Advice on shopping my stuff around?

[transcend365]

Ok,
What do you guys think would be the best way to try and get my foot in the door of the industry? A three song demo, or a full album. I have a year to complete whatever I'm going to do before I start promoting and shopping whatever I choose to do. I was just wondering what you guys would do in my situation? I will also be pro tools certified after that year. So should I take that year and come at the labels with a full album ready for the market? Or should I come at them with a three song demo? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanx,
Transcend365

[glynb]

Well, whenever this question is asked (and it is A LOT!) the response usualy comes back that what you need to do is get a band together and start performing live. Create a buzz, and then the labels come to you (maybe).

It is also said that creating a demo and sending it off to an A&R dept is a waste of time.

This assumes you do not have a contact already in the industry, which judging from your post you don't?

You might drop lucky with your demo, and you might win a major prize on a lottery, but both are highly unlikely!

Get out with a band, play for a few years to hundreds/thousands of people, and maybe something will happen if you are great?

Yes, I was disapointed when someone gave ME this advice, but on reflection I think they are right.

[jonhall5446]

In addition to glynb:

If you and your band have let's say, seven songs and you are planning on recording your first ep. Don't put all of your songs on the record. Give them a four song demo and have a few on the backburner. After you get their attention they will immediately challenge to bring them more. You must be able to show them that you can produce material on demand, but it is hard to write an albums worth of "ground-breaking" music on demand.

First stick with glynb, writting music is only part of the battle and a small part at that.

[jonhall5446]

One more thing,

Demo or Album unless you've sold thousands of copies on your own then don't expect much label attention. Back in the day it took a record deal to make a record. Now you make a record to get a record deal.

I 've been known to say this before, but look at Getsigned.com, read the articles, and you'll find answers to a lot of your questions.

[glynb]

Can't see the point in limitinbg the number of songs to 2 or 3 myself.
If you put your 'strongest' song first, second strongest second and so on, then put some other strong material in at position 4, 5, 6 etc, what harm can it do?

If they love your first two songs then it will do no harm to let them hear how great your others are, if they don't like song 1 they will turn it off anyway after a few bars and never know about songs 6, 7, 8 etc.

This way you don't have to create different products (eg a two song demo and a sparate full album) you can have one product but just stick a different label on it (eg 'demo purposes only track 1 and 2, blah blah') depending on who it is intended for.

I don't think someone who was going to pick up the phone to you after hearing the first three songs would change their mind because you have included 4 or 5 additional songs on the demo? But I guess I could be wrong if the additonal songs are weak (but in that case you're not gonna get signed in the end anyway!)?