by Tony Joshie
Please, if you have anyone or you know someone who is aspiring to be a producer, Music Producer , to be exact, do not hesitate to call their attention to this great post. Becoming a Music Producer is certainly not a day's job. It requires a lot of work and determination . You'd have heard or read about Federick Jay Rubin, Jaron Luksa, Bryan David Vig, and many others. You most certainly want to grow to their level and even get past their amazing records . Well, it's possible as the field is wide open to everybody.
Gone are the days when the only thing you need to get is a degree or an education, put a little effort and boom, you're at the peak of your field or career. In the present day, you do that, and you're left far behind. Why? It's only because everything has become competitive. And, this doesn't exempt the music, media, and entertainment industry . So many stars and big names go beyond the ordinary in the background to create an outcome in the spotlight that leaves the consumers in awe.
We are taking our attention to the music world as a whole. We now have serious competition, with everybody trying to break free out of the ordinary. And, if there's any aspect or field in the music business that's highly competitive as of this moment, it's becoming a unique Music Producer .
As we've seen the rise in the level of enthusiasm of people who are so much interested in becoming a Music Producer, we have no other choice than to dig deep to ease the way.
Contents
What you should know | At a glance |
Who and what does a Music Producer do? |
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Education |
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Skills Needed |
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Personality & Lifestyle |
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Employment(landing your first job) |
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Salary |
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Union/Association |
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How do I start? |
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So, in the light of this, let us hold your hands and set you on the right path on becoming a Music Producer. These are what you need to know;
To answer the question, a Music Producer can be said to be a person who produces songs. To go further, I'd say not just to create songs. A Music Producer writes, organizes, records, and provides tracks. It could be shaping or fixing the sound of an artist in an album or could be making beats and sounds , and writing songs for personal purposes or projects.
With the advent of home studios and the likes, a lot of Music Producers take up several duties; Sound engineers, studio owners, producing beats, and many other whatnots.
As a Music Producer, you are meant to take responsibility for everything, and to do that isn't as simple as memorizing a nursery rhyme. Let me provide you with an illustration: For a Music Producer, a typical day isn't over without going through the checklist and notes(Producer notes), getting everything in the studio set, and ensuring all gadgets and equipment are in order. If anything isn't in order, it needs to be taken care of before the day becomes clumsy, with clients and other personnel working here and there.
You'd appreciate doing the latter well when a prospective client or on-the-job personnel arrives and demands your full attention. It won't be helpful to waver and get easily distracted in the course of the music session and dry runs . There are long sessions of work, trying to fine-tune and set things in order. This will ultimately take several hours of your day.
So that you know, that's just in the studio . Outside the studio, you've got a lot of things to attend to for you to stay relevant in the game. For example, going for different rehearsals , several meetings to attend, shows , and sessions on writing and connecting with others in the music world.
The internet, and social media, in particular, sets you off on linking up with the top and upcoming artists in the game. But, no matter what, social media can't and will never supersede one on one meetings and dealings with relevant people. You know why? This is it! It's like a bird flying with two wings; the first is the studio works(producing) while the other half is making connections and sales. You are what you do, and you've got to push yourself to it.
To close this section, as a Music Producer , you get to work hand in hand with;
No two ways about it, you've got to bag a degree in Music Production and other related courses. You've got to understand the in and out before you plunge into it.
See the way Jaron Luksa puts it; " The music industry goes as fast as tech improves. So, put the basics into memory by acquiring knowledge from schools running suitable programs."
So, whatever you learn later on would rest on your nitrogenous base, which is the formal education/training you've acquired.
Afterward, become a student under a respectable figure in your field of interest . See how it works outside school. Keep tabs on what's trending in your area. This will undoubtedly involve spending several hours in front of your smartphone device going back and forth on tutorial videos with your pack of ice-cream to your chest.
No manual on getting the right amount of experience and skill . To be candid, no magic tricks involved in taking the launching pads into becoming a reliable Music Producer. Put the whole of you right into it, set your most muscular foot to the journey, and go on with the rest!
The passion and collection of skills must be resident at all times. Get your hands into writing songs, creative crafts, organizing, engineering matters, and other stuff. It's just about a bit here and there. Be your critic! Don't listen to music like just anybody; take it the way a fan would. Let it sink into your system and do it regularly.
No doubt about it, you have to create time for music, become a die-hard fan of music if you're not now. Listen and set your attention on all the connecting pieces and ends of each song.
You have to make sure you sync with the particular artist you're currently dealing with, the actual genre of interest , and the way the fans would welcome the song(s).
A would-be Music Producer should be well organized, reliable, and decisive, and topnotch in communication skills . All these should live out in a Music Producer to do well. Clients will show up, no doubts, but with their lorry load of issues not related to the course, music, bringing all that into the rehearsals and all. So, you need not add yours. Whatever isn't business or music-related , leave it at the entrance.
A Music Producer's lifestyle can be a little tiring with lots of work to do and also gunning for paid contracts , that's when you're new in the game. Everything might look unbearable at first. Regardless, don't slack in your duty. Some other producers can make things go wrong, but not you. Be diligent always so you can get to show what you've got at any given opportunity.
Well, getting your first job is way different from applying for a position in a company. In this game, you have to be ready to network with people and maximize every opportunity that comes your way. You can't get along in the dark, you've got to come all out in the open and grind it! Attend shows and interact with others in the game.
It's a hustle, and you have to strike out your platform, your space. See what the big names in the game think you should do- Interact with people, sound engineers , record producers , and others, after shows. Go all out to the leading brands and mingle with them. Shoot your shot and show what you've got. Become part of the crew and find your consumers or customers who are willing to pay for your services.
It's a bit difficult to pinpoint what you stand to make now, as a beginner. You might make more money in some cities, most notably in music zones. However, the harder you push through and get jobs, the more chances you get to up your monetary stats. Well, what a Music Producer stands to get falls between $39,000-$76,000.
To get money in the music line of business, Jaron Luksa advised that you settle payment matters first before getting in on the job. You might be saving yourself from a mess by doing this. Create a concrete Agreement plan to be signed by both parties. You can quickly get this done through music attorneys , just about $500 at most. After that, you can keep on editing it for subsequent jobs.
In an easy to read the text, make everything formal and on paper.
As of now, there are no unions or associations for producers. However, it's strongly advised that you put your name down with a "Publishing Rights Organization." This shouldn't stop the fact that you've got to connect with others in the game as it is pivotal in your success journey.
You can also use the internet space to churn out useful resources . Get to follow the leading Producers and others in the game. Fix your gaze mostly on where your prospective clients and fans would be interested in and know what's trending.
Get yourself an artist , get started on a record . It might be free of charge, continue in it. You're bound to learn from it. Create records and learn from your mistakes. Remember, it's a mix of music and business . So, be open to learn and carry on with the two.
There you have it! Pointers into becoming a Music Producer. Ensure you go through carefully and hold on to it as you journey through. Now, tell us, do you find this post timely?
About Tony Joshie
Tony's journey as a blogger began several years ago when he discovered his love for the visual arts. Fascinated by the stories behind the masterpieces and the artistic techniques employed by renowned artists, he started sharing his thoughts and interpretations on his blog.
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