How to Listen Objectively as a Music Producer

In this free online music production tutorial, Emmy Award-winning composter and Berklee College of Music Professor Stephen Webber offers advice for learning how to listen to music objectively as a producer.

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About Stephen Webber
Stephen Webber is an Emmy-winning composer and professor of Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music. In three decades as a record producer, engineer, session player, music director, recording artist, DJ, and studio designer, Stephen has recorded with Ivan Neville, Meshell Ndegeocello, the Manhattan Guitar Duo, and the Turtle Island String Quartet, and performed with Bela Fleck, Mark O'Conner, Grandmixer DXT, and Emmylou Harris. A writer for Electronic Musician, Remix, and Mix Magazine, Stephen is also the author of Turntable Technique: The Art of the DJ, the first book to teach the turntable as a musical instrument. Stephen performs and presents clinics and master classes throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia, and has been profiled on the Today Show, CNN, and NPR's All Things Considered, and in the New York Times and Rolling Stone magazine.

[MikeEZ]

Man... the last 2-3 minutes blew my mind because it not only pertains to Music Production, but life as well.. It hit some notes to other problems in my life other than my mixes.. Thanks for that

[yungseasons]

this is such gold that it will probably be unseen by 99%of producers but godddammmn its on point! thank you so much!!!

[citycarsblue]

I need to be around people like this guy

[Latettaja]

This is a very important skill for first of all finding new things to fix in your music, but also for learning how not be a perfectionist when it comes to your music. I have finally after 7 years of making my own music started to learn how to listen to it objectively, as someone else's product, and it has been the most benefitting thing for my music ever.

[trevors]

Most overlooked thing in music production, gotta take a step back and listen

[Armyofone]

As a writer the only way I could truly improve was to get into the minds of the people who would be reading and I couldn't agree with this man more. The transition from writing to music production may SEEM relatively smooth yet I lost the ability to understand the audience. I am grateful to find this video as it has reminded me of something which I lost in the depths of our own human psychology.

[DimiKaye]

I like this dude, he says very interesting and informative things. Nice!

[brunonegraozica]

That's a great tip! I already noticed that when I listen to my production after some time away from it I detect details that bother me and that I didn't notice before.

But I wasn't making notes and that's really necessary. I also didn't figure out that taking a break from the song was a good strategy to listen to the details more effectively.

[SAI]

Now I understand why do they keep airing the same songs in the radio over and over again, and why they become so

[DrProps-nphf]

Free knowledge. Sure give it to me. Well said and yet so true. Adaption, sound waves make your ears and brain stay ringing. Keep it fresh....Noted ty

[lowcountrykingdom]

Good advice, and a reminder of the importance of collaboration as well. Bringing in outside sources with fresh ears can often illuminate things we completely overlook.

[Chris-rrud]

Iv seen many videos and tutorials about music production, this is the most usefull and intresting of all

[homediei]

Wow, what an amazing explanation!
Thanks so much sir, you're of great help to 2024 beatmakers🙏🙏

[carbonatedbrainsauce]

This was very helpful, thanks for sharing.

[softlk]

Took me 12 years to hear my music objectively. Its such an odd thing and you can think your objective, even when your not.

[shaq]

This talk was excellent and just what I was looking for. Been through this struggle a lot.

[chitsful]

Very thoughtful lessons from Prof Webber.

[israrkarim]

My coursera mentor. Love from Pakistan.

[Roensmusic]

haha its funny to hear this btw... that adapting part... that is how i actually decided to just publish some old songs i did not really was satisfied over in the beginning, but after hearing it for years i started liking them how they are.... did i just fool myself here lmao xD
i actually think it also was the other way around, i liked it in the very first place when i was writing the notes and playing on the bass guitar i really was into the then after hearing it 100 times i lost it and did not like it, left it aside as a song on my mp3 player etc.. and then after a while i did not hear it for a few months, then it suddenly played and i really was surprised how good it actually sounded

[MRmojoworkin]

wo0ow. always thought about that, never related it to human adaptability. good point.