Historically, the producer has been integral to the art of recorded music. In today’s pop music, the producer is more important than ever. With electronic music, most of what we hear as listeners is created in one way or another by the producer. However, the requirements for and responsibilities of the producer have evolved greatly over time.
For the purposes of this piece, I’d like to make a distinction between two kinds of producers, and define each of them:
The Record Producer
The Music Producer
To many people these roles are the same, and for most intents and purposes, they are. However, I’d like to make a distinction because their responsibilities vary widely. '
What I consider a “Music Producer” is the person who may or may not be on the songwriting team, who is responsible for making the track itself: composing the elements of the song to accompany the vocalist, as well as to provide feedback to the vocalist to align their performance with the vision for the track. They may or may not be responsible for organizing and/or recording other instrumentalists on the track, and will likely mix-down a rough mix of the song for the artist, label, and mixing engineer.
I consider a “Record Producer” to be someone who coordinates all elements of creating and recording the song. From picking songwriters, booking the studio, producing the track itself (like the “Music Producer”), potentially writing the arrangement if necessary, picking the mix engineer, overseeing the mix and master, and handing the song back to the label.
As you can see, the two roles overlap quite a bit. Based on these definitions, the role of “Record Producer” contains all of the responsibilities of the Music Producer. This is not always the case, with Rick Rubin being the poster-child for a Record Producer who is not a “Music Producer”.
With all of this being said, where does a traditional Record Producer fit in the modern landscape of mostly electronic Pop Music? Well, the obvious answer is to fulfill the responsibility of the Music Producer. But what else? What additional value can a Record Producer provide, aside from making the track, and perhaps working on the songwriting or arrangement? I think there is a multi-faceted answer to this question, and that’s what I’d like to discuss today.
When it comes to what a traditional Record Producer brings to the table, the first thing that comes to mind is productivity. The process of making a song has a lot of moving parts, even in the electronic realm. A Record Producer will make sure that the machine is running smoothly and efficiently, and will limit as much friction in the process as possible. This clan be incredibly valuable, even to a team as small as a few people.
Following productivity, logistics is the next component of working with a Record Producer. The Record Producer will book any necessary studio time, handle any required travel, and ensure that there is an achievable and efficient schedule for each session.
Closely related to logistics is finance. A Record Producer will handle all of the money involved in the project, and will ensure that everyone is paid on time, and for the right amount. That might sound like an easy task, but anyone who’s made a large scale record knows how hard it can be. A Record Producer usually has lucrative agreements with studios, session musicians, and mix and mastering engineers, so it’s very likely that hiring a Record Producer could pay for itself under the right circumstances.
The most important thing a Record Producer brings to a project is defining and maintaining an artistic vision throughout the entirety of a project. The Record Producer works with the Artist to find their voice, and is able to clearly define that voice in collaboration with the Artist. The Record Producer then communicates that vision to all members of the team; able to speak the language of a session musician, recording engineer, mix engineer, and mastering engineer. This is by far the most significant contribution made by the Record Producer, and is the reason the Record Producer will stay relevant, even in an era of electronic pop music.
I find that people often underestimate the value of creative consistency and maintaining a consistent creative vision throughout a project. I’m not suggesting that hiring a Record Producer is the only way to achieve it, but there’s only so much an Artist can handle without things getting lost in the process. There are certainly some Artists who handle this very well, but finding a Record Producer who you work well with can be incredibly helpful.
I am a Record Producer, and have made quite a good living doing so. The reason why I’m writing this piece, though, is not to benefit me, or to benefit other Record Producers. I’m writing this because of the countless conversations with clients where they’ve expressed how helpful it was to have someone there protecting their vision and their artistry at all times. After all, that’s why I got into the record business in the first place. I was perfectly happy composing and arranging for a living, when Artists started to approach me to help make their records from beginning to end. I haven’t turned back since, and it’s been an incredible journey along the way.
You might read this as an advertisement for my production company, or for Record Producers in general, but I hope you can look past my vested interests to see the value that a Record Producer brings to a project, and why the job of Record Producer isn’t going anywhere.