Demo Dynamics

There is a big misconception among musicians starting out in the business.  It is often thought that for industry success, you need a big, elaborate and expensive demo.  And fortunately for us, this isn't the case at all.   Now, don't get me wrong, if you have the money, feel free to do what you want with it and make it as grand as you can afford.  But, be aware that the extra instrumentation and "fluff" aren't a sure-fire guarantee of a record deal.  If you are like most of us starving musicians, and have no choice but to operate on a budget, there are ways to make a high-quality demo without spending a ton of money.

First of all, to be successful, you don't have to have a complex and superbly orchestrated demo.  A simple guitar or piano accompaniment works just fine, and can be very effective.  Record executives and producers are listening for your talent and vocals.  They are not interested in how well the demo is produced and probably don't care about who played on your demo or how out of tune the 2nd oboe player is, either.   As long as they can clearly understand your lyrics and hear you, then you're safe. Don't let a fancy accompaniment overshadow and hide your talents.  Keep in mind the reason you have a demo in the first place, is to exemplify your talent and put your vocals on display.

Something to consider when planning your demo, is your budget.  Try to determine exactly how much you are able to spend on your demo.  There are many other things other than your budget to consider, however, when planning your demo.  Let me briefly outline some guidelines for you, that I hope you'll find helpful.  

#1.  Studio time.  This is your biggest expense for the most part.  Shop around and locate a studio you can afford, that fits your needs and wants. You don’t need (and probably can't afford) to have the best studio in Nashville.  After all, there have been many a great demo cut in someone's basement recording studio...

#2.  Players.  No need to hire out a whole band to accompany you.  If you can play well enough, I would recommend accompanying yourself.   This alone will save you a lot of money.  If you can’t play, find a friend that will do it for free, or at a small cost.  

#3.  Reproduction.  You also need to budget for reproduction if you want to mass produce your demo.  When you get to this point, be smart and shop around!  (Ticket2Nashville.com has several directories that can help you shop, by the way.) You probably don't need 500 copies to start, either.  Try to be realistic.  You can always order more copies at a later time.

#4 Song selection.  Selecting the correct songs is the most important thing of all.  Someone once told me that music is all about the song.  If you have great songs you have a much bigger chance of success.  Don’t just settle for just any song, search for the perfect song(s).  Trust me, it will be worth the effort. When searching for songs, find songs that compliment your vocal range.  Don’t sing a song that you aren't comfortable singing just because you like it.  If it doesn't fit your voice, it will show.   Remember the songs you pick can make or break you!

#5.  Demo Length.  You want to limit your number of songs to no more than 5.  Three to five cuts are probably safe.   Anyone important won't have time to listen to anything more than that anyway.  You want to keep it short and precise.  Remember quality is better than quantity.  

Hopefully these tips I've outlined in this article will help you succeed in creating high quality demo on a shoe-string budget!,  Good luck in your venture and stay encouraged in your endeavors.  You can do it!