What's the best way to provide musicians a copy of a song to use to prepare for a recording session?

Question

I have a few originals I am ready to professionally record and want to provide the musicians that will be recording with me an opportunity to listen to a "skeleton" of the song (most basic outline possible) so they can practice and figure out a few different parts and be ready to collaborate on the final piece. What is the best wasy to prepare this? What should be included in the "outline" recording? Metronome, vocals, guitar, keyboard, etc?Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

If "professionally record" means buying studio time to do your compositions, spend more money to hire local musician union players (excellent readers) to rehearse and record what either you or an arranger writes for each instrument. No "skeleton of the material is needed. The "jam session" approach where everything is recorded while everyone figures out what to do and then all the recorded material is edited and finalized could take a lot of time and you may end up with nothing usable.