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Choosing a music producer - the Wild Wild West

Moeneeb Galant | 24 Mar 2014 4:46 PM

For many artists, choosing a music producer to work with on their projects may seem like a simple decision. However, making the wrong choice may result in you not being happy with the final product. I'm not saying that it is the producer who will get it wrong, but rather that there are external, non-musical factors that, if not taken into account, may affect the project negatively.

Why do you need a producer? 
 
There are many people who struggle to define what their role is as a producer. Think of the producer as the second set of ears, the person who will assist you in adding structure to your ideas, the person to say "record" or "STOP", with STOP being one of the most important words. 
 
There are two main types of producers; the "musician/producer" (MP) and the "observer/dictator/producer" (ODP). The MP is the producer who creates the beats or piece of music, sometimes even writing the songs as well and then seeks or requires an artist to front the project, whereas the ODP is the person who sits back and literally observes the work being done by the artist, musicians and the engineer.
 
As an independent artist, here are criteria to consider when deciding on who to work with:
 
  • Discography - There are a number of songs that you like that fit your musical style that the producer has worked on.
  • Budget - What does the producer charge for his/her services (INVEST IN YOUR CAREER and TALENT)
  • Facility - If you are in a band, you will need the space to record.
  • The "Vibe" - Many artists who I meet or who contact me are very surprised when I say, "Hey, let’s meet at my studio, we can chill, listen to some work, get to know each other a bit, then you can decide whether to work with me or not." For me, it is the most important thing - whether the artist and producer complement and get along with each other. 
 
Why do I call it the Wild Wild West? 
 
Well, I have heard my fair share of unfortunate experiences with so-called producers who have either ripped off artists or who didn't have the common decency to treat the artist well during the creation of their masterpiece. Choose your producer wisely; there are a lot of us out there - most of us are great human beings with unfortunately a few rotten tomatoes among us.
 
I tell the artists who I work with that I am 90% the vessel/tool used to get their ideas recorded. The other 10% is as an ODP providing guidance along the way. 
 
Why have I not mentioned the recording gear in this article? Well, I don’t really think that it matters… yet.
 
Image courtesy of renjith krishnan/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
 
 

[Moeneeb Galant]

Moeneeb Galant is a music producer, songwriter & engineer, in the business for almost 10 years. He has worked with artists such as; Jarrad Ricketts, Clint Brink, Lloyd Jansen; Chad Saaiman and Ebrahiem Inglis. Founder of Gimme Moe Productions, Moeneeb focuses on recording, production, composing, voice-overs, editing, mixing and mastering.