Q&A: Should we make a good DEMO?

From: Austen
Question:  Hey Mark! A few friends and I are in the process of forming a hardcore/metalcore band after some like The Chariot, Haste the Day, but with influences from all over everywhere. I, being screamed vocals/bass, have 90′s-to-modern hardcore and metalcore influence, while our guitarist LOVES hair metal, with that being his main influence (I think it’s going to sound….. interesting!) Anyway, when we get around to recording a demo, should we just use Audacity/proTools and a few medium-quality condensers, then send it to record labels in a pretty raw form, or should we book a studio and get a nicely polished track? We want passion to show through us, not through a computer, but we’re not sure if a home recording could get us where we need to be. Your advice and your opinion would be greatly appreciated!

Another quick one- should we try to play some shows before we record a demo and throw it on our Facebook page? Or should we get local popularity via the internet first?  That’s something that I’ve always wondered.
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Hi Austen, Thanks for the questions!  You asked a question that gets asked a lot and that being: “What the heck do we really do? We want to get signed so how do we do it?”  There is no one sure-fire way to get signed and really the question you need to ask is not “how do we get signed?” It is actually “Do we want to get signed?” and “How do we get the best deal possible?”

Do you record a great sounding EP? Hell yeah you do!  Do you play some shows and promote your songs? Hell yeah you do!  The end isn’t putting out a record.  That’s just the beginning. Regardless if you want to be signed or if you want to build a career on your own and remain independent, You need strategy to pull together all of your tactics.  Yes you want to record the best sounding demo you can and yes you want to play shows and yes you want to put songs on line.  But how do you make sure everything you do serves a purpose?

Maybe you can’t answer that yourself or maybe you can.  Set a goal or goals. In your case it sounds like you want to be signed.  So now put yourself in the shoes of the label and ask yourself: “Why should we sign them.”  Then step back into your own shoes and ask yourself: “why should they sign us?”  You want to build a compelling story for your band not just so you can get signed, but rather so you can sign to a fantastic deal. Don’t settle for a cheeseburger when you are very capable of getting the fillet.  To do this you will need to abandon any sense of entitlement you have (“I deserve THIS”). Put on your blue collared shirt and roll up your sleeves. Lose your pride and ask for help when you need it. Take care of everyone you meet along your journey. Always look to improve.  Never stop when you get a “NO.” Work harder.