How Much Should You Pay For A Demo?

[lovelifelovemusic]

Dear all,

 

May I ask for your advice or experience in paying for a demo? What is the right amount of money to spend? Should it be $200 or $1,000 for one song?

 

If you have a good studio which receives the job via email, I would appreciate knowing, too.

 

My sincere thanks,

[john]

What Tom says is true. For example session musicians are not free. For me I might use an online mastering service if I had heard a lot of their work. However remote recording using session musicians I would be very very unlikely to use. Interacting with the session musicians is key and that is far harder to do remotely, though not impossibly. I write and record my own music, so I can see the temptation for solo lyricists... but that is where there is a degree of miss-selling of online song services.

I would go with plan A. Work as locally as you can and get to know local studio owners, session musicians, other songwriters, producers and bands and work with them. not just amateurs either.

The first step is finding people, on or offline, to work with. Growing your contacts is the biggest single thing you can do.

By saying "demo" it makes me think this is to send to labels and publishing houses, as if it were for gigs you would have a band (or at least the whole line up you need to perform), and if that is the case an online recording service really doesn't make sense apart from mastering services.

If it is for labels / publishers etc these days they really expect songs submitted as production-ready. That being the case avoid online recording services like the plague (like a studio that takes either lyrics, or lyrics and melody, and records the song for you. Often writers aren't happy with the results. The results could be used to approach publishers but not labels... but the results are very unpredictable. Additionally they are less likely to be interested in the songs than say a band that writes and records their own songs (or a band that records your songs) because their interest is reducing workload, minmizing risk, and maximizing profit.

Add to that sending unsolicited demos is about as useful as digging a hole and throwing your hard earned money in.

Far better to find other writers to work with and then find a band to play the songs, or write the lyrics for a band that is good at writing music.

With a band online recording is really not a viable option. For me this is either recording for vanity reasons, or to record a high calibre of session musician that either they or you cannot travel and it really is the last chance to get them to record their part.

In terms of local studios, yes a song package is okay to a degree, but unless this is vanity recording don't go near them unless you have words, music, a good idea of the instrumentation and arrangement. At least you then clearly know what you want and can easily interact with the producer, engineer and session musicians.

If you have a band then record locally. A quick and dirty recording will be cheap but only much good for getting lower end gigs. Mid-range recording prices are likely to be not much better. Higher end you have to have the minset that you are creating a finished product where standards are high.

If you are a lyricist, find a music writer to work with to create finished songs.

Take finished songs to bands. Then record them (well the band does, and they pay for it too. If you need a demo to let bands hear you are as well making a simple home recording using vocals and one instrument to accompany the vocals.

Very rarely you will find a publishing house interested in a raw and rough demo. Usually they then get you to get it recorded properly before they invest. So you might as well focus on that before you start talking to them anyway.

Hopefully that helps. It's hard answering questions like this in a beneficial way. "How long is a piece of string" is pretty well impossible.

1. What is the purpose for the recording?
2. Can you create a complete song, words and music, or are you part of a songwriting team that can?
3. Do you have complete songs ready to record?
4. Do you work with a band that plans to do something with your songs?
5. What is your own level of music skills/knowledge?
6. What are your long term goals for your music?
7. Out of ten, how committed are you to do something with your songs?

With answers to those questions a better guess to cost could be made.

I regularly see writers, musicians and bands online that simply think high standards aren't needed, or they point each other to cheap services because they are cheap. That is simply lack of insight, laziness, and the delusion that labels, publishers, production houses and fans are happy to listen to poor quality music, and plenty of it. They don't.

Think about what you want and why you want it and then work towards making it happen. If you do you are far more likely to achieve your overall aims. That is unless you don't really care what happens. That being the case I would say save your money.

[lovelifelovemusic]

Hi John, wonderful reply. Your advice is very informative.

 

My song is already finished with lyrics and melody. I could do a simple arrangment and sing over it. So what I need is to have a demo singer and a better arrangement.

 

I am aware the cost would vary. For example, some songs might just need a piano, while others would call for a bigger treatment.

[barrybooomer]

Hi....

   I can make you a demo like MINE for ony $100.

I'll send you an mp3 and I can do it in just a few days.

Not like a real studio but it IS functional.

Thanks,

Barry David Butler

Contact me at bdbutler@centurylink.net

 

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?o=U

 

[shibes]

Hey Noob -

 

I'm with you on getting a demo done - my voice is so-o, and sounding professional is important when submitting songs for consideration. 

 

I'm a TAXI member and use a service out of Nashville (Kim Copeland Productions) that has a nice arrangement - songwriter demo session that allow for a reduced rate.  Not sure of the type of music you write, but if you're looking for someone that can produce something that sounds professional for submission to a place like TAXI, it's a good option. 

 

I've worked with Kim Copeland for a few years.  I do everything via email and phone.  I leverage her songwriter demo group day session.  Several songwriters book into a single day, allowing her to give what I think is a great rate as well as input into the song production as the songwriter.  You can check out the demos I've done with her on my web site lyrist101.blogspot.com.

 

Rate for these was $895 which is fairly standard for the quality level.  She'll also do a song critique for $40 that comes off the $895 if you demo the song.  Rates are subject to change, so contact her for specifics (depends on group day, usage rights, etc.)

 

Beard Music out of Nashville is also good with multiple genres and works via email.  I've never used them personally, but several in local songwriting groups have.  Rates are slightly higher than Copeland's and slightly less personal interaction, so not really for me, but always someone to check out.

 

Hope this helps a bit.

 

LAS

[Kel]

If you've heard any of my recordings on here, you'll see why I have demos produced for me, at least until I get known to bands locally.

 

Have a listen to what barryboomer can do for you. I've found a couple of guys who do demos for around the same price. Another songstuffer, Bobbyearlray makes radio ready recordings and he said $300 in another thread. 

 

I've been quoted up to $1800 per song, and that guy is forever sending me mail telling me how good he is, and all the awards his productions are winning. I think the music industry in America must be like the wine industry in Australia, you can't go into a bottle shop (liquor store) without falling over hundreds of gold medal winning wines!

 

I recently went to a seminar by Ralph Murphy, and he says he always gets low cost demos done rather than do them himself (he mentioned throwing a session singer a $80 to $100 bucks!). From these "rough cuts" he decides what he'll have produced up to pitch standard - ie radio ready, and then enter the market with a quality product.

 

Value is in your requirement, and for you to decide. As John said, sometimes the online productions disappoint because you're not in the studio with them. Take your choice, pay your money.

 

Cheers,

Kel