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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.
SEE MORE TIPS >>
CREATING
A PRESS PACK
GETTING A MANAGER
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