How To Choose The Right Producer

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Having just release a new album, I thought it would be cool to share my thoughts on a very important part of the recording process – finding a producer! I hope these tips point you in the right direction.

1. KNOW WHO YOU ARE AS A MUSICIAN

Musicians who don’t know their “sound” often create studio albums that take on their producer’s sound. It’s not your producer’s album. It’s yours!  Be confident in your music and your style.  Bring what you have to the table and make sure your music stands strong on its own so that your producer knows exactly what he/she is working with.

2. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

# 1 and #2 go hand-in-hand. Being in the studio gives you the opportunity to create a piece of art that explores the various personalities in your music. Even if your music is folksy, the studio gives you the flexibility of making a multi-genre project. Some songs may end up being more poppy, more bluesy, or more jazzy.  There are so many options in the studio.  A producer helps you discover the possibilities while still helping your project maintain its “YOU element”.

As you enter into the recording process, know what you want out of each song and make sure you’re working with someone who can understand that. Sometimes you might not know what you want from a song. That’s ok. But make sure you’re working with someone who can help you figure it out- not someone who does what they want. It’s not their song. It’s yours and ultimately you’re going to be the one to take credit (or flak) for the final outcome.

3. SHOP & OBSERVE

Spend as much time as possible listening to other artists’ music. Learn what you like and what you don’t like. When you hear an album that stands out to you, email the artist and ask who they worked with. Ask them their opinion of the working relationship they had with their producer. Talk with that producer to see if you two might be compatible. Spend as much time as you can learning about the person you could potentially be working with. Look for a producer who has worked with comparable artists. In other words, if you want to make a pop album, don’t spend your time talking to a producer who primarily works with heavy metal musicians.

4. PICK SOMEONE YOU GET ALONG WITH

Incredibly important! Just because someone is good, doesn’t mean they’re the right person to work with. Make sure you’re working with someone who you can get along with. Meet up before you ever decide to work on a album together. Can you talk with each other. Do you speak the same language? Are your personalities compatible?  Is there potential to hash out touchy subjects civilly (these will definitely come up)?  Being able to trust who you work with is of utmost important.  I can honestly say that working with a producer who i actually liked and felt comfortable around was what ultimately made working on my new album fun and stress free.

 

Other than you, no one gets closer to your music than your producer.  Choose wisely.

 

Joy Ike is a full-time singer-songwriter based out of Pittsburgh, PA. She is also the founder of Grassrootsy, a music marketing blog for independent artists. She believes the greatest tragedy in the world is having a talent and keeping it to yourself. You can find her at www.joyike.com or follow her via twitter: @joyike

 

 

  • Jon Patton

    I self-produced three records before just asking a friend whose music I really like (Joseph Scala, who now plays in my band) to produce a little EP. It was such a weight off! I do slightly disagree about number 1, though, in some situations. Sometimes you *want* an album to sound like a producer’s record — everything Daniel Lanois produces sounds the same, and there are some people that will seek out anything touched by a particular *producer* regardless of the artist, kind of like how some people watch movies based on the director.

  • http://www.writerightwords.com/ Erin Feldman

    The relationship of musician to producer sounds a lot like the relationship of writer to editor.

  • grassrootsy

    good thoughts, Jon! I hear ya!

  • Roger

    Joy,

    I would add to this list knowing what your budget is. Nobody like surprises in business.
    Make or get a realistic estimate of how many studio hours you need to record your single, EP, album, etc. That includes studio hours for musicians, background singers, lead vocals and mixing. If you are relatively new to the studio, get several knowledgeable opinions on the time needed. You don’t want to have to leave a song unfinished because you under-estimated your required budget going into the project.
    You don’t want to go in and cut great tracks and then have to rush the mix because you’re low in funds.

    If you can’t hear the entire song in your head going in, and you know in your heart you and the producer need time to experiment with different tempos, keys, even genres, add that to your working budget. If you are a self-contained band, don’t rehearse your band on studio time. If you’re bringing in name-brand studio sidemen to play, have chord charts ready for them and a firm idea of the tempo and the groove you want. Bring one or two examples with you.

    Also have a clear understanding of who gets what when. Is your producer also the studio owner and engineer? It may not be realistic to think you get all three for one hourly studio rate. Paying the studio bill you run up does not compensate the producer for his/her labor as a producer or musician, and paying the studio bill is not the responsibility of the producer — it’s the artist’s, manager’s or label’s responsibility. A producer is not an investor. If you don’t have a production fee in your budget, at least negotiate a fair royalty rate with the producer, credits, and a system of sales accounting. If he/she’s an accomplished and experienced producer, he/she may not be willing to work entirely on spec. He/She may want a combination of a fee and points.

    Roger Meltzer
    CEO and Director of A&R
    Capsicum Records LLC
    Hartford, CT, USA
    Reggae-In-Fusion
    “Roots on the bottom, and pop on the top”
    http://www.capsicumrecords.com
    roger@capsicumrecords.com
    973-4364-9658

  • http://www.SteveChab.com/ Steve Chab

    Joy, great article! I love reading your blog. It’s good to see a fellow Burgher doing this stuff. I have a rebuttal for #1 though …

    Artists who seek producers like Timbaland and Giorgio Moroder desire the distinct sound of certain producer. So, I would say …

    If you want to sound like yourself, find a producer (like Rick Rubin or Terry Date) who is willing to make your recordings the best they can be in your given style.

    If you’re looking for someone to take your music in a different direction and expand upon your creativity, then look for a producer with a distinct sound and vision (like Timbaland or Moroder). You know?

    Thanks!
    Steve