Songwriter Services

If you can sing it, the Alternative can produce it! Even if you don't sing, and/or don't play an instrument, the Alternative has options available to you. We work with songwriters of all levels and in any genre.

Basically, the process works like this:

1.) Dummy tracks

You sing (and play?) your song to a 'click' track or a simple drum beat. *Submissions can be made through the mail on cassette tape or CD, or mp3 via Email, where distance inhibits physically coming to the studio. It is HIGHLY recommended that these submissions be performed to a metronome or drum machine. This cuts at least an hour off of the profiling process, and easily allows the music to be developed with you singing to it.

2.) Profiling

This is the process of determining the best chord progressions for your song's melody, and laying down the basic instrument tracks.

3.) Spec. and Approval

This is the step where you receive a copy (spec.) of the rough basic tracks from step 2 for your approval. At this point the chord progressions, style of the music, tempo, key, and each instrument's parts are analyzed by you to determine if they are OK, or need to be dropped, modified, or added to.

4.) Refinement

Once the spec. is approved as is, or needs modification, then the tracks get edited or replayed to fix any mistakes, changes are made, and additional instruments get added as needed. Steps 3 and 4 may repeat once or twice (if necessary).

5.) Real Tracks

In this step, the lyrics are re-sung to the refined music, unless you are distant, in which case options will need to be discussed for the final vocal track(s). Also all final audio tracks (i.e. guitars) are performed.

6.) Finalize

This is the final step, where we determine the mix of instruments, vocals, and effects (like reverb). Then it is burned onto CD for your master copy.

Songwriters who play an instrument, and those who are more musically inclined will be able to skip all or parts of the early steps, as things like chord progressions may already be determined, and you may play some of the tracks yourself. This will result in shorter time frames and therefore costs. Initial consultation is free, and highly recommended to determine the best course of action for a given project, including time frame and cost projections, styles, instruments to be used, etc...

Contact me for more info and/or to set up an appointment today!

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