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Hi,
I've been reading some interesting things about paramount group & thought I'd log in to tell you a few things. I live in Ireland by the way.
What I want to say is this...I'm very satisfied with them. That seems to go against the general views out there. I had a demo done with paramount a few months back (I'm currently having another one done by them) and I was absolutely delighted with the end result. I sent them a rough song and they sent me back a gem. Really, I mean that, I can't fault them in any way.
Also, it seems to me that people get upset when a music publisher doesn't take up their song. Paramount can't do that! The song does! Personally, the pleasure for me is having the actual demo made, and listening to the end result. Anything after that is a bonus. I never really believed their hype anyway, but I enjoyed it all the same. It's like when I buy anything. I know what I want, but I still like being sold to.
Until I discover otherwise, I can say that from my experience to date, paramount group are A1.

Paramount is a Demo service.No one is complaining about their service of making demo's.If you look at most of these business's they are all hoping that you will get a demo done by them. Thats how they make their money..People are mislead in to thinking that if you get a demo done by them ,they will send to their contacts.As long as you got a fair deal on the costs and are happy with the final product and all that you wanted was a cd and nothing else then great.Why don't you put your music on here so we can give you some feed-back.What was your purpose for using Paramount in the first place.Was it only to get a demo or were you looking for more.Why would you not have your demo done in Ireland?
RIKY

I tend to be a little suspicious of first time posters who speak up on behalf of businesses. One can claim to be anyone and say anything. I agree with Riky - post them up. Let's hear them. If the songs are good and the demos good - then my next question is, how much did you pay for each demo & what rights did you give Paramount in your agreement. Otherwise your post is just an advertisement.

Before I knew about Paramount being just a demo shop,I did send them in several songs that I had already had demoed at a pro demo studio,I was selected as a WINNER and they offered to do me a demo for X number of dollars,can't remember the price or all the details,it was some time ago.When I checked out some of their sample demos,the quality was not as good as was on the demo that I already sent them,and the demo I sent them cost me less than the one they were offering.Needless to say I didn't take them up on their offer.I don't like being tricked into doing something.If they do demos,say so up front,don't try to give the impression that they can do more.The demo studio(s) I use give me good quality for a fair price,they don't have to use hype to make me believe they can get me published or recorded.I'm not knocking Paramount as a studio,I just don't like their method of getting customers,give people good service, good quality and a fair price,then they won't have to use hype to get customers.

I, too, would like to hear ireland's stuff and see (or hear) what Paramount was able to do for him/her. (I, too, tend to be distrustful of one-shot posters touting the benefits of some commercial outfit that's been bad-mouthed by a lot of musicians here, but I still try to keep an open mind.)

Ol' ire, above, is the second person I've run into since 2003 who claimed Paramount did them a good job. (And I kinda discount the other one. She was a sweet elderly person, and I wasn't going to tell her the recording Paramount sold her was c**p. I just told her a lot of places could do the work for a whole lot cheaper, and encouraged her to do that next time.)

Last time I checked (which was a while ago), Paramount's Website was still shouting "Contest!" and didn't (as I recall) say a word about being a demo mill. I suspected then (and still do now) that there is more money in the contest biz, but I wasn't interested then and am not interested now. I did keep the Website bookmarked for a long time to remind me that some of the folks who want to "help" you can be very, very slick.

So are we going to get to hear the stuff?

Joe

Whooo, wait up. I'm not speaking on behalf of paramount. The thought crossed my mind people might take that angle. I'm just a happy customer. If I was to have a demo made in Ireland I'd have to organise the band myself, pay musicians by the hour and hope to get everything done within a reasonable time frame that didn't end up costing me an arm and a leg. I'm new to songwriting, only started when I took up playing the guitar over a year ago. It was just great to have paramount turn my rough song into something I'm very happy with. By the way, I paid $349 for the demo with paramount. I don't think that's too bad. I was quoted here in Ireland, wait for this, $1,200 for just one song! That cost reflects the fact that in small countries like this a demo is a once off, not part of a production line in a demo factory. Demo factory suits me just fine. I got what I wanted from paramount.
Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Will post my song soon

I do not know about what happens in Ireland but I can tell you that there are a number of studios here in Scotland that will provide all the services plus more than Paramount have to offer at a fraction of the price. Most have contact lists of pro and semi pro musicians who can be hired to provide backings for any song. The current rates vary and start from around £17 per hour for studio (£30 studio with sound engineer). Musicians costs vary some charge per hour some per song. They also do not have any small print For rights to any royalties or ownerships etc. Most will not take any money until you are entirely happy with the results. I have even been studios for several hours paying only for a couple of hours time. My advice is to check out what is available locally.
Speak to local band members. Ask for help. I have been in the business for a very long time and MOST folk want to help and will often go out of their way to point you in the right direction or offer good services for peanuts.
My final point is that I would not be happy letting someone else mix, arrange or master any of my work without me being there supervising it personally.

Ireland, this isn't to fault Paramount's demo work, and I'm glad you were satisfied. (I'd still like to hear it.) Same argument I made earlier (and Big Jim just made) still applies: you can get as good or better product done a lot cheaper.

Studio rates are a little cheaper in the U.S. than Jim described in Scotland; I paid $460 for recording, mixing and mastering a whole album (11 songs) a little over a year ago. I did use a relatively local person (15 miles from where I lived), a young fellow out to make a name for himself--and I didn't hire a band, but instead used a trio of bluegrass musicians I'd played with before. They were free.

I wouldn't necessarily need to be there while the dude was doing his magic; I'm mostly tone-deaf anyway, and couldn't really tell whether the product was good or not. I would, however, not trust my stuff to someone I didn't know personally and whose expertise and judgment I trusted.

Joe

"My final point is that I would not be happy letting someone else mix, arrange or master any of my work without me being there supervising it personally."

"I would not trust my stuff to someone I didn't know personally and whose expertise and judgment I trusted."

Excellent points. I've spent 5 years developing my 'ears' and my recording abilities so that I could cut out the middle man and do my own stuff. I now do all my own tracks - I may hire someone for a track but I do the recording myself - and, if need be, I use a local studio engineer to mix & master the final product.

I have used one on-line demo service ( http://www.houseoftracks.com ) & was pleased with the results - Bill is a member here & at songwriter101 and is a pleasure to work with.

Ireland,do a computer net search and you will find many studios that will do an excelent job for less money than Paramount,and they don't use hype to get you.I usually pay in the $200.00 range,there are some out there much higher and some even lower, I search until I find a studio that gives me good quality sound and good friendly and fast service,I stick to them but I will try other services at times,mainly for variety of sounds.