Which tracks should I include on my demo?
Simply speaking you should try to choose the songs that you can perform best – try asking independent people (usually not fans, family or friends) which ones they think you should include. It is not always the obvious personal favourites that other people will like.

How many tracks should you use?
- It is commonly agreed that a 3 song demo will usually be sufficient to get your ideas across, promoters and A&R will receive countless demos and are unlikely to have time to listen to more than a few minutes.
- Live vs. Studio Recordings – Its good to have a strong live recorded version of one of your songs, particularly if you are looking to get gigs with your demo – it can give promoters a good idea of whether you are able to play well live. For gig purposes a good idea might be to have 2/3 songs studio recorded and 1 live recording on your demo. If you are sending out a demo to record companies, stick to studio recorded songs – if they are interested after hearing that they will probably ask to watch you play live.

track length – aim for roughly around 4 minutes maximum – focus on grabbing attention – if you think you have a particular hook in the song, a guitar riff, vocal melody, catchy chorus, get to it as quickly as possible, preferably in the first 10 seconds – you can always do the big full length intro when you are signed and recording the album version of that song.

Where should I record?
It really depends on your budget and what you are trying to achieve. If you are in music for the long haul and think you may have a lot of recording to do over time it might be worth considering investing money in a home studio rather than spending more at a commercial studio. You can probably put your own set up together for under £1000 if you are smart with your money and there are numerous adequate free software programs for recording. Audacity is a good free program or if you can afford to buy a program you could try a version of Cubase or Pro Tools. These latter options may cost a fair bit but if you are planning on doing a lot of recording then they will work out cheaper than using a recording studio in the long run and are better than Audacity.
It is important to get the hardware - Microphones, amplifiers, a multichannel mixer and cables. You can also find many free software plugins that run in tandem with the recording software that can give you extra effects or virtual instruments.
If you are just starting up your own recording set up, keep it as simple as possible at first. Run your playback from the computer’s sound card to a mixer or amplifier and then to your speakers. To optimize the quality of your recordings run your instruments or microphones into a mixer, making sure you are getting a clean, clear, undistorted signal (peaks are often shown by red LEDs on your desk), and then run this from the mixer into the computer’s sound card – for more indepth help on this, feel free to contact us via email or speak to one of our engineers.

If this is not really an option you want to take right now and you decide to use a recording studio be sure to do your homework, ask around for opinion and most importantly listen to other demos that have been recorded there. Budget will often decide where you can record so make sure you have a plan and are well rehearsed before you start recording - and do remember that the best sounds don’t always come from the most expensive studios – you may often do better to record at home! Some studios are expensive because of reputation, which may be well earned, but has no real bearing on what that studio can do for you. Also, if you are not putting together a commercial release, you won’t use a lot of the gadgets and equipment in the higher spec/expensive studios – costs that are factored into the prices they charge you to cover their own equipment costs. Look out for special deals that studios offer, particulary on mid-week recording sessions and consecutive days - smaller studios will do alot more to get your business so ask them what they can offer. Once you have chosen which studio you prefer make sure you address some specific points to maximize your efficient  use of studio time - will you be recording and mixing at this studio? what else is included in the deal, CD copies, etc...? Do you need to hire any equipment, instruments or amplifiers? What are the specific hours you have booked (make sure that the studio knows what your set up is so that they do not waste too much time setting up)? Can your engineer come to a rehearsal to familiarise themselves with your style and requirements?

How can I get my music noticed?
Make your demo stand out – use your creative talents on more than just your music, think about what would make someone want to pick up your CD amongst a pile of thousands of others. Packaging can be key to getting noticed, even down to the type of envelope you use and when it comes to the demo cover, make sure it fits with your style/genre and make it catchy and intriguing. It can be a good idea to get some clear photo shots of yourself or your band/group in there somewhere so that record company execs can see how they could potentially market you.

Money permitting, make as many copies and distribute your demo to as many people as possible – you never know who they might meet or know and pass it on to. Its also a god idea to keep a copy of your own demo on you whenever you go out – wear a jacket with big enough pockets or invest in a website and some band or artist ‘calling cards’ to give out.