Up until recently, the sole job of the music producer was to over see the recording process of a song or an entire album. His or her main duty would be to schedule the studio time, keep all of the band members on time, and provide a second ear for a particular sound. The music produce was basically the leader: The person who would bring everything together. They would act as a bridge between the record lable and the artist. They would make sure that the artist was completely satisfied and all of their musical needs were met. While today’s music producer may still do these things, the overall job has become more interactive.
Today’s music producers are expected to over see the entire song process. They are involved in everything from pre production, post production to mastering. The producer must be an expert in every aspect of the music creation process. He must be a solid musician, or have superior knowledge of musical theory. He must also understand the engineering aspect of the recording process. A sound knowledge of the music business is also necessary. The producer will be communicating back and forth between the artists/musicians, the recording engineer, and the record company so it is extremely important that he/she speaks the language of all three.
In most cases, the music producer is expected to be the song writer and engineer on a particular song, and even for entire projects. This is found most commonly in hip hop, r&b and other brands of popular music. In these genres the producer is expected to pre-compose the instrumental, and even at times write and record the hook. Some producers will collaborate with other songwriters and composers to design entire packaged songs to sell for huge profits and royalty cuts. The salary of a typical music producer can vary. In the past, landing a job as a music producer for a record company would yield you a very healthy income.
The role of the music producer has definitely changed from what it was some sixty years ago. Through-out all of these changes one thing remains true, acquiring a good producer is a necessary step in the success of a musical act. Not only does this bring the music experience to a song that an artist may be lacking, but when artists attach themselves to well known producers it has been known to yield great success. If an artist with little or no buzz gets production from a big name such as Dr. Dre, or Timbaland, this could potentially sky rocket them to the top of the charts. After all, this is why they get paid so much… right?