CDs: How to make a CD booklet
Creating a CD booklet might seems fairly simple and straightforward process. Get a few pictures together, add some text and send it to your CD pressing plant.
Well, this is far away from reality. Booklets are the most troublesome item when it comes to CD pressing. Often times created incorrectly.
That’s why in this post we give you a detail guide on how to create a CD booklet along with tools and tips to help you get through process of creation pain free and get amazing printed booklets!
Table of Contents
How many pages can a CD booklet have?
A CD booklet can have up to 32 pages. The smallest number of pages is 2 (where the booklet is called an insert).
What is the page order of a CD booklet?
The page order, in other words pagination, is an important and often misunderstood factor. Each artwork file should contain 2 pages of the booklet. For a 4 page booklet, for example, you will need to provide 2 artwork files.
Below we have listed all the correct page orders for each booklet type.
2 page insert:
page 2 – page 1
4 page booklet:
page 4 – page 1
page 2 – page 3
8 page booklet:
page 8- page 1
page 2 – page 7
page 6 – page 3
page 4 – page 5
12 page booklet:
page 12 – page 1
page 2 – page 11
page 10 – page 3
page 4 – page 9
page 8 – page 5
page 6 – page 7
16 page booklet:
page 16 – page 1
page 2 – page 15
page 14 – page 3
page 4 – page 13
page 12 – page 5
page 6 – page 11
page 10 – page 7
page 8 – page 9
20 page booklet:
page 20 – page 1
page 2 – page 19
page 18 – page 3
page 4 – page 17
page 16 – page 5
page 6 – page 15
page 14 – page 7
page 8 – page 13
page 12 – page 9
page 10 – page 11
24 page booklet:
page 24 – page 1
page 2 – page 23
page 22 – page 3
page 4 – page 21
page 20 – page 5
page 6 – page 19
page 18 – page 7
page 8 – page 17
page 16 – page 9
page 10 – page 15
page 14 – page 11
page 12 – page 13
28 page booklet:
page 28 – page 1
page 2 – page 27
page 26 – page 3
page 4 – page 25
page 24 – page 5
page 6 – page 23
page 22 – page 7
page 8 – page 21
page 20 – page 9
page 10 – page 19
page 18 – page 11
page 12 – page 17
page 16 – page 13
page 14 – page 15
32 page booklet:
page 32 – page 1
page 2 – page 31
page 30 – page 3
page 4 – page 29
page 28 – page 5
page 6 – pager 27
page 26 – page 7
page 8 – page 25
page 24 – page 9
page 10 – page 23
page 22 – page 11
page 12 – page 21
page 20 – page 13
page 14 – page 19
page 18 – page 15
page 16 – page 17
| Booklet Type | Page Order |
|---|---|
| 2 page insert | page 2 – page 1 |
| 4 page booklet | page 4 – page 1, page 2 – page 3 |
| 8 page booklet | page 8 – page 1, page 2 – page 7, page 6 – page 3, page 4 – page 5 |
| 12 page booklet | page 12 – page 1, page 2 – page 11, page 10 – page 3, page 4 – page 9, page 8 – page 5, page 6 – page 7 |
| 16 page booklet | page 16 – page 1, page 2 – page 15, page 14 – page 3, page 4 – page 13, page 12 – page 5, page 6 – page 11, page 10 – page 7, page 8 – page 9 |
| 20 page booklet | page 20 – page 1, page 2 – page 19, page 18 – page 3, page 4 – page 17, page 16 – page 5, page 6 – page 15, page 14 – page 7, page 8 – page 13, page 12 – page 9, page 10 – page 11 |
| 24 page booklet | page 24 – page 1, page 2 – page 23, page 22 – page 3, page 4 – page 21, page 20 – page 5, page 6 – page 19, page 18 – page 7, page 8 – page 17, page 16 – page 9, page 10 – page 15, page 14 – page 11, page 12 – page 13 |
| 28 page booklet | page 28 – page 1, page 2 – page 27, page 26 – page 3, page 4 – page 25, page 24 – page 5, page 6 – page 23, page 22 – page 7, page 8 – page 21, page 20 – page 9, page 10 – page 19, page 18 – page 11, page 12 – page 17, page 16 – page 13, page 14 – page 15 |
| 32 page booklet | page 32 – page 1, page 2 – page 31, page 30 – page 3, page 4 – page 29, page 28 – page 5, page 6 – page 27, page 26 – page 7, page 8 – page 25, page 24 – page 9, page 10 – page 23, page 22 – page 11, page 12 – page 21, page 20 – page 13, page 14 – page 19, page 18 – page 15, page 16 – page 17 |
Where does a CD booklet go in the case?
So there are a few options when it comes to placing the booklet into the case, such as:
- Standard jewel case – left side slip in
- Digipak – outside left pocket
- Ecopaks – inside left pocket
What should i include in my CD booklet?
The essential parts of any booklets are the credits and tracklist (which can also be placed on the actual CD sleeve) but to make a best use of the booklet space I suggest adding:
- lyrics for each of the songs
- little memo of how the whole album/ep came to life
- list of all band members along with photos
- high quality pictures of the band playing live
Are CD booklets worh it?
From our experience, we can see an increase in CD sales from bands who decided to add a booklet to their release.
Having a booklet also gives your fans an extra incentive to buy your CD.
How much does a CD booklet cost?
The cost of a CD booklet depends on the number of pages as well as the number of units. For example, 100 copies of a 4 page booklet cost only £31. If you’d like to find out the exact price for your booklet send us a message and we’ll give you an accurate quote.
Are CD booklets necessary?
The booklets are not an essential part of a CD release but they drastically improve chances of selling your CDs as well as, in the eyes of your fans, increase the value of your album or EP.
What kind of paper is used for CD booklet?
We at CD Unity use the highest quality 150gsm gloss paper that looks amazing once printed and has a really nice feel to it.
What is a harmonica style CD booklet?
A harmonica style booklet is a booklet that folds out from the inside as opposed to a normal, flip booklet.
Have a look at the example below to understand it a bit better.
What software should I use to make a CD booklet?
To create a CD booklet I recommend using Adobe Photoshop software. It’s a paid tool but will serve you for a long time and is not that difficult to use (lots of tutorials on YouTube).
What's the best free program to make a CD booklet?
The best free alternative to paid software is Colorinch
It’s an easy to use free program, good for both Windows and Mac users.
What are The dimensions of a CD booklet Artwork File?
The dimensions of a CD booklet artwork file, including bleed, are 246.97mm x 125.48mm
What is bleed on a CD booklet?
Bleed is basically the extra surface you have to cover with your artwork (3mm around the edges) to make sure the booklet won’t have any white marks after printing.
Can I make a CD booklet in word?
Technically, you can but the whole process will be stressful and daunting. As I’ve mentioned above try using either Adobe Photoshop or Colorinch
Where can I download a CD booklet template?
You can download our CD booklet template from our templates page or directly here by clicking on the button.
Hope that was helpful.
If you need any help with your booklet just send us a message and we’ll help you out!
Many thanks,
Tom
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