Packaging CD of Songwriter Demos

[standardtunes]

I'm tempted to formally release a CD's worth of my jazz/pop demos and sell them on iTunes, CDBaby wherever. The songs are all performed by the same session vocalist, an attractive chanteuse who is happy to help and whose image on the CD wouldn't hurt a bit. Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best way to package such a CD? Should I focus on selling the songs and me as the songwriter? Or should it be more like "So-and-so sings 12 great love songs" with a copy line about the me as composer? Or something else? Has anyone straddled this particular fence? The demos are all high quality technically and I have the work-for-hire thing down with the musicians. Thanks in advance. All advice is much appreciated. -- John

www.taxi.com/standardtunes

[ullali]

Hey John...What a great idea!
I guess the purpose is to promote yourself (as a songwriter) and your songs, right? In that case I would make sure that that was very obvious in the headline/CD cover etc....xx lovesongs BY xxx....or whatever you will call it....and then sung by xxx or featuring artist...etc.

I really like that you are giving full credit to, and promoting, your singer too (if she wants it, that is )! So many artists don't even give credit to their fantastic musicians and songwriters on their CD covers, which I feel is very disrespectful, since everybodys contribution is vital for the final product. Like you, I also give credit to everybody who helped me, I really think they deserve that.

Your singer and you could be branding and promoting each other. Only thing I would be careful of was, if I was getting too locked/attached to 'only' that 'one brand' (unless that's what I wanted!?). Hope you get what I mean!?
BEST OF LUCK!

[mojobone]

Put it out under the singer's name, or make up a group name; casual fans don't care who wrote the song. You can always make sure you're prominently featured in the credits, since you're the executive producer.

[standardtunes]

Thank you. That makes a lot of sense. I hadn't thought of just making up a band name, either. - John