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| Some tips on demo submission |
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 Posted:
17 May 2006 - 15:46:54 (699)
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Hi folks,
I posted this in another topic but I thought it might be useful to post it as a seperate one. It's just some nice tips on how to submit your demos to record labels, some things to consider to maybe help your chances! As with everything, this isn't a set of hard and fast rules but it's drawing on some of the demo submissions I've been sent and ones I've sent out, and hopefully some people will find it useful.
1. You don't need to send a CD. Every record label has a contact email where you can send mp3 demos, for free, via yousendit or whatever. This is probably how 99.9% of tracks are signed right now
2. Send individual emails out! It doesn't put the A&R in the greatest frame of mind when the 'to' section of the email has a list of 400 labels. Select maybe 10 labels that you think will be genuinely interested in your track and contact each one individually.
3. Send a link to a full length, 128kbps or higher version of the track. When the A&R first turns his computer on in the morning, he may be receiving 20 emails. If 2 or 3 of them have 20mb attachments and clog up his email system, he's not going to be best pleased. An addition to this point, copy and paste the yousendit link into an email from your own address, don't rely on delivery @ yousendit.com to do it for you. It doesn't take much effort to do this but it creates a better impression.
4. Send a maximum of 2 tracks, the 2 you consider to be your best work. If they like it, they will ask for more. As they listen to a lot of music, they want it to be direct and to the point. They don't want to trawl through a list of 15 tracks, they want your best work first.
5. "Please visit my myspace account and listen to the second track in the player" does not count as a valid demo submission. yousendit.com is free for files under 50mb and is a much more acceptable way to submit. If they like it, they'll probably want to burn to CD, play it out, test it on different soundsystems. You can't do this with myspace, but you can with a secure download from yousendit.
6. Send a track only when it's completely finished. The line "this track isn't quite finished but I want to know what you think" doesn't really put the A&R in a great frame of mind. If you want an opinion on an unfinished track, shop it around the message boards instead.
7. If you have already had work signed or supported by a named DJ (not really interested in "my mate Dave says it's good") then include details in the email. This is not essential, and will not guarantee you any preferential treatment. It just helps us understand that we're getting someone of reasonable quality sending demos through.
8. A short biography included with the mail is great. It's a lot nicer to get a short, polite email than either 6 pages of autobiography and explanations of how the track got its title or just sending a link with nothing else in there.
9. Include your contact details in the mail. Don't rely on the 'from' section of an email. Make sure you include your phone, email and MSN/AIM contact details. This way, if the A&R likes your track and burns it to CD, he can write the details on the CD and contact you from wherever he is.
10. Burn a few CDs and take them to the club with you. Make sure you write a tracklisting and contact details on them of course! Hand them out to DJs and see if you get any good feedback from them.
11. Be realistic. Although we try and give feedback as much as we can, we receive a lot of demos. We can't give feedback on every single track we hear. If you haven't heard back within 2 weeks, assume that wont hear from the label. Don't take this as an insult, it's just realistic that as well as A&R chances are the guy listening to your music will have 2000 other things to be doing every day as well. Following on from this, don't send in emails saying "did you listen to my track yet, do you want to sign it?". The answer to this question is implied in the fact you didn't receive a reply.
12. The most important thing to remember is don't lose faith. Just because you don't receive great feedback straight away it's no reason to stop producing. Eventually if you're good enough you will get signed. Just keep making music for the love of it, and keep persisting with labels (in the way I outlined above) and if you're good enough, someone will pick up on your music. |
Last edited by micra_power on 18 May 2006 - 19:09:58 (840); edited 1 time in total
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| micra_power has retired from trance. |
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| Posted:
17 May 2006 - 15:59:02 (707)
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| Posted:
17 May 2006 - 16:04:43 (711)
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| Jezper & Tommie just launched a swedish tech podcast. Check it out: http://www.slashat.se |
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| Posted:
17 May 2006 - 18:13:20 (800)
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 Cheers Bill! |
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| Posted:
18 May 2006 - 03:44:37 (197)
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Chur chur! 
How about some lists of labels to add to this? Just found this one covering all dance genres. Clicking on each label-name brings up a useful description of the label and links to reviews of stuff that the label has put out:
http://www.residentadvisor.net/label.asp
Anyone found a list that classifies by genre? |
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| Posted:
18 May 2006 - 03:56:03 (205)
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| There's no real way we can list labels here, there'd be so many. Check the links on this site for one, but the best bet is to send it in to labels that you already know. For example, labels run by your favourite producers or where people you recognise and are influenced by are signed. |
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| micra_power has retired from trance. |
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| Posted:
09 June 2006 - 14:04:08 (627)
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great advice..so true. the other thing i would add is that if you have sampled it has to be as good as the original,if not better. to chase clearence is a nightmare!!  |
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| Posted:
09 June 2006 - 14:34:35 (649)
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| unsigned_club wrote: | | great advice..so true. the other thing i would add is that if you have sampled it has to be as good as the original,if not better. to chase clearence is a nightmare!! |
The shortest thing to advise here is DON'T use samples and try to clear them. That creates a lot of work for the label, and most likely it's work they wont have the time or inclination to take on. |
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| micra_power has retired from trance. |
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| Posted:
27 July 2006 - 10:16:21 (469)
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| Posted:
02 August 2006 - 00:00:10 (041)
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a lot of interesting tips, but i think it´s a good way, too in this time to sell your music on your own. In the time of itunes, beatport and co. it´s more easier to start your own little online-label, tools like paypal and co. is very usefull for payment in the net... and there are so many different communitys to make promo!
but it´s allready an attempt worth to send demos to other labels !!!
cheers  |
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| Posted:
07 September 2006 - 12:31:57 (563)
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Great tips!
If only all demo submissions followed these guidelines my life would be much easier!
Regarding setting up a digital label... trust me, it's no piece of cake! Producing is one thing, running a label is a completely different beast. I think the times we live in are exciting because more artists have a chance to release their material.
We release new trance tracks almost weekly, if it was vinyl it would be impossible. By the way, we have a tight release schedule but if you want to send demos go ahead:
demo(at)emotivesounds.com
All the best!
Lonny
Emotive Sounds A&R |
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| Posted:
14 November 2006 - 19:23:55 (849)
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Right, set up label its not easy as many people thinks. Even digital label is pretty hard and lot of work around it. What more that i have not only digital label , we started to make cd's. About vinyls: looks like they are not worth anymore..
If someone wants to send demo details are here:
HTTP://WWW.REFLECTEDRECORDINGS.COM |
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| Posted:
16 November 2006 - 22:10:48 (965)
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| kamilpolner wrote: | Right, set up label its not easy as many people thinks. Even digital label is pretty hard and lot of work around it. What more that i have not only digital label , we started to make cd's. About vinyls: looks like they are not worth anymore..
If someone wants to send demo details are here:
HTTP://WWW.REFLECTEDRECORDINGS.COM |
Yes the harderst part is to hire sombody to do shiny flash site |
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| Tsvi has left the building |
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| Posted:
17 November 2006 - 02:25:47 (142)
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T.nu Member
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| Tsvi wrote: | | kamilpolner wrote: | Right, set up label its not easy as many people thinks. Even digital label is pretty hard and lot of work around it. What more that i have not only digital label , we started to make cd's. About vinyls: looks like they are not worth anymore..
If someone wants to send demo details are here:
HTTP://WWW.REFLECTEDRECORDINGS.COM |
Yes the harderst part is to hire sombody to do shiny flash site |
Yeah really??? Well then i will make website for you and you do the rest ok? Make limited company,listen 20 tracks per day and answer producers about them,hire graphics who will make all graphic work for cd's and rest, look for good and fresh music,hire someone for PR stuff also you must count like ,also someone who will make mastering for tracks which are sound not good,send finalised stuff to eshops at exact date,you gonna need someone in company who will press cd or vinyl for good price and also money for label which is not any profitable for first year ..Another option is that you can do everything on your own like me but...then you need like 6-15 hour per day working for label...Do you still think its so easy?????
Man probaly you dont know anything about how label works otherwise you would not wrote what you wrote...  |
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| Posted:
23 November 2006 - 19:20:49 (847)
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