Creating the World’s Very First BLP

Senior Degree Projectby Jeremiah LoufMassArtGraphic Design 2012

Beginning Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Modern Full Length . . . . . 7

Defining the Insight

Full Length Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

PVC Restrictions

Researchable Question . . . . . . . . 15

Material Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Parameters

Solution

Research Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Screen Printing

Funding the BLP

Promoting the BLP

Record Release

Next Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Contents

Approaching this final year in design school, I made a mind map of an ongoing internal argument; The pro’s and con’s and importance of design vs. music. With my first degree in audio production, and my second in design, I felt the need to research the possible financial and creative paths for both before entering the world as a professional. This got me researching the type of design problems I was interested in, as well as music industry statistics.

First Semester Senior Year | September 2011

Beg

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Before the digital turnI’ve always been an avid record collector. As early as the age of 6, my mother and father encouraged me to listen and seek out new music, and would also share their own collection with me. I was born into the generation right at the cusp of digital music; perhaps the last generation to own a large amount of CDs and vinyls. So naturally, the physical component was a huge part the music experience.

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Industry Research

Thinking of the modern full lengthDispite my emotional connection to the physical copies that I do still buy, I arrived at the hard realization that most of the time, I use the digital copy that accompanies the record on my iphone and my laptop. So I became curious how many other people this was true for. So I began research of today’s market, what people prefer, and what they actually use.

Statistics according to Billboard 2009 - 2011

60% of the music sold was digital

5% annualdecrease

20% increase in vinyl with digital download

+

The Defining insightThe decline of the CD is no surprise. In my opinion, they’re small, abbreviated and slightly subpar experiences of what the vinyl record was, and what the music experience should be. The digital download sales are the obvious choice of utility and a very green answer to packaging. But what was really surprising to me was the 20% increase in vinyl sales, accompanied by a digital download.

This insight informed me that although we use the digital copy as the main utility, music fans are craving the tactile experience at an increasing rate.

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We’re craving this.

We’re using this.

There is something inherently romantic about the 12” x 12” size of a vinyl record. Most music fans agree that the size of the artwork is a large asset to the overall experience.

Digital formats allow you to have your entire music collection with you at all times, and that’s nice.

Issues with the modern full lengthThis new insight forced me (as hard it as was as a music fan) to reconsider the model of the modern full length record. We are essentially manufacturing cumbersome tokens of the music experience to inevitably sit on a shelf while we utilize the digital copy.

A Question of ResponsibilityAs creative innovators in this age, we are forced to consider practicality and functionality as a part of good design practices.

So the question became:Is responsible to be manufacturing thousands of units (cd or vinyl) that are essentially being used as wall art, or a conversation piece. Or is there something better we can design?

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My unfortunate and Inconvenient discovery about vinyl records Vinyl records are made out of PVC plastic which contain an extremely harmful chemical by-product called Dioxin which is released during it’s manufacturing process and throughout it’s life cycle. This is harmful to the factory workers that make it, the consumers who buy it, and is not readily recyclable, therefore it’s unsustainable.

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VINYL

BALSAMP3

CD

1950

1970 1990

2010

TheWorld’s First BLPA 100% EnvironmentallyResponsible Full Length Albumby Jeremiah John Louf

To avoid the environmental impact of duplicating

hundreds of units made of harmful PVC plastic,

CMYK printing, poly-wrap, and excess paper, I’ve

researched the material possibilities to create a

format to accompany a digital download release

that is 100% environmentally responsible and

serves as a physical “take home” for the music fan.

As a case study, I am putting the research into

practice by releasing the world’s very �rst BLP

(Balsa LP), a 12" x 12" inch screen printed and

hand numbered piece of artwork that will

accompany a digital download of my band’s

debut full length record.

KEY

TOXICITY

MANUFACTURING COST

POPULARITY

1950 1970 1990 2010

1950

1970 1990

2010

1950 1970 1990 2010

VINYL

BALSAMP3

CD

1950

1970 1990

2010

TheWorld’s First BLPA 100% EnvironmentallyResponsible Full Length Albumby Jeremiah John Louf

To avoid the environmental impact of duplicating

hundreds of units made of harmful PVC plastic,

CMYK printing, poly-wrap, and excess paper, I’ve

researched the material possibilities to create a

format to accompany a digital download release

that is 100% environmentally responsible and

serves as a physical “take home” for the music fan.

As a case study, I am putting the research into

practice by releasing the world’s very �rst BLP

(Balsa LP), a 12" x 12" inch screen printed and

hand numbered piece of artwork that will

accompany a digital download of my band’s

debut full length record.

KEY

TOXICITY

MANUFACTURING COST

POPULARITY

1950 1970 1990 2010

1950

1970 1990

2010

1950 1970 1990 2010

PVC regulations found at epa.gov

Worldwide Restrictions

I found out that many countries worldwide have manufacturing restrictions on PVC plastic and how much of it they’re allowed to produce per year. This creates a hierarchy on productions that are most necessary to produce usually starting with hospital products.

So remove the tactile experience? The idea that digital music isn’t substantial enough for the music fan, but the current physical copy is environmentally harmful and somewhat cumbersome gave me a new, interesting and uncharted territory and approach to the modern full length album.

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Environmentally doesn’t make sence

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How do we utilize the popularity and convenience of the digital copy, with respect to our environmental crisis, and still offer the audience a tactile experience?

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Material Research What can accompany a digital copy to give a desired, environmentally safe tactile experience?

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This gave me some interesting parameters to work with:

1. Sustainability: More Environmentally responsible than CD + Vinyl

2. Cost: Low cost to create, therefore low cost to sell

3. “Feels right size” that creates arewarding tactile experience

Material Research ParametersI researched as many possible material options as possible and whittled it down to four practical production materials and tested them against the parameters.

1. Sustainability: More Environmentally responsible than CD + Vinyl

2. Cost: Low cost to create, therefore low cost to sell

3. “Feels right size” that creates arewarding tactile experience

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X

X

X X

X X

BalsaPulp Paper

GlassPlastic

Material Testing

SustainabilityBalsa trees are actually classified as a weed not a tree, meaning they grow wildly without forced aggregation. They reach full maturity in 4 - 6 years reaching nearly 100 feet tall and gray naturally in the United States. Which means that balsa wood is an extremely sustainable building material.

EconomyWe’ll never beat the cost of the quick and dirty plastic CD, but balsa wood manufacturing at 12” x 12” is cheaper than the unit cost of a vinyl record. And because it’s an American product, it stimulates our economy by buying local, sustainable goods.

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Feels Right SizeThere is something inherently beautiful about fresh cut wood. A sheet of balsa ply has similar weight to a vinyl record and is a great prospect for screen printing. When cut into a 12” inch square it creates a wonderful, handmade, unique tactile experience that music fans are craving.

Material Solution: Balsa Wood

The Balsa LP serves as a biodegradable tactile experience to accompany the modern digital download.

+ = BLP

Balsa

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So I had all this research about release a full length record in a more responsible format, without sacrificing the tactile experience that is dear to music fans like me.

So when it came time for my rock band to release our full length record, I couldn’t abandon all this research by pressing hundreds of CDs or vinyl records, creating more and more PVC plastic to sit on a shelf.

Res

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I wanted to put this research into practice so it didn’t just exist in theory. As a case study for this project, I am printing 300 copies and releasing my debut album “Handsome Devil’s” written, recorded and produced by my band The Devil’s Twins as the world’s very first BLP; A 100% environmentally responsible full length album.

Cas

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Record FeaturesEach record will be a 12” square of American purchased balsa wood and will be screen printed using soy based inks.

Furthering InteractivityEach BLP comes with a unique 8 digit digital download code that you can use to redeem the digital copy of the record on the bands website. This code will be covered by special heat sensitive ink that disappears when heat is applied.

Screen Printing ProcessThankfully, with some help from friends in the print-making department, I learned the process of screen printing.

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Funding the BLPIn order to fund this project, we created a full campaign complete with viral marketing videos for an online fund-raiser using a site called indiegogo.com.

We exceeded our goal and raised $1,280 and pre-sold 54 copies of the BLP.

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Promoting the BLPI had the opportunity to talk about my degree project on the air.

College radio caught wind of what we were doing to release our album and invited us on WFMO Tufts Radio to talk about it and promote the fund-raiser.

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Finally, The Record Release EventThe final step in bringing this project entirely to life was to plan the biggest record release party we could.

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Choosing the Right Date and VenueWith the degree project in full swing and the buzz of our album on the way, I knew most of our crowd would be coming from MassArt. It was imperative to choose a date that everyone had open and a popular local venue within the T limits. After hundreds of emails to every venue in the city, and poling our audience, we chose:

TT the bears, May 14th.(After senior portfolio night and before graduation.*)

Creating a Special NightThe final thing I had to research was how to have plan a successful record release event. I learned that the event has to be more that just going to see the band with a new album at their merch table. It has to be a special, multi- component experience that the audience will remember and associate with your music.

Event BriefThe Devil’s Twins invite you to the world’s very first BLP record release Event! (A semi-formal show for Gentlemen & Ladies) Featuring The Devil’s Twins, Boom! Said Thunder, We Avalanche and a special dance after party hosted by DJVEE. PLUS! A prom style photo-booth, dancing & shit, a black curtain, & tons of fancy swag of the Handsome Devil’s merch line!

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Facebook Event Poster

Ending ThoughtsOverall, in no way do I believe that I found the absolute solution to the modern day full length record with the creation of the BLP. But what this project has done is built the context in the right direction of thinking. The industry today poses the issue of loosing the record to the digital age, but does not approach redesigning the experience with environmental parameters.

Next StepsI will never stop writing songs, so there will always be a reason for me to be researching alternative ways to release records. In no way am I against pressing traditional vinyl records, but if there’s a better solution, I’m going to chase it.

The next step or post-grad version of this project is to find an environmentally responsible material that can function like a traditional vinyl record, that will play in a standard record player.

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Sorry! This is in production.So you can’t see this yet! Maybe in a few years when I’m done! ( :

Thanks for reading!Jeremiah Louf