As many of you know, I own a studio/demo business. www.nashvilledemostudio.com  I really wanted songwriters to have a place to go that they KNOW they will get an awesome demo and not have to pay out of the butt for it.  I wish I was in business when I started making demos here in Nashville.  I would have saved myself a lot of money!

Now that we are booked every week, I am starting to see some trends with amateur writers that I'd like to address that may make your "demo life" a lot easier.  So let's do that now:

SONG STRUCTURE/CHORD SECTIONS
Okay, this one I've seen a few times.  Sometimes we will get a song in where the songwriter has made a work tape with him/her and the guitar (which makes life easier by the way).  The verse melodies are the same (which they should be for continuity) but the songwriter is fumbling around on the guitar/piano and is playing different chords under the second verse than they did under the first verse.  Now I'm not saying one can't do that, in some cases it sounds really cool to do that, like if you are modulating the verse, etc.  BUT on the whole, the songwriter does it without realizing it.  If that is the case, know that the studio will probably call you and ask you which verse chords you meant to use, and if they are a good studio who really cares about your song (like we are hehe) they might even give you a suggestion in chording that you haven't thought about that will sound better.  Be open to these suggestions, the people charting your song for the other players WANT your song to sound as best it can.

SYLLABLE COUNTS
Sometimes when we write a song, we have a cool melody in mind and we normally know the story we want to tell.  That's great!  Just remember when you are putting down those all important lyrics, sing them out loud to the melody and listen to the phrasing.  If it is awkward or of you are really squeezing the words together to make it fit into that melodic line, REWRITE THE LYRIC.  If the lyric is absolutely what you NEED to say, then REWRITE THE MELODY.  One or the other has got to give. 

Why?  Because I can't tell you the torturous hours I have spent with a demo singer and us trying to figure out how to phrase a line that doesnt really fit melodically WITHOUT changing the melody of the songwriters song.  What I suggest that will help you when writing is to do a "syllable count". See the example below:

I love my truck (4 count)
it runs real good (4 count)
but sometimes it tends to get stuck (8 count)
when I'm haulin wood (5 count)

Okay, now let's say that lines 1 and 3 have the same melody and lines 2 and four the same melody.  If that is the case the syllable counts should be the same, or at least close enough to where the singer can adjust the phrasing to make it fit. As is, this would be difficult to phrase/sing. 

Based upon the above information, let's rewrite on syllable count"

I love my truck (4 count)
it's been real good to me (6 count)
but it gets stuck (4 count)
When I'm out haulin trees (6 count)

I know the lyric itself sucks bad, but the theory is good! So just keep that in the back of your head when you are writing. 
*REMEMBER:  If the demo singer is having a hard time singing it, so will the artist you are trying to pitch it to.  And trust me, that artist has too many songs WITHOUT any hiccups to choose from, they will just move on to the next song they have on hold.  So don't hurt your chances!

RULES FOR WORKING WITH A DEMO SINGER

1. Although you are paying them to sing your song, they are not your slave.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen songwriters rake a demo singer over the coals for no good reason.  Remember, a demo singer is there to sing your song the way you hear it AND help improve what you already have.  That demo singer is NOT YOU.  They are going to sing your melody to a tee, but that does not mean they are going to sing it JUST LIKE YOU.  If your performance is SO spot on that you can't allow for any enhancements, you should be singing your own demos. 

2. Let them learn the song.  Although the demo singer is provided with a work tape to learn the melody and lyric, remember your work tape is going to sound waaaay different than the full produced demo that the singer will be hearing for the FIRST TIME when they arrive at the studio.  So let them run through the song top to bottom a few times before you grab the talk back and and start micromanaging.

3. Demo Singers are people too.  They are professionals but they also have feelings.  Don't be rude and berate them.

4. Casting is IMPORTANT.  If you have a song that you hear a "Vince Gill" style vocal on, don't hire a demo singer that sounds like "Toby Keith".  Demo singers are NOT impersonators.  So be sure you listen to the singer prior to hiring them and see if their vocal really fits what you are trying to convey in your song.

5. What goes around comes around.  Here in Nashville, demo singers are made into country stars all the time.  Garth Brooks was a demo singer, Trisha Yearwood was a demo singer, Gretchen Wilson was a demo singer, Buddy Jewell was a demo singer, etc et al.  That demo singer you torture today could very well be the artist you are pitching songs to tomorrow.  So remember, to make PLEASANT memories with these singers, because those nightmare sessions just might be what DOESN'T  get your song cut in the future.

Write a hit!
Jimi