Readers Respond: Should Demos Be Professionally Recorded?

Ask 10 people about demos and you will get 10 different answers. Don't spend a lot of money on them, invest everything you can in them. Demos don't matter, demos still count. What about your demo? Did you record it in a studio or is it a rough recording? Do you even have one? Share your demo thoughts and experiences.

IT WAS GREAT!

The day I recorded my demo, it was somehow that I couldnt explain the actual reason it was like that. It was great, though that would be my first track but I was like whaow! Am I the guy that sang this song? Is this the real me? I just keep asking myself a lot of questions because the song was okay,let me use that word ''OKAY". The producer that did the production was young,handsome and a talented man,, And I'm looking at him as a great producer in some years coming... In a nutshell, the following morning, I played the demo at home and my mom and my two sisters shouted that this is great. And also to the listeners too, they loved it.... THAT IS GREAT!

—EXCELENT

Demo

I agree that you can take your time in your own demo studio,at home or in your garage, and may find a very speciale sound. A lot of great albums were recorded in home studio setup. But there are two very distinctive art forms here, that is recording, and performing. You may have great musical capibility, but recording a great song, is as a great tallent as any. Not to talk about mixing and mastering. There is a reason people pay top dollar for the top ears in the buisness. If you are a songwriter with a great song, you would not be waisting money on a professional recording. You might waist it on bying the wrong gear for the job. But either way its still the best fun you can have with your clothes on.

—Guest Etienne Steyn

Demo?

If the reason for your demo is to try and and land a deal, the better it sounds,the better chance you have at getting noticed. Imagine someone having to plough through 50 "demos" recorded on a cell phone, the one neatly recorded song, with better sonic quality is the one that will stick out. There are people who claim to be able to hear a "Hit" even on a rough demo, but they cant. Do the best recording of your music you can, every time you record. If you have no money, do the best you can, if you have lots of money, give me some, and do the best you can.

—Guest Etienne Steyn

Demo Recording

Not necessarily. When producing a demo, You want a certain sound. Not all professional studios can give you the sound you want. And, for what you'd pay for studio time, you can buy an excellent home studio. Also, in a home studio, you have the time to get what you want without the clock ticking away the dollars. I would go "hands on" as much as possible.

—davidwaynelive.com