i'm fed up... i beg you...

[G3rard]

For all you label owners - do you take more notice of producers who actually send cdrs / vinyl etc. and have made an effort to send you a professional package?

A few years ago to promote yourself as an artist or to get signed you would maybe press up 200 white labels as your promotional tool and distribute these to djs and labels which would have taken considerable time and effort. Now people use mp3s, sending them to labels the moment they have been rendered from their DAW in 192kpbs.

This creates a slew of unfinished projects being sent to labels and removes a lot of the professional mixing and mastering that a lot of producers may have used to produce a 12", this means that the majority of tracks being sent today (and also being released on Beatport) are unprofessional demos by uneducated bedroom producers and will not have that professional touch/ input. This is also why labels pick up on new producers who are already quite well known on the scen because they know they will give them a professional product not an unfinished mp3.

Just to state I have never released a record myself but I have collected records for years, djed for over 10 years and (try to) produce music and this is something that has come up in conversation with friends who have run record labels and produced tracks, that they not only receive tracks using obvious sounds but the tracks do not sound professional.

[patrick bateman]

For all you label owners - do you take more notice of producers who actually send cdrs / vinyl etc. and have made an effort to send you a professional package?

hmm, no, not really. But I do like a little mail telling who it is sending me tracks, accompanied with a little bio and previous releases.
Mails containing just a link to sendspace etc will just be deleted right away.

A few years ago to promote yourself as an artist or to get signed you would maybe press up 200 white labels as your promotional tool and distribute these to djs and labels which would have taken considerable time and effort. Now people use mp3s, sending them to labels the moment they have been rendered from their DAW in 192kpbs.

I have heard about this, but isn't it more like 'quite some years ago' that people were doing this?
That said, I have just received 2 demo cd's the last week, which both of them look super professinal, so people are still doing stuff like this (sadly both of them were horrible)

This creates a slew of unfinished projects being sent to labels and removes a lot of the professional mixing and mastering that a lot of producers may have used to produce a 12", this means that the majority of tracks being sent today (and also being released on Beatport) are unprofessional demos by uneducated bedroom producers and will not have that professional touch/ input. This is also why labels pick up on new producers who are already quite well known on the scen because they know they will give them a professional product not an unfinished mp3.

You are more or less right in those points. Not so much to say about it.
For our labels it's a truth that we of course pay more attention if the mail/demo comes from a person who have releases on established labels already, as it's easier to work with a name, than with a total new-comer (sales/promotion wise etc etc)....

[thelibrarian]

In the end, produce what you want and when you want to. Let yourself make the music, not the outside world.

I will say that it would be refreshing if a good majority of "techno" producers would stop listening to techno for awhile.

[hydrogen]

making the actual tracks is a piece of cake.

your selling yourself short there if you really believe thats true.

[pheek]

For all you label owners - do you take more notice of producers who actually send cdrs / vinyl etc. and have made an effort to send you a professional package?

Yes but this always never happens. I mean, a nice package is appreciated but won't make me appreciate the music more. Sometimes it actually makes the opposite effect: the package creates some excitment but when i start listening, if i don't like it, it's like a huge frustration.

My ideal demo submission is simple:

(before submitting, get to know the label, its releases, its artists so you're no BS)

1. Email label to get in touch, introduce yourself, prove that you actually know the label and appreciate FOR REAL, not brown nosing. Try to get an idea of the release schedule.

2. Ask for what's the best way to submit.

3. WAIT. BE PATIENT. If no news after 1 week, make a follow-up.

4. If no news, forget it for a while. If you got an answer, send your music in the format the label asks.

If people would do that more, it would be a much better world. It's exactly as getting a job you know? Make a good first impression... you have only one chance to make one.

[pheek]

PLEASE to anyone producing and sending demos... Please PLEASE PLEASE, I beg you, STOP making that shuffling sine click/ rim / conga, arpeggiated or equivalent à la minus.

I do not know this sound. Could you please give me a few track references so that I can go check it out? Thanks.

You're joking, right.

[G3rard]

Patrick you are right Im thinking maybe early 2000's so a little irrelevant to how a lot of labels work now, but still think way too many tracks that are being released seem to be half finished and I think that could be one of the reasons. Definately interesting to hear peoples points.

That said, I have just received 2 demo cd's the last week, which both of them look super professinal, so people are still doing stuff like this (sadly both of them were horrible)

They may have been bad but you still listened to them, so I suppose putting in that bit of extra effort is still maybe worth it if you want people to take notice, especially if you really believe your music is half decent.
I just need to try and make some music which is a little bit decent first

[G3rard]

Yes but this always never happens. I mean, a nice package is appreciated but won't make me appreciate the music more. Sometimes it actually makes the opposite effect: the package creates some excitment but when i start listening, if i don't like it, it's like a huge frustration.

My ideal demo submission is simple:

(before submitting, get to know the label, its releases, its artists so you're no BS)

1. Email label to get in touch, introduce yourself, prove that you actually know the label and appreciate FOR REAL, not brown nosing. Try to get an idea of the release schedule.

2. Ask for what's the best way to submit.

3. WAIT. BE PATIENT. If no news after 1 week, make a follow-up.

4. If no news, forget it for a while. If you got an answer, send your music in the format the label asks.

If people would do that more, it would be a much better world. It's exactly as getting a job you know? Make a good first impression... you have only one chance to make one.

You do know that you are now going to get millions of producers emailing you, introducing who they are, giving you facts on your label/artists/releases and what format they should send their tracks in. By the way I think your an amazing singer and loved your vocals on Magda Had A Little Troll, now listen to my tracks

You are right in everything you've said and that bit of info should help any person who really hasnt got a clue what to do. Ive only ever approached a few people with releases and these have always been labels which I respect or people I have met through djing and have been interested in.