Category: Uncategorized

Folk soul acoustic by Kevin Toqe

Lullaby by Monica Avila Beal

Here are the 10 worst song demo mistakes songwriters make when cutting and pitching submission demos.

1. Long Intros – All we are thinking about during the vetting process is the melody, lyric, and vibe of the song; and isn’t that what you are selling?  Why  have a song demo with a 45 second intro; it seems like a lifetime when you have 250 to listen to (if they all had 45 second intros that would be 187 MINUTES of time wasted waiting for the songs to start!). What’s the purpose of a long intro on a SONG DEMO?  You are trying to sell the SONG not blow people away with your producing skills, so why annoy music supervisors by making them wait?  Poor judgment is passed on the song before even hearing the first verse.

2. Cheap Production – What happens when met with horrible production and cheap demos?  They provide welcomed comic relief from the listening work load. You have to compete intelligently in your marketplace. From the first note of crappy production it negatively colors opinion. This is your reputation so preserve it.

3. Wrong Song – READ the Opportunity Tip Sheet or LISTEN to the instructions on what the project requires. If the production asks for up-tempo party songs, don’t send sappy ballads. Don’t use an opportunity to pitch a random song as a vehicle to get noticed and DON’T submit every song you have. Music supervisors are only looking for the songs needed for THAT project, so they can move forward with the music recommendation and placement stage of a production.

4. Vague/Missing Information –  Don’t rush through the submission process. As the writer you want to provide all necessary information including the name of the artist, mood, etc. being pitched so your song doesn’t get lost in the fray. Decisions are made first with critical information, then the song is listened to if it matches the need.

5. References Not Researched – Often times examples are provided. If song references with positive messages are provided it could be bright as opposed to a dark theme. Avoid submitting work that is clearly inappropriate and doesn’t fit as it doesn’t make a good impression about your songwriting abilities no matter how good the song.

6. Chose The Wrong  Vocalist – On your demo, it is important to choose a professional singer; NOT someone who is your friend, want to be vocalist or who is ½ price, or yourself (if you’re not a singer) to save money. Demos with poor singers or inappropriate singers are ignored immediately.

7. Lyrics Aren’t Strong Enough – GOOD songs with average lyrics up through the first chorus get listened to.  However, the GREAT songs with KILLER lyrics hold attention through the 2nd chorus. Waiting to hear what the writer is going to say next maintains artistic curiosity keep the listening session going.

8. Not Honoring The Premise Of Your Artistry – Other than making money on a potentially placed song hold true to your craft as an artist. Sell the song with honesty and conviction.  Specifically the lyric, melody, and vibe of the song; anything more than that production wise and you are doing yourself a disservice.

9. Over Produced Demo – Avoid the impulse.  Tell yourself  “less is more”.  Writers with very little experience tend to over-do it. Don’t be tempted to turn a demo into an epic album track. Stick to the basics and DO NOT OVER-PRODUCE your song demo!  Put Background Vocals (BGV’s) only where it’s needed to lift the chorus.  DO NOT put Ooh’s and Ahh’s and fill in some holes with BGV’s . Don’t add excessive guitar tracks or color instruments, keep it as clean and sparse is possible.  Leave room for expansion to take the song to another level if needed. This is not a production idea for an album. And, make it durable over time as trends constantly change.  It shouldn’t sound like a 70’s or 80’s tune unless that’s the specification.

10. Bad Vocal Tuning – It’s distracting!  Hire a professional singer. It’s the best approach if you are smart competitor.