Music Producer

Working Schedule

• Music Producers may work full- or part-time jobs, depending on their position. Some work in a freelance contract capacity (getting paid per project or per hour) while others are employed by media companies where they get to work on multiple projects. Some producers get paid “per beat” they produce, and many receive royalty payments. Most work in or around entertainment hub cities like Los Angeles and New York City. 

Typical Duties

• Listen to demo tapes and assess the potential of each song
• Collaborate closely with artists to select the best ideas and demos to record and include on an album
• Offer input into each song’s arrangement (for example, which instruments to incorporate or how long a certain part should be)
• Suggest ideas for changing a song’s sound, such as altering the key, increasing the tempo, adding more bass, or crafting a catchier hook 
• Sample other songs and create original beats (mostly for hip-hop/rap genres)
• Maintain a roster of talented session musicians that can come in to play various parts during the recording sessions, if full-time band members cannot
• Review anticipated costs with the applicable record label or other financiers of a recording session. Costs include studio time and pay for engineers (and producers!)
• Agree upon a budget and rights ownership of the master recording, prior to beginning. Secure or confirm funding
• Discuss recording studio options with the artists and record label/financier, based on budgets, geographic preferences, and unique studio attributes 
• Organize the recording schedule with all applicable musicians, based on their availability and that of the studio’s
• Ensure the studio rental fee is paid, as well as any additional services such as mixing and mastering (unless the label has its own studio)
• Bring in the artists to start recording the tracks over a pre-arranged number of days (or weeks!) 
• Oversee the recordings’ mix and master processes. Make final decisions on which songs will be included and in which order

Additional Responsibilities

• Keep up to date on current music, artists, and trends
• Study a broad range of music genres
• Build strong relationships with artists, record labels, and other musical intellectual property holders 
• Mentor new artists and help develop their careers 
• Ensure all rights and royalties are properly secured. Some Music Producers receive co-writing credits and ownership, which can amount to a lifetime of future royalty payments for hit songs

Soft Skills

• Attention to detail
• Creativity
• Empathy
• Goal-oriented
• Initiative
• Leadership skills
• Highly organized
• Passion for music
• Patient 
• Persuasive
• Problem-solving
• Strong communication skills 
• Teamwork
• Time management 

Technical Skills

• Cultural awareness
• Familiarity with music licensing, rights, and royalties
• Good “ear” for music
• Solid grasp of music production equipment and audio engineerings, such as Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) technology, audio interfaces, studio recording microphones, and studio headphones, 
• Understanding of copyright infringement laws
• Very broad knowledge of many music genres, artists, music theory, and history

• Film, television, and video game studios
• Record labels and studios
• Self-employed

Music Producers have varying degrees of input and influence on the songs and albums they produce. Some are heavily involved, helping develop new artists, co-writing songs, rearranging them, overhauling an album’s overall vibe or theme, or laying down catchy beat tracks that artists can sing over. In the case of long-time Beatles producer George Martin, Sir Paul McCartney stated, “If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle, it was [George Martin].” 

Whether an album takes off like a rocket or sinks like a stone, often the producer bears a share of the responsibility. For those who consistently produce hit albums, their earnings potential may skyrocket. Those who work on albums that fail commercially may struggle to overcome a negative reputation, even if there wasn’t much they could do to save a bad record (or an unprofessional band). In some cases, artists and their producers have public feuds that can damage one’s career! 

For years, alarmists have shouted that the concept of a full “album” of recorded music is dead. Album sales trends over the years seem to support that conclusion. Streaming has revolutionized how music is bought and listened to, with many consumers simply subscribing to services like Spotify or buying individual songs (aka singles). 

Meanwhile, technology is always advancing, and because music production involves high-tech studio hardware and software, Music Producers need to keep up with the changes. Artificial Intelligence has infiltrated the industry via AI-assisted songwriting as well as automated music soundtrack creation tools like OpenAI’s MuseNet and Jukebox. 

AI-based mixing and mastering is also saving producers and engineers time (or cutting into their jobs, depending on how you look at it). Some predict that as music-generating AI becomes more user-friendly, music creation will be more gamified, allowing listeners to compose their own songs and essentially become producers, too! 

Music Producers usually grow up as avid music fans who enjoy reading or watching documentaries about their favorite artists and bands. They are often musicians themselves and learn how to compose songs and find ways to make them better. Many hone their people skills at an early age, perhaps through activities at school or from being part of a large family. They’re creative but also technical-minded, and could have enjoyed tinkering with audio-related hardware and software as part of an AV club.