How and Why You Can Become a Music Producer

Why and How Should You Become a Music Producer?

Posted 4 years ago by Max Komonov

The music industry is桂highly competitive yet lucrative for桂anybody who wishes to桂create new sounds and桂records and桂rise to桂the桂top of桂the桂charts. In桂fact, the桂global recorded music industry in桂revenue in桂2020桂alone. As桂such, there is桂obviously money to桂be桂made in桂the桂business, but how and桂why should you become a桂music producer?

Check out the桂rest of桂the桂article below for桂more information.

What Does a桂Music Producer Do?

A桂music producer is桂an桂essential part of桂the桂music industry, an桂individual who supports recording artists and桂musicians in桂numerous ways as桂they bring their music to桂life on桂record. While all music producers perform similar roles, the桂nature of桂the桂job will differ depending on桂the桂needs and桂project of桂the桂artist.

A桂music producer usually comes from music or桂technical background, either having worked as桂a桂musician themselves or桂a桂recording engineer (or both if桂they�셱e talented enough). While the桂role is桂creative first and桂foremost, a桂music producer should be桂able to桂oversee administrative requirements with the桂recording process to桂ensure the桂best environment possible for桂the桂artist to桂do桂their 혫thing혬.

What Skills Do桂You Need as桂a桂Music Producer?

There are numerous skills you may need if桂you are pursuing a桂career as桂a桂music producer. These include:

Project management
People management
Budget management
Negotiation skills
Team building acumen

You will also need to桂know your way around many of桂the桂most common 혫tools of桂the桂trade혬 both creative and桂technical. These include:

Digital audio workstations: These include the桂likes of桂Avid Pro Tools, Steinberg Cubase, Apple Logic, and桂Ableton Live. You should know how to桂record songs onto a桂DAW and桂ensure every instrument sounds clear and桂crisp. You need to桂have a桂good knowledge of桂the桂basic and桂advanced features of桂these products.
Microphones: Microphones are essential to桂the桂recording process. Any good music producer will understand the桂difference between dynamic and桂condenser microphones and桂how they interact with different amplifiers, instruments, and桂vocals.
Other musical equipment: The music studio is桂filled with all sorts of桂musical equipment. As桂a桂music producer, it桂is桂your job to桂understand the桂function of桂each piece of桂equipment and桂how you can use them to桂make the桂best record possible.

Who Does a桂Music Producer Work With?

Music producers have to桂work with a桂wide variety of桂people to桂make a桂record. However, this will differ based on桂the桂size and桂budget of桂the桂project. If桂they work with an桂unsigned band or桂artist, they may only have to桂work with the桂act and桂an桂audio engineer. If桂they are working with a桂signed artist on桂a桂major label, a桂music producer will need to桂know how to桂deal with label representatives, publishers, managers, and桂talent and桂engineers.

How Do桂You Become a桂Music Producer?

If桂you have plans to桂become a桂music producer, you�셪l need to桂acquire the桂relevant experience through collaboration and桂working with other creatives.

If桂you are at桂college, you�셪l want to桂learn an桂instrument or桂two. You can do桂this in桂a桂formal education setting or桂teach yourself; so桂many resources are available online. You can also take courses at桂college that will count towards the桂appropriate qualifications you�셪l need to桂become a桂trusted and桂effective music producer.

You�셪l also want to桂build a桂wide portfolio of桂work so桂you can show off your talents to桂prospective clients. Work with local artists who interest you, gain relevant experience, grow your reputation, and桂develop your skillset.

If桂you are serious about a桂career in桂music, you may want to桂work towards getting a桂degree in桂the桂Music Production field. Many options are available; some are geared towards the桂creative side of桂things, while others are more technology-based. Take some time to桂research degrees and桂find one that most benefits your desired career path.

Once you have the桂right experience and桂qualifications, you should look for桂jobs. These are usually advertised online or桂in桂music stores or桂rehearsal rooms. Sure, you may not be桂producing for桂Bruce Springsteen straight away, but there are lots of桂exciting projects for桂a桂keen music producer to桂sink their teeth into.

Additionally, you�셪l also want to桂create your own social media pages and桂website. If桂you have a桂strong social media presence and桂a桂stellar platform through which you conduct your business, you may not even need to桂look for桂clients; they�셪l come straight to桂you. This is桂where 붚죕쳔 can help:

붚죕쳔 is桂an桂ecommerce platform that makes selling online easier. Build your own store from scratch to桂instantly sync and桂sell across your own website, social media, marketplaces, and桂more. Grow your business with automated marketing tools. And manage it桂all from your 붚죕쳔 control panel.

What Are the桂Benefits of桂Being a桂Music Producer?

There are many reasons why somebody may want to桂become a桂music producer, such as:

A桂chance to桂make a桂good level of桂income

Like many jobs, a桂music producer�셲 salary depends on桂their success, the桂number of桂clients, and桂their location. Additionally, producers who work for桂large firms will typically earn more than independent producers. According to桂the桂, the桂median pay rate for桂producers and桂directors was $74,420桂in桂2019, which means there is桂certainly a桂good salary to桂be桂had if桂you have the桂talent and桂drive.

That being said, there is桂a桂huge range in桂salary for桂producers. The lowest earners make less than $36,000桂per year, while the桂top 10桂percent earn over $1,730,000. In桂fact, the桂very best-paid music producers often make millions of桂dollars.

Play an桂important role in桂the桂music industry

The modern-day music producer plays a桂vital role in桂the桂music and桂entertainment industry. They oversee the桂whole recording process. Without producers, quality songs and桂recordings would simply not exist. In桂fact, it�셲 fair to桂say that music producers handle the桂roles of桂at桂least five different individuals, whether they are writing songs, engineering and桂mixing the桂track, playing instruments, or桂supplying a桂suitable studio to桂turn out a桂record.

As桂such, producers are invaluable to桂their firms, investors, artists, and桂even the桂audiences and桂consumers who appreciate their music. Why? Music producers ensure the桂wheels are constantly turning and桂that the桂relationship between the桂artist and桂music label remains positive throughout the桂record-making process, promoting collaboration and桂providing direction throughout. Furthermore, if桂a桂music producer is桂fantastic at桂their job, they will be桂able to桂marry the桂artist�셲 creative vision with the桂financial needs of桂the桂record label.

You get to桂live the桂music lifestyle

Many music producers were once musicians and桂songwriters themselves. However, some people choose to桂produce because they want to桂enjoy a桂life in桂music without performing. They get to桂spend their evenings in桂clubs and桂music venues, checking out talent, enjoying new sounds, and桂fine-tuning their ears for桂musical brilliance. They also get to桂create music and桂shape the桂trending sound in桂their area and桂beyond. They also get to桂work with a桂variety of桂performers and桂help guide them into even better artists.

Fame within music circles

While many people get into the桂music business because they want to桂be桂the桂person who goes out on桂stage and桂appears on桂the桂album cover, many producers get recognized and桂develop their own level of桂fame in桂the桂industry. Many producers eventually develop their own unique musical style, and桂artists will look to桂these producers to桂help hone their desired sound. As桂such, it桂is桂not uncommon for桂an桂album to桂bear a桂music producer�셲 fingerprints, particularly if桂they are well known within a桂genre桂�� just look at桂Timbaland.

As桂you can see, there are many benefits to桂becoming a桂music producer. While you need to桂spend a桂lot of桂time making contacts and桂getting the桂right experience, a桂life in桂the桂music industry can often be桂an桂illustrious and桂rewarding line of桂work.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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