DEMO PRODUCTION

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An entire book can be written on the subject of producing demos, so I'll focus only on some of the points you're less likely to read elsewhere. First of all, don't let anyone tell you that production values don't matter and that the song's quality will be heard regardless of your demos sound and arrangement. A producer or A & R manager might listen to 100's of demo's each day. Which one do you think will grab their attention, the one that sounds like a hit record or the one that has an out-of-tune vocal sung to a lone acoustic guitar recorded with a Radio Shack mic?

Production is of paramount importance. Whenever possible, compose catchy instrumental hooks for your songs before recording them. Make the intro short--no more thN 10 seconds if possible. Keep solos to a maximum length of 8 bars or cut them out completely. The more deliberate, fast paced, and powerful your arrangement is, the more the demo will retain the listener's attention and sell the song.

Unless you're Prince, resist the temptation to play all the instruments and sing all the parts on your demo's. Having ace union musicians and singers perform on your demos can make them sound like hits. That said, doing so will also likely eliminate those demos from being considered for placement in film and TV projects. To use any of the instrumental tracks played by union musicians in a synch-to-picture (film or TV) placement, they must first be upgraded to "phono" status with the American Federation of Musicians (AFM). Phono status essentially makes the demo recordings eligible to be used in new media (film, TV, record release, and so on) as well as a "new use." The upgrade from demo to phono status requires that all musicians on the session be paid master scale, which equals roughly double the demo scale rate you already paid them, and be given pension-fund payments for the entire session. This is required even if you will use the demo recording for only one song recorded during a multi song session.

The production company must convert the demo recording to motion picture use (a new use)at considerable cost. Yet they cannot do so unless and until the demo recording is upgraded to phono status. They will typically insist that you pay for the upgrade. The production company may also ask you to make any required "additional payments" (royalties) to union musicians in connection with the song being licensed, which you should refuse to do.

All this haggling may be moot, however, as many TV placements must be negotiated from soup to nuts during your first phone conversation with the shows producer, in order to meet an imminent air date. Therefore, most producers feel there is no time to work our AFM arrangements. In most cases, they want a song whose rights are already "cleared." Similar issues arise with demo singers who belong to SAG (Screen Actors Guild). So if your main thrust as a music publisher will likely be film and TV placements, make sure your demos are either completely performed by yourself or by nonunion musicians and singers whose talents are contracted fo in a one-time buyout.

I am overwhelmed by the response to this series. We obviously listened to you, found your topic of interest and got into it. I can tell by the forwarding of these writings to others and that's awesome. Remember, it is only "applied" knowledge that gives you power to excel.

More tomorrow....