[Sing4me88]

Ok guys... really in need of some production and general advice. I'm only a lyricist so know very little else about the other production end etc but I've teamed up with a musician to knock out rough demos. We are new comers to the scene and need guidance on protocol and procedure etc

Basically the rough demos were just intended to give producers etc a 'feel' for the song ie how the music and melody goes and showcase songwriting skills rather than performance etc.

I've contacted a producer re 'One day' and from what I gather it seems he is going to use the guitar and vocal files separately and use them as a template for the song. My understanding was that the demo was simply a demonstration of the song and that the 'song' would be produced or re-recorded like but NOT using the original demo.

Basically WE intended to put something together to say to producers 'this is our idea turn it into a 'song' ' as opposed to 'take this recording of a demo and make it a 'song''.

Any advice on how I should proceed or any information on common procedure would be gratefully received.

Thanks

[tone]

My advice would be to be up-front with the producer about your expectations. When I work with my producer I generally send him a track for approval, then I go to his studio to lay down guitar/ vocal which he then works with. I think this is quite a common way of doing things.

But if you feel that the guitar and vocal tracks aren't good enough to be included in the final song, you should just say to him you're happy for him to use them as a guide or rough template, but you'd like to re-do them or have him re-do them at a later date.

I can't see any producer worth their salt having an issue with this. Let us know how you get on.

[Sing4me88]

Thanks Tone. The intention was just to give him something more than lyrics to go by. Not to use the actually demo to produce into song. Being a newcomer and merely a lyricist I quite naively just thought that the producer WOULD produce the song without considering HOW he would

[tone]

It sounds to me like there's a grey area between production and songwriting which may be causing some confusion. Is the song actually finished musically and lyrically or are you looking for the producer to help write the music?

If you're not looking for help writing the music, but your song isn't finished then I would say hold off sending it to the producer till you have something you're happy for him to work with.

[Alan Starkie]

Any decent producer will work like this recording an artist:

You listen what your client wants and you then give suggestions on how you think it might be enhanced.

Whatever they then decide they want is how it is.

I offer my advice/opinions but YOU are the boss.

Alan.

[Boydie]

I would suggest that you stop and think about exactly what you are trying to achieve

As TONE has said - are the songs finished songs that you want to sound "better" - or are they ideas that you want to be expanded?

What exactly do you want the producer to do for you?

Are you paying the producer/company a fee?

The protocol from my experience is:

Rough Demo - this is the bones of the track to ensure the song "works" - often with just guitar/vocal or piano/vocal - possibly recorded on a phone etc.

The days of sending a "rough demo" to a publisher/record company and expecting them to imagine what the full produced version would sound like are long gone (IMHO) as you will be competing against fully produced "radio ready" demos

If you are using a producer to turn your "rough demo" into something ready to send to a publisher/record company then I would expect to pay a fee for this service and you would need to explain in full to the producer what you expect

There are many companies that offer this service and the one TONE used recently sounded top notch - both the quality of the finished product and their general approach

Be very clear about any "writing credits" - eg if the producer adds a melodic hook does he get a share of the writing credits?

It does sound like you want to give the producer a "bag of parts" to build the song - I could see this getting quite expensive (writing time, session musicians, studio time etc.) if it is not a non-paid for collaboration so please be careful and get a full, up front, all inclusive cost

[Sing4me88]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. It's certainly given me some food for thought at least now this newbie has some idea of how to go about getting things 'done' in the music industry