Demo options........opinions please.

[ausrock]

I have been approached by a youngish female singer to help her get some demos recorded. She has a reasonably good voice and in the right circumstances, it is probably worth her while to submit a demo to some labels.

Herein lies the "problem"............her original intention was to submit some covers of existing, recent songs using karioke style backing tracks. She has been told that copyright on the backings isn't an issue as the recordings aren't going to be broadcast on the radio, etc.

My opinion is that it would be far better to record some decent original material with REAL musicians backing her.

So..........what do you people think is the better option? Is there any merit in submitting covers sung to a karioke backing track?

Advice please.

[BrettB]

I don't know what backing tracks she wants to use, but most karaoke tapes I know suck hughe. It would hurt her talent I think.

It all depends what she wants to do. Does she really just want to be a performer from other ppl's songs? When she really wants to do covers, use real musicians and make your own backing tapes...

and be carefull with copyright issues!! In theory you have to ask permission to use those songs and to distribute them, even if you only use it for a few ppl.

My advice is: make some own songs, and record the with real musicians. If she gets some attention from labels, maybe they use some of your songs!! and I don't think any A&R is waiting for a karaoke backing track. Please DO NOT use that..

that's my opinion

greetz
Brett
feel free to visit www.belgiummp3.be/mp3/Madra_Lyss

[Blue Bear Sound]

If she's trying to sell her voice alone, then karaoke demos are fine... if's also trying to sell her own own original material ALONG with her voice, then she should get some session players together and record them, paying close attention to production.

It all depends on the focus of her intentions....

[Gidge]

Just make sure its a GOOD backing track and not one of those cheesy sounding ones......in theory, the backing track doesnt matter if you are just selling the voice but in practice, a god awful sounding tape might get ditched before the vocal even comes in......

i know its hard to get a tape heard by a major A&R guy, so you dont wanna blow it......