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7 Secrets Of Great Demo Production !Believe it or not, just writing a hit song is not enough these days!

!So how do songwriters get their songs listened to seriously by record

labels and publishers? What’s their secret?

!They make demos that sound as if they’re already on the radio!

!My name is Martin Sutton and I’m a multi-

platinum selling songwriter, producer and

the founder of The Songwriting Academy

!I started out as a street busker with no

musical training, and I still can’t read music,

but I’ve sold over 9 million records in 50

countries, for artists including The

Backstreet Boys, LeAnn Rimes, Celine Dion and X-Factor, Idol and The

Voice winners around the world.

!I have a simple home studio in which I’ve made records for artists

including LeAnn Rimes, Celine Dion, Kim Wilde, Andrew Lloyd Webber

and many more. I produce all my own demos and often have the tracks

picked up by record labels to be used for their final releases.

!My approach to demo production is very similar to my approach to

songwriting.

!Making the final product the very best I believe it can be

!Here are some of my top tips for producing demos that labels and

publishers will love. I hope this helps you with your own productions.

!!!

!

7. Make the right choices The Singer

!Just because you can sing doesn’t mean you should sing!

Make sure you choose the right singer for your demo.

That doesn’t mean the cheapest, or the friend who’s doing

it free for a favour. It means the singer who will own the

song when they perform it and give it the most

compelling, believable and emotive performance, whether

it’s a beautiful ballad or a banging dance tune. Quality is

key.

!!The Key

!Different singers excel in different keys and it’s your job

to find out where the voice has a “sweet spot”. By that I

mean where the tonal quality and emotional level is

audibly more striking. Before you record your vocal for

real, ask your singer to experiment with different keys,

both above and below your original key, to find out where

the sweet spot is. You’ll know it when you hear it!

!The Tempo

!The tempo of any recording is crucial to the “feel” of the song so try

different tempos until your instinct tells you which is best. Be aware

though that a sudden increase in tempo will often sound wrong at first so

give it time to settle in with your brain. We call this the “shock of the

new”.

!Be brave when you’re trying out tempos, sometimes I’ve ended up

recording songs up to 10 BPM faster than the tempo they were written in!

!!

!

6. Tune Your Instruments! !I can’t believe the amount of times I get sent demos

where the guitars (especially acoustic) are out of

tune! There is no excuse for this and what you

possibly don’t realise is this: the moment a publisher

or label executive hears a obviously out of tune

instrument or (vocal), he’s just going to switch off

your song because it sounds amateur. End of.

!Tune your instruments, not just at the beginning of a

session but also in between takes as it’s very easy for

the tuning to drift out.

!

!

5. Vocal Is King

Vocals will more often than not be the most prominent feature of your

recordings so make sure you give them your full attention!

!A poor vocal can ruin a great song

!Is your vocal in tune and in pitch? Yes? Well, that’s only half the journey.

!Now you have to make sure it carries the emotion and really sells your

song!

!!!Don’t just settle for the first vocal take that sounds OK. Record plenty of

takes and try directing the singer to bring out different nuances, timbres

and emotional characteristics. You might be surprised how different vocal

takes can affect the power of a line.

!Make the most of the

functionality of your software to

compile the best bits from

multiple takes so you end up

with a killer vocal for your killer

track!

!!When you listen back to the final vocal make sure it’s a believable,

confident delivery that evokes emotion.

!Nine times out of ten the vocal is the most important element of your

demo!

!

4. Be Patient Countless hours can be racked up experimenting with music software,

searching sound libraries for the right instruments, programming beats,

choosing the best vocal takes and mixing your song but if that’s what it

takes, that’s what you need to do.

!Better right and late than wrong and on time!

!Deadlines, Shmedlines. If the final result is a fabulous demo which gets

snapped up by a record label then it’s been worth it, and that’s always my

goal.

!My advice is to enjoy the process no matter how long it takes, take regular

breaks to give your ears a rest and never feel you can’t switch off and

come back to your work the next day.

!

3. Follow your Intuition Don’t spend hours trying to recreate the latest snare or synth sound used by

Max Martin or Red One because it’s “In”. It won’t help make your demo

sound unique and by the time it reaches record labels and publishers, the

sounds will probably be passé anyway.

!Use instruments, loops and sounds that feel right and work for YOUR

song, not because you heard them in the charts yesterday. If the sound of a

waste paper bin hit with a teapot sounds cool then use it! Be brave, be

innovative and be individual to give your track character.

!Just like a lyric, a production should sound honest, not contrived

2. Mix like a pro

!No, you don’t need a pro mixing desk like this one! Everything can be

mixed and automated within your computer’s music software. All you

need is a good pair of ears and a good work flow. Here are some tops tips

for mixing your demos like a pro.

!Unless you’re working to a strict deadline, mix on a different day to

recording otherwise your ears will be shot from the day’s listening. Come

back with fresh ears and your work will be much more accurate.

!

!!Once you’ve mixed your song try to avoid sending it straight out to

everyone in the Universe until the day after. There may be some more

adjustments to be made yet.

!How will you know?

!To pinpoint the final adjustments, listen to your mix the morning after you

think you’ve nailed it. Have a pen and paper handy and on the FIRST

playback write down everything you feel could be improved. Don’t leave

it for the second playback or you will have fallen back in love with it,

warts and all!

!When you listen to your demo on the first playback, you’re judging it

the same way your listeners will be and the chances are your reaction

will be the same as theirs.

!When you have a list of possible issues, make the alterations to your mix

and you’ll probably lift it to the next level. Then save it under a new name.

If you don’t like your changes you can always go back to the original mix,

so you have nothing to lose by trying!

!It’s a great idea to listen to your mixes on different devices e.g. your car,

home stereo, iPod etc.

!!

1. Take Advice It’s easy to fall in love with our own work, and sometimes the prospect of

someone criticising it can be scary.

!The truth is your demo may sound great to you but the acid test is playing

it to others. That can mean anyone from respected friends/mentors in the

music business to friends and family.

!!!

!!!Play your demo to people and watch their reactions. Do they get distracted

and start fiddling with their iPhones or are they engaged and enthusiastic

all the way through? Do they start tapping, swaying and dancing to your

uptempo number, and involuntarily bursting into tears to your ballad?

!If they’re not reacting the way you hoped they would, find out why!

!Ask for honest thoughts and consider reworking your tracks to make them

even better. And don’t take it personally!

!!!!Your job is to create a demo that evokes a strong

emotion in as many people as possible.

!!!!

And finally… Learn all you can about production as it’s a constantly changing art form.

Find out about new software and plug-ins, new techniques and always aim

for constant improvement. That way you’ll stay ahead of the curve . Listen

to the current charts then try to anticipate what the next big thing will be

but always retain your personal character in your work!

!If you want to learn the pro tips and techniques essential to making

amazing demos click HERE

!SHOW ME MORE!

About The Songwriting Academy

!Our goal is to provide comprehensive face-to-face training and support for

songwriters of all levels and abilities, with flexible courses starting at just

£27 for a whole day. We offer Songwriting Courses, Production Courses

and Music Business Courses.

!We have a team of industry experts who can help you in every aspect of

being a songwriter and are ready to share their wealth of knowledge and

experience with you.

!Every member of our team is active in the music business today and can

provide you with the best up to date advice on what it takes to be a

successful songwriter and producer right now. Our team includes:

!• Multi-million selling Songwriters

• Multi-million selling Record Producers

• Music Business Managers

• Music Publishers,

• Record Label Executives

• Radio Pluggers

• Pro Session Musicians

!Looking forward to seeing you soon!

!Martin

!SHOW ME MORE!