Tips on making a good demo.

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MAKING A GOOD DEMO

Nobody can say if you'll be the next big thing, but if you follow the tips laid out in this section, then you'll be dramatically increasing your chances of making a great demo.

1. Be Ready

Unless you are part of a superstar rock band who can afford to spend months at a time in the studio, you're going to need to be efficient. So prepare well! Rehearse for free until everything is perfect (there's no better way to burn money in the studio than to be teaching the bass player a song while the clock is ticking!). You're not going to get great results that way. So know the material you're going to do. Choose your three strongest and most commercial songs and devote appropriate time to each. If you dont know which are your three best songs, survey 20 friends and fans and get an idea of the most popular tracks. Bring extra strings, batteries, and media (cds) in case of problems. And remember, there will be problems.

2. Equipment.

Some people can get very far with their knowledge of an average system, but in the increasingly cynical commercial music industry, your demo needs to do two things: it needs to sparkle audiowise, and it needs to excite emotionally because of a performance or energy captured. This is how you turn heads. Start off by choosing a studio with the best gear possible for your budget. Make sure it has a vibe where you'll be comfortable being creative though. It's a balancing act. Ask them about their mics and preamps (you might put bass or vocals through a high quality focusrite box or vintage preamp), make sure you tune your drums professionally, and use quality guitars and great sounding amps. Take the time to tune everything properly - as there's nothing worse than a great sounding track with dodgy tuning. Know the sounds you want to record, so that you are getting your identity on tape from the start.

3. Performance.

With this kind of planning, you are creating an atmosphere where you can give a great performance and create some magic. If you're lucky enough to be working with a producer that you trust and respect, then listen to their opinions - often times an artist can get too close to their material and lose objectivity. Be focused, but be open to ideas, suggestions and inspiration. Don't expect to 'fix anything in the mix' - that's a recipe for disaster. Get it right in the performance, there and then.

4. Mixing

Take frequent breaks and bring reference material. There's no better way to gauge how a mix is sounding than to check it against another record you know really well. Again, gear plays an important role, so get access to the best desk you can, with the best outboard gear (compressors/reverbs) and the best pair of ears (usually not yours!) Once it's done, allow yourself a few days away from it so you can return with renewed perspective.

5. Post-Production

This might include anything from mastering to artwork, to reproduction to packaging. Mastering is basically a global compression, EQ and final polish to give continuity across the whole album. This is also the time to add fade outs and place the tracks in their final order. It is not the time to decide that you hate a guitar part, or that your singer is flat! Mastering can be very expensive, so it really depends on your individual needs for the project. Bear in mind that a good mastering house can drastically increase the weight, clarity and volume of your recording. For many recordings, it is the final icing on the cake to prepare a track for radio and TV play. Mid-range mastering is a waste of time, and you would be better to get an engineer with great ears to give it a go with you.

With all other post-production, it's a case of getting the highest quality art, and highest number of discs back for your money.

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