Do's and don'ts of demo recordings

In other words, without having to go out to a rehearsal studio or a live show, anyone you are trying to interest in your music can simply pop a disc into a CD player or a flash stick into a computer and hear the music. It sounds really simple. Except that many artists miss the entire point of a demo recording. 

 

As the original word implies, the object is to demonstrate to the listener what it is you can do. The first cardinal sin is to record three or four songs that are very similar in style, delivery or theme. All you are thereby doing is demonstrating that you are one-dimensional and not very versatile. So, when you are thinking about making a demo recording, consider these points:

 

 

Preparation is key

 

When recording a demo you also need to think about preparation. Recording is expensive and the less time you spend in the actual studio laying down your song the better. Therefore you need to do what is called preproduction. What this means is that you need to work out exactly how you want the song to sound when recorded. You must make notes, for example, of what settings your amplifiers or effects pedals are on, how loud or in what tone the singer must sing etc. The idea is to be able to record the song in a form that has already been decided upon. The person who records the music, the engineer, will then later mix it together, making sure that the volume of all instruments is correct, that everything can be heard and that the overall sound level is uniform. It is only really at a more advanced stage that you would work with a producer. A producer’s job is to give input into the structure of the song and how each part gets recorded. Therefore, a producer is typically very involved in your pre-production as well as the recording process.

 

Money matters

 

Usually a good studio will assign one day for recording a song and one for mixing it. But if you are looking for a simpler final product, a half-day for each is also reasonable. The studio concerned will give you a quote for the time, recording and mixing, and you will receive the master of the final product from them. The recording studio should never be given any rights to this material. By paying for their services you retain all the rights to your music. Do not be tempted to give away rights in return for free recordings; this can really turn out to be a bad thing in the long run should you become successful.

 

The cost of recording a demo is determined by two factors: how long you take and the hourly rate of the studio. You can expect to pay anything from R1,500 per day to R1,000 per hour for a studio. Obviously you need to choose a studio that meets your budget.

 

Next week: Digital downloads

 

Originally published in David Chislett's One, Two, One, Two: A Step By Step Guide To The South African Music Industry. Download a free copy of the book at www.davidchislett.co.za.