Recording a demo

As an aspiring singer, musician or songwriter, a demo is your most important marketing tool. Here are some important guidelines regarding the ins and outs of recording song demos.

Publishers do not expect the demo to be a perfect and polished recording.

Recording tips

• Before you begin, be aware that labels and publishers do not expect the demo to be a perfect and polished recording. You are showcasing your talent, not your producing skills. Digital recording makes high-quality demo production much more affordable than it was in the past. You should never pay out a fortune for expensive studio time and talent.
• The demo should, however, be tastefully recorded. For this reason, make sure you choose a good quality studio that fits your needs, whether it’s a home studio or a professional facility. You may already be versed in the craft of music production. If not, you should employ the services of a good demo producer.
• Music can be recorded using live musicians and/or electronic programming. Often demos are recorded using an electronic rhythm track plus a live player or two. The producer can advise you on how to best achieve your objectives and stick to your budget.
• A demo should never be complicated or over-recorded. It should be short and to the point.
• If you submit several demos, put the best one first on the CD. In most cases, you should never put more than three demos on one CD.

What do you want to showcase?

The approach to recording a demo can differ with the particular talent you want to showcase. Here are tips for recording demos of individual musical talents:

• SINGERS.  Make sure your vocal is mixed well up in front of the track. A simple piano and vocal demo may work just fine. For higher-produced demos, you may consider adding some background harmonic vocal parts yourself to demonstrate your versatility. Do not include long instrumental breaks.
• SONGWRITERS. With songwriter demos, it’s all about the melody and lyrics. For this reason, you shouldn’t include a lot of fancy instrumental licks or interludes. Often a strong rhythm track and vocal will work well, or even a keyboard and vocal. The shorter the musical intro, the better. It’s important to hire good vocal talent if you don’t sing yourself.
• INDIVIDUAL MUSICIANS. The production approach depends upon the instrument you’re showcasing. If it’s piano, you don’t necessarily need any other instrumentation. If it’s rock guitar, you may need a strong backing track. If it’s cello, you may need some sort of classical track. Or, with any instrument, you can consider recording it by itself, with no background at all.
• BANDS. For band demos, it may be best to record the instruments all at once, and then add overdubs and vocals. It all depends upon the kind of band it is. A good producer can advise you on this.