If you are looking to become a great music producer, this blog is for you!  The role of the Music Producer has greatly evolved since it’s inception in the mid 1900’s.  It has evolved from a general supervision of projects to a hands on creative and artistic role where producers are touching almost every step of the production process.  Great producers not only create great music, but create great environments for their artists and music team to perform at their highest ability.  A lot of focus is put on the music that producers create, but in this blog I want to focus on the non-musical process of great producers.    Some of the greats like Quincy Jones, George Martin, Prince, Berry Gordy, Babyface, and Timbaland have all made an indelible mark in the music industry in their own right.  Besides musical and creative abilities, there are intangible qualities that notable Music Producers employ to be most effective.  Here are 5 Qualities of a Great Music Producer:

1) An ability to lead

As a Music Producer the ability to provide direction for the team (musicians, singers, engineers, etc.) involved in your project is paramount.  I would say that 80% of producing is leadership and 20% is musical and technical knowledge.  I say this because as a producer you must get your team to buy into your “musical vision” for that specific project.  This involves coaching your team through their specific roles, providing creative direction, dealing with different personalities, meeting project deadlines, and ensuring that everyone is motivated and lending their best to the project.  I recommend leading by influence rather than by the iron fist.  The iron fist negatively impacts the creative environment and could sabotage the production process.  It is also good leadership when taking into consideration some of the ideas of your team.  They may add a component to your production that will be icing on the cake.

2) Effective Communicator

There is nothing more frustrating than having someone try to convey what’s in their head and it does’t make sense.  I have learned  that when you are working with very skilled talent, you have to be able to be as specific as possible.  They can give you so many options, that you need to pinpoint exactly what you want.  Sometimes giving analogies is an effective way to get what you need from your team.  For instance, if a singer’s tone is sounding thin give them the visual of an opera singer.  Emphasize that you need a their tone to be more “round” or “mature”.  Another way of effectively communicating to your team is to use other songs as reference points.  This is especially good if you’re looking for certain sonic qualities for musicians.  You may be looking for the guitar tone of the guitarist on “Beat It” or the drum tones of an 80’s power ballad.  If you refer to other songs, it immediately gives your team a strong template to build on.

3) A Strong Network

One of the selling points of a Music Producer is their extensive network.   A Music Producer who is connected with talented music personnel (songwriters, musicians, singers, engineers) and industry leaders is one who is very valuable.  One facet of a Music Producer’s job is to get the right people for the job.  This involves the producer knowing the expertise of the people in his/her network and securing them for the project. If a producer never networks and rubs elbows with other’s in the industry, they are going to have a hard time in this game because the industry is built on relationships.

4) Detail-oriented

Since music is much more than the notes that are played, the Music Producer has to be detail-oriented.  This involves listening to the way phrases are delivered by the lead vocalist, listening to the intonation of musicians and singers, tempo of the drummer, attention to the sonic qualities (how it’s being recorded), listening intently to the musical expression, etc…  When multitrack recording, you want to ensure each track is recorded clean and that vocals are starting and ending phrases together.  Then when you get to the mix phase, you want to make sure that everything has it’s place and that certain frequencies don’t stick out in the mix.  Yes it is a lot, but this is what great Producers do…. or they hire people to do it for them 🙂

5) Adaptive

The only thing constant in life is change.  Change can be intimidating and risky.  If you want to be in the game for the long haul, you have to adjust to the ever evolving styles, trends, and technologies.  A Music Producer must reinvent his/her sound from time to time in order to stay relevant. Keep your ear to the ground and glean from fresh artists and producers and you will set yourself up for longevity.