Get your singing career on track with the right music production company

Not every singer launches a career by performing in front of Simon Cowell. Audio production services produce both demonstration records to net a contract and full record albums to net an audience.

I recommend: GEMMusic Demos produces demos and records and offer careers guidance to aspiring singers and musicians. It has worked with artists such as Mariah Carey and Matchbox 20, as well as with Billboard Magazine, EMI Music Publishing and record companies such as Epic, Columbia and Atlantic. If country is more your thing, check out Nashville Song Demos, which offers co-writing and pre-production services, and has worked with Shania Twain and JoDee Messina, among others.

Choose music production services that work with your budget

Not everyone has a blockbuster movie budget to work with, but many audio production companies structure their business to provide greater efficiency to themselves and their clients and pass the savings on.

I recommend: Audio production company WaveGroup Sound offers real-time delivery and competitive rates for most recording and post-production budgets; projects include Guitar Hero Encore. Another affordable choice in the music production business is PMD Recording, which produces its independent-level work in-house and farms out larger projects as necessary, providing flexibility in content and pricing.

Avoid canned music; be an original

While many TV shows and commercials use classic rock, jazz and country songs as themes and background music, choosing music production companies that write their own material often pays off in not having to pay royalties out of your profits.

I recommend: Greg Youngman Music provides original music themes, cues and underscores for clients such as Fox Entertainment, Sony Pictures and Universal Studios. Producer of The Mark and Brian Show theme Barden Music Productions creates original music for film, television, commercials and multimedia productions and offers samples of its work on its website. Beatbox Music offers downloadable royalty-free music and sound effects, as well as a collection of licensed music.

If you can't be original, know where to get licensed music

Music production information isn't complete without acknowledging copyright and licensing issues. While your production company will likely handle the details for you, knowing in advance who owns the songs you want to use will help you make an informed decision.

I recommend: The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) offers information on composers and handles licensing requests for songs in its catalog. Competitor Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) offers the same licensing services. Both offer information on music producing and lists of member services.