Q's for RachelM but also everyone else who can answer

Hey Guy,

You know - a lot depends on where you live. Bonnie teaches a songwriting class here in the Bay Area, so I met her that way. But I think there must be people like Bonnie in Nashville and the other major markets.

It's been my experience that many people say they have a home studio, but that doesn't mean much.

Because I am also into the production end of it myself, I prefer collaborative efforts rather than just handing my song off to someone else to produce. If you do that, you have to be sure that what they do will support your song. In my opinion, a good song can be arranged a million different ways and it's still a good song. But is it the arrangement you want?

As for mixing, I like Bonnie's mixing - she's probably more old school on that. But there are some excellent people out there who come from the hip hop side of things--it depends on what you like. I'm learning a lot from dj's and electronic people as well--everyone brings something different to the table.

Ask them for a demo and pick the one you like the sound of. You could also look for someone who has produced artists similar to yourself. But that doesn't always mean they are the best one to produce you.

As for rates, rates vary a lot. A lot of people out here charge 60/hour. Some people charge more, but the higher rate doesn't necessarily mean they are better. Depending on whether you want a demo to get a song covered, or you want to do an album you could spend a few hundred dollars or a few grand. A couple of producers told me they charge about 2500 for a song for an album. But I think you could get someone to mix and record your demo for less than half that. I think you could probably get a song done for 500-700 if it's a pretty straightforward arrangement.

You could contact one of the songwriting associations like West Coast Songwriters or whoever is located near you and ask them--they know people who can help you record and mix.

Anyone else who is listening--feel free to jump in here. This is just what I've found.

I hope that helps.

Best wishes!!

Rachel

p.s.

About getting signed, I heard at a songwriting conference that the best way to get signed is to prove to a record company that people already want you. If you put your music on myspace and suddenly 100,000 people download your song, they WILL notice you. This info came from the West Coast rep for Virgin. He said that a band on myspace, the Scene Astethique, caught his eye because they sold over 100000 of their songs. One thing he said to do--always have some way that a person looking on your myspace page can buy your music. The link should be right there to the place where they can buy your stuff. They might like listening to you, but if they can't find a way to buy your stuff, they will move on.

I'm going to sell my music once it's finished, but I wouldn't try to sell it beforehand. I haven't let people download my tunes, so far. Perhaps once they are at a level I like, I will put a couple up on myspace to download, and put the rest on snocap or cdbaby.

Best,

Rachel

Any time. Best of luck to you!

Rachel