Once you've completed your demo, it's time to get your hard-earned recordings into the hands of someone that can take you to the top. In a business where it's a definite "who you know" type of atmosphere (just check out all the people in positions of power who seem to have similar names), it can be a formidable task just to get your music heard, let alone acted upon.

Getting through to industry executives is best done through established attorneys, producers, and managers. This is easier said than done, and I understand completely when readers say they have neither the financing, nor connections, to get one of these people to represent them. There are A&R people who will be willing to listen to your music, which will get the process rolling. Although recordings that come to a label from unknown sources are usually passed down to the low rung of the totem pole, if you've got something that really catches the ear of someone, you have at least started the process of getting a connection, and starting that all important "buzz" that is a necessary ingredient for the ultimate goal of every young band, a bidding war for your services1x

First of all, let me be clear about one thing... do not waste your time doing a mass mailing of tapes to record labels. I can guarantee you will get many returned to you, with a note stating unsolicited materials are not excepted. You will get many just returned and marked as "refused". You will also not get a number of them back, as they disappear into the vast emptiness of that faraway place where tapes disappear, possibly the same place where socks go when they get lost in the washer.

So how do you get to send a demo to someone at a label without a proper representative ushering your tape to a high level executive? You have to contact specific people at labels. You will most likely be given to an assistant's assistant to talk with. Introduce yourself, and describe a little about what you do musically, and why they might want to give a listen. Most often, you will be told they will not accept anything from other than established sources, but you will find some that will invite you to send it their way. They may even give you a little "code", something to mark on the outside of the envelope to insure that the package gets through, and that lets them know that they had previous contact with you.