Feature Article: Career focus
Record Producer
Imagine coming to work each day and interacting with top grade musical artists from various genres. Your “office” consists of a high tech recording studio, a cell phone and a well-used coffee machine. Your average day may involve listening to a piece of music or even a small segment of music hundreds of times, while re-considering various keys, tempos, beats or instrumental pallets. You will also “coach” performances out of singers and musicians and use tactful and diplomatic advice when suggesting changes in their performances. This is what you will do in your career as a record producer.
Being a record producer is a dream-gig for many aspiring artists. A record producer is the unseen “power wizard” behind any successful recording. A simple description of his duties would be to compare him to a film director. Like a film director, a record producer is the go-between person who conducts communication between artists, technicians, and “the suits” who control all the “benjamins”.
The process of record production may go as follows: The talent, or artist, often arrives for studio recording sessions with what they believe are “finished” compositions. The producer’s job is to listen to the material with a new set of critical ears. Some artists compose in relative isolation, or may be surrounded by people who do not have the skills to tell them when a song needs more work. The producer’s job is to make the musical product as marketable as possible. This means not only helping with the arrangement of tunes, (changing structure, tempo, key, beat or other element) but considering the how the sound relates to the artist’s image or compiled works.
Additionally, On the engineering end, this might mean selecting microphones or amplifiers or which room to record in. In terms of personnel, coaching the talent, suggesting guest artists or soloists or giving general composition advice may come into play. When dealing with the money boys, it is the producer’s job to assure the executives that the project is going well (even when it is not), that it is on-time and under budget (when it never will be) and no way is the artist strung out on Peruvian go-go dust (we hope they are not).
Accordingly, Education is paramount in becoming a top producer. This education can come in a variety of ways. There are top colleges, such as Berklee College of Music, or UCLA, which offer degrees in music production. A four year degree from such an accredited program will cost anywhere from $40,000 to $200,000. (1) However, many very successful producers have never entered such a program. Luminaries such as Jay Z, Timbaland, Tom Dowd or Jerry Wexler may have had no academic training, but learned by doing. The “magic hat” of producer is often bestowed on a skilled executive, engineer or experienced artist when the right situation arises. Tom Dowd, for instance studied nuclear physics and helped in the development of the atom bomb before becoming a well known engineer and producer for Ray Charles, The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and countless others. (2) Other producers are former frontline artists who have “graduated” to producing, much in the way veteran actors become directors. Nile Rodgers (Chic, Madonna) is one such example of a gifted composer/instrumentalist who became a producer. (3)
Because of the variety of labels, artists and sales, salaries for producers will vary depending on their experience, skills and reputation. An aspiring producer may go through an internship, where they are paid no money or a stipend (which is not much money), in exchange for the experience they will receive. Other newcomers may produce projects on “spec”, or speculation. Spec means that you won’t get any money up front, but if the project sells enough to make money; you will be entitled to a portion of the profits. Top tier producers, of course make boatloads of money. (They have buildings made out of money that they keep their money in.) Think six figures. But this comes after years of toiling in obscurity, trying to craft each tune as a masterpiece. (4)
If you desire any career in music, it is best that you move to where the industry is most active. This would mean Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, and possibly Chicago, Austin, Atlanta, or Knoxville TN. Sure, you can be a record producer in your basement in Pocatello, Idaho, but your chances of making a decent living are very slim. The major music cities mentioned above are competitive with outrageously skilled people, so industry professionals do not as a rule; search out the “backwoods” for new promising talent. (5)
If you love making music and have a willingness to develop a wide array of technical and interpersonal skills, this might be a good career for you. You may or may not be an overnight success, but most importantly you will be surrounded by the art that you love. Just remember, a good producer always keeps his mind and ears open at all times.
Research Focus / Prewrite Worksheet for Career Project Name;______
My career project choice is ______it is a (Choose 1 below) :______
Professional career
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Service industries job.
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Verbs: Circle verbs you might use to describe this job!
This job involves (treating, attending, curing, doing, building, making, constructing, providing, fixing, maintaining, repairing, tuning, refining, improving, formulating, planting, growing, harvesting, investigating, patrolling, teaching, training, helping, assisting, designing, assembling, researching, engineering, drafting, restoring, finding, rehabilitating, trying, litigating, subpoenaing, testing, interviewing, reporting …etc.)
Think of five more verbs which might be things you will do in this career.
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Describe a scene at your future workplace. Provide lots of details______
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Education / Training
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o What type of equipment does this career use? Be specific ______
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o What are the best schools or experiences for developing these skills? ______
o What does it cost for this education? (money and / or obligations) ______
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What is the salary range of this career?
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· Is there an internship or apprenticeship?
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Military service: Include pay grades, signing/re-enlistment bonuses, housing, medical etc.
What additional training and education might be necessary to keep up to date with changes in this field?______
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What additional training would you need to achieve the maximum income or satisfaction in this field?
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Name some outstanding people in this career______
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Where did you find this information?______
Is this career a growing industry, profession or service? Is it highly specialized with a small market, or is it a commonly known profession?______
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Where are the best places to live in order to be successful in this profession?____
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What people or circumstances may have influenced your interest in this career field?______
What advice would you give others who might be interested in this career?______