Making a career out of being a demo singer can be fun and very rewarding. It can also open the right doors for you to make a career doing your own music if you are a singer-songwriter or you’re in a band. I’ve had many people write to me and ask me how to get started.

Getting demo singing jobs are not easy at first, it is not like applying for a job from a newspaper. You have to build it like a business from the ground up. The one thing that it really takes to make it is talent.

As long as you have the talent, you can do it. Then the first thing you really need to do is have a reel that showcases your voice.

Here are some basic steps to take to get you started.

1) You must record yourself singing in many styles on your reel. Your reel is just a series of clips of songs. Note that clips are much better than full-length songs.

Someone who is thinking of hiring you usually won’t have time to listen to a full song. Always edit to the best part of the song where it shows off your voice or the style you are demonstrating.

2) When choosing songs for your reels, you need to record a few different styles. Many writers and producers want a demo singer to sound like a certain artist.

I’ve had many people call saying things like, “Can you sing this like Lady Gaga?” or “Try it in the style of Feist”, etc. You can go to iTunes and buy a few karaoke tracks of artists you can mimic. Then record your vocals on top.

3) Make sure that you get your reel mixed if you decided to record your vocals at home with your own gear and not in a studio. Having a poor sounding reel that isn’t mixed right could work against you.

4) Put your reel up online. Make a professional looking website or if you don’t have the budget, you can always make a MySpace page for yourself. If you don’t have much of a resume now, don’t fake it.

Just let your talent and your voice do the convincing for you. You will build your experience in time.

5) Offer to sing for someone for free. I did my first session free and the producer I worked for was very impressed so he hired me over and over ever since. Doing a free job can also help you build your reel and resume.

6) Keep working! Remember, it is you who is getting your work. You must do something everyday, whether that is searching online for jingle houses, producers and writers, or putting ads up for your services.

Like all freelance work, some days may be up and some may be down, but there is something to do everyday to increase your chances of being heard.

By Charlene Ava, Professional Session Singer in NYC, visit my link below to hear reels and to contact me.

Charlene Ava is a professional session singer in New York City who also records for clients anywhere in the world from her home studio. Visit her at http://www.reallygoodvocals.com

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Making music demos is probably the number one way that bands seek to get themselves a record contract. Unfortunately, as is the case with unsolicited manuscripts sent to publishers by aspiring writers, most of these demos will go unnoticed.

The fact is that record company A&R people have a ton of material thrown their way every day and there simply isn’t enough time in the day for them to listen to all of it. When they do listen to demo CD’s sent in by artists, however, there are definite limits to how much time they can be expected to invest.

Demos should essentially give a broad overview of a band, their style and their flexibility in writing and performing music. Each of the CD tracks should be well-produced and have a professional feel. While there is certainly some charm in material that isn’t overly-produced, A&R people need to hear the band unencumbered by poor recording techniques to make a decision as to whether to call the artist or simply toss the CD into the rubbish bin where, sadly, a great many demo CD’s do end up.

Depending on the range of the band, a demo CD should include at least 3 but no more than 5 selections. The three strongest songs a band has should be included on the CD, of course, and should be varied enough to show range and skill on the part of the musicians. Making music demos is as much of an art as is making music in general.

Like a good song, the CD tracks, as a whole, should engage the listener, stick in their mind and complement one another. It’s generally better to have three songs which are somewhat similar in composition, but good, than to have three which are vastly different and show no continuity of sound.

The CD’s tracks should also be selected for length. Having a three song demo where every track is a 10 minute jam band excursion into improvisation defeats the purpose altogether. Generally, A&R people function from the idea that, if something is good, they can tell right away.

Even if they truly like your demo CD, there’s a good chance that they may only listen to one track before deciding to follow through. On demo’s, that first track is of the utmost importance. Make it your strongest one overall.

Where longer demos are concerned, don’t assume that sending five tracks means that the A&R department is going to listen to the entire CD. Making demo CD’s is, essentially, making an advertisement.

Longer advertisements may appeal to people who are already interested in a product but, for those who haven’t been sold yet, they want the advertisement to instantly appeal to their desire to satisfy a need. For record labels, that need is for talented artists who have the potential to sell a lot of product.

If particularly long songs are the norm for you or your band, consider making edited versions for use on demo CD’s. While it may not accommodate the entirety of your artistic vision, there is something to be said for leaving the A&R person wanting more. In fact, when making demo CD’s, that’s the entire point.

Three to five songs of 3 to 4 minutes length is generally ideal. It’s enough to establish that a band is talented and potentially beneficial to a record company and short enough that it doesn’t impose great demands of time upon the A&R person to whom the CD is sent.

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About the Author: Clare Knight is an experienced copywriter who has helped establish a lot of new indie music bands within the uk. Helping a lot of different best new bands