After you’ve gotten feedback on your song and you’re certain it’s the best it can be, you’re ready to “cut a demo.” Cutting a demo is music industry slang for making a demo recording, a recording of your songs that demonstrates your material. Musicians and songwriters use demos to market their songs to producers, other musicians, or music industry pros who may want to make a more formal recording of the songs—and perhaps even pay for it.
Even if you have no commercial ambitions for your songs, recording a demo is still a great way to produce a recording of your music to share with friends, family, and fans. There are two main ways to record a demo: at home or at a recording studio.
How to Record a Demo at Home
Home recording equipment has become more advanced and less expensive in recent years with the rise of digital recording. Even so, to record a demo at home you’ll need to buy some recording equipment and learn a few basic recording techniques.
Recording Equipment You Need
Professional studios can charge hundreds of dollars per session. Though you’ll spend a few hundred dollars initially to buy home recording equipment, the investment easily pays for itself over time if you record often.
- Microphone: The best inexpensive, multi-purpose microphones are the Shure SM57® and SM58®. They work well for recording vocals, guitars, guitar amps, and pretty much everything else; they’re also great for live performances. You can buy either one for about $100.
- Recording software: The most common way to record music these days is with audio recording and mixing programs that run on your computer. DigiDesign’s ProTools®—available for Macs and PCs—is by far the industry leader. To start, try ProTools Free®, a version limited to 8-track recording. You record each track, such as the main vocal part or the guitar accompaniment, and then mix the tracks together using ProTools. If you have a partner or a band, you can record all your tracks simultaneously. Another popular software option is GarageBand®, a multitrack recording program that comes with Apple’s iLife® software suite.
- Multitrack recording device: If you’d prefer not to work with a computer, buy a multitrack recorder, a standalone device. Once you have your various tracks recorded, you can mix them together and output the finished product to a cassette, CD, or digital recording on your computer. Multitrack recorders range from the tiny Boss MICRO BR® portable four-track ($229) to more sophisticated models, such as the Fostex VF160EX®, an all-in-one digital recorder ($799), which records 16 tracks and includes a built-in CD recorder.
- Headphones: Though some musicians use speakers to listen to the tracks they record, it’s often more effective to use headphones. That way you can hear the nuances of your recordings and detect imperfections that might not be audible over speakers. Expect to spend $25–75 on a pair of good studio headphones, which are designed for recording.
- Mic cables and stands: You’ll need a few cables to connect your microphones to your computer or multitrack recorder. You’ll also need mic stands to hold your mics. Cables and stands usually range from $15–30 for basic models. If you can afford to spend more for high-quality cables, it’s worth the investment, as cheaper models tend to break more often and sometimes produce an audible buzz or hum.
Where to Buy Home Recording Equipment
The most inexpensive places to buy new equipment are nationwide music stores, such as Guitar Center, or websites, such as Musician’s Friend (www.musicansfriend.com), American Musical Supply (www.americanmusical.com), and zZounds (www.zzounds.com). For used equipment, try searching on Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) or eBay (www.ebay.com).
Tips for Home Recording
- Don’t “fix it in the mix”: Beginners often think they can fix or hide recording imperfections, such as a bad-sounding guitar or a buzzing mic, when mixing their tracks together. A better strategy is to make sure all of your equipment sounds the way it should before you start recording.
- Prepare the room: It’s best to record in a relatively small room, such as an office or second bedroom. To eliminate resonance and outside noise, cover the walls of your studio with insulating foam, which you can buy at your local hardware store. This budget-conscious approach to soundproofing makes your instruments and vocals sound noticeably fuller and clearer.
- Master your recording software and equipment: If you dive in and press “record” before reading the instructional documentation for your software and equipment, you’ll end up frustrated and disappointed by your results. Audio recording is a precise craft of its own, and though you don’t need to learn it inside out, you do need to learn enough technique to make recordings that do justice to your songs.
How to Record in a Professional Studio
The “traditional” way to make a demo is to book time in a professional recording studio. Studio recording gives you access to high-end equipment, the assistance of a full-time recording professional, and more options for mixing and final polishing than a home studio setup would likely offer.
How to Find a Good Studio
Consult the yellow pages or search online for recording studios in your area—if you live anywhere near a large or mid-size city, you’ll likely find plenty of options. To help you decide which studio to choose, consider the following:
- Previous recordings: Ask for samples of the studio’s work and listen closely, paying particular attention to whether the vocals sound clear and full.
- Equipment: Make sure that the recording fee includes the use of essential equipment, such as mics, recording devices, and so on. The studio’s equipment should be considerably higher-end than that of a home studio. If you’re not well versed in assessing studio equipment, ask for a list of the studio’s gear and run it by an expert.
- References: Ask the studio for names of musicians who have recorded demos in the studio. Call a few of the references to get their opinions on the studio’s staff equipment, business practices, and so on.
- Pricing: Some studios charge by the hour, while others charge by the project. Either way, you should expect to spend at least a few hundred dollars to record a quality demo. Make sure you know what you’re getting into before you reserve studio time or put down a deposit.
How to Make the Most of Studio Time
Since studio time can be expensive, you want to work as efficiently as possible while the clock is ticking.
Before the Session
The best way to prepare yourself for recording a demo in a studio is to record a rough draft, or a pre-demo. Use whatever recording device you have, even if it’s just a cheap cassette deck, to sketch out the song:
- Make decisions ahead of time: The more you can decide about how you want your songs to sound before you get to the studio, the less time (and money) you’ll waste.
- Send a copy to the studio’s recording engineer: By showing the engineer what you have in mind, you’ll save time when your actual recording day arrives.
- If you uncover doubts about your songs: Cancel your studio session and plan to reschedule when you’re more certain that your songs are totally ready.
During the Session
- Arrive early: Show up a few minutes early and be ready to start recording right away.
- Know your songs: Make sure you and any of your accompanying musicians are well-rehearsed, and everyone knows their own parts as well as one another’s. Bring printouts of all the lyrics and sheet music (if any) that might help your collaborators.
- Keep backup supplies on hand: Anticipate minor equipment problems, such as broken guitar strings, and bring as much backup gear as necessary.
- Know when to quit: If the musicians (yourself included) are tired and not producing good takes, ask to end the session and return fresh at another time.
Additional Resources:
- Guitar Center : Explore Guitar Center’s official website for a wide range of music equipment and gear, including microphones and recording accessories.
- Musician’s Friend : Visit Musician’s Friend for a comprehensive selection of musical instruments and recording equipment to enhance your recording experience.
- Craigslist : Check Craigslist for used recording equipment and potential studio space rentals in your area to save on costs.
- ProTools : Learn more about ProTools, a leading audio recording and mixing software used by professionals in the music industry.