Recording a Demo

A demo is, and has to be the signature of your band. This is what is going to make your audience grow, this is what will bring people to your gigs, get them on your mailing list, get them to your website and get you intrest from record labels, promotors, managers and so on……. This is what people are going to hear when they didnt make it to your gig.

Recording a demo doesn’t have to be expensive and elaborate. If your songs are good then people will recognise that, no matter how much you spend on recording it. Many people dont agree with this, but those that dont – probably aren’t where you want to be at. Think about it, if I went to a studio, sat down and strummed an A chord for 5 minutes, it doesn’t matter how much I spent on it – it is still going to be an A chord being strummed! Granted the quality will differ from studio to studio, the engineers will hopefully be better the more I spent, but stripped down, it is still the same. Remember this demo isn’t going to be your final release of your album, so dont spend your whole budget on it!! Record labels and promotors can see quality music when they hear it. They aren’t going to pick one band over another because they spent more on a recording! Some great albums have been released from home recordings. Mudhoney always springs to mind. I love the album “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge”, it was recorded at home, on 4 track. Yet the songs are brilliant. Below I have compiled a “How To” list for recording a demo.

1. Pick your venue: Studio or at home? Have you got all the equipment you need? Does the studio?

2. Pick you recording method: Is this going to be a live recording or are you going to record each track seperately. For a cleaner more precise recording, then go for each track seperately. For a rougher, more live recording, record it together. Take into account your type of music here. IF you are a faster, heavier more punk type of band then record together. If you a softer act, or even doing acoustic versions, record the tracks sperately.

3. Always keep a master copy: Keep this copy safe always. One persons mix of your recordings could sound totally different to someone elses mix of the same session. You can always add tracks or instruments to this master tape at a later date if needed.

4. Make sure your well rehearsed: Have your practised recording each track seperately? It is so much different to doing it live. Never go into a studio unless your 100% ready, you will only waste time and money and the demo will do you more harm than good if it has mistakes.

5. Less is more: Dont go into a studio and try to record as many tracks as possible. For a demo, I would advise 3, maybe 4. Make sure these are your best tracks. If a label is going to listen to a band, they would rather listen to 3 great songs than – 3 great songs, 3 average and 2 bad!! They would chuck it in the bin. Leave them with that good impression, so they haven’t heard one bad song from you. If you have thins mentality you will spend more time on each track, you will perfect them, you wont rush them.

6. Order of tracks: Make sure your best song is first. This song cant have a long intro, it has to get straight to it. Preferbly your most upbeat song. Dont start off with a slow song or some song that takes 1 minute before the singer comes in. On average you have 20 seconds before the label or venue manager are going to press “skip”, you have to hit them good and hard in those 20 seconds.

7. Packaging: Now dont go and spend a fortune on your cover for this. Show your track listings, an image of the band. Do it at home on your computer. These are probably going to be given away at gigis or sent to venues remember. If it is going to someone important, go and spend that little bit more on an individual cover for them.

8. Clean sounding: Now as a guitarist/bassist I used to always do this. I used to change my strings a week before the studio and wear them in for that week so they were just perfect when the time came to record. Each musician will have their preference on how they want it to sound but still keep this in mind.

9. Tuning: Always make sure your in tune. At the end of every track re-tune to each other. There is nothing worse than an off note to put people off.

10. Enjoy!!!