My Music And Song's

Posts Tagged ‘Songwriters’

Most songwriters want to hear what their songs would sound like played and recorded in a proper arrangement. The advent of the 4-track cassette recorder in the 1980s made it possible to experience the joys of multi-tracking without the expense of buying a reel-to-reel tape recorder (or booking studio time). Songwriters could make demos and mix them on a single portable machine.

Even though the sound quality left much to be desired, the 4-track cassette was a clever sketchpad. In the 1990s, the advent of digital hard-disk recording led to the first 8-track digital recorder/mixer. By 2000, for less than the cost of an old 8-track tape machine you could buy a digital mini-studio that combined 8-track recording, CD quality, editing, mixing and sound effects – all in one compact package.

Some musicians now record directly onto computers. If you are seriously interested in songwriting, I recommend that you make your own 8-track recordings in whatever medium – analogue or digital – suits your taste, wallet and available space. A couple of guitars, a drum machine and an electronic keyboard give a range of sounds and possibilities. Recording 8-track demos will improve your musicianship, teach you about production and arrangement, and sharpen your appreciation of the finer parts of songwriting.