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

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ABOUT THIS VIDEO:
There are two kinds of people who should watch this video. First, maybe you're the kind of person who wants to potentially be a music producer as a career! Second, maybe you have music and you want to hire a producer to make your tracks sound crazy good. In either case, it's important that you know what a music producer actually does so that you have a clear understanding of what you should (and should not expect) from a music producer. Yes, they practically live in a recording studio, and yes, they make songs sound pretty, but they do SO MUCH MORE than that, and some of the job role is much more fun than other parts. X O'Connor, GRAMMY® Winning Producer with Full Circle Music is going to make sure that you know exactly what producers are expected to do when it comes to making a song spring to life.

This episode is part of a SERIES on YouTube called “100 Music Industry Questions Answered.” This is Question #87. You can watch the rest of this series in our playlist here:

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ABOUT FULL CIRCLE MUSIC:
Full Circle Music is a Music Production Company, Music Publishing Company, Record Label, and Music Education Academy based in Nashville, TN. They regularly work with some of the biggest names in music, such as Newsboys, High Valley, Casting Crowns, Skillet, Francesca Battisteli, and For King & Country, just to name a few. Their team has several Grammy Awards, Dove Awards, and over 20 #1 songs at radio. Through the Full Circle Music Academy, Full Circle Music aspires to teach the next generation of musicians what it takes to make it in the modern music industry.

#MusicProduction #Advice #FullCircleMusic

[AubreeNicoleMusic]

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.

[mhend]

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 :') )

[freshprince]

Thanks for the tip, I've been dreaming about being a producer last month and this really helps what to expect when becoming one.

[ReeseRyanWrites]

Thank you for these two clear, concise explanations of what a music producer does.

[dwaynewinstead]

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

[RobertWGreaves]

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.

[jiminssi]

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

[seederiektdg]

This is what I needed to hear. With a life full of music and a previous career in management I should be able to chase my dream. I assume the creative part isn't that much fun when the managing part isn't done right?

[eman]

I wanted to add that many people often get "Beat Makers" mixed up with the role of a Record Producer. They were never called Producers in the first place. The offical formal job title for beat Maker was acutally called a *Programmer* a term used a lot in the 80s and 90s that programmed and sequenced backing tracks. The Recording Academy doesn't recognize beatmaker/Programmer as a Record Producer nor they would be eligible for such Grammy Award. There are criteria requirements. In Urban, Hip Hop, R&B it's really a Record Producer that fulfills the role of a Programmer that creates the instrumental track opposed to a Producer in Rock that works mostly with session players. They are sort of like wearing two hats that often called Songwriter/Producers. Rodney Darkchild Jerkins would create the instrumental track and then would cut the vocals in the studio with his clients that directs and calls the shots behind the mixing board which isn't anything different than what Quincy Jones did. He also collaborates closely with session musicians and writers. Larry Gold has been the go to String Arranger by many Hip Hop/R&B Producer. Timbaland hired Larry Gold that arranged thr strings for Cry Me A River.

[BiancaTatum]

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

[MustoMusic]

I like the way how you explained, you hit the point directly that's why I like the video, Subscribe to your channel and wrote that comment cheers man

[christinethornhill]

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. 🐈

[peanutbutterisfu]

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.

[jeanlucdecoster]

Rick Ruben does a great job at definition #2 (but also definition #1 lol)

[shelleyosullivan]

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?

[williambell]

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?

[fanlessnguni]

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

[truthinlight]

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.
---
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.

[aliciamacedo]

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

[tomdaoust]

That was good. But I’m wondering how the actual job of a producer works in the interaction with the artists (songwriters, musicians, sound techs). What kind of directions do producers give these players? Can you highlight some amazing contributions of producers that truly “made” a song? Or how about some examples where artists clashed with a domineering producer? Take us behind the scenes of a few brilliant sessions with great producers and maybe one or two that crashed and burned.