What to Do Before You Record Your Demo
As a result of recording and producing literally thousands of demos, I’ve learned that it is always better to “Prepare and Prevent” than to “Repair and Repent.” Here are a few steps you can take to help make your demo recording experience more successful.
By Cliff Goldmacher
Song Preparation
It may sound obvious but make sure your song is finished. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had clients come into the studio only to start rewriting a part of the lyric or melody. It is significantly less stressful (and quite a bit less expensive) to write a song when you’re not paying the studio an hourly fee.
You can also benefit from trying a few rough recordings at home before you get to the studio. The simple act of listening back to a song instead of performing it will reveal any weaknesses or issues that need to be dealt with before the studio clock is running. The last of these rough home recordings will become the definitive work tape.
The Rough Recording
This is any simple, inexpensive recording that you do on a hand-held tape recorder, mini disc player, mp3 recorder, etc. Generally a piano or guitar plus a scratch vocal will do the trick. The key here is not a perfect recording but rather an accurate representation of the song structure. In other words, it doesn’t have to sound great as long as the chords, melody and lyrics are correct. The purpose of this work tape is to provide the demo vocalist and session musicians with a final version of your song from which they can learn.
The Players
Let’s start with the demo vocalist: It’s always a good policy to get a copy of the work tape and the lyrics to the singer a week or so before the session. There are several reasons for this. First of all, the singer can let you know what key the song should be in to best suit their voice. This way, if you end up recording instrument parts before the singer does their part, you’ll know the correct key. Secondly, the more time the singer has to learn the song, the less time he or she will take to sing the song when the studio clock is running.
When you get to the session, it’s wise to have printed lyric sheets for the engineer, musicians and vocalist. The lyrics should be typewritten and have each chorus written out in full. The reason for this is that you’ll be using these lyric sheets to mark spots that need fixing (or spots on certain takes that you like) and having “Repeat Chorus” written for the second and third choruses won’t allow you to take good notes. The better the notes you take on the lyric sheet while the vocalist is recording, the easier it will be to tell the vocalist what works and what needs to be fixed.
The session musicians do not need a work tape in advance. They will be learning the song from your work tape when they get to the session. You can save a little time by writing a chord chart of the song if it’s something you’re comfortable doing. If not, the session musicians should have no trouble doing it for you quickly using the work tape you bring to the session.
After that, it’s up to the singers and musicians to bring your song to the next level. There’s nothing more fun than listening to world-class musicians and vocalists record a song you’ve written. The more you prepare in advance, the more you’ll enjoy your studio experience.
Posted Jul 16, 2009
Member Comments
hese comments are mostly pointed towards songwriters who sing their own demos)
This is a good article, yet, assuming that new or inexperienced songwriters are making these demos, they really should be aware of a few other things:
If you are a songwriter without a publisher, then you ARE the publisher, and you need to figure out WHICH SONGS TO DEMO AND WHICH SONGS TO LEAVE AS WORK TAPES.
There’s no escaping this process for the fledgling writer.
The only difference is, how much time will you devote to the process.
If you have never made the move to one of the major music centers and are not well networked with music business professionals, then you are the songwriter equivalent of a “Garage Band”
What you do may or may not impress people locally, but you should be very careful not to simply write a song and immediately do all the things listed in this article.
First, write another song…then another. A good average is one per week with two weeks off for good behavior…so 50 songs a year.
With that figure in mind, take each group of 10 songs when they are written and either play them live for people or have them listen to the work tape. Do this with as many people as possible. The more the better.
Then LISTEN, especially for negative remarks and ESPECIALLY for the same remarks by people who don’t know each other.
So, if 6 people mention that they don’t understand how the title goes with the song, or if they are confused by your lyrics, then this is a sure warning sign to leave this as a work tape for now.
Sure, you will want to immediately re-write, but why? You are trying to eliminate the weakest of the ten to get ONE song you feel very sure of. So don’t start trying to rehab songs when it’s time for the cold, hard truth.
The one (or MAYBE two) songs from that group should be set aside. I’m talking for perhaps months.
This is because the new writer financing his own demos should never go into the studio without at least 3 to 5 songs to record. Certainly no less and hopefully no more.
THAT is because you book studio time in three hour blocks. I’m going to show you how to most efficiently use these blocks of time.
Gordy Thomas
http://www.GordyThomas.com
(Continued)
As you can see, the potential is there for you to identify five songs PER YEAR that deserve your financial investment and pitching to industry pros.
Over your career, these periods of time will start to overlap, which is a good thing. Hopefully, the time will come when you will be signed to a reputable publisher who will make these decisions for you.
But lets get back to the first group of five in one year.
NOW you are ready to do the things spoken of in this article.
However, the article is missing the answer to a most-important question:
HOW am I going to pay for this?
First, if your songs can be heard in a guitar-vocal or piano-vocal, limit them to that. Now you just saved about $100 to $300 per song. Wasn’t that nice?
Learn to chart your own music and bring copies for everyone, with a couple extra in case “visitors” pop in.
This book is INDISPENSABLE for learning the number system recognized by virtually all A and B team pickers in town (at least, in Nashville)
http://nashvillenumbersystem.com/
Chas Williams has been a personal friend since 1989. Believe me: he will get you your copy quickly and everyone will agree you made a wise investment.
By preparing ahead of time like that, you can usually save having to pay one picker to be your session leader. For demo work, you may be able to get great pickers to pay for half-union scale, but your session leader gets double that. For a three hour session, you just saved yourself $160 to $200 dollars by doing your own prep work.
However, someone has to hire the pickers, and that’s usually session leader territory. So hopefully you will find a good studio where the engineer will call in his regulars AND also be able to play at least one instrument (such as keys or lead guitar). Some engineers will do this for free (it’s cutthroat in Nashville) but a good person such as my engineer (Jay Vern at Jay’s Place Recording) will play keys and perhaps even key bass and only charge an additional $10.00 per song.
Gordy Thomas
http://www.GordyThomas.com
(Continued to part III)
Avoid hiring your new picker friends. This is a business, and you need to trust the recommendations from your engineer or session leader. They know who works well and QUICKLY with each other.
Now you are going to “chop” the recording sessions into chunks that you can pay for more easily.
Initially you will book three hours with the engineer/studio. Let’s say you do want to make 5 full demos. You will be told that pickers only do three songs an hour, but that’s just not so. Let them know ahead of time that you want their THREE HOUR rate, and be fair, letting them know that you will likely use up most or all of the time.
SESSION NUMBER ONE will be for what is known as “putting down the beds”.
Those are also known as “Rhythm Beds”, and they include your scratch vocal (leave it alone! Fixing it now is futile) along with drums, bass, rhythm guitar, perhaps keyboard “pads”...and that’s usually it.
Believe me, Nashville pickers who have NEVER heard your songs before can get the beds down in one, two, maybe three passes, finishing a song in about 30 minutes.
A great way to get more out of the session AND get more done on each song is to pay the guitar player $10.00 extra per song to put down his double part or even overdubs while the rest of the pickers get coffee.
If the engineer is a picker, save his overdubs for another session. Get the most out of the guys you will see once.
And there you have it. 3 hours, 5 song beds, maybe with some overdubs.
Cost: 3 hours of studio time ($40 to $80 per hour) and three or four pickers at $160-$200 a piece.
Then you simply have the cakewalk files recorded for you while you are there, and then plan on the next step in a few months when you have some more money.
Gordy Thomas
http://www.GordyThomas.com
(Continued in Part IV)
Next step will be “overdubs”. If you don’t have too many instruments to add (Fiddle, Steel Guitar) then you may have enough time to also redo your vocal. Again, get your cakewalk bundle and go.
Next step will be background vocals and perhaps comping your vocal—recording 6 or more versions and have the engineer cut and paste and tune the best.
The next time is where a cakewalk bundle really comes in handy.
You see, you need to mix before you master, but with Cakewalk you can remix fairly quickly if the mastering isn’t working.
Ideally you never record, mix or master on the same day. And, if you can afford it, you use an engineer, then a separate one for mixing, and then a mastering engineer.
OBVIOUSLY, Keyboard and Guitar vocals will be much quicker, cheaper and surprisingly, when done well they can outshine full blown demos.
The Five songs full demo may cost a total of $2,000.00 or more (divided by five is $400) BUT, you can manage the time over 3 to 6 to 9 to 12 months.
Much easier to come up with the money over time and then pay it out over time as well.
This does NOT sound very sexy. You really want to do it all at once, and you want to do it the moment you finish every songs.
Go ahead. YOU are YOUR PUBLISHER.
However, time will tell how long you can keep that up, and will also tell if you are recording songs that don’t deserve to see the inside of a studio.
Gordy Thomas
http://www.GordyThomas.com
This is golden advice that will save tunesmiths time, trouble and MONEY !
Download this priceless and timeworn advice from the folks that KNOW the studio biz from the inside out.
Hi Gordy!
You are for sure, a wealth a knowledge in this area.
In October of 2008, I did a two song demo in a recording studio located in Northern California.
The songs aren’t bad, but one mistake that was made was not having studio quality musicians to do the guitar work.
They are still up on my myspace page and I am proud of them but I do wish that I had located the studio guys (or girls!) first…
One problem here in Sacramento, Califonia is the total lack of contacts regarding studio musicians. There seems to be no “central point” in place to network on who does what.
I’m sure the local NASI chapter can help as I am reinstating my membership this month but still…
Thanks again for all your great info!
Michael Klemp
[url=http://www.myspace.com/songwriter4stars]http://www.myspace.com/songwriter4stars[/url]
This is one thread that needs input from EXPERIENCED tunesmiths with serious studio time under their belt.
Getting the basics down with a decent click track, so that the basic lead vocal and rhythm guitar or keyboard sound great and CARRY the song is VITAL.
The bass and percussion tracks should support “the bed” like a frame. Selecting the best musicians for everything else is a matter of access, taste, chops in the studio and budget.
Hi Michael,
I checked out the two tunes on MySpace and sent you a friend request.
I think you have a great (usually inherent) sense of song structure. That’s good because it’s THE most common thing lacking in people who believe themselves to be “songwriters”.
Sadly, you are correct about the demos, but not just because of the quality of pickers.
I am a BIG believer in “dynamics”. IF the demo isn’t always moving the ears of the listener will become dull and there goes your chance to have the whole song heard.
This can be done either in a guitar/piano vocal or in a full-blown demo. However, it really must be done in pre-production; before you ever enter the studio.
That’s a good thing, because it doesn’t cost you a dime, unless you are working with a producer.
I’m, from SoCal and know how to connect with pickers there.
In Central/Northern California, I recommend you network with a songwriter named Steve Key in Pismo Beach (near San Luis Obispo).
I’m not saying he will put you on one of his shows or anything like that. That’s between you and him.
I just think Steve is one of the most talented songwriters on the West Coast who is also connected to Nashville and L.A.
If he recommends someone or something, I’d listen closely…even if he says come back another time.
Steve is at:
http://www.myspace.com/stevekey
Best,
Gordy Thomas
http://www.Facebook.com/GordyThomasMusic
A short note regarding songwriter demos:
Nashville remains a place with a glut of recording studios and qualified pickers and singers, of virtually ALL genres.
I’m talking about folks who rarely—if ever—need your tape ahead of their arrival in the recording studio.
The big exception is a great demo singer, who will usually want your work tape at least a day before the session when they pit down the final vocal.
That’s not just for familiarity but also because they may have a suggestion for another key. Best to know that before you lay down tracks.
Anyway, I am a firm believer in encouraging people to travel to Nashville to do your demos (Country, Rock, Blues, Gospel, Folk, Jazz, etc) as the amount you save on studio/musician/mixing/mastering time will often pay for the trip itself. No Joke.
Then, even if you break even (spend the same amount you would in some non-music industry town) you are ahead, for you get to network in Nashville with all sorts of folks in the music industry.
That is an invaluable thing.
Gordy Thomas
http://www.Facebook.com/GordyThomasMusic
GORDY:
U Da MAN ! It isn’t just what Na$hville does in the studio. These are cast in stone “MUST DOES” to save time, frustration and MONEY on your projects.
These are the tried and true steps that EVERYONE should follow, unless you’re so wealthy that a few grand on a demo or a
finished product that sounds less than
quality means NOTHING to you.
