Introduction to the music producer

A music producer’s role can vary greatly from project to project. Generally, music producers assist an artist or band with achieving their vision, whether that be in a demo stage or studio setting (Berklee, N/A). Whilst a high level of technological skill is still required, the focus is moreso on the creative side of music creation, such as arrangement and texture. Primarily, my personal interest is to work with artists on an individual level, as stated by Daniel Nigro in an interview with variety, “nowadays, there’s room for producers to play the role of the band^“ (Nigro, 2024). Prominent examples of producers who have been known to operate in this way include Justin Tranter, Finneas, Max Martin, Bruno Mars, Chad Hugo and the aforementioned Daniel Nigro. 

Qualifications, Experience and Skills

Though qualifications can prove valuable in achieving certain positions, they are often secondary to skills and lived experiences. Particularly within the role of music producer, experience in the music industry and a wide range of skills are key to achieve success within this career. The formal qualifications themselves are arguably less valuable than the skills “you need to compete with others in the field” (Indeed Editorial Team, 2024), but can prove helpful in breaking into the industry. This applies particularly to freelance/ portfolio work, as this line of work is naturally catered towards skills and experience as opposed to qualifications. However, some positions in the industry ask for a degree in music as an entry requirement. This could include roles in teaching as well as jobs for larger corporations within their production departments, such as amazon or UMG. (Milkround, N/A)

Naturally, the role of music producer relies heavily on a wide variety of skills. For instance, Berklee outlines that music producers are often proficient in: “programming beats and samples; playing instruments and singing; writing and revising melodies and lyrics; arranging songs; eliciting inspired performances from vocalists and musicians; and creating professional- level demos or master recordings.” (Berklee, N/A) This not only demonstrates the wide range of skills required, but also the versatility and adaptability needed to work in various environments and with people of various musical professions. 

In addition to technical proficiency and a wide-ranging skillset, qualities such as patience, passion and communication skills are essential. Charles Hoffman, owner of Black Ghost Audio outlines that “great producers need to articulate their ideas and provide constructive feedback” as well as outlining that “producing quality work requires patience”(Hoffman, 2023). These qualities could provide clients with a more reliable and high-quality service and are therefore highly useful towards excelling within the profession.

Therefore, a music producer is primarily a skills and experience-based profession, with a reliance on reputation, desirable qualities, a varied skillset and a strong portfolio of work.

Duties, Responsibilities and a Day’s Work

A music producers’ responsibilities can encompass everything from the musical content and performances of a song to the organisation of a studio session and individuals involved. Beyond the studio producers can be seen to often work closely with bands on producing demos and developing musical ideas; Producers can often be “Involved in every step of their songs’ life cycle—from conception to revision to recording and production”(Berklee, N/A). Therefore, it is clear that the responsibility of recording, arranging and sometimes performing parts of a track can lie within the Producers’ hands. 

Naturally, the day to day of a producer can be incredibly varied, due to the inconsistent nature of the work. Potentially being a freelance position, producers can be seen to take on a variety of different roles to construct their career and income. As stated by Jonathan Camacho, “A day in the life of a producer means being a songwriter, engineer, producer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, music historian, social media expert, therapist, marketing specialist, and so much more.”(Camacho, 2018). Camacho outlines projects he is involved in, from film composition to teaching, and elaborates on the challenging yet rewarding nature of his work. Camacho demonstrates clearly how a producer can fill a variety of roles as a result of a varied skillset and is therefore catered to a portfolio career. 

Ultimately, within the studio, “A record producer’s job is to realise the full potential of an artist or band”(Mick Glossop, N/A). Outside of studio work, producers can fill a variety of musical roles as outlined by Camacho, resulting in a varied workday and an evolving list of responsibilities. 

Financial and Legal Issues

Within their role, producers must be aware of the distribution of royalties, as well as how the distribution of rights work. Within original, self-published and self-produced work, all royalties go to the artist/producer. However, more typically, the producer may need to work with others such as performers and labels in order to ensure fair and even splits, as well agreeing their own deal to ensure payment. In situations in which there isn’t a label, discussions with the artist around the owner and use of copyright, financial distribution as well as expectations from the producer may be necessary to ensure fairness. This process is typically discussed prior to recording, to reduce disputes within the recording process. Producers may also be featured on songwriter split sheets if they have contributed substantially towards the musical/ lyrical content of the work.

A streamlined method of achieving this is through Producer Agreements. A strong understanding of these is essential, whether working independently or for a label. Production agreements outline “the obligations the producer owes to the record label and the musicians”(Rickman, 2023), which allows the producer a clear understanding of their responsibilities within a given project. This assists in outlining the role of the producer and can provide information on the expectations in given sessions. For example, the agreement could state that the producer is to have no musical influence and is to act more as an engineer/ executive producer, organising the individuals within the session as well as assisting in the recording process. In contrast, the agreement could dictate that the producer is responsible for arrangement of the songs, as well as mixing and mastering. These agreements also assist in discussions around royalties in cases where the producer demonstrates a significant enough contribution to the creative process.

Additionally, there are certain areas of copyright that are essential to understand, both for the safety of your own works and to avoid infringement on others property. For example, the requirement to acquire permission before publishing work which samples another piece of music. This also extends to covers or reimagining’s of music. This can also serve to protect your own personal copyright, as individuals who class themselves as “songwriter, beat producer, or composer” gain copyright protection over your own original works, allowing you “exclusive right to reproduce, perform, and distribute your music”(Virtuoso Legal, N/A) as long as you retain full ownership of the copyright.

Marketing and promotion 

In line with most positions within the music industry, music producers largely rely on a strong network as well as public presence to attract work and opportunities. Dom Bishop, a London based DJ and producer explores this, stating to both “Take advantage of social media” and to not “underestimate the power of networking”, emphasising that “hard work beats talent”(Bishop, 2022). Throughout the article, Bishop outlines tips on reaching out respectfully to other individuals in the industry, and how to have your name known within certain circles. As in many areas of the music industry, developing a portfolio of contacts as well as experience could prove to be a strong foundation for establishing a portfolio career. 

In addition to this, many producers maintain a social media presence in some form, in order to showcase their current work and projects, as well as advertise availability. An example of this is Sabrina Seidman (online Alias- SEIDS) who publicises a range of content surrounding her work. Social media can also provide a platform to create more income, as Seidman has stated that she has “sold hundreds of tickets to my virtual classes”(Sideman, N/A) within a segment discussing her online following. This therefore reveals that a social media presence can prove helpful to music producers on multiple levels, covering uses from building up a clientele to marketing your services/ products for monetary gain.

Overall, the marketing and promotional aspects of producers tend to involve a strong network of individuals within the industry. Using word of mouth, social media, networking and multiple other methods.

Career Progression and Development

Music producers’ wide skillset allows for a variety of work both within and outside of the music industry. Due to this versatility of skill, a common route is to explore a portfolio career, allowing your income to consist of a range of freelance or fixed term positions. For instance, producers with a strong musical understand or instrumental skill could pursue live performance work, in a mix of original and commercial bands. Despite this, many full-time positions remain for a less varied but more stable source of income. This could involve positions within radio stations, audio editing and studio management (Indeed Editorial Team, 2024)

In terms of early career, common entry-level roles may consist of internships or assistant studio roles. For example, Prospects state that “The BBC, for example, employs producers on its music programmes and live events. An entry level salary for this kind of role ranges from approximately £18,000 to £25,000.”(AGCAS editors, 2023). This highlights that entry- level roles vary highly in terms of pay and expectations and demonstrates a non-linear path into an established career. These roles can provide valuable experience, allowing an improvement in skill, as well as the establishment of a network- both of which are essential to ensure long term success.

Overall, the profession of music producer allows for progression and development within a variety of freelance or full time positions. Freelance positions benefit from flexibility, as well as variety within your work, whereas full time positions benefit from stability, consistency and security. Producers such as Matthew Walker highlight a balance of both, stating that he got “involved with whatever he could outside of his full- time job”(Steve Folland, 2020), with the intention of pursuing his freelance work further. This balance is reflective of the competitiveness of the industry, in which versatility and adaptability is key.

Conclusion

To summarise, a music producer is a naturally multifaceted position within the industry, and can be responsible for a variety of different roles. This is largely due to the wide range of skills required, as well as strong personal qualities and networking abilities. Work as a music producer can be found in both freelance and full-time positions, however the naturally competitive nature of the work means the potential for having to take up additional work to supplement income. Producers may develop throughout their careers as paths into and through the profession are rarely linear. Additionally, the role naturally contributes to the establishing of a network, which allows greater transferability across the industry. 

Bibliography:

AGCAS editors. (2023, June N/A). N/A. https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/music-producer

Berklee. (N/A, N/A N/A). https://www.berklee.edu/careers/roles/songwriter-producer

Bishop, D. (2022, June 28). How to grow a following as a music producer. https://pirate.com/en/blog/music-producer-marketing

Folland, S. (2020, March 8). Be a good craftsman – Audio Producer Matthew Walker. https://www.beingfreelance.com/season-10/audio-producer-matthew-walker

Hoffman, C. (2023, May 7). 8 Personality Traits of an Excellent Music Producer. https://www.blackghostaudio.com/blog/8-personality-traits-of-an-excellent-music-producer?srsltid=AfmBOoq_jTXu3ns3tbpr-8yn-K03cesqtbA1kTgJ-f_sJAqI5JjBdjRy

Huart, W. (2018, March 3). A day in the life of a producer. https://producelikeapro.com/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-producer/

Indeed Editorial Team. (2024, July 2). Top Skills for Music Producers (Plus How To Improve Them). https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/skills-for-music-producer

Indeed Editorial Team. (2024, July 30). 16 Careers You Can Pursue in Music Production. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/careers-in-music-production

Milkround. (N/A, N/A N/A). What jobs can you get with a Music degree in the UK?https://www.milkround.com/advice/what-jobs-can-you-get-with-a-music-degree-in-the-uk#amazon-studios

Music Producers Guild. (N/A, N/A N/A). What is a Record Producer? https://mpg.org.uk/about-mpg/what-is-a-record-producer/

Nigro, D. (2024, December 4th). Daniel Nigro on the role of the Writer-Producer: Strictly Business Podcast. https://variety.com/2024/music/news/daniel-nigro-strictly-business-podcast-interview-chappell-roan-1236235058/

Rickman, J. (2023, September 14). Understanding Producer Agreements for Independent Musicians. https://legalvision.co.uk/commercial-contracts/understanding-producer-agreement/

Virtuoso Legal. (N/A, N/A N/A). What IP rights do musicians and producers need to be aware of https://www.virtuosolegal.com/faq/what-ip-musicians-and-producers/