This week I'll be in the "throws" of recording songs, to put on a CD to market myself. I just did my last gig on Saturday with my guitar player, so I'm on my own now.

Question arises - Would it be best to include just a few songs, or "snips/cuts" of several songs, as my genre can be quite varied, depending on who's hiring for what!

Or - better to do a few different types of demo cds, based on who I'm marketing to??

As always, your expertise here will be appreciated!

Jill

Jill,

We always put "Teaser" clips on the CD in hopes they want to hear more of us. Also, if you give them the whole song, they won't want to buy your CD's!!!

Al

Jill...

Glad to see your posts since you and I are driving down the same road right now. For recording, I've been using PowerTracks Pro. Great low cost program. It's a full-featured 48-track MIDI and audio sequencer. Probably not the most sophisticated audio editor in the world, but the newest version provides real time DirectX plug-ins, direct recording from any source, good effects, edit, master, 32 bit, burn to CD... not bad.

My plan is to record several songs, save them as wav or mp3, and then make a custom CD or tape according to the situation. Shouldn't be that hard to do after several songs are nailed.

What kind of venues have you been performing at... and what kind are you seeking?

BTW, seems like we're almost "neighbors"... I'm in Medina. Good luck.

Glenn

Hey! we are almost neighbors Glenn!
My mom lives in Lodi - very close to you!
I just started using NTrack studio, which I'm liking a lot too - nice effects and plug ins, easy multi track recording too!

I was playing some gigs with a guitar player/vocalist, but we just did our last job on Saturday together - he's way too busy during the holidays with business and family functions to do anything else!

We did classic rock 60s - 80s, and light pop - McCartney, etc.

I really would like to stay with a light pop/pop feel or even dinner set type thing. Many moons ago I did quite a bit of short set solo piano stuff for weddings, banquets, etc.

I'm thinking of different cds too - depending on the venue, but wondering if I should just include "clips", not the whole song, to give them a short listen to my sound, variety of sounds/songs I can do.

What about you Glenn? What and where are you playing?

I'd love to hear some of your samples when you record them!

Jill

My last gig was at the Silver Platter Supper Club... 20 some years ago! Took what I thought would be a short sabbatical and got out of the habit. Now I'm ready to do it again, but the music world has changed (while I was standing still!) With the discovery of arranger keyboards and the help of some really great folks on this forum, I should be up and running soon.

j & G ... I am pretty much at similar position to the 2 of you, i.e., considering the proper CD to make as a marketing tool ...
I also play a fairly wide variety depending on the venue, and I think I want to demonstrate that on the CD ... Unfortunately I have a dinosaur of a pc and do not have the power, memory, etc. to use the software you are talking about... I'm planning to put some stuff on tape and record onto disc (with a CD recorder) ... I've done some of this and it sounds good... but it is WHAT to play that's the question... so I think I will do little 'snipets' of different types of music for the client to listen to ... My next project will be to record some CDs of various music styles to have 'for sale' when I play ... just have to work through the licensing/copywrite thing.... good luck to you...
t.

Tony-

love to hear some samples when you get them!

I'll post more toward the end of the week!
p.s. Hopefully one of the "pros" will step in here with some help for us???


Jill

[This message has been edited by jillhumb (edited 10-06-2003).]

It's an age-old quandry. Full songs, excerpts, genres to include, etc. I have tried all and not sure that one works any better than the other.

The last demo I did was specifically tailored to the venue. After soliciting the guy in charge, then being referred to an underling, I burned the tracks with a verse, chorus, verse of about 10 songs, mixing up styles and tempos. The CD label made it clear this was a DEMO specifically for the (names) of club and my contact.

Included in the package was a pic, recent play dates, references and upcoming availabilities.

I specified my rate and offered a one time introductory rate for the first job. More than a month went by. I called several times, could never get the contact person and they never returned calls.

I was just about to write it off as wasted effort, when they called and offered me 4 dates at more than I normally charge. I thought it for about a nano-second before accepting.

Eddie

Demo CD's are a waste IMHO.......

Nothing is better then a real live performance to a perspective client. When clients hear a CD they think Hmmmm? nice studio work but what do they sound like live and what will be the audince response to them on stage. How do they entertain on stage "Cannot be Seen" on a CD. Somehow get the client to come and see you perform, or go meet them and offer to play for on an off night for an hour or so for free, this could lead to lots of money in gigs in the long run. Word of mouth is just as important as references from previous gigs vs Demo Cd's also. Remember there are Many of YOU out there so you have to stand out in a crowd by entertaining ABOVE the rest in a clients eye, believe me I know...... I'm doing it over 30+ years......




------------------
www.donnypesce.com

I would like to add one more perspective from different angle: The quality of recording.

If the quality of recording is not that good, how can the demo or any recording impress the targetted audience?

So here are some important questions:

1) Who are the audience? Are you trying to sell it or are you trying to give it away and to whom? That is one aspect that DNJ talked about.

2) What kind of equipment you have and what budget have you allocated for this? This question is important for quality recording but at the same time is tied to the first question. Are you planning to do something for friends? Maybe quality is not that important as long as it is decent (no distortion).

Let me suggest one important factor to consider that many do not think it is important: A mixer or any device that has pre-amp. And keyboard connected directly to a sound card is not the best way to do it; though it is better than connecting a mic directly to sound card.

We can all work with you all to do what you want.

[This message has been edited by sk880user (edited 10-06-2003).]

Thanks so much for the input - exactly what I was looking for -
Donny, someone else here in town suggested the "free Hour" thing as well, and I may just try that.

For some of us that are not actively "gigging" right now, that could be a good route to go, especially if, like Glenn, your last event was many years ago!

I'm going to start "soloing" again for the first time in many years, thanks to my new psr2100, and all the great help/guidance here. As I'm currently unemployed, any work is good work right now!

I've already been asked to provide a cd/demo to one local spot, so thus, the recording flurry this week. I'm getting better at it, adjusting, tweaking inputs, etc, so as to reduce the distortion - I'm also using a better software program now.

Thanks again to all!

Jill

Jill,

The best and easiest to use recording program I've used in years is ironically one of the least expensive. Cakewalk's Music Creator 2003, which is designed to work with everything from windows 98 to windows xp, only cost $39 at Best Buy. It has everything you'll need to make great demo CD's and the ability to do some creative editing with unlimited undo features.

As for getting a job, Donny is right on the money. Essentially, you must be the performer, sales staff, public relations person and driver of the car all in one. Approach the prospective client just like any person that you want to sell someting. Offer them that free hour of entertainment during a time when they normally don't have entertainment, put everything you have into the performance during every second you're performing, and usually, within the first five minutes, you'll know whether or not you have the job.

Notice I said performance. You're not just sitting there playing music and staring blankly at the wall--you must be a performer that gets the undivided attention of the person you hope does the hiring. Start off on a high note, keep the action going, give them lots of diversity, and make sure you carefully research your perspective audience. You need to play and sing what you KNOW they would like to hear--not just the songs you like best. That's what it takes.

Also, Donny was right about word of mouth advertising. There are a lot of folks in this business that have spent enormous sums of money on yellow pages, newspaper, magazine and internet advertising--none of which seem to generate much of anything other than an added expense. Target your audience with direct mail, then follow the mail up with phone calls directed to a specific person, such as the club manager. This is done merely by calling the location before you do the mailing, ask who is the club manager, entertainment director, etc, then when you put together that mailing list and send out the fliers, you have someone to direct that information to. Then, when you do the follow-up calls, which should be done no later than a week after the mailing, you have someone specific to ask for. This all takes time, so don't expect lots of jobs to just begin coming in faster than you can handle them--it doesn't work that way. However, if you're willing to work at it, you'll eventually build a reputation in your area, and the combination of mailings, plus word of mouth from others that have seen you perform, will eventually prove productive.

Good Luck,

Gary 8)

Jill...
All good advice above.
You mentioned having worked with a guitar player...and while I know nothing about your market, I assume you have have friends in the biz there and know your talent. Some may be willing to help.

Fact is, when things get busy down here in Florida, most of the guys in the circuit I play refer work to each other when they can't personally make a date. In the slow season, it's a different story. We are all scrambling for whatever we can get.

Eddie


Eddie