Demo CD's

[kayla]

Does anyone here do that sort of thing? Our band (punk fiction) is looking to start gettin some smaller gigs and we thought about recording some live versions of us playing and then maybe handing them out to the bars so they could see what we were all about.

we have all the tools we need to record some decent material. so why not?

any other bands done this? if you have, can you provide me with positive and negative feedback.

or if you have any advice on booking smaller dive bars, feel free to comment.

thanks in advance!

- kayla.

[songsmith]

Do it. I experimented with handout CD's with Mama Corn, and it paid back in spades. Booking contacts seemed okay with it, and fans had something to take home, for free. I've had parents tell me their kids played those CD over and over, and beg for new ones... that's never a bad thing. It might be harder to get a decent recording with drums and all, than it is with an acoustic act, but it's worth trying. What's the worst that could happen?

[bassist_25]

I checked out Miss Melanie and the Valley Rats when I saw JP's posting about them on Facebook. Listen to Ain't That Lovin' You. I have pretty discerning ears, and I didn't realize it was a live track until I heard the applause at the end. That's probably one of the best local live recordings I've heard.

https://www.facebook.com/missmelanieand ... 8091127385

[lonewolf]

Another thing that can do was take a digicam along to gigs with nice stages and put a tape in for each set. At home, check out the vids and see if there are any "perfect" song performances. You can take the digital audio track from those videos, remaster them to make them sound fuller and re-dub it over the videos. Once you edit and finish, you can make DVDs.

Remember to remind the booking contact that its a DVD though. Some will try to play it on the CD player, lol.

[Mysterytrain]

Record everything!

[Banned]

Record everything!

Indeed! Do that Kayla, and when you and your band are listening to the playback you can all agree on what sounds like you want it to. I would FORGET your recording and play with 110% (I know you do)and just run through your songs, taking appropriate breaks and just have fun. Then, like I said before, listen to the playback and ..."Wow! We should put this on a demo!"
BOOM!! Good luck, I'm looking forward to the jams!!

[kayla]

thanks everyone for the responses. much appreciated. as far as DVD's - i'm not great at all with editing and/or making them, we could take some of the recording equipment and record live gigs (once we book some).

i do need to set up a facebook page for the band. then i can add the songs we've already recorded.

Record everything!

we record a lot. last practice we recorded the whole thing, even the songs we messed up. we always record, and then listen to it several times and discuss what we need to change and then record the song again.

we have done the open mic/jam nights. so far that got us some time at the VFW.

thanks guys!

- kayla.

[songsmith]

we record a lot. last practice we recorded the whole thing, even the songs we messed up. we always record, and then listen to it several times and discuss what we need to change and then record the song again.
- kayla.

That worked for us, too. If you listen to a recorded mistake a few times, you're less likely to make that mistake. You're still gonna make mistakes (if you're playing hard enough), but you won't THOSE mistakes as much. The same way you only get good at guitar is to spend time with it in your lap, you only get good at the band dynamic by immersing yourself in the band dynamic... even if it's on tape. Does that make sense?

[kayla]

Does that make sense?

makes perfect sense. i've noticed since last summer and to where we are now that we are tighter, seem to have a lot better timing and can read each other pretty well.

heres a youtube clip of us covering Wagon Wheel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gShjzsU-Q6Q

on this particular song, we did several guitar tracks. a bass track, several different percussion tracks, two or three vocal tracks and i think a uke track. i think it came together decent. i'd like to redo the vocal parts on the chorus.

of course our demo would be very raw, just two guitars and the cahon (i can't spell that - that box thing lol).

feel free to give me some feedback on our cover of wagon wheel. thanks!

- kayla.

[KeithReynolds]

Awesome job on the song. You all are good. I enjoyed it alot.

[kayla]

Awesome job on the song. You all are good. I enjoyed it alot.

thank you!!!

[Mysterytrain]

That sounds great, Kayla!

[kayla]

That sounds great, Kayla!

thank you!! we really appreciate it!

- kayla.

[songsmith]

Great job! Have the singer watch his phrasing and timing on the later verses, he has to play catch-up on the lyrics once or twice, but otherwise, you're all doing well!

[songsmith]

Oh, and it's "cajon," pronounced "ca-HONE." It's Spanish for "box." They used to beat on the boxes they shipped fruit in, in the Caribbean and Latin America. I like them, I'm thinking about building one myself, big enough for my big behind.

[kayla]

Great job! Have the singer watch his phrasing and timing on the later verses, he has to play catch-up on the lyrics once or twice, but otherwise, you're all doing well!

thanks for the advice!! appreciate it!

and cajon ... lol i was kinda close. i love the sound of it with the acoustic guitars.

- kayla.

[Banned]

Was what I expected.....very enjoyable tune from very talented people...look out local scene, this band is gonna get greater....IMO.

[kayla]

Was what I expected.....very enjoyable tune from very talented people...look out local scene, this band is gonna get greater....IMO.

thank you!!!!

- kayla.