Is This Good Enough to Send Out as a Demo?

[imalion]

I am just finishing a Demo CD and I want to make sure I put my best songs on this disk.

I am looking for some good feedback on one particular song. The song is called "Slow Train". Please take a listen and be honest with me if you think this song belongs on a Demo that I will be sending out.

Track Title: Slow Train
http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/2159/2159004.html

Thanks in advance.

Steven

[sonnylarsen]

The song itself is good for a demo, but you might want to think about recording it differently. A demo is all about your "best shots" according to most A&R types (You can find interviews with them at different places on the web like Tonos.com, etc.). With that in mind, for demo purposes, the hook of the song should be closer to the beginning. You might want to think about cutting some of that verse away.

Next, you should never record an acoustic guitar like that. You want to record you acoustic by microphone at the very least, not direct into the board. I generally use two mics, one panned far left and the other far right. The left mic is placed about 6-8 inches from my guitar, pointed just below the sound hole. The right I put about 6-8 inches behind and to the right of the first, pointed at roughly the sam spot. I record this to a stereo track and then compensate by panning the entire stereo track to the right, so the volumes of both side are roughly equal. This creates a very real, acoustic guitar sound on your song.

The only other advice I would give is to make sure your voice isn't getting lost in the mix. those commercial A&R types won't likely be patient enough to strain to hear it. And it is a good, strong voice so don't hide it behind too much reverb.

That's all my advice. My band is working up stuff for a demo too, so I've been reading up on what they like.

[slkeen]

I agree with everything sonnylarsen said. Is that a 12 string acoustic? Miking it would help get a fuller sound. As I listened to this, I was thinking of some old Rod Stewart / Faces songs that are very acoustic oriented. I was waiting for the band to kick in! I'm guessing your a solo artist, but man this song is begging for some drum tracks and bass. But that's just my preference. The vocal could be a bit louder. And it seems like it needs a bridge part to kind of round it out. I thinks its a good job.

[mixmkr]

My first thoughts are, the first couple of seconds are what usually grab someone, if they are going to like it or not. The problem with this song, is that you repeat the same chord change for up to a minute, before you do anything else...then back to the chord change again...for basically the entire song...Gets old really quick, as the ac. gtr playing isn't all that original anyway...plus the lower quality sound of the recording of it. Your voice isn't even as loud as the gtr. You may have some decent talent, but it isn't shown with this guitar part, and your vocals are almost as subdued. Nothing is played bad, mind you, it just is mediocre interesting...at least to me. You want a GREAT song for your demo...this is filler material, imo. Show off your talent with better production, a vocal part to show your qualities, and an acoustic gtr sound to die for. If the song is the next Beatles "yesterday"...then forget what I just said...but, this song isn't the next "yesterday."

[imalion]

Do you really think the vocals need to come up?

They seem to stand out fine to me in my studio.

Steven

[sonnylarsen]

That's the trouble with mixing, things sound different on different speakers. You may not need to bring them up alot, maybe an eq thing, i don't know.

[imalion]

By the way. All of the guitar parts were recorded in my bathroom. LOL. I would never record a acoustic guitar without a mic.

I actually thought they sounded pretty good. What gave you the impression that I plugged directly in?

Steven

[sonnylarsen]

Recordings from piezo pickups tend to sound just like that. Dropping out the mids at 1k by about 6db might help some...otherwise try re-rerecording somewhere else or using a different guitar, I think most would agree that it pretty much sounds piezo-ish.

[imalion]

Very cool. Thanks for the tip. That was the first time I tried recording the guitars in the bathroom. The room is completely tiled. Floor-Walls-Ceiling.

Sounds like it was a bad choice.

Bummer.


Steven

[imalion]

As far as the intro for the song is concerned....... Should I just skip it, and start the song right where the vocals come in?


Steven