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So, How's Your Audio Demo Reel?
Unless you're an established game music composer or sound designer in the industry, chances are you'll need a professional representation of your audio skills to get your name out there and win the job. Your previous work or current audio samples can be neatly packaged into a demo reel and sent directly to the powers that be, giving them a chance to listen over and over to your breathtaking work. Demos come in all shapes and sizes, and everyone seems to have his own philosophy about what makes them effective. However, in all of those varied opinions, no one will argue with the need for one. Demo reels are truly valuable tools in the quest for the perfect audio for a project. After talking with several game and multimedia producers, developers, and other sound artists, several common points seemed to continually stand out. Consider the mystery revealed. The First Step The highest priority when creating your demo is its quality. Without a doubt, the first thing a producer will notice is how it sounds, so quality should also be your number one concern. Cut corners where you have to; trim out the fancy labeling, stationary, packaging, and the full color brochures, but never, ever, skimp when it comes to the caliber of your sound. Use high-grade instrumentation, studio equipment, and recording medium. Think quality all the way down the line. Do what you have to, just make your audio sound great. Remember, if it doesn't sound professional in a demo you've had months to work on, how will your compositions sound good with a rushed two week project deadline? Your mix should contain that pro quality on a variety of playback systems. There is no way of predicting on which system your demo will make its debut. If you are extremely lucky, the listener's audio department will play it on studio equipment similar to yours. The majority of the time, however, it will be listened to either in the car or on a PC. If you've ensured, through a careful mixdown process, that your music sounds equally as good on your studio monitors as it does on your walkman, then you've covered all of the bases. Before I am completely satisfied with a final mix, I will critically listen in my car, on my home stereo, on my walkman, and on my child's boombox. Only then does it pass the quality test. Content Du Jour There are very few rules I actually subscribe to, but this is one: Put your best work in the first two minutes. Always. Media buyers are busy people and usually wade through piles and piles of demo reels. Chances are, they won't have the time to listen past the first couple of tracks. Always lead with your strongest piece and style. A great song that takes too long to get to the point has no place here. Feature your flavor, or style. Show your originality, composition and sound design skills, and versatility. Ensure that each track has impact and gives a continued strong impression. If you lead with shorter pieces, be sure to include longer tracks to show consistency and to let them know you can hold a listener's attention throughout. If one style is your specialty, that is certainly Okay, but keep in mind that it may also limit your clients. Versatility tends to make you more successful. Show plenty of it on your reel. A couple of pet peeves producers have willingly shared: 1) Repeating works to make your reel longer. 2) Placing work in chronological order from the beginning of your efforts. The producers urge you to get right to the point and show what you can do with little wasted time. How Long is Yours? Did you know that 40 percent of media buyers only spend between two and five minutes listening to a demo? Another 40 percent only spend six to ten minutes. The average preferred length of your reel is only seven minutes. That is not much time to present all the work you've done over the years, but it is more than enough to interest a producer in wanting to hear more. By leaving them wanting more, it builds interest, gives you another chance to present more music, and get your name in front of a prospective client one more time. Keep the length of your demo in check. An hour of music is probably a bit much. |
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Features
Introduction 
