Top 10 Tips: Recording a Home Demo

If you're anything like me, you're not a fan of wasting $100 an hour for a 10 hour session of sitting around while the engineer figures out where feedback (only his ears can pick up for some strange reason) is coming from.  Chances are you copped your own studio set-up and are ready to spark one up, dim the lights and get your creative production and song writing on..right? Wrong!

Having a sick set-up is not enough.  You have to actually take the time to learn your equipment (among other things), if you really want to get the best possible sound out of your home studio.  Here are ten thoughtful steps to making your home demos sound more professional.

10.) Perfect your songs/arrangements before recording.
Some people like to let the ideas flow during recording. Maybe you would do this in a jam band to catch some brilliance of spontaneity. Perfecting your songs and arrangements beforehand, however, can save you a lot of time in the “studio.” Making a good recording always takes longer than one would like, especially if you plan to go on the road soon. Have a good idea of what sound you’re looking for before you record. If you don’t like a section of lyrics, change it. Chances are you will like it less later.

9.) Be creative, but don’t overproduce.
Demos should leave a little to the imagination. If you’re sending a demo to a label, you want to give them your “sound,” while giving them room for new ideas. You definitely don’t want to produce in such a way that your recordings sound nothing like your live show. The recording should “demonstrate” how you sound live, only more perfected.
Harmony is a good idea to spice up vocals. Double- (or even triple-) track your vocals to add fullness. Panning instruments gives a nice stereo sound, but some frown upon panning demos as A&R execs may be listening to your demo with one broken speaker (doesn’t seem likely, but you never know…).

8.) Listen to professional recordings.
While it is a good idea to listen to other local bands, matching your recordings to pro recordings gets you closer to the industry standard. While it is difficult to achieve this sound, aiming high will get you closer. Listen to your own tracks relative to pro recordings rather than other home demos.

7.) Minimize extraneous noise.
This is probably the most obvious tip. Record in a room that doesn’t echo (unless you want it to) that lets in as little noise as possible. There’s nothing worse than hearing children screaming in your mix (unless that’s what you’re going for).

6.) Get your sound right before recording.
Perfecting your overall sound before recording minimizes the need for post-recording editing. Use a pair of good headphones and listen carefully to the input stream coming from the mics. You may need to use a mixer to adjust the frequencies. If you have a warm blues amp and you’re looking for a more modern rock sound, you may need to reduce the mid frequencies and increase the presence. Watch the amount of reverb you use, you don’t want your input to sound muffled.

5.) Get it all mastered.
Either do it yourself or send it to a pro. When mastered, a set of songs are sonically maximized, the volume will be that of industry standards and equal across tracks, and the songs will be equalized to maximum potential.

4.) Be comfortable.
If it’s hot, turn on the A/C between takes. If you’re tired, take a break. Playing when you’re tired can result in poor performance. Get plenty of sleep the night before. Keep hydrated (especially if you’re the vocalist). Warm-up for everything, no matter what you do.

3.) Use the right mics.
Notice that I said “right” mics rather than “expensive” mics? Often times a well-considered, lower range mic can do a better job than an expensive mic that doesn’t suit your need. (Disclaimer: stupid story ahead!) When I first started recording many years ago, I purchased the Shure SM58 to record with, thinking it was a better choice than the SM57 since it cost more. What resulted was a muffled mess of noise. I ended up purchasing the SM57 anyway. The moral: just because a mic costs more doesn’t mean that it’s better. Do your research and purchase the mic that suits your needs.

This is harder for vocalists. I’ve tried many mics ranging up and down the price spectrum. While I tend to stay away from the super low end (and can’t afford the super high end), I have found that price does not equal sound quality. Determine what type of voice you have, and then do some research as to what mic suits you best. The best mic I ever used was a handmade mid-price tube condenser mic from a local company. I preferred it over mics twice its price because it suited my needs.

Finally, choosing the correct mic to your needs eliminates the need to mess around with EQ settings. This saves both time and the quality of your sound.

2.) Know your gear!
Learn to use your recording system properly. If you use software, learn how to edit tracks effectively. It’s best to have an idea of what every button and knob does, even if you never use it. The quality of recordings increases exponentially as you learn to use your gear.
Similarly, you should have some idea of how to mix and apply effects. The recording process is difficult, but the mixing and editing process is twice and grueling and time-consuming (but very rewarding).

1.) Practice.
This applies to every aspect of music. You should be able to play in your sleep! Doing so will not only improve your performance, but will vastly increase the time spent recording. You will notice that your abilities will increase dramatically over time. Try new techniques (especially if you’re a budding vocalist) and you won’t be disappointed with your growth.

Keane Li is the songwriter/guitarist for the band Festizio. He is also the winner of the 2003 Online Rock Festival’s “Original Song” award. Visit: www.festizio.net for more information.

Top 7 Tips to Starting a Band

Many people fantasize about becoming a professional musician but often they don't know how to start. One thing almost anyone can do is start their own garage band. Here are 7 tips on getting started.

1. Find the right people. If you don't have a bunch of friends willing to start a band the next best thing is to go out and find some. You can accomplish this by looking in the classified sections of your local music magazines. They are usually free at most music stores. Also there are many websites dedicated to helping musicians get in touch with one another.
   
   
2. Decide what type of music your band is going to play. The type of music you select will help determine the directions you can take your band. Starting a Polka band and expecting to go on an arena tour around the country might not be too realistic.
   
   
3. Write some songs. This is the most difficult part. You must decide as a group what members are going to partake in the songwriting process. Sometimes one member takes on all the responsibilities, other times it is delegated between a couple members. Find your strengths and weaknesess within the group and use it to your advantage. Remember, the singer doesn't always have to write the lyrics.
   
   
4. Practice, Practice, Practice. They only way to get good at something is to keep doing it over and over again. Set aside sometime at least once a week to practice your material and try out any new stuff. It can get tedious at times but this is by far the most important tip. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to record your practices so you can listen later for any parts that might need some work.
   
   
5. After getting all of your songs down its time to take the show on the road. For a band just starting out having a party to showcase your new band would be ideal. Invite all of your friends and put on a show. After the show ask them what they thought and if they have any constructive criticism. Call around to your local bars and see if you can get a slot. Finding other bands to play with can increase your chances of getting a gig and also help you to network. Many bars have open mic nights and would be happy to put you on the bill.
   
   
6. Promote. You can have all the bookings in the world but what fun would it be if no ones shows up? Most bands just take a grassroots approach and use flyering as their main source of promotion. Kinko's is open 24 hours a day and their employees would be more than glad to help you with your flyers. Once you have them made pass them out. Go to local music shops and and leave a stack. Go to the venue where you will be playing and hand some out a couple weeks before your show.
   
   
7. Have fun. If you are not having fun then why do it?

Whitman Collins

Source: http://Top7Business.com/?expert=Whitman_Collins

How to Find an Interesting Name for Your Band

So, you finally got the sound you want, everyone in your band gets along and you've got enough songs in your catalog to hit the road, smack the world in the face and turn it on its head with your rock hard  awesomeness.  All good, except for one small problem.....Your band is missing a NAME.  The following are some tips that will hopefully get you closer to an identity.  Let's begin with a warning shall we?

WARNING

Make sure to research the name you pick to make sure it's not taken by another band.

Don't use words in your band name that a lot of other bands have used. For example, avoid using a band name with the word 'wolf' in it since right now there are a bunch of bands from Canada that have the word 'wolf' in their name (Wolf Parade, We Are Wolves). People get sick of repetition, and you want a name that stands out.

Try to stay away from names that are long or hard to pronounce.

Don't use a word you are not allowed to say in your name, because eventually you're gonna have to say the band name. No one wants to sign a band called "F***ing Classy". Stone Temple Pilots' original name was "Shirley Temple's P***sy", and their record company refused to sign them until they changed their name.^[1]

Make sure to ask your band members if the name you picked is ok with them. Remember, 4 heads are better than 1, so if you and your band members make up a name all together, it might turn out better than the one YOU picked alone!

Never use a name that somebody has already picked because they will be really mad at you and your band. You might also have problems with rights, etc.

Try not to use to many words, 3 or under seems ideal

TIPS:

Avoid using names that don't apply to what you're writing about. Try to use a name that applies to your style of music. If you play metal, a name like "Sugar Lollipops" doesn't make much sense, unless you're trying to use absurd humor (it happens).

Have fun with it! If you want to be funny with the names, make sure they make sense before you choose it.

Don't make the name plural, that is way too over-used

Don't start your name with "The", also way overused, and if you don't start with "The", it will be a lot more original. e.g "Slipknot" would not be a cool band name if it was "The Slipknots".

The following are 25 proven effective ideas that have been used over the course of history to come up with some of the coolest, strangest and most creative band names ever.  You'd be surprised to learn how some of your favorite bands came up with their names and may even borrow their ideas to come up with a name for yours!

1. Find a random word in the dictionary and make that your band name. That's what REM, The Pixies, Incubus, Evanescence and Outkast did. Apoptygma Berzerk did as well, using two randomly found words.

2. Use a pop cultural reference. A famous example is the band Veruca Salt, which took their name from the book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

3. Make up a name using the initials from the names of each band member. That's how ABBA got their name.

4. Make a list of your favorite words and draw on that.

5. Pick a random word and misspell it, like Korn or Limp Bizkit. They spelled it with a "k" instead of a "c".

 

6. Use a name that's an inside joke or has significance to you. An example of this are The Smashing Pumpkins

 

7. Use the name of a common or uncommon flower, such as Snap Dragon.

 

8. Look around the shops and see if you can spot any interesting food names, such as 'black-eyed peas' or 'red hot chili peppers'.

 

9. Name it after a place you live close to, like Soundgarden, Linkin Park, Hawthorne Heights, Alter Bridge, or Cypress Hill (misspelling is optional).

 

10. Have it be at least two words. Each word could be a simple word but be inspired by two other bands, or a song/album/lyric of theirs, that you like. Having your band name be at least two words will help it be unique and easily searchable on the Internet

 

11. Use a portmanteau. A great example for it is Scarling, that mix up the words "scarring" and "darling"

 

12. Try thinking of a word that describes your style of music or something you're all interested in. Then look it up in the thesaurus. You may find a similar word that's even better

 

13. If you're going for a "sounds like" band (i.e. wanting to form a band that sounds like Metallica), then use one of your favorite songs from that band (i.e. Fade to Black or Master of Puppets) as a band name.

14. If you can get hold of them, read some of Dave Barry's old columns or books. They are full of interesting and unique band-name suggestions that you might like to draw from.

15. Come up with a few names and have a poll. Especially try to poll the target audience. Then you have a better indication that people are going to like your name.

16. Use a song lyric. Panic At The Disco were inspired by the song "Panic" by Name Taken, and All Time Low got their name from the song "Head On Collision" by New Found Glory.

17.

Look at a book. Mikey Way was working in Barnes and Noble and saw the book by Irvine Welsh entitled "Three Tales of Chemical Romance", then came up with My Chemical Romance. Good Charlotte also got their name from the book "Good Charlotte". Matthew Sanders got the name Avenged Sevenfold from the Book of Genesis in the Bible.

18. You could try finding words or names on many sorts of products. Malcolm and Angus Young from AC/DC found their band name on a sewing machine. AC/DC (Meaning: Alternating Current/Direct Current) was printed on the back. They decided to use that.

19. Use the first name or surname of the person you like. Ex: Blue Jane, Ross Avenue.

20. Use humor with your name, such as Led Zeppelin did (a particularly bad gig was often known in British Rock circles as a 'Lead Balloon,' and someone suggested "What about a 'Lead Zeppelin?'").

21. Using umlauts (when a ¨ is over a letter) on some of the o's u's or e's could be great for metal bands, like Motörhead, Blue Öyster Cult and Mötley Crüe did.

22. Also, your band name could be something completely random, like Hurt, Slipknot or Drowning Pool.

23. Foreign sounding (or actually foreign) names like Rammstein, In Extremo, and Oomph! roll off the tongue and stick easily.

24. Use an acronym. KMFDM is an acronym for Kein Mitleid Für Die Mehrheit (No Pity For The Masses in German). This is also a good example of using a joke in your band name.

25. You can use Latin words, like Igneous, which means fire. From that word, you can shorten it to something like Ignea.

10 Copywrighting Tips for Your Band

You have been working hard producing an album, and you volunteered yourself (conveniently) to create all of the advertising and promotional materials you require...but then you sit down at your computer and you draw a blank on what to say in your copy. Do you riddle it with clever tag lines and send it off to the printers? Do you cover your ad with large mysterious artwork that appeals to maybe just yourself?

If you are actually spending your hard earned cash promoting your show, album, or single, you want to make sure you are communicating efficiently and clearly with your fans. Below are ten essential copywriting tips for your band.

1. How is your band better than other bands? Have you won music awards? Were you the top most downloaded artist in your city? Do you have the best drummer in the world? Can you sing eight octaves high? Whatever it is that sets yourself apart from other similar bands, make sure your fans know about it. Put it in your flyers, brochures, CD inserts, and web banners. Remember, die-hard music fans listen to a lot of music, and when they’re browsing you want to catch their attention.

2. Take advantage of other bands’ weaknesses If you are an instrumental artist, how are other instrumental artists inferior to you? Do they use crappy equipment to record their album? Do they use the most recycled loops over and over? Whatever it is, turn their weakness into your strengths.

3. Who are your fans? When you create an advertisement, you must understand to whom you are promoting yourself. As an exaggerated example, if you were an artist writing kids’ songs you would write your promotions so that kids could relate. Similarly, if you were a classical artist performing at an opera, you would tailor your copy in a more sophisticated way. Speak the language your fans can understand.

4. Communicate how you will affect your fans lives positively Does your band support a cause? Are you offering a free t-shirt for the first 100 people that pre-order your album? Do your shows have a free cover? Are you running an exclusive offering of any kind? Simply announcing that you have a new album out is not enough these days. Tell your fans how buying or attending your show benefits them directly.

5. Talk to your fans and not about yourself How often have you seen ads that say, “You can save 50% now!” or, like my favorite Geico tag line, “15 minutes can save YOU 15% or more on car insurance.” Word your ads in which you are using the word “you” rather than “we.” Instead of saying, “We just dropped our second album.” A better ad copy would be, “You could be first to hear our second album by pre-ordering now.”

6. Where are you advertising? Are you advertising in a newspaper, magazine, online, or through a flyer? In the marketing world we call these mediums. Be sure to not only be consistent across the different mediums, but to also modify what you say with each. You could say a whole lot more in a full page in a magazine than with a business card.

7. Don’t tell me your life story How many advertisements do you personally come across in a day? We are to the point where if it does not capture our short attention spans, we basically just stop listening. It would be wonderful if everyone that looks at your ad spends thirty minutes on it, but I’m sorry, reality just doesn’t work that way. Be concise and to the point. Create your ad, and then trim it in half.

8. What do you want fans to do? With every ad that you do, make sure you blatantly tell your customers what to do. I find it amusing that some bands hand out these extravagant flyers with their elaborate artwork and fancy glossy paper with bright colors, but the flyer doesn’t tell me to do anything. What do you think I do with this flyer? Yep - it goes directly into the recycling bin. Don’t rely on your fans to decode your vaguely passive aggressive sales pitch to see your show. Actively tell them what to do.

9. Deliver what you promise If you advertised in last month’s Rolling Stone Magazine that if fans buy an album they get a free ticket to your next show, you’d better give it to them. Are you giving away your album for free if people friend your facebook page, tweet a shoutout for you on twitter, and leave a comment on your blog? If you are, give them what you say. Never advertise what you can’t deliver. If you can’t, all of your fans will hate you. You don’t want that...do you?

10. Do you know how to spell? Once you have created your ad, pass it around to your other band members for review. If you’re a solo artist, get your friends or family to review it. Get their insights and opinions. Proofreading your work not only makes your promotion better, but it’s a learning experience in making your next ad better.

Reference: www.madeloud.com