How much is your demo costing you?

In the last couple articles I talked a lot about the important intangible
ingredients to making a great recording; so I thought I'd shift gears and talk
about the more concrete aspects of what your recording should do for you once
it's completed. Rarely do I talk with bands that tell me they don't want their
music to take them anywhere, and are happy with their 9 to 5 office job while
playing the occasional weekend gig.  The goal is usually to transition into a
career where music is providing your primary source of income, right? For most
aspiring bands/artists, this process starts with their demonstration tape, or
"demo".  Let's take a look at the demo you have right now, and how it may
actually be working against you to ultimately undermine your efforts.

Over the years I have found the terms "cost" and "price" quite often used
synonymously; regardless of actual definitions however, I believe the
connotations of these two words to be far from in accord. The "price" of the
item is usually associated with a monetary value, and whereas the "cost" can be
as well, it is usually more closely tied to the mental/financial reward (or
burden) placed upon the buyer. The number one question I get asked as an
engineer/producer is "Hey Chris, how much to record a demo?" After hearing my
rule of thumb price for a high quality EP or full length project I often hear
"um, well, um, wow." Followed a few days later by "We've got a buddy who just
got a computer and will do it really cheap."  I usually respond nicely by
saying "That's cool. Rock it out."  This (seemingly self-serving) article is
going to turn that conversation around by asking not the price of a demo, but
the more important question: "How much is your demo costing you?"

So, we'll start with a fun little exercise: I want you to close your eyes (oops-
bad idea. Keep 'em open and read on) and visualize the last few times you handed
your demo to someone. What did you say about it?  Did you defend it? Did you
have to apologize for it?  Did you shrug your shoulders and say something
ridiculous like "it's pretty good for what it is"?  (BTW-that's like saying
your girlfriend is "pretty hot for an ugly chick if you're looking from the
right angle"..all it does is confuse people.)  Maybe you did some face-to-face
damage control and were able to sell it at your merchandise table, but now
visualize your demo sitting on a local club owners' desk along with 50 other
demos from area bands.  How do you think it will fair on its own?  How about at
a regional club owners' desk with 150 demos on it, and half the time to listen
to them?   I'm not even going to talk about indie/major labels, college, and
commercial radio stations!  Hmm.how much is your demo costing you

OK, so that's what's happening now, but what about while you were working on it?
 How many months did you spend recording 3-4 hours at a time?  Six, eight, maybe
even TEN months?  Stop and think about all the opportunities you may have missed
during that time.  How many music conferences, showcases, and tour slots did you
miss by not recording in a professional environment over a scheduled set of
sessions?  (Not to mention how many bored fans may have wandered off into the
desert in your absence, never to be seen again.(that's a metaphor, folks.)
Hmm.now how much is your demo costing you?

Well, I've been hammering away at how much damage a bad demo can do, so why
don't I clue you in on what to look for when you get ready to make a demo you
can be proud of.  First and foremost, hire someone who is a full-time recording
engineer. That's how he makes his living; that's how he pays the bills. Would you
hire a part-time neurosurgeon?? Regardless of their competency level, if someone
doesn't exclusively record music for a living, your project can easily be put on
the back burner at any time, because this is extra money for them- not their
livelihood. Hire someone who will do it once, and will do it right.  Listen to
some work they have done that was recorded with the same budget you have to
spend.  Be sure to compare apples to apples!

Before I go any further, I should take a minute to address any potential
eye-rolling going on.  Of course I'm going to try to scare bands straight like
those whacked out parents do to their kids on the The Maury Povich Show- after
all, I'm a recording engineer right?   I'll diffuse that ticking time bomb by
letting you know I'm advocating getting a professional involved in your
recording process, not necessarily me.  Often, due to schedule conflicts I'm
not able to work with every band I'd like to, and I help them find someone that
is right for them.   Are we cool?  Good.

This entire subject is hard for me to articulate (remember, I'm prone to
ranting.) so let me borrow (that's 'writer speak' for plagiarize) from a TV ad
I saw recently.  It's a clothing store campaign with the slogan "The most
expensive suit in your closet is the one that can cost you a favorable
impression."  At first I thought it sounded pretty cheesy, but then it started
to sink in.  I think it kind of sums it all up...if a band saves a few bucks on
a recording a demo, but the demo ends up costing them a favorable impression, it
turns out to be a pretty expensive demo, doesn't it?

Now for the happy ending. (At least the Mara Music Massage version) Since the
onset of the home recording trend, less and less bands are recording quality
demos.  If you take the initiative to record a great sounding demo with a
full-time music industry professional, you're going to have a better chance at
standing out from the crowd.  You'll also end up with something that you can
actually sell!  It is an investment that should return a profit while also
spreading the good word about your band.  That sure beats spending months and
months recording a sub-par demo that most bands end up just giving away at
shows or to friends. And when you drop one off with an agent, college radio
station, club owner, record company, etc., you won't have to leave it wrapped
in a blanket of apologies(non-DNA, of course). It is truly representative of
the band and will speak volumes without so much as an introduction.  So when
deciding what to spend on your next project, don't get caught up in just the
price; think of the cost. More often than not, it's a cheap demo that ends up
costing you more than you ever could have imagined.

Chris Mara

www.chrismara.com

www.myspace.com/chrismara