FIRST IMPRESSIONS
By Ken Klar

It is critical that you get these details. While it may seem obvious to some, we continue to get submissions that don't follow these simple guidelines. So, I am going to spend some time to clarify a few things. Please try and incorporate these things in every submission you make no matter who you are sending them to.

Packaging: It's very important that you invest a little money in packaging. And I do mean "a little". Before you send a demo tape to a potential client/publisher (or whoever), you need to make sure you have all the pieces. It may sound like I'm being picky, but take it from someone who has seen some horrific packages that this is important.

If you can't do these simple things, don't bother to send it. There are plenty of stories of demos that have simply been thrown away without a single listen based on the package alone, and other stories that have been passed along third and fourth hand, finally getting the recognition they deserve. Do you think that would have happened to a song surrounded by sloppy handmade packaging?

Call ahead – Always get permission before sending a demo. Be sure to ask if there is anything "special" you should put on the package, some offices look for a code on the package that lets them know if this is unsolicited material; or not. Many places are swamped with demos and simply do not have enough hours in the day to listen to everything that  gets sent to them. Those they have not requested (or agreed to accept) are simply returned as "unsolicited" material.

 Padded envelope – Try to send you package in a container that says, "I care" about whether or not your submission arrives undamaged. Padded envelopes are not that expensive, I buy the kind that are bubble-wrap filled and have self adhesive enclosures for easy opening on the other end.

Cassette – Be SURE your song is on the tape and that it is cued to the beginning of the song. The only way top do this is to play it for yourself after you record it. It doesn't do you any good to send a blank cassette. Same goes for CD-R's. Be sure the song ids there and playable on any Cassette or CD player.

Labels – every piece of what you submit should contain contact information in case the package gets separated over the course of the next few weeks or years (however long the package remains in the hands of the addressee). In most cases your package should include a Padded Envelope, Demo (Cassette or CD), Cover Letter, Lyrics, Business Card, SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope).

Cover Letter – Your cover letter should look like professional business correspondence. Generally you put your contact info on the left upper most corner of the page and include a date. I always save copies of these letters on my hard drive so I can recall what I have sent and to whom I have sent it. The cover letter should include WHAT you have enclosed in the package (this is for them as much as it is for your records later). Especially which songs you have sent. Invariably they will call or write you an email requesting more material, and you will want to know what you have already sent them… so you don't send the same stuff…Also, always be sure to let the recipient know why you have sent them material and/or what you want. It dosn't do any good to get a package to someone who has no idea why it is there. Lastly, signing your letter by hand shows your personal attention to the package.

Lyrics – Please look closely at the lyrics you send. Specifically, I type the lyric so that it is more or less in the center of the page (but still left aligned though, not "centered"). This will help you pay closer attention to the lyrics that you are writing. If you make sure the verses line up then they should have the same rhyme scheme and each verse should be able to fit in place of the other. By that I mean that the first line of each verse should have the same amount of syllables in it (same as the second lines and the third etc…). Count them if you need to. This will also help the melodic structure of the song.

Closing it up – Be sure to not make the package too difficult to open. There is a fine line between sending your package in a container that says "I care" and acting like it's containing "Gold Bullion" and you don't want anyone to get inside. Few things are more frustrating than a submission that is wrapped so tightly that you have to call in the demolition squad to get to it. Those types of packages are also frequently found face down in the dump, unopened.

Ken Klar is a Producer, Songwriter and Managing Director of Must Have Music (BMI)/Must Have More Music (ASCAP), which has spent the last ten years, developing an extensive catalog of top quality original songs ranging from Adult Contemporary, Pop/R&B, Contemporary Christian, Pop-Rock and Country. The current catalog includes more than one hundred songs that have been placed in Film & TV as well as with Independent Artists across the country. For information about this and other music industry related topics, go to http://www.musthavemusic.com