A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Labels.

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gabe DM
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by gabe DM »

ICN wrote:Love that idea Gabe - keep sending the same tracks, but with different names - until they say ok! Genius! :)
...eheheh John, I never sent same tracks with different names but that's a great idea also!

What I wanted to say is to focus on track naming because can generate interest if you are unknown like I am :)

other tip: setting a story for the tracks or the demo, giving it a frame, for example my IQSV ep is based on the sad and unfair story of Davide Lazzaretti killed by the Italian Carabinieri in 1878 in the plain of Arcidosso. this way I could justify the need of releasing the three tracks togheter while the record label only wanted two :)

Adding a story for the listener, to imaginate and think about or to discover while listening, can give extra charme to your tracks.
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Lost to the Void
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Lost to the Void »

I really don`t think you need to go to the lengths of providing a story, it can come across as pretentious.

Just simply be polite, ask if it would be ok to send a demo, show some understanding of the sound of the label you are sending to, if you are given the go ahead, send appropriate material, ie: don`t send funky house to a industrial techno label, be critical of your music, make sure it is good enough in production terms for the label you are aiming for (be honest), if not, wait until you are ready.

NAME YOUR TRACKS CORRECTLY!! Artist name: Track Name
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by gabe DM »

well here's my last experience,

once more against cheap and lazy label's A&R...

you asshole:
I came to the club you were playing and got introduced by a mutual friend (the same friend who booked you), I chatted with you and stroke a couple of funny jokes, you laughed, you praised me for burning a demo cd saying no one now does it that way - we cheered, you pointed out how you never listen to or take into consideration unsolicited dropboxed tracks, I stayed close to you while you were playing and took care of you with beers and water when you needed it, we talk again at the end of your set.

one week passed and I wrote to you, you said that had no time to go to the studio and have a listen (bhu)... second week passed, I write you a funny line on FB chat as a reminder and you didn't answer.... third week passed and I asked again if you had time to listen to the demo, you gently reply that I was stressing you... 1 month and one week later still no answer.

c'mooon dude. is it your normal way of dealing with ppl? right now I think your cheap, disrespectful and lazy. I hope you just lazy. but will never take you and your label into consideration in the future. I will never "like" any of your post (I know this is childish since I don't usually "like" too much), will never come to your show again and will definitely talk shit about you.

I really don't care if you don't like the tracks dude! just give me your honest and experienced insider opinion....


grrrrrrrrrr
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Lost to the Void »

gabe DM wrote:well here's my last experience,

once more against cheap and lazy label's A&R...

you asshole:
I came to the club you were playing and got introduced by a mutual friend (the same friend who booked you), I chatted with you and stroke a couple of funny jokes, you laughed, you praised me for burning a demo cd saying no one now does it that way - we cheered, you pointed out how you never listen to or take into consideration unsolicited dropboxed tracks, I stayed close to you while you were playing and took care of you with beers and water when you needed it, we talk again at the end of your set.

one week passed and I wrote to you, you said that had no time to go to the studio and have a listen (bhu)... second week passed, I write you a funny line on FB chat as a reminder and you didn't answer.... third week passed and I asked again if you had time to listen to the demo, you gently reply that I was stressing you... 1 month and one week later still no answer.

c'mooon dude. is it your normal way of dealing with ppl? right now I think your cheap, disrespectful and lazy. I hope you just lazy. but will never take you and your label into consideration in the future. I will never "like" any of your post (I know this is childish since I don't usually "like" too much), will never come to your show again and will definitely talk shit about you.

I really don't care if you don't like the tracks dude! just give me your honest and experienced insider opinion....


grrrrrrrrrr
I would probably bet the guy either didn`t like or didn`t think the tracks were good enough.
A lot of the time labels shy away from telling directly what they think, for fear of losing fans.

It is also entirely possible he simply wasn`t interested, isn`t interested and won`t listen to your demo.

If so, why bother with further contact. Never beg, it isn`t worth it.

It also sounds like the guy is a bit of a dick.
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Mslwte »

Ha ha :)
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Patriek »

Uff, i totally understand you Gabe. The amount of times people 'promised' to have a listen and you never hear from them again. How hard can it be to say: Your mix/track is not going to fit cause it sucks/not our style, whatever.

I kinda gave up on sending in demo's due to people not following up on promises. There are a lot of cocky assholes in the business :)
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by chocstclair85 »

Nice post, some very good advice here

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by rktic »

I'm under the impression that it's almost impossible to really get in touch with labels these days unless you're a reknown artist with a stack of recent releases elsewhere... Too many musicians, too much music - i guess an A&Rs incoming mail filtering threshold must be enormous.

Imho - if you're sending a demo make sure you have a good timing. Not on weekends when everybody is off to play.

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by SFBM »

Thankyou for this thread! I have no idea if my tracks are at the level I want them yet or good enough to start sending demos , but a mutual friend who has his stuff signed had a listen and really recommended i do. While I don't think there's that many techno labels here in aus , I figure it is both
A: a good idea to start doing bring up some brand/producer cred and slowly build your profile, sound and not to mention, confidence as a producer .
And
B: even if faced with a bunch of rejections, you can always write back and say something like "thankyou for reviewing my track, I see it wasn't what you were after. However, would you be able to give me some insight into what it was in it that didn't "hook" you to right away, or , what areas do you feel I would need to work on before I was to send a demo to a label again ? Whilst some might just not reply or be unhelpful, I have a feeling one or two might be like "look it's a decent track but badly mixed/too much compression/too long to get into the groove/feel of the track (but the groove is great)/like the track but the style does not really fit what we sign/etc.

Very soon I want to start Doing this as I rework a few of my tracks where at the time I knew less (no panning, using master limiter instead of watching levels, less technical skill and knowledge of certain areas etc) but I think first i may post one or two better tracks up on here for you guys to give some feedback :). I have only been about 6-8 months or so, but I'd be ever So happy if , even if I *didn't* get signed, I got a track put on to a Compilation or various artists cd, or got someone contacting me later that they might put me on, or asking me if I could go play a few sets somewhere Over a month or toe instead and see how that pans out, etc .

But either way, I create techno because I love it. Not in it for money or fame. But if my work gets put on a cd or vinyl release, and gets played a few times in a club and people hear my music and really like it, then it would make me ever so happy and be one of the goals I've always worked for as a producer :)

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Mono-xID »

Regardless if the info's are useful, the music from that Gruuv label sucks balls, crappy tech house. I'll knock something together quickly and send it over just for the fun of it..... :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by msl »

Eh yeah there's saturation everywhere, too many of 'us', too many producers, too many demos...

Most labels prefer to work with people they already know or who are in their social circles, or are recommended by their friends. The music business is 95% who you know. Build relationships, support and chart your favourite labels and producers. One release usually leads to the next.

Just keep sending demos, the suggestions in the OP are stop on, be professional and polite, don't pester people!

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by ross-alexander »

I have come back to this post as it seems bumped. I would imagine most labels are not actively taking demos unless they specifically say they are, so find one that is. Don't write an essay about stuff or the work, it doesn't come across well. A short polite mail accompanying good music should suffice. Most people will ask for stuff to be sent a certain way, follow this explicitly. If you don't get a response presume it's a no. Despite people being busy, surely every label is interested in finding great new music. Your way into other labels is through people and musical projects, meet them but don't creep them out, it's wierd.

If you get a yes, you don't always have to go with it. If people ask for music you don't always have to run with it. The more you get under your belt the more opportunities you will get. People will ask you for stuff, people will recommend you to other people.

I would say given the amount of demos I get sent, people fail at sending the right music, in the right format to people willing to receive them, these are really basic things.

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by ross-alexander »

I must say as well send e-mail, and consider when you are sending it, and first and foremost be honest with yourself does the music have something good. Consider the volume of demos people receive, what will make your music stand out?

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Dubiosity »

This discussion is somewhat the same as 'how to get in to Berghain 100%'...

The point is, most technolabels are ran by cat-owning, Neo-from-the-Matrix-dressing, never-worked-a-regular-job-in-my-life, 'I-Want-To-Believe'-guys who moved to Berlin to chase the 'American Dream' (or well, at least the American Dream was about making money). Guys from all over the world moving to east-Berlin to keep lying in their beds until 17pm, then make some bland music and eventually, start a label. Since these guys are not familiar with any kind of working ethics, and very prone to stress, it's a hell to work with.

The worst thing you can do is to see them as real 'label bosses' and try to get to the bottom of their psyche, since they are just lazy. They're not mature people who are seriously trying to do what's best for the industry. Some of the like you to tell them how much you love their tracks everyday, and it lands you a release. Some want you to book em for your event, and then you get a release. It's a drag.

Very little genuine labels around these days.

PS: If you think this post is negative, that's because it is!

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Mono-xID »

well, Dubiosity's post sums it up.100% true.
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Dubiosity »

Unfortunately, it is :)

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by ross-alexander »

Crikey I am glad that I do not know anybody like this.

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by ross-alexander »

I have tried to agree with your statement Dubiosity, but I can't. Thing is I know loads of people involved with music that fall into neither of those categories (berlin / long term unemployed dreamers). There are also a number or really strong artists / labels out there that are real people, doing it either professionally or for love (and also balancing normal life things, family, jobs etc).

I did however exchange an interesting "demo" submission involving 2 one line emails with an embedded player, a polite decline followed by an angry face smiley, which really was the epitome of how not to do things just this morning...

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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Lost to the Void »

Dubiosity wrote:This discussion is somewhat the same as 'how to get in to Berghain 100%'...

The point is, most technolabels are ran by cat-owning, Neo-from-the-Matrix-dressing, never-worked-a-regular-job-in-my-life, 'I-Want-To-Believe'-guys who moved to Berlin to chase the 'American Dream' (or well, at least the American Dream was about making money). Guys from all over the world moving to east-Berlin to keep lying in their beds until 17pm, then make some bland music and eventually, start a label. Since these guys are not familiar with any kind of working ethics, and very prone to stress, it's a hell to work with.

The worst thing you can do is to see them as real 'label bosses' and try to get to the bottom of their psyche, since they are just lazy. They're not mature people who are seriously trying to do what's best for the industry. Some of the like you to tell them how much you love their tracks everyday, and it lands you a release. Some want you to book em for your event, and then you get a release. It's a drag.

Very little genuine labels around these days.

PS: If you think this post is negative, that's because it is!
Mostly true.

The simple way out of it is to ignore boregayn techno, and the labels releasing it.
By doing so you will cut out a lot of that type of sheepy sheep people from your network. And really, if you are one of the people making noise wash, dub delay and 808 kicks and scratchy record techno, then you are already part of the problem.
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Re: A guide of Submitting unsolicited Demos to Records Label

Post by Alume »

There will always be labels and artists with deeply rooted love for what they do.

If your experience in a certain scene is shit, your not in the right scene.

People stay people, most of them are shitty techno or not.


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