Recording your own music demo should not be all that difficult, even if you do not have a lot of money or experience in the matter. You just have to have a decent idea of where to begin and the order of events to create a demo that sounds as good as you would like it to.
First and foremost, your set up is going to make a difference in what obstacles might stand in your road. If you are an acoustic artist with little instrumentation needed, home recording will suit you much easier than someone with a five or six piece rock unit. Either way it can be done, you just need to determine what is needed.
If you are a full band, you need to first download some software (Cakewalk, Sonar, Cubase) to record to, and purchase a mixing station to connect instruments and microphones to your computer. This software is best used while recording one or two instruments at a time, so record your drums and something else instrumentally first. Then comprise the rest of the instruments after this first bit has been recorded.
Finally, record the vocals. A good vocal microphone can make a world of difference when it comes to recording. These are a bit pricier, but they are not as costly as recording typically is. If you are looking to create a product that people are going to want to listen to and want to sign or hire your band, don’t skimp out where it really counts.
Repeat this process for at least three songs. Make sure these three songs offer a versatile look at you musically. It is incredibly important for you to be well rehearsed in these tracks before bothering to record them because you want the performance to be seamless and solid. Take your time and practice, then take your time and record. It does not have to be done all in the same day and all within one hour. Make sure it is as good as it can be before you work on mastering the project.
Comprise a press kit for labels and promoters. This demo that you have recorded will be the focal point, but ensure that the kit itself offers necessary contact information, pictures, and a short bio so that they can put faces to the songs they are hearing.
