Career Songwriter

A question that we all have to deal with as songwriters in the commercial market is how to demo our songs. Whether we can afford a studio and full band, or we’re limited to a simple piano or guitar and vocal, how we display our song greatly affects the way our songs and our artistry are perceived. The market we’re pitching our material in can shift our production and mix direction drastically. Whether we’re recording our songs for our own record or for others to sing also affects our final destination with the recording.

As we finish a batch of songs and choose the strongest to demo, the next step in getting our music out there is to reflect our intentions with the recording. Clarifying what our intentions are can spare us significant confusion and frustration later on.

A songwriter who desires to pitch his/her demos to other artists will probably approach the demo process differently than an artist whose main goal is to sell records to fans. Some considerations of songwriters in the commercial market are to make the demo accessible to several artists and avoiding production ideas that alienate a particular artist from seeing that song on his/her next record. Some considerations of artists are whether they want to appeal to a particular market, pitch to specific film and TV music supervisors, or simply produce music that is true to his/her niche and the fans that support that niche.

Doing our research and finding out what characterizes a particular genre sound is important in marketing ourselves within that genre. Even within the major music markets production techniques vary. To those not familiar with the genre, country music might seem characterized as a lyric that includes the word “ya’ll” and incorporates a pedal steel. But those immersed in the country music scene know that the sound is much more than that. Listening to the radio and becoming familiar with artist’s songs and sound who are topping the charts is an excellent start to clarifying where your music stands in relationship to that genre. Talking with others who specialize in that genre, players as well as mix engineers and producers, helps to strengthen your understanding of what really constitutes the sound you’re going for.

My philosophy when producing my demos is that a great production won’t make up for a weak song. Recording a simple guitar vocal or piano vocal allows the song to shine while exposing any weak areas I might like to go back and rewrite. Then, when I’m convinced the song is working as a guitar vocal or piano vocal, I may decide to take the demo a step further and record a full band.

Finding a friend with a studio in a spare bedroom, or booking a day at a professional facility can both yield the same great sound quality, but they come with vastly different price tags. Before spending a good deal of your hard earned resources on studio musicians and studio time, I suggest spending some time in pre-production with a competent engineer and producer. Find those people who are as passionate about recording as you are about songwriting. Use their strengths to compliment your strengths rather than attempt to accomplish the whole process alone. As much time as you’ve spent honing your songwriting craft, a good engineer and producer has spent working to expose a song’s true message and bring out its authentic character.

For pitching purposes to Film and TV, watch your favorite shows to find out what quality of sound you hear accompanying the scenes. Is it primarily male singer-songwriter with minimal production? Is it mainly piano-vocal music, or Indie rock band? Consider your own goals and seek out the places where your music is appreciated, whether it’s the commercial mainstream market, or the thousands of other places where music is played. If your lyrics drive your song appeal, then make sure the vocals are clear and words are easy to understand. Ask fans of your music what their favorite songs of yours are, and notice any similarities between the way those songs are produced.

In the end, a simple demo with minimal production that is competently executed is often more desirable than a demo layered with production that distracts from the song’s message. Doing the best we can with what we have is better than delaying the demo process another 6 months. Do your research. Clarify your goals. Allow the strengths of others to enhance your own. After awhile, you’ll soon realize you’ve built a catalog of songs you can be proud of, geared towards your market and your vision.