While it’s always possible to get lost in the details of any new project, sometimes, the details truly matter.

And believe it or not, whether a male or female records the vocals on your demo could have longterm implications for your song.

Your demo is just as much about the perception of artists as it is the practicality of things of tempo, key, etc.

A performer visualizes themselves being successful with your song. And if you think about it, this is quite like everyday experience as well.

Commercials and advertisements will usually feature members of the product’s target audience. This is to create the feeling of, “If it works for them, it will work for me too!”

Ideally, you will have a vocalist on your demo that helps create that perception in your target audience’s mind.

With that in mind, here are some things to think about.

The Key Matters

As you probably know, certain keys will bode better for a male or female led song. And of course, this consideration is downstream from other factors.

So the first question to ask is: Who do you, the songwriter, envision singing this song? Is it a male or a female?

You’ll pick a key accordingly, and that will determine whether a male or female should sing it.

If you want to change your song to a male-led song, you should try about a 5 step differential as a starting point.

What Do Your Lyrics Say?

Maybe you’re having trouble deciding whether you’d like a male or female to sing it.

One of the first considerations is how the lyrics are written. There are some obvious things, of course, like if the song is written from the perspective of a wife, mother, father, son, etc.

But there are some less obvious things as well.

Songs with themes around love, care, and nurture might be better suited for a female lead, while songs about instruction, life lessons, and leadership might be better suited for male lead.

There will always be exceptions to these, but it’s a good starting point if you’re undecided.

Do You Have an Artist in Mind?

Let’s say you have written a song in the genre of Southern Gospel, and you have a large quartet in mind for the song.

Given the kind of music they are looking for, as well as the producers and managers they are working with, it’s probably not a great idea for a female to lead the demo.

Like I mentioned a moment ago, that perception and visualization is everything when it comes to actually pitching the song.

This is important because, while we do not necessarily pitch songs at BuyDemoTracks.com, we do list them and (in some cases) actively market them to people looking for new songs.

You should make the assumption that your song has a chance of getting in front of the right person, and make sure the demo has the right vocal for the job.

Do You Have a Specific Demo Vocalist/Sound in Mind?

If you have a specific sound in mind, you might be surprised to know that it is possible to have even well-known performing artists record your vocal demo!

Don’t believe me?

We work with quite a few of them here on BuyDemoTracks.com.

This has the additional benefit of helping potential recording artists know whether the song is for them or not.

If an artist has a particular liking for the vocalist you’ve chosen, that may help push them over the edge in choosing your song!

Conclusion

You might be tempted to think that I’m making a big deal out of something that does not really matter. But I can assure you, selecting the right vocalist to help you sell your song is a very big deal.

Choose wisely, but at the same time, don’t stress. Your producers can help you make a good decision and find a strong singer to help sell the demo.

At the end of the day, the “right” choice is always a clean, professional singer who is concerned with quality and wants the best for the song.

When you find that, you’re already ahead of the pack.