The Random Search for Awesome Talent 2014

THE 2014 SEARCH HAS CONCLUDED. THE RESULTS WILL BE SHARED IN JULY. THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!


If you’re reading this, chances are you’re where I was 10 years ago; busting your ass trying to get your band off the ground while working a part-time job flexible enough to allow you time off for shows and small independent tours. With all of the gear, merch, and transportation expenses involved in being a serious band, there’s not much money left over for serious recordings.

My name is Josh Schroeder and I produce records for a living. Some of the bands I’ve worked with include The Color Morale, In Hearts Wake, Battlecross, For Today, King 810, The Browning, For The Fallen Dreams, Legend, Wolves & Machines, and many others. I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of great talent over the years, and while a solid producer can make almost anyone’s album sound good, truly great records are a team effort between passionate, hard working artists, and an equally dedicated and driven producer/engineer.

As someone who’s been on both sides of the process, I remember not only how much effort it takes to make a band successful, but also how much finances can play a roll. The cost of recording with professional producers and engineers can end up being a big chunk of a rising band’s budget. While initial sticker shock can give the impression that studio costs are high, the reality is that you get what you pay for, and working with the most experienced and talented producers and engineers in specialized genres is an important investment.

This is where record labels normally come in. They spend a lot of time and money searching for the most talented and marketable bands. Like any business, they are looking for big returns on their investment. If a label isn’t ready to bankroll an unsigned, new, or niche band, it can be very difficult for the artists to find the necessary funding for quality recordings. These very recordings can play a part in getting the proper exposure and promotion necessary to grab a label’s attention, so it becomes a chicken-and-egg problem.

All of this leads me to the project I’m introducing today – The Random Search for Awesome Talent. Cornball names aside, the point of this search is to find talented bands who have potential, but are perhaps lacking the funds needed to get professional recordings.

How to enter the talent search.

Before May 19, 2014, complete these steps.

STEP 1. Fill out the form below* to provide: *(The 2014 search is over, so submissions are no longer being accepted. Thanks for participating!)
A demo of your music.
– I understand that most of the material submitted will be DIY demos, so don’t worry about recording quality at all. It would be cool to get some video if possible, but that’s not a requirement.

A short description of your band.
– Where do you hope to see your band in 5 years?
– What are you trying to do differently than other bands?
– Who are your influences?

STEP 2. Share this post on social media, like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc.

The ultimate goal of this talent search is to grant a free week of recording time to the artist(s) that, in my opinion, offers the most interesting and compelling music. Runners up will be offered greatly discounted studio time (not sure how many runners up I will be offering; it will depend on how many entries I receive). I usually record aggressive music, but I will accept demos from ALL genres – rock, metal, hardcore, country, jazz, rap, instrumental, etc. No genre is off limits.

Unlike a battle of the bands, this is a private talent search, not a popularity contest. I will not post or share any of the material I receive without the artist’s permission. I will listen to every single submission and read every single email received by May 19, 2014 before making my decision.

I’m extremely excited about this talent search, and look forward to hearing from a lot of great up-and-coming bands. I would love nothing more than to have this talent search break out new artists – that’s a win-win for everyone involved 🙂

Thanks in advance to everyone taking the time to participate!

-Josh

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