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Step one is to get the highest quality recording of yourself with original songs. This is referred to as a music demo, demo CD, or music master. When you start contacting people in the music industry on your quest for a record deal, they will want to hear your music demo and see your entire artist package.

Every record company receives thousands of letters and emails everyday from singers telling them how wonderful they are. Have you seen some of the singers on American Idol who can’t hold a tune? Just telling someone you’re great doesn’t do anything for your career. But when you send them a fantastic recording of your music demo with great original songs, you’re taking the first step to a record deal.

I’m a singer and I’d like to make a music demo recording. Where do I start?

Right here. You need a reputable music producer or music production company that has experience making HIT records. That’s us! We also support our artists through music marketing and music distribution, so we don’t leave you hanging once we finish your music production. You can see our credits, but more importantly, listen to our music! We are proud of our music productions, and we’re proud of all the wonderful things that SkyeLab artists have achieved.

I don’t play any instruments. Can I still make a music demo?

Absolutely! The music producer will arrange the music and hire professional musicians to play it if needed. Many great music productions don’t have many live musicians these days, so that will depend on your genre of music and the direction the music production should take. A music producers job is to coordinate all aspects of the musical production, including working with the musicians and engineers, booking studio time, picking songs, etc. This leaves the singer to concentrate on what they do best – SINGING!

I don’t write music. Can you write a song with my vocal style in mind?

Yes, and we do it often. We can analyze your vocal style and your vocal range, and what market best suits you. Then we’ll write a great song in the style that we all agree on, using published songwriters.
As an alternative, many of our artists prefer SkyeLab to create the music track, and then they write their own lyrics to match. On occasion, artists come to us with just lyrics or melodies, or any combination. We work with it all – that’s what songwriting is all about 🙂 For more info on Songwriting, click here.

Why does my recording from another company sound old?

The problem with some of the songwriting and music production services we see, is that they assemble a group of live musicians in the studio, and the band runs down 20 songs in a day. They all end up sounding basically the same, with a “One Size Fits All” mentality. But there is no “sound sculpture” like we do in professional contemporary music production. It’s generic, nothing special, no individual quality to it.

But when you listen to the top 50 songs worldwide, most of those music productions are not made with live musicians playing in the studio. Not anymore. So if you want your music production to have the sound of Taylor Swift, The Weekend, Daft Punk, Sia, The Chainsmokers, Calvin Harris, 21 Pilots, or any popular music, then you hire a music producer like we have at SkyeLab Music to come up with that sound, however we do it. It’s dictated by whatever is right for that song. And most of the time, it won’t be live drums, bass, guitar and piano in a recording studio as song #17 for that day. It’s not the ’90s.

Take a listen to our POP playlist, or any of our playlists. It sounds fresh, with effects, synthesizers, heavy bass, etc. like the music you hear on the radio. Then take a listen to the examples these other music production companies have on their site and compare. Theirs sounds like a band, playing a song like they would in a bar. But it doesn’t sound anything like the current popular music we often hear.

Even if it’s rock or folk, (take a listen to our singer/songwriter playlist) the sound needs to be sculpted. Again, it’s not a One Size Fits All approach.

What should I look for in a MUSIC PRODUCER or MUSIC PRODUCTION COMPANY?

The first thing should be experience. Consider the following:

Who have they worked with and how long have they been around?
The next thing to inquire about is whether or not they make records for a living, or are they part-time producers with day jobs? This is how you’ll know how serious they are about your project.
Do they have experience with the style of music you wish to pursue?
Will you be recording in a home studio and singing in a closet, or will you be in a professional recording studio that will give you the sound you need?
Does the mixing engineer who will be mixing your tracks have any hit record credits, or any credits at all?
Are there any hidden fees like musicians, studio time, engineer, rentals, etc., or is it all inclusive? Be sure you know all the costs before you’re dragged into something you weren’t prepared for.
Where are they located? New York and LA are the hubs of the record Industry. Thousands of records are produced in these locations, and almost all of the major labels that record the big stars you hear on the radio are located here.
Lastly, you need to hear the quality of their work. Does it sound contemporary, like the music that’s on the radio now, or does it sound dated? Are the vocals clean and up front, or buried behind the producers musical arrangement? Would you be happy with the same quality for your music? Finding a producer who matches your style is the difference between a hit and obscurity.

We’ve worked with artists including: Madonna, Mya, Brandy, Pink, Will Smith, Missy Elliot, 98 Degrees and many more. We have 13 Platinum and gold records and hundreds of album credits. A professional studio with great musicians and engineers with no hidden fees. Our songwriters have been published. SkyeLab Music Group is THE place to record your music.

How much should I expect to pay for a song or an album?

You can spend as little as a few hundred dollars and your song will most likely sound awful and definitely not impress anybody in the industry. You need to have an outstanding music production for your song that will compete with the professional product that record companies receive everyday, and fans are used to hearing. Creating a cheap recording can actually be perceived as worse than not doing one at all. By settling for for a cheap recording, you will be giving a bad impression to the people that you’re reaching out to, and it will be harder for you to be heard the next time around.

We have multiple levels of pricing to match any budget. So if this is your dream, you need to give yourself a genuine chance of succeeding! If you expect to actually impress record company executives who receive hundreds of music submissions everyday, the only way to do it is with quality from professionals like SkyeLab Music Group. And if you take the independent route, you need to build genuine fans. And the music production must be great quality, unique and capture your best performance in order to do that.

We put together a fantastic, affordable all in one music production package for independent artists, that also includes basic marketing and worldwide distribution on iTunes, Spotify, etc. Please view our Music Production Services page for more details.

I hear the music business can be shady. What should I watch out for?

Please read our article, 10 Pitfalls you MUST avoid when recording your music demo or master! Unfortunately, there are many scams to watch out for. Believe it or not, the business is a lot more shady with non-professionals who have very little legitimate music industry experience, then it is when dealing with music industry pros.

SkyeLab was incorporated in NY in 1994 and we have worked with thousands of artists. We have achieved success for many of them. Please read our client reviews and testimonials to see what our clients say about us.

Remember, if something looks and feels shady, it probably is. If someone is promising you everything for nothing, look out! We are very clear. We provide music services, we charge a fee, and we deliver, as we have since 1994.

Now that my recording is done, what should I do?

The first step is to have SkyeLab create your electronic press kit (EPK). We can also assist with writing and editing your artist bio and set you up with a professional photographer to have your artist pictures taken.
We’ll then create your music account on popular music sites such as iTunes, Soundcloud and Spotify. We’ll create various social network accounts that can give you the proper exposure to the music industry, along with exposure to millions of potential fans.

We can also campaign on your behalf, reach out to blogs and magazines for exposure and reviews, and submit your music to online and traditional radio and for music licensing opportunities. We will also give you access to our free ebooks and additional resources to help you in your pursuit of a professional music career.

If you’re interested in a detailed outline, please check out our marketing services. Or as always, feel free to call or email us with any questions.

I′m not in NY. Can you still work with me?

Of course! We work with artists all over the world. In the past year alone we’ve worked with artists from Russia, China, India, Australia, Israel, Korea, England, California, Atlanta, Nigeria, and many more.
Click here NOT IN NY? NOT A PROBLEM for more information on how it works if you’re in another state or country.

Okay, I want to work with SkyeLab! What do I do next?

It’s easy. Please call or email us and we’ll schedule a time for a free consultation when you can tell us all about yourself and your project. You can hear samples of our productions and we’ll discuss what we feel are the best options for you, based on your goals, your style, your budget, your experience, and your commitment. There’s no obligation on your part.

When you’re convinced we’re the right music production company for you, we’ll set up a payment plan that’s within your budget and start production on your original music. We’ll put you on the right road to achieving your musical goals.

You can fill out this form and we’ll contact you to schedule a free consultation.

What′s the difference between a Music Demo and a Music Master?

Music demo is often the buzzword that’s used when someone needs to make a recording but it’s often confused.

A music demo is a basic recording of the song, using just a few instruments. It’s like a nice “sketch” to show a singers voice, or to show the song.

A Music Master is the fully produced, radio ready, hi quality music production, ready for commercial distribution.

Record labels, publishing companies and Fans, are all used to hearing fully produced Music Masters. Music Demos have in most ways outlived their usefulness.

So if you want a career in music, or you want to sell or license your songs, or build fans, you really need a fully produced Music Master. And that’s what we do hear at SkyeLab.

Why SkyeLab as opposed to other music production companies?

Award winning music producers and recording engineers, (14 Gold/Platinum Records, 8 #1 Billboard Hits) and 22 YEARS in business. You benefit from our experience so you know you’re working with music industry pros!

but the main point is…

At SkyeLab, we’re interested in creating a relationship with our artists and helping them grow and develop through the years. We work very closely with you to find out what makes you special as a singer, what your strengths and weaknesses are as an artist, and how to make you really shine. Then we produce custom music for you, creating a unique sound for your music, so it doesn’t sound like those cooky cutter music production companies where every song sounds the same, with the same band with the same sounds on every artists songs. (please, compare our music to theirs)

But we don’t stop there…

We help with music marketing and distribution to get you on iTunes, Spotify, and about 20 other digital retailers. We can help market your music to music blogs, submit your songs for licensing opportunities for Movies & TV. We set up your social networks correctly for music, so you can get the exposure you need to build and grow your fanbase.

That’s not all…

We have vocal coaches to work with you and help take you to the next level as a singer, and to help prepare you for the recording studio. Using Skype, Facetime, Google Hangouts, they can give you a lesson from anywhere, anytime that it’s convenient. And we pride ourselves in really getting the best performance out of singers while in the recording studio.

Producing a great vocal track is an art itself. We know exactly how to direct a singer to get a fantastic, emotional lead vocal track, lush background vocal tracks, colorful harmonies, and exciting ad libs. We use top level microphones, and we’re masters at the latest vocal processing technology. So your vocals come across professionally, like we hear from big recording artists. And that is how listeners will connect to you when they hear your voice, and that’s how you get loyal fans!

but your image…

We have fantastic photographers and graphic artists to help create incredible promo pictures and album covers for you. Presenting a professional image as a musical artist is vital, and you need to look like a star as well as sound like one.

the best part…

When you record with us, you are now part of the SkyeLab musical family where all our artists help support one another. We host open mic nights where our artists showcase their talents. We have record release parties, seminars, and showcases. We like to develop lasting bonds with our artists so we’re there for you as you’re musical career begins to take off. And your success is our success.

So come and join us…

We make it as easy as possible for any artist to take that first step with us, by offering payment plans, occasional discounts, bundles and custom options. Please fill out the form for a FREE CONSULTATION, and we can discuss the best way to get you started, and welcome you into the SkyeLab Family!

So to sum up, why SkyeLab…