What Does A Music Producer Actually Do? (Explained By A Pro)

I was in the music scene in the 2010’s played tons of shows with tons of bands. So many bands had absolutely amazing sounding albums/songs they recorded themselves or at cheap by a dude from another band cheaply and again pro studio quality in a basement studio with very basic gear but the problem was the songs were just ok and a good producer helps make them great.

I love it!

great video, thanks for sharing

Thanks 😊

3 min vid ..Thnk u.

It’s not fun. In my experience, musicians are incredibly difficult to deal with most of the time, interpersonally, creatively and technically. At the beginner level it’s REAL hard. They want everything for nothing and they usually come with HUGE egos. They come in with half baked ideas that I then WORK MY ASS OFF to realise. They then want to change and re-record stuff which involves re editing and re arranging and it TAKES TIME. They have no concept of the time and effort involved in cleaning up their bad multiple takes and bad decisions! They have no idea about what makes a good track and they are usually stubborn and unwilling to take advice. The worst thing is…..They then go elsewhere because of THEIR lack of patience, understanding and awful communication skills. It’s mostly about wether you dan deal with difficult people and conversations and contracts and very little to do with “creativity”.

Thank you for the explanation😊

This is a good video about what a producer does. But in recent years it seems like the producers actually write the songs too, in many cases. That is a boarding of their role compared to years ago

Hello..does a record label charge you if you have your own producer❤

are those real grammys

Basically the Music Producer is essentially The Music Industry Equivalent of both the producer and director in The Film Industry.

Is there a conflict between the producer and the engineer? I'm not in the music business but my daughter is and she will soon go into the studio but I get the impression that the engineer will be doing everything or do they do a combined role? Its only a small independent studio.

Insightful video. Thank you. On a somewhat related - yet separate note, I've recently seen some folks out there on various songwriting forums claim that "music producers are Not really *creators*. Music Producers have a value, but they merely are asstants to the actual creator (the songwriter) ".
I don't agree. I think that mentality is ridiculous. This is something I've only noticed rearing its head recently. (Never really have seen or heard that type of ignorance in past decades).
This mentality out there by some saying that music producers are somehow beneath songwriters strikes me a bit as condescending and insulting to what music producers do. And honestly I don't think these people saying that really realize what music producers creatively actually do.
As someone who can write music myself, I don't agree with this mindset. I myself can sit down at a piano or with the guitar and build a note or chord structure, and also put lyrics to it.
But I don't for one minute think that makes me somehow More of a creative force musically then a producer or an arranger. I think that anyone involved with the creative process... whether the starting point of a songwriter, or the follow up work & involvement of a producer or aranger, they all deserve to be called a "creator".

I'm curious how producers out there feel about some folks out there trying to downplay a producer's importance?

Should they be dismissed as "flat earthers" (that still don't think our globe is round 🤣 ) And don't take them serious?

Or should it be treated more serious, And if we see people out there Claiming to know something about the music industry, but downplaying the creative value of producers, should we use those opportunities to challenge that thinking and try to better educate those with a more ridid mind structure towards topics like this?

Yes! I've never been really comfortable singing for people but I have all of this music in my head but don't have all of the knowledge, know how, or skill set to get it out. It's an amazing talent. Fine tuning everything and getting quality sound.

hi pls can u answer my question , do the producer make mvs in the music ? i mean who give mv idea ?hope u unswer me

Please
Sell

This is great

Anyone always ask me what is music producer do.... And i answer their question " Struggle every night , brain blocking, thinking melody , and f up with mixes" Lmao "and also make a music and compose the music"

If anyone can produce/ mix vocals pls lmk

This man has confirmed my belief that DJ Khaled does nothing but yell over songs .

Do you make good money? I was thinking about going to school to become a music producer?

I have been finding an answer like this but couldn't . This video helps me to get my answer . Thank you ❤️

Gud🔥👍🏿

Im a canadian, singer, songwriter.

I've talked to agents who all are telling me the industry is hurting....touring , performing is bleak...
Where's the future of country music', performances headed...with this Covid?

He does as he is Told or his dirty Secrets will be released to the Masses.

That's what's up

Thank you, this was helpful to understanding the role of a producer.

I have changed my terminology. I’ve given them two different titles. One I call the executive producer responsible for the structural decisions of the business end. The other I call the creative producer. I was actually an independent studio and was often in the creative producer role. But my clients were actually in the executive producer role. I asked them to keep in mind their budget, their plan, and the overall process. I would make sure to discuss these issues before we agreed to work together. But I offer creative advice in the process of tracking mixing and mastering unless they already have a producer. I am now retired, but back in the day I would require clients to either have a creative producer, or if they did not have one, then I would be in that role. The only exception I agreed to was if the client and I were coproducers. That wouldn’t necessarily work for everyone but it was how I managed to navigate the challenges.

Where would we be without people such as yourself to not only do the job [ which is tough and solitary ] but also take time out to explain. Cheers 🥂 for the information, dear friend. 🐈

Thank you for simple breakdown.
I have a question. Well, I have a comment or observation, first, then a question to follow.

I love reading interviews over the years from many professional musicians that worked in recording studios with professional singers back in the 1950s & 60s. Their interviews about the recording process back then (as compared to our modern times now) are always enlightening.
Some things fundamentally are the same from the creative process, while things are different in some ways (aside from the technology advancement, of course).

What I've gathered from interviews from those in recording studios in 1950s & 60s is that many people that were actively involved in Producing & Arranging did Not always get producer or arranger credit on the albums.

Sometimes the record company or label would have someone officially assigned those titles and would be listed on the album... but it wasn't uncommon for someone else in the studio (whether it be one of the hired musicians or in a few cases even the vocal artists themselves) that would be the one to actively take on the "Producer" "Arranger" role.
One of my musician friends also researched in that era of Music said they would often refer to those types of folks as "blue-collar producers"... or"blue... arrangers".
- they we're not necessarily acquainted with music theory or notation, or the final finer technical aspects of professional trained producers...But they were solid enough creative entities and with a great ear and creativity, they would to roll up their sleeves and jump in middle of the Sessions coming up with ideas for key or chord changes.
Add to this that these creative individuals were known to add or change lyrics as well.
They also were involved in changing or adding a instruments, and even being solid enough a musician they would be able to actually play the music they had in mind for those changes for the professional hired musicians to key in off of and run with.

They would also be the one to often decide or recommend which studio Take would be the final Master for release.

Many of those Studio musicians explain how those type of creatively-involved people in 1950s-60's rarely were never recognized as Producer or Arranger ...(or acknowledged as even partial-assistant in some way).

So it was not un-common that the person credited as Producer & Arranger (as mentioned above, hired by the record label) was not the actual person doing as much work as the uncredited unrecognized person.

But as time went on moving into 1970s and more forward, this changed, so that "producer &/or arranger credits" did start going to the person most actively involved in taking the written piece of music brought to the session restructuring it and taking everything musically to the next level and finished product for professional release.
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Ok, now my question or curiosity is this -

I'm curious what place, or title folks (such as the ones I described from all those decades ago) would have in this modern era? Producer? Assistant? Collaborator? Could we even call them a bit of Lyricist, if they sometimes add or or change lyrics ...(even if only a couple words?)
What would they be called or considered if they play those other creative active roles, even if they were not involved in original written composition?

This is something I occasionally ponder when reading or listening to modern Producers & Arrangers discussing how different things were from many decades ago as compared to today.

Thank you in advance for any help or insights.

thanks!

Plz Add subtitle in your vedios if posible...

I sing and I write lyrics and I know the sound in my head to the songs but I need help getting people to play the instruments to finalize the songs. Can you tell me if a producer helps with this?

I am now doing an Audible version of my memoir, and want to add 4 words from John Lennon's Imagine. How do I get permission?

I think a better comparison is the producer of the movie not the director. The director does nothing lmao. Music producers do far more than directors and should get credit for it

Can you recommend a class for learning to become a music producer? Im a complete beginner.

It makes me very nostalgic to remember a beautiful time where I created music and I would like to stay in that time for my whole life but for some personal reason I can't. Who would care about this comment I think I'm just a comment like everyone after all. ( Whoever has read have a beautiful life ahead :') )

i want to learn music production can you help plz

so if I hire a producer he will have a team?? or I should pay for a master engineering,mixing engineer too??

what course/s should take if you want to be music producer?

I also want to learn about the music industry my son is a good singer and songwriter so how can I help him

I also want to learn about the music industry my son is a good singer and songwriter so how can I help him

i thought producers just make beats and sell em.☹️

Oh it was really helpful

Thanks for this video i just have one question how deep into the music can the producer dig? how far can he/she go in terms of changing the original song?

so producers work for the artist? what about songwriter/producers that work for a company...like the old set up at original Motown?

Ayase from YOASOBI brought me here.

How to find a producer? How to determine a good fit when looking for a producer?

A producer turns a song into music.