Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve looked on your site but I’m still wondering… what is FairSound?
FairSound is a new platform that enables artists and labels to fan-fund a vinyl release. Each campaign with us has what we call a ‘Press On Point’, which is the number of records needed to be sold in order to cover the cost of the run.
Artists/labels get 30 days to reach their target and if it’s reached, their vinyl goes into production!
If not, all fans will receive a full refund
FairSound is a new platform that enables artists and labels to fan-fund a vinyl release. Each campaign with us has what we call a ‘Press On Point’, which is the number of records needed to be sold in order to cover the cost of the run.
Artists/labels get 30 days to reach their target and if it’s reached, their vinyl goes into production!
If not, all fans will receive a full refund.
Fill out the form on our Register page to let us know you’d like to release through FairSound. Whilst FairSound is in BETA testing, we are selecting a small number of new projects from the submitted registrations. Once we launch fully in 2023, you’ll be able to sign up and set-up your own campaign!
They’ll be pressed in-house at our own pressing plant, Press On Vinyl in Middlesbrough!
This is the number of records you need to sell to pay for your vinyl run. You have up to 30 days of pre-order time to reach this figure. We call this Phase One.
During the BETA phase, one of the FairSound team will let you know your options and your potential totals. For reference, most of our BETA projects have a Press On Point of between 75 and 85 for a minimum order of 100, depending on their overall specs.
Once your campaign is live, you have up to 30 days (Phase One) to reach your Press On Point. Then, manufacturing begins (Phase Two) and your campaign is live for another 21 days. After this pre-order period ends, you can finalise your order quantity figure.
Downloadable PDF templates are available on the Artwork page on the Press On Vinyl website. https://pressonvinyl.com/artwork/
In an ideal world, yes. Get in touch if you need any more information about mastering.
We will send orders directly to your fans. Fans will be asked to submit their details upon pre-order.
We’ll do our best to help guide you through the campaign in order to give you the best chance to reach your target – so try not to worry too much…! In the unlikely event it does happen, you have two options:
You can put in your own cash to get the project over the line! We’ll advise on the cost for this depending on the number of pre-orders you’ve received.
In some instances where we think it will help, we can extend the campaign by another 30 days and you can aim to hit the Press On Point during the extension or you can reluctantly accept defeat and close the project.
All fans will be refunded and it won’t cost you any money either. We hope it doesn’t come to this, but if the worst does happen and you don’t meet your target, please remember that nobody will be out of pocket.
We will do our best to provide quotes and accommodate within your Press On Point, but in some instances, it may be easier to find your own supplier for more bespoke and personalised artwork options.
The minimum price depends on your project and order spec. Obviously the price of your vinyl will affect your Press On Point. For a minimum order of 100, we recommend £20 for an album pre-order, though we understand not all projects will be albums! If you are unsure, we are happy to advise and discuss what will work best for your project.
Of course! If you need more for merch on tour, record shops, your own webstore etc, you can order those from us. We will discuss your final order figure with you once your second pre-order phase is complete.
Not during BETA phase, but this is something we will look to offer in the future.
Head to Press On Vinyl’s FAQ for all the answers: https://pressonvinyl.com/faq/
You do not need a barcode to sell your vinyl on FairSound. However, if you are going to also sell it in shops, it may be something you want to consider. This is not something we provide, but you can get the relevant information from Google.
During BETA, we’ll be in regular contact to provide updates and to let you know when you’ve reached the Press On Point.
While FairSound is in BETA testing, we will send you a weekly email with updates on your campaign including the number of pre-orders so far.
We are happy to create one for you. Alternatively, look at the catalogue numbers of our current projects to create your own and check its availability on https://www.discogs.com/
Coloured vinyl is available, but keep in mind it costs more, so will increase the number of sales required to reach your Press On Point. If coloured vinyl is something you would like to consider, we will discuss this with you directly and let you know the different price points.
We will provide:
– Links to your artist/label page and pre-order page.
– QR code sending fans directly to your pre-order page.
– Branded artist image for your announcement post.
– Product mock-up image of your vinyl so you and your fans know what to expect.
– Basic 30-day campaign strategy for advice on how to promote your campaign once it’s live.
– Weekly sales/campaign updates (via email).
– Social media support on our FairSound profiles
– Advice and guidance on how to reach your Press On Point.
If you are signed to a publisher or if you are a member of the MCPS, please speak with them directly for advice. If you’re unpublished/self-published and a non-member of MCPS, you’ll be issued with a “Agreement a Notification of No Claim.”. The full explanation can be found on point 4.5 here > https://www.prsformusic.com/-/media/files/prs-for-music/licensing/agreements/ap2-agreement.pdf
You can apply for the licence here > https://apps.prsformusic.com/AFL/ although this is only relevant once you’ve reached your Press On Point and entered Phase 2.