This is the second of three Quick Tip videos by Bonnie Hayes. The first part talked about the role and mindset of a producer and this video talks about how to go about finding the right producer for you.

It's obvious there's more to a song demo than just words and melody; there's the tempo (how fast or slow a song is), the key (you'd be surprised how raising or lowering the key by just a half-step can effect the dynamic energy of a piece), the over-all "feel" of the song: is it straight-ahead country, shuffle, cowboy cha-cha, four-on-the-floor? What's the Intro like; four measures, eight? And do you have a particular melody (hook) in mind; played by what- the fiddle, piano, fiddle and piano? Is there a solo section? Have you determined which instrument(s) will play it?

Find out what the basic types of mics are and what they're most often used for.

How to select the right mic for the singer's voice.

What should you really consider when you're mixing your track? How do you choose what to focus on? Use the rule of three and other ideas, too.

How to mic acoustic guitars and use different mic setups for different results.

There's a lot to think about before you go into the studio to record a song.