Recording Myth: “The Spec Deal” or “Nothing is EVER free.”
Posted by Michael on August 18, 2008 under Articles, Recording Tips | 
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There are some musicians who seem to think that they can find a producer/engineer who will be willing to work with them for free (“On Spec”). Or they may have heard that if they are “good enough” they shouldn’t have to pay for recording… someone will front them.
While in a few number of cases that can be true, as I’m sure someone has told you, “Nothing is EVER free.”
I’ll walk you through a few common scenarios, and explain where the hidden “costs” are… should you actually find someone willing to work with you on Spec.
1. Established producers will “cost”: The truest form of a spec deal is with an established producer who actually has industry contacts and is producing you because they feel they can possibly get a deal for you. However, getting their attention is difficult. Unless you have an inside connection to them in the first place, you will need a very good quality demo to get them interested in the first place. Then if you DO get the deal,YOU WILL NEED TO HIRE AN EXPERIENCE MUSIC ATTORNEY. This will cost you quite a bit, but you need to protect yourself, because the well connected producer is certainly protecting himself. The last thing you want is a scenario where the demos he produces don’t secure you a deal and/or aren’t stylistically where you want to go musically… and then you find yourself lucky enough to actually land a deal later on (not having anything to do with his demos) and have him suing you for earnings.
2. Inexperienced producers will waste your time (and time is money!): Many newcomers will work on spec, but if they don’t have the skills in the first place, you may spend a lot of time working on recordings that never showcase you well in the first place. You can find yourself running months (or years) behind your goals for yourself.
Of course there are all sorts of producers in between, but with ALL of them, including the categories above, these are some of the other hidden costs. Read more of this article »
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