What is a Producer?
- Thread starter newbie100
- Start date
I think this term is very widely used for all kinds of people.
Usually people who kind of know music and wanna get into the circle but does not yet have anything credible calls them self a producer hoping to associate with the right people and make it.
However, the real deal is many of these "producers" do not know what they are doing or how to properly produce.
Real producers' JD varies greatly from country to country, place to place and projects to projects. But usually the following is the norm.
A producer directs your recording much like how a movie director directs action on a set. He ensures that the song reaches its final stage in the best possible way - makes sure tracks are properly recorded.
According to Arty Skye,
From an artist point of view, a producer's role is to understand the artist's vision and have the technical and musical ability to not only make it reality but also to make it shine. A producer should keep a session running smoothly, anticipate any problems beforehand, and get the best out of everyone from the artist to the engineer. The producer is responsible for everything while in the studio and their experience in the studio can save massive amounts of trial and error, thus saving time and money. A great producer should be able to take something ordinary and make it extraordinary, or take something terrible and make it acceptable.
As for paying a producer, the agreement varies widely,
Usually producers are paid per project or per track etc.
But some producers actually wanna profit sharing.
Hope the above is helpful!
Regards
Robin
Usually people who kind of know music and wanna get into the circle but does not yet have anything credible calls them self a producer hoping to associate with the right people and make it.
However, the real deal is many of these "producers" do not know what they are doing or how to properly produce.
Real producers' JD varies greatly from country to country, place to place and projects to projects. But usually the following is the norm.
A producer directs your recording much like how a movie director directs action on a set. He ensures that the song reaches its final stage in the best possible way - makes sure tracks are properly recorded.
According to Arty Skye,
From an artist point of view, a producer's role is to understand the artist's vision and have the technical and musical ability to not only make it reality but also to make it shine. A producer should keep a session running smoothly, anticipate any problems beforehand, and get the best out of everyone from the artist to the engineer. The producer is responsible for everything while in the studio and their experience in the studio can save massive amounts of trial and error, thus saving time and money. A great producer should be able to take something ordinary and make it extraordinary, or take something terrible and make it acceptable.
As for paying a producer, the agreement varies widely,
Usually producers are paid per project or per track etc.
But some producers actually wanna profit sharing.
Hope the above is helpful!
Regards
Robin
gkinsingapore
New member
Pick up a copy of the book 'Behind the Glass' by Howard Massey.
It's an absorbing insight into the roles of the greatest record producers around.Worth every cent....
It's an absorbing insight into the roles of the greatest record producers around.Worth every cent....
AgingYouth
New member
Just make sure you have good ears and good ideas.
Rick Rubin is one dude who has no technical ability/ sound engineering experiences, etc. He can't mix or do miking at all! But look at his portfolio of artistes! Rage Against The Machine, Johnny Cash, Slayer, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, etc.
Plus he looks like a hippie...
Rick Rubin is one dude who has no technical ability/ sound engineering experiences, etc. He can't mix or do miking at all! But look at his portfolio of artistes! Rage Against The Machine, Johnny Cash, Slayer, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, etc.
Plus he looks like a hippie...
no engineering abilities
i think that Rick dude is a few among the many? It is an advantage if you know ur way around the console cos that would make communication with the audio guy easier. And RATM had a good engineer Brandon O Brien. How to compete with that kind of engineer? Anyways............
Its like you go in to hear but then u tell the engineer....I dont know man ....it just sounds .... funny. Like you know, its here but its not here feeling. The engineer would just look at you and blink.
This goes for a sound engineer. Does one need to play an instrument to be a good engineer? We all know its not needed but it sure might help understanding musicians right hahahahah!!!
For me, a good producer is one with ideas on how to make the music or video or whatever interesting. From concept to product. He is also an extra set of ears or eyes to see or hear things that might have been missed out.
I might be wrong but thats my experience.
Cheers
i think that Rick dude is a few among the many? It is an advantage if you know ur way around the console cos that would make communication with the audio guy easier. And RATM had a good engineer Brandon O Brien. How to compete with that kind of engineer? Anyways............
Its like you go in to hear but then u tell the engineer....I dont know man ....it just sounds .... funny. Like you know, its here but its not here feeling. The engineer would just look at you and blink.
This goes for a sound engineer. Does one need to play an instrument to be a good engineer? We all know its not needed but it sure might help understanding musicians right hahahahah!!!
For me, a good producer is one with ideas on how to make the music or video or whatever interesting. From concept to product. He is also an extra set of ears or eyes to see or hear things that might have been missed out.
I might be wrong but thats my experience.
Cheers
AgingYouth
New member
Re: no engineering abilities
Apparently, that's all Rick Rubin does!!! He doesn't even touch the board!!!
That's the ideal situation lah. But I reckon with the proliferation of music software from up north; everyone is a producer these days eh? Just use some loops and dump into Ableton Live and voila! One new track!!!
Darren said:
Apparently, that's all Rick Rubin does!!! He doesn't even touch the board!!!
Darren said:
That's the ideal situation lah. But I reckon with the proliferation of music software from up north; everyone is a producer these days eh? Just use some loops and dump into Ableton Live and voila! One new track!!!
therealslim
New member
A producer is the one responsible in the whole musical direction of the album.
His biggest asset is his creativity.
Match a producer with an interior designer.
When u decide to have a new look for your house, u approach the interior designer.
The designer comes up with the design, talks to u to find out what u have in mind, and gives his views/expertise.
He may not be physically painting the place of moving things in etc, but he is in charge of engaging the people he needs.
He is paid on a one time fee.
When a band or their manager decides its time to make a new album, they look for a producer.
(Take note: its not just the band deciding which producer they want, the producer is also selective about the band he works with, cos his reputation is in the line, he doesnt want to risk picking up a crap band)
The producer's baby is the album, cos his name will be on it.
If the album is crap, the producer and everyone on it gets a bad egg.
Most producers were/are either engineers/musicians/singers etc.
You need that musical talent behind it, you may not be technically savy, but thats where engineers come in. But you need a musical ear for it. And also be up to date with what is acheiveable with technology. You've got to be excellent with people too.
You can be extremely talented as a producer, but everyone hates you, you are as good as nothing.
And once u get good, and your reputation soars, MAN, you can charge whatever you want!
My good friend Erich Bulling, producer for Earth Wind Fire, The Jacksons, Donna Summers, Frank Sinatra (you get the idea, he's a legend) said one thing to my question "So how much does a producer charge?", he said "As much as he wants to!"
There was a comment about producers taking a percentage of album/song sales/royalty.
You can either pay the producer in a one off fee (from $1000 per song for amatuer ones to $150,000 per album for the pros) or the producer can ask for points off the album (means a percentage).
That would be an excellent indication of the producer's confidence on the album and the band, cos he knows it will be good.
His biggest asset is his creativity.
Match a producer with an interior designer.
When u decide to have a new look for your house, u approach the interior designer.
The designer comes up with the design, talks to u to find out what u have in mind, and gives his views/expertise.
He may not be physically painting the place of moving things in etc, but he is in charge of engaging the people he needs.
He is paid on a one time fee.
When a band or their manager decides its time to make a new album, they look for a producer.
(Take note: its not just the band deciding which producer they want, the producer is also selective about the band he works with, cos his reputation is in the line, he doesnt want to risk picking up a crap band)
The producer's baby is the album, cos his name will be on it.
If the album is crap, the producer and everyone on it gets a bad egg.
Most producers were/are either engineers/musicians/singers etc.
You need that musical talent behind it, you may not be technically savy, but thats where engineers come in. But you need a musical ear for it. And also be up to date with what is acheiveable with technology. You've got to be excellent with people too.
You can be extremely talented as a producer, but everyone hates you, you are as good as nothing.
And once u get good, and your reputation soars, MAN, you can charge whatever you want!
My good friend Erich Bulling, producer for Earth Wind Fire, The Jacksons, Donna Summers, Frank Sinatra (you get the idea, he's a legend) said one thing to my question "So how much does a producer charge?", he said "As much as he wants to!"
There was a comment about producers taking a percentage of album/song sales/royalty.
You can either pay the producer in a one off fee (from $1000 per song for amatuer ones to $150,000 per album for the pros) or the producer can ask for points off the album (means a percentage).
That would be an excellent indication of the producer's confidence on the album and the band, cos he knows it will be good.
parablue74
New member
Definitions have changed in this era, so pls don't compare along with the 70s when things were different then.
In the 70s, a producer was simply a person that directs the music. He doesn't involve himself with any sound engineering or music playing whatsoever. He is simply a person that updates a lot with the music market and foresee the outcome in terms of music quality. Some of the top end ones do know some sound engineering and music skills though.
But at this present era, a producer is simply everything. But wait, there are 2 roles here. An album producer and a music producer.
An album producer simply pays for the album. Designs, manufacturing, recording etc.. They take a big cut towards the profit of sales.
A music producer has to engineer the music, at times play the instruments and arrange the music. Take note: Music producers don't do marketing or manufacturing....
So basically, an album producer is like a business man/marketeer/sponsor while a music producer is a sound engineer/arranger/songwriter/musician
In the 70s, a producer was simply a person that directs the music. He doesn't involve himself with any sound engineering or music playing whatsoever. He is simply a person that updates a lot with the music market and foresee the outcome in terms of music quality. Some of the top end ones do know some sound engineering and music skills though.
But at this present era, a producer is simply everything. But wait, there are 2 roles here. An album producer and a music producer.
An album producer simply pays for the album. Designs, manufacturing, recording etc.. They take a big cut towards the profit of sales.
A music producer has to engineer the music, at times play the instruments and arrange the music. Take note: Music producers don't do marketing or manufacturing....
So basically, an album producer is like a business man/marketeer/sponsor while a music producer is a sound engineer/arranger/songwriter/musician
AgingYouth
New member
therealslim said:
Wooo!!! Send our love to the doode!!!
therealslim
New member
They don't call him an album producer. In the industry, a producer would not be confused with one who designs the album. Thats the job of the design team in a label or an individual.
When you say "I'm a producer in the music industry", no one will ask you, "So you design albums?".
And Producers do not fork out money. They get paid instead.
If Click Five's label decides they should make their album, the labels gonn afork out the money FIRST (you'd be surprised who pays for the bill later), for the studio rental, extra sessionists, the producer, the engineer etc.
The producer also sources for the extra musicians he thinks the recording will need.
But all in all
1) The producer doesn't fork out his own money to pay for something. He gets paid for his services and whatever else he needs, the label pays.
2) The term producer (in the music industry) wont be confused with the person who manufactures the CD or designs the cover.
Go do a search on Google. "Album Producer". It'll all mean "Producer" in general.
It takes a lot to be a producer. Not only musical and technical skills, but people skills as well. Because you have to deal with artiste, their manager, the engineers, the mastering house, the extra musicians etc. And you have to have contacts.
When you say "I'm a producer in the music industry", no one will ask you, "So you design albums?".
And Producers do not fork out money. They get paid instead.
If Click Five's label decides they should make their album, the labels gonn afork out the money FIRST (you'd be surprised who pays for the bill later), for the studio rental, extra sessionists, the producer, the engineer etc.
The producer also sources for the extra musicians he thinks the recording will need.
But all in all
1) The producer doesn't fork out his own money to pay for something. He gets paid for his services and whatever else he needs, the label pays.
2) The term producer (in the music industry) wont be confused with the person who manufactures the CD or designs the cover.
Go do a search on Google. "Album Producer". It'll all mean "Producer" in general.
It takes a lot to be a producer. Not only musical and technical skills, but people skills as well. Because you have to deal with artiste, their manager, the engineers, the mastering house, the extra musicians etc. And you have to have contacts.
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
-
-
Gator DJ Hard Case (super sturdy, high quality)
- Latest: felfelfelicia
-
