WHAT A MUSIC PRODUCER DOES

MUSIC PRODUCING CAREERS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS

Music these days is usually a collaboration between the artist, the audio engineer and the music producer.  When everything is going smoothly, the music producer's job is easy.  However, that is rarely the case in the real world, and this is where the music producer needs to shine.  In the real world there are normally budgetary limits on studio time, artists who keep messing up their tracks, and equipment glitches and studio gremlins that pop up at the most inopportune times.  It is at these times that the music producer needs to be a problem solver and a decision maker, because bottom line, the producer is responsible for the finished music track. Needless to say, the better the artist and recording engineer, the less work there is to do for the music producer.  

While the exact role of a music producer will change from project to project, there is a certain skill set that every music producer should be accomplished in.  The Recording Connection audio engineering and music producing course has been designed from the ground up to establish and enhance this skill set by putting you in real recording sessions where all of these skills will be called upon.  

• A producer needs to be a people person.  The recording studio is a small space inhabited by talented, creative people in a stressful situation--the music producer is responsible for getting the most our of everyone involved; whether cajoling the singer to give it one more try, to tactful suggestions to the the engineer on how to get a desired effect.
• A producer needs to know music and music theory so he can clearly and convincingly convey to both the artistic and technical talent the idea he is trying to get across.  Often, the music producer is a talented musician in their own right, having mastered at least one instrument.  The producer should also be familiar with a wide variety of music styles and genres.  A good working knowledge of local studio musicians is quite often necessary as well.
• A producer needs to know the songwriting process.  They must be able to arrange, score, orchestrate, as well as direct and conduct musical ensembles. 
  
• A producer needs to know the recording process.  They must know the equipment and what it's capable of and how to get the sound they are looking for.  This includes a working knowledge of sound effects, sampling, sequencing and other engineering techniques right through the editing, mixing and mastering process.
  

The music producer is often involved in the business side of music as well.  Traditionally (think old school) the music producer was a person hired by the record label to oversee the production of an album.  This involved everything from directing the overall feel of the album by handling the engineers, the artists, the song selection and mixing sessions to programing the order of the songs and acting as a liason to the record label. For this, the producer was generously compensated by the label including royalties from sales.  The new school music producer also has to know how to lay down beats, have industry connections to get unsigned artists noticed and signed and be generally business savvy.

STUDENT SUCCESS STORY

Recording Connection graduate Preston Boebel thought we were too good to be true until he visited Clear Lake Audio recording studios in Los Angeles for his interview with audio engineer and studio owner, Brian Levi.   He knew from that moment that this was what he wanted to do and where he wanted to do it.  Upon graduation, he was hired by Brian to be the assistant engineer. It didn't take long before he was promoted to Chief Engineer.  Since then, he has worked as the audio engineer on projects for White Snake, Quiet Riot, Dishwalla, Usher and many more.  More importantly, he's recently served as the music producer on many jazz, rock, pop, blues and hip hop tracks.  He's even worked on movie sound tracks including "Doom."   Preston is the perfect example of what it takes to make it in the music business.  The Recording Connection gave him the SAME OPPORTUNITY we give every student who takes our course--HE MADE SOMETHING OF THE OPPORTUNITY.  For the full Preston story, click here.

Preston Boebel
Audio Engineer and Music Producer
Recording Connection Graduate
Los Angeles, California