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The Finished Demo Checklist: when is a demo done?

Most songs never get finished because nobody said what finished means. A demo is not a master. It is done when it passes these eight checks.

1. It has every section

Verse, chorus and whatever the song needs (a bridge, a middle eight, an outro) all exist in one take, even roughly. No "and then something here".

2. Every word is written

No placeholder lines or humming where words go. A weak line you can change later beats a gap.

3. It is one take, start to finish

You can play or sing it through without stopping. Mistakes are fine; stopping is not.

4. The key and tempo are set

You know what key it is in and roughly how fast. Write them on the song so a producer or bandmate can pick it up.

5. The hook lands in the first 30 seconds

If someone heard only the first half minute, would they know what the song is? If not, move the best part earlier.

6. Someone else has heard it

Send it to one person: a producer, a bandmate, a friend whose taste you trust. Ask for one note, not a review.

7. You would play it to a stranger

Not proud of every bit, just not embarrassed. That is a finished demo. Perfect is the next stage, not this one.

8. It is filed as finished

Move it to Finished demos so you can see it is done, and start the next one.