ALL THE ADN
FAQS
“How can I know if I am ready to record?”
If you have a strong desire, and singing (or writing songs) is what you do every spare moment of your day, that’s the first step. If you’re willing to work hard, accept criticism, and you have singing and/or songwriting talent, then I’d say you are ready to take that leap of faith.
We’ll make sure you get the best vocal coach to help polish and perfect your vocal performance so that you go home happy with your recorded demo. And we will make sure you have the best, most commercial songs.
“Are you a manager?”
No, we act as your agent to represent your songs and or artist package to the labels, management companies, etc.
However, we do have management contacts for those who have a music career to manage.
“Am I too old to get a major label deal?”
No one can tell you that you’re “too old”. Everyone has the right to dream and to work toward making their dreams come true.
But in the recording industry of trying to be the next big star, you need to be realistic. You’ve got to be unique, talented, and willing to work hard. It can be more difficult the older you get, because you may not fit the mold, or the current profile of what labels are signing.
Look around you and who are the biggest stars, and how old are they, and what do they look like? It’s a tough industry to break into, even if you have all the right ingredients.
And right now more than ever before it seems to be more of a youth driven industry, with the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Taylor Swift leading the pack. But if you have a unique voice, great songs, and passion for entertaining, there’s always exceptions to the rule. It’s the overall package that matters.
At the Artist Development Network we’ll work hard to make sure you have the tools that will give you the best chance to be seen and heard by the music industry professionals. We do this by making sure your songs are marketable, you have a great look, and an excellently produced demo for a professional package that best represents you as an artist.
“Can my band play on the recording session?”
Yes, if the players are as excellent as studio musicians. We have found that most bands, although they play great live, do not do so well in the studio setting, in which case we do not recommend that the band play on their session. Professional studio session musicians will make a huge difference in the quality of your production and the time spent in the studio, plus give you a more polished professional product to shop to the labels.
“Can you shop the music to the record labels?”
Yes! Once you have a great demo and artist package why stop there? We normally shop it to record labels and our other music industry contacts for at least 12 months.
“What if I am not “Country” ?”
A lot of people think that Nashville only produces Country music. The truth is that Nashville is nick-named “Music City USA” because our city is home to the very best recording studios and studio musicians in the world. We can help you create a great recording if your style is country, R&B, pop, rock, gospel, or contemporary Christian.
“Can I record my own songs?”
Of-course you can. However it would be smart to have your material looked at first (critiqued) to be sure your songs are marketable, so that you are spending your money wisely and making a smart investment. We are always happy to listen to what you have and give you a free evaluation.
“I can record a demo here in my home town. Why should I come to Nashville?”
True. But will this recording get the attention you need to advance your career? And the answer to that question will probably be “no” if it was recorded with average musicians in Podunk, Iowa.Artist Development Network is located right in the heart of what is known as Nashville’s famous “Music Row.” Our location is no accident. What makes Music Row a special musical place on earth is not so much the recording studios or music industry presence. It’s the musicians. Nashville musicians are unequivocally the best commercial studio musicians in the world. We record all styles of music here from pop to R&B to Country and Alternative.
It’s the musicians that give Nashville its music industry edge.
Is this important? We think so, and for a number of reasons. First of all, we need to remember that your goal is performance. Your success or failure in getting gigs will depend on your recording. And ultimately, your band is going to be assembled and learning your original songs so you all can go out and perform. It will help your band immensely if you come home from Nashville with a great guide (CD). It will be both better for you as the singer and a lot easier for your stage musicians if you have excellence (your Nashville CD) as a guide. A quality Nashville recording provides an honest snapshot of an achievable, excellent musical performance.
“How much does it cost to work with the Artist Development Network?”
The Artist Development Network hires only the best, most experienced music business professionals. All of the professionals on our staff are pre-qualified experts who know how to work with our clients, determine their needs and advance their careers.We have many different options to fit your individual needs. We will give you the best demo and presentation to shop to the record labels that fits your budget.The price can be customized to fit your budget by changing things such as which studio we use, which producers we hire, whether or not we need to hire an outside vocal coach or a live performance coach, if you need a photo shoot, want a video, etc. The rates also vary between producing a demo and producing a master recording.
“What is not included in your budgets?”
Travel and lodging is all that is NOT included. Everything else such as the co-writing sessions, production, (studio time, musicians, back ground vocals, producer’s fee and mastering), and for artists photos, Electronic Press Kit, and vocal coaching plus shopping the material/artist to the labels is all included in the total budget.
“Is a deposit required?”
Yes, although we offer free evaluation/consultation , once we commit to work with you, your deposit shows you are committed as well, and it gives us the go ahead to schedule all the co-writers and/or set up publisher’s meetings to pitch you excellent songs to choose from for your project. We also need a deposit before booking the studio, producer, engineer, vocal coach, photographer, etc. We always provide you with a contract for our services.
“Will you finance my project?”
No. We are not a record label so we do not absorb the cost of developing an artist. But we can work with you on accepting a few payments as you work on each phase of the development process.
“How long will I need to stay in Nashville?”
For the co-writing sessions we’d like you to be in Nashville for at least 4 or 5 days, or for a couple of week-ends. You’ll be working with professional songwriters who will help you construct songs that have great arrangement, strong story line, and powerful hook (chorus), along with unique original melodies. This is one-on-one co-writing, a valuable school for successful song writing.
For your recording, you’ll need to be here for 3-4 days for tracking and vocals. We like to take our time and make sure the music really fits the message and the drive of the song. If you’re an artist, we also recommend an additional day or two for vocal coaching to polish up your vocal performance prior to recording your lead vocals and help you with timing, pitch, dynamics, etc.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Submit your demo and we will give you free consultation worth $250/hr.
You can submit your demo here or if you don’t have anything recorded you can call me at (615) 589-0777 and I’ll listen to you sing over the phone.