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I recently aquired a new laptop and microphone, so I've been recording loads, and I'm really proud of the most recent one (Blown Up), which I've nearly finished a better version of. They're all demos, and the other ones (apart from Rouch) were recorded before I got the new microphone, so are a much worse quality. But still, I think you should listen to them, I think they sound really cool.

http://soundcloud.com/domsay

Let me know what you think, guys and gals.

Sorry if this is a repost by the way, I can't seem to find the one I posted the other day.... also I posted it drunk, so that may have something to do with it haha.

Ok...honestly?

I think you've got some great ideas here. The older demos I think you should re-record since now you have the means to do so. The best, and most obvious, advice I ever got from music industry professionals is that you should never put stuff out there unless you're completely satisfied with it. A songwriter might have a potential hit, but an AR guy is going to have trouble justifying passing his work up to the next level if it's too painful to listen to the music. And unfortunately it's easy to judge someone's music by the first tune anyone hears. By making sure the sound quality is at least professional, someone who passes over one tune is at least tempted to listen to the next one.

I really liked Rec063. Sure, the sound quality could have been better, but otherwise it's the best sounding thing I've heard so far.

Now...for the negatives...

I absolutely hate "Blown Up." Sorry. It's not that it can't be a good track, and you did mention that you're nearly finished with a better version of it. So HURRY UP already! lol

I can't understand the lyrics, for one. They're totally lost in there.

You're acoustic guitar playing is OK. It's not hurting the song. Leave out the distorted electric guitar, though. I just don't see at all how the electric guitar is supposed to fit in there anywhere.

Sounds like two acoustic guitars at the beginning. I like what you're doing with the intro, but leave out the SFX at the beginning. Don't play lead licks when you come in with the vocals, and make the vocals more the focal point of the recording than the guitar. Fix those things and you've got yourself an awesome demo.

Yeah, you know what, I have a real problem where I record something, and as soon as it has any structure or I like how it sounds, I absolutely have to get as many people to listen to it as possible. Actually, I think I should take all them songs down and wait till I have a few songs that sound much better (in quality) thanks for the advice man, I needed to hear that,

Nothing wrong with that. After all, you're posting to WrongPlanet, not some guy at Sony or EMI. And I hope I'm not too heavy-handed in my comments.

I was a big fan of Beavis and Butthead back in the day, and still am. I think the biggest insult to anyone's music they made was either to say nothing or change the channel. I'm a former classroom music educator with a degree in composition and a strong fascination with commercial music and have made a few contacts in the industry (and no, that doesn't mean I get special treatment, either, but it's always good to know people and hear what they have to say). A lot of what I hear from people, I hate to say, is garbage and they do what they do not to be great but for their own enjoyment. And so I think it is important to encourage people to be creative (that's the educator in me coming out), but for people who really do want to work at honing their craft I think you deserve to hear what it is you need to improve on. I wouldn't be critical if I didn't think you really had the potential for something. The main thing you need is just a cleaner product, and you seem like the kind of person who is willing to do the work.

If you haven't already, check out what awes is posting over in the showcase sticky. I think I might be going overboard in my comments there, and also I think he's leaning more in a more traditional classical direction, whereas I'm more concerned with what many people label "experimental" and I tend to ignore negative comments based on personal taste. But that's how I tend to be when I think someone really has something. I try to let go personal preferences and focus on the product that's actually THERE and consider whether there is some niche somewhere in which it will work, and what will it take to MAKE it work... You seem to be already aware of some of the problems you have. With "Blown Up," I KNOW there's a song in there...somewhere... Now let's figure out how to bring it to the surface.

You weren't too heavy handed at all. And I totally agree with not saying anything is a much bigger insult, and to be honest people not being frank and trying not to hurt my feelings so not being honest with how they feel about what I play them is frustrating, to say the least.

I think I know what I need to do with Blown Up. Simplify it, level the audio right, tighten up the harmonies, and probably get rid of the electric guitar (it's getting on my nerves now). I think figuring out an actual melody instead of attempting to solo over the rhythm guitar will sound a lot better as well. I've got a much cleaner version which I'm working on at the moment, which has been frustrating cause I haven't been able to record the vocals for a few days due to losing my voice, but hopefully when that all comes together, it'll be a much better song.

I checked out awes composition, and your comments, and I thought it was really beautiful, but I am far from thinking about music in those sorts of terms. I mean, I would really love to study music theory, and how music is made and how it comes together and makes sense, but I don't really know where to start. I have a guitar book which delves a little into how chords are made, and scales, and modes, and that's about it. I think I may know more than the average guitarist at my age about music, but I don't know that much, and I want to know more. I also want to learn piano, and I hope I haven't left all this too late!

I'm not suggesting you go the classical direction, and you'll note I disagree strongly with awes' choices. But I've resigned myself to accepting that awes is going to do what awes is going to do and that my criticisms will be time better spent suggesting improvements in what he's doing right now.

If you're going the more commercial songwriter route, what you have to keep in mind is that AR execs listening to demos aren't concerned with how imaginative YOU are in making the song. They just want to hear the song and see if it's marketable somewhere. It usually is. It's just that n00b songwriters don't typically understand that so they end up sending in complete productions. They have a point--if you're already playing this music with a band, producing, and maybe even putting a CD together or something for your local fans, what do you need a record company for? Keep it simple and let the actual artists you're hoping to pitch to do the magic.

I'm deep into the CCM scene myself. Something it didn't take long to figure out was that if you listen to the latest thing coming out of Australia, you can predict what's going to top the US charts in two years. Trends are a lot slower-moving in Christian music than in other kinds of music, but the point is that Hillsong reaches worldwide and has a weekly captive audience of several thousand. Their songs are proven locally, so it's only a matter of time and working out licensing contracts before Phillips, Craig, and Dean get a hold of it. The same principle applies to the bars and clubs. Audiences prefer to hear the band play the studio recording EXACTLY--which is stupid, but it is what it is. If you have a lot of good originals, and I mean really GOOD, balance your sets 60% covers and 40% originals. Your audience will let you know what works and what doesn't. Release a few albums locally and then start shopping your stuff out to the big guys. It's a lot of hard work, but that's how the big shots make it.

Something else I told awes is take advantage of the indie licensing firms out there. There are a lot of them, but that's what you do if you want to take aim at Grey's Anatomy and the prime-time soaps. It's a great way to get HEARD, and if you're lucky you'll get more than your 15 minutes of fame. Plus, with reruns, you get royalty checks. Not a bad way to go IMO. If I weren't more interested in a niche market for my own music, that's where I'd put all my money and time.

Reckon it's improved? I do

http://soundcloud.com/domsay/blown-up-again-quieter

MUCH better.

I could definitely hear this working as an album cut, but as for the kind of demo you'd want an artist listen to, I still think some things can be simplified a little more. Short, simple intro is the key to getting heard. If someone important listens to a demo and the songwriter hasn't started singing after about 5 seconds, it's probably going to be consigned to the circular file. I wouldn't draw out endings very long, either, and even the vocal effects and overdubs might even be a bit much. Now, if you were making a CD and selling them at gigs, do whatever you want to do. That's just the difference between trying to impress an Artist and Repertory agent and keeping your local fan base happy.

The other nitpicky thing I have to offer is that you might want to spend some time fixing some vocal intonation issues that you're having. You're singing voice seems really low in your tessitura, making it difficult maintain pitch stability. You're not singing with much vibrato, if any, and that may not even be appropriate for the kind of sound you're going for. Usually vibrato helps cover faulty intonation, and for your particular style it's going to be even more important that your vocals are tighter than what most people do.

One advantage of singing low notes is that it's more difficult to detect pitch problems. Also, singing in a more natural voice keeps you from straining and wearing yourself out. The DISadvantage is that lower notes are harder to hear, which increases the likelihood you're going to stray further from a pitch center than you would singing in your head voice. But singing in a head voice is going to cause you to fatigue faster...

And unfortunately for YOU I'm not an experienced singer, nor am I vocal coach. I took the required semester of voice lessons for my major, which meant I learned to sing "O Shenandoah" and "Caro Mio Ben." So I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help there. I'm just speaking from what little experience I do have and what I do know. You're on your own beyond that...

Aspiring songwriters who KNOW they are weak singers and are pretty smart about it will actually find people who ARE strong singers and collaborate with them. If you know someone else interested in songwriting, pair up and exchange ideas. That is a sure guarantee that you'll write quality music. The other thing I'm personally weak on is lyrics. I've written a few songs I'm proud of, but the lyrics I wrote are really just based on Bible text and I can't claim any genuine originality there. I think your lyrics are ok for what you're doing, but you'll need better input from someone who knows what he's talking about there.

Overall, good job on the progress you've made. Keep on truckin'

I see what you mean. At the moment, I'm not really thinking about advertising my songs to other people, more just making songs because I want to. I suppose it makes sense that it needs to be more simple and to the point if I want people to recognise me etc. Thing is, I've always wondered if it's worth trying to get recognised in music, as if I ever did, and I ever had an oppurtunity to earn from it, (earning money not being the sole purpose, obviously, it would just be amazing to make music as a job) I'm thinking A) would I get sick of it if it was just another job, b) how difficult would it be to make what I wanted to make, and not what other people want me to make, but also, I definatly recognise the fact that I need some kind of vocal tutor to help me sing in pitch, and generally not horribly. And a piano tutor to teach me piano and music theory. It's gonna be expensive!... Hopefully I'll be able to start all that some time in the next month or two.