs and packaging to look like. And with the availability of graphics programs there is a good chance you might design parts of your artwork yourself. However, print-ready artwork isn’t always easy to produce, in fact, ill-prepared artwork is the most common reason for project delays or worse – unsatisfactory outcomes. We provide basic graphic design services from as little as $60 per hour. Please contact us to discuss your needs.

If you are looking for more input from a designer we recommend you use a professional designer to get your artwork prepared for printing.

Key steps with artwork:

1. Come up with some ideas about what type of packaging and design you want. See our packaging pages for some suggestions.
2. Download the appropriate specs for the packaging you want to do OR Contact us for the appropriate specifications
3. Design your art, or have it designed for you
4. Supply your print-ready artwork as an attachment or link via email

Artwork format

In order for us to print the artwork you provide we have the following requirements:

• Art to our specifications – please use our templates
• 3mm bleed all round for paper parts/ packaging
• No bleed for disc art
• Minimum resolution 300 dpi
• All colours CMYK (not RGB)
• All fonts turned to curves/outlines
• Final files as high resolution, press ready PDFs

Proofing/Colour Accuracy

We highly recommend that you see your artwork printed on paper before you submit it to us – this might be a print out from your own (or your designer’s) printer or a digital print from Officeworks or similar. While this isn’t a colour-accurate proof it is helpful for a few reasons:

• It shows you how your art looks when it is reflecting ambient light – when you see your artwork on screen it has light projected through it – this makes the colours and images appear brighter, more vibrant, and higher in contrast than when they are printed on paper.
• You may pick up spelling, text and positioning errors that are overlooked on-screen

We offer the following types of proofing: 

• Digital soft proof – PDF proof FREE OF CHARGE
• Pre-RIP proof – from our high-end CMYK printer. This proofing is at best 60% accurate for colour, allow 24-48 hours for this proof to be ready.
• Post-RIP proof – This proof is at best 70% accurate for colour, allow 10-14 working days for this proof to be ready.
• Production proof: This is when we make print plates from your artwork, print a small number of run-up sheets on the press and then supply a run-up sheet to you. Production proofing is close to 100% accurate for print quality, colour and stock. Plate disposal fees will apply if you change your art subsequent to proofing.
• Test Disc pressing for disc – FREE OF CHARGE (1 free test disc per title) 

Please contact us for proofing prices for your spec

Copyright & Licensing

You will need to sign a release form when you place your project with us. This indemnifies us against copyright or licence infringements. The release form is part of your order form.

For audio (music) CDs we suggest you contact APRA/AMCOS so you can pay any required fees for reproducing the songs of others.

International Standard Recording Codes (ISRC)

ISRC are used to identify each track/video on your recording. If you are using ISRC  then you need to have them on the master you supply to us.

For more information about the ISRC system, or to apply for an ISRC for your recordings visit ARIA.

Barcodes

We can provide you with an internationally recognised UPC 12 digit barcode. Please contact us if you wish to purchase a barcode from us.

Notes about using barcodes in your artwork:

1. Barcode can be resized as long as the bars and numbers are legible
2. The barcode is resized in proportion (ie not stretched or compressed)
3. Barcode height can be reduced (eg ‘cut off the top’)
4. Do not reverse the colours of the barcode
5. Do not place the barcode on a dark background  – you must maintain a high contrast between the bars and the background
6. We recommend you ‘test’ your barcode by printing out your artwork at actual size and using a barcode scanning app (on your smart phone or other device) to test whether it scans.
7. Barcode size recommendations:

1. • @ 100% – This is approximately 37.5 mm x 26 mm in size. This is the most common barcode image type.
   • @ 80% – This is approximately 31mm x 21 mm in size. This is the smallest barcode allowed by current standards

iTunes Recognition

To have your album or EP recognised by iTunes you need to enter the track titles and writer’s details into iTunes (the free downloadable player) and submit the information to the CD Database/Gracenote. 

CD Text

CD Text is also known as metadata. This information is embedded on your master by your mastering engineer. It can include the track title, artist name, album name and ISRCs. If you have CD text on your master then it will also be on all the copies we make for you.

CD text IS NOT the same as iTunes/Windows media player information. To see whether you have CD text on your master you can use Exact Audio Copy to create a cue sheet that will show this information. Alternatively most car CD players read CD text.

Having CD text will not automatically update the CD database/Gracenote – this is something you need to do yourself – see the instructions above. Even if you have CD text on your discs it is likely that you won’t be able to read this information on your computer as it can only be read by certain player/readers. Modern car stereos tend to have this functionality.

Terms & Conditions

Please read our terms and conditions of sale – these are our standard terms of business, so before you place your project with us it’s important that you read and understand them.

We are more than happy to provide you with more information wherever we can. Please don’t hesitate to contact us. Phone is often the quickest – 03 5762 5490