Why you need a music producer NOT just a great studio!
I have seen artists blow it time after time by picking a great, expensive studio with awesome equipment only to find out they did not reach the desired result. Ten times out of ten they find out that even with that amazing studio, all of that gear and studio staff they didn't walk away with a professional, radio ready song. The reason is usually that they forgot the most important piece of the production. The music producer.Â
What is a music producer?Â
Well, the best way I know to explain what we are and what we do is this. The studio is the kitchen, your talent, song and the musicians are the ingredients​ and the producer is the Master Chef. He or she has the experience, ears and talent to add to, take away from and combine everything into an amazing dish (hit quality record).Â
1.The producer brings Impartiality to your project.
You are close to your song. Every little part of it means so much to you that you may tend to hold on to it like it's treasure when it's unnecessary or even worse just garbage. A good producer will tell you if it needs to go or if it just needs some tweaking. That super cool chord you love that sits between the verse and chorus may be ruining your songs chance at commercial success. As a producer it is my job to tell you it stinks and should not be there. If I tell you that it takes way to long to get to your chorus, don't take it personally. Your reply should be "ok Joey, let's fix it!". If you want praise and adoration for your right minute song go play it for your mom, not me or any other record producer.
2. A producer brings the best performance out of you and everyone else on your project.
When a record producer listens to you sing your vocal he or she usually instantly knows all the ways it can be much better. I usually coach vocalists and musicians very heavily to capture all of the style, character, tone and energy that the song needs to be commercially viable all while paying meticulous attention to the technical aspects as well. Just when you think it's the best you can do I will push you for better.
3. Producer vs Audio Engineer
One thing that confuses most people is that though a producer can be an audio engineer and an engineer can be a producer (I am both) this is usually not the case. The producer calls the shots, the recording engineer uses their technical expertise  and ear to work the gear to get the sound the producer is specifying.
I guess another good analogy would be. You are taking a trip (recording an album). You rent a car (recording studio), the drive of the car is the engineer but the person who knows all the cool places, routes and stops to make your journey amazing is the producer.
4. The producer has probably recorded your song before...several times.
Well, maybe not your EXACT song but probably close enough. Don't get offended. I know your song is "totally unique" and  "there's nothing else like it out there". CoughBULLCough. I'm not taking anything away from cutting edge, Uber creative people but 9 times outta 10 I will know your whole song by the time you have finished singing it and I will have five or more production treatments that will work great for it completed in my head...every single note. Don't look at this as a negative. It's a very very good thing. It is my experience as a producer for hundreds and hundreds of different artists and lover of all types of music that will benefit your music more than you can imagine.
A big wig music executive at BMI put it this way.
"A music producer is to a record what a director is to a film. He steers the creative and technical ship to a blockbuster production".
Need a producer? Just message me!Â
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