Okay, the studio and players have been chosen. Now somebody has to sing your song and put some heart into the performance, or your great song may never go anywhere but a Music Row dumpster. Engineers and publishers can usually recommend vocalists. If you don't live in a music hub, your options may be limited to jingle singers and local bar band vocalists. If you live in a small town, move — or at least look in the nearest big town.

When to Sing Your Own Demo

Most songwriters insist on singing their own demos. Do the guys who build racecars insist on driving them in the Indy 500? Maybe you should rethink things a little bit. Even if you're a fantastic singer, your voice might not be right for a particular song. Remember, when it comes to pitching songs, it's the song that matters, not your artistic vanity or hopes of a record deal.

If you can't find someone who can sing your song better than you, then sing your own demo. Otherwise, look for a voice that's similar to artists to whom you might pitch the song or close to the one you heard in your head when writing it.

Boy or Girl?

When it comes to many songs, it doesn't matter whether the performer is male or female. As a matter of fact, you may want to put some effort into writing songs that are either nongender specific or have two different versions of the lyric — this doubles your chances of getting a cut. If you can afford two demos, one with male vocals and one with female vocals, then go for it. All things being equal, go with a male singer; the theory is that many male singers will shy away from a song with a female vocal on the demo but most female singers aren't scared by a male vocal demo.