Dan,

No. It is about knowing your market and the nuances included in each. What happens in this market is that demos are much more song supported as opposed to the sound of the demo. Both are important, but what you find with in the town demos are what they DON'T play and what they DO play. You will find solos or melodic approach that don't take away from the lyrics or support the melody in a lot of ways that most people wouldn't think of.

Many things are unbelievably simple and understated. Outside demos tend to showcase the talents of the individual players and while they might make an interesting showcase for some shredder guitar player or techie proficient keyboard player, they are not the same as the techniques involved.

Using a Midi sound steel guitar sample played by a tele B Bender, is fine live but sticks out like sore thumb when you are being played in among two dozen demos with Doug Dugmore or Hal Rugg, who play for George Straight. Using a Violinist that plays with a symphony orchestra is not going to have the same techniques as Larry Franklin, who plays on those same sessions. They are different approachs.

And when people try to have someone who does have "country credentials" in New York. LA or others, they are usually also often behind the times in what is happening now. They are in a different area so their nuances and influences are by very definition not going to be the same as the people who do this every day.

The key is in finding the unique take on a song in the writing then reinforcing that by the instrumentation, the players and the total demo is in the pocket. And you are not havin songs played in a vacum. There are hundreds going on at any one time. if you go read a post I just did on the "Professionals" thread on these pages and see what a song goes through to even be pitched, you can gain some insights on how important the demos are.

You are also up against the artists themselves. Their demos sound amazing in most cases and they wrote those songs. So if yuo think a homemade demo,no matter the equipment,can even be considered, you haven't listened to hundreds of songs in a sitting.

It is all about context. That is why being in certain circles,making those relationships and understanding how the game is played is so important.

MAB