How does it sound? Good? Really good? What, exactly, sounds good? Is it just that you captured a good performance, or did you create a sound that stands on its own? If this demo is going to serve you well, it should sound as great as it can. You saved a ton of money recording it at home, and you also kept all of your creative control. Now's the time to ask the hard questions. Did you mix it as well as someone else could? Does it need to be mastered? Did this demo turn out to be album quality after all? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you want to investigate some options.

If you intend to distribute your recordings, gain radio airplay, or establish music industry ties, your recording needs to sound professional. Professional sound doesn't mean just mixing, noise, balance and effects, but more important, loudness. Loudness is one of the most critical parts of the mastering process, and it's one that should not be overlooked. We've all been frustrated by commercials that play too loudly on TV, forcing you to lower the volume — and then, bam! The next show comes on normal volume and you can't hear a thing. It's happened to all of us. That rogue commercial wasn't properly mastered.

Imagine that your demo gets into the hands of a club owner who takes the time to listen to your work. If he or she can't hear it properly due to mixing and mastering issues, then you might have closed that door. It might make sense to take your work to a professional mixing and mastering studio to help you put the finishing touches on your work. If something doesn't sound right, and you're not quite sure how to fix it, investigate some professional options. You'll also learn a lot.

Don't let obvious mistakes remain part of your recording. No matter what your original intent was, this demo has taken on a deeper purpose if you've decided to go public. Even if you started out wanting to simply utilize your new gear and you got a better result than you expected, polish it as best you can. Fix the mistakes your public will hear. If you intend to sell this recording, your demo is your personal calling card. Obvious mistakes in your recording ring out as clearly as spelling errors in a typed resume. You never know who's going to listen to it.