Music Technology Forum – Week 4: Right producer for artist.

This week in Music Tech Forum, we addressed two key issues: right producer for artist, and matching production style with genre. We also increased our hearing memory by listening to many styles of songs and picking out unique characteristics.

Picking the right producer for an artist is a critical decision. By choosing the right producer, an artist is ensuring himself or herself the best mix possible. A techno artist wouldn’t choose someone who would produce a song with a boring tune and a simple drum beat. They would choose someone who can produce a catchy tune that gets stuck in people’s heads with many breakdowns to keep listeners interested, which brings up the point: ‘matching production style with genre.’

A production style is important when producing an artist. To have the right style that is different to other styles is essential. For example, last week we heard Rick Rubin’s style of the bass drum having a click sound. This method is different to other producer’s style.
Benny Benassi uses a very unique ‘instrument’, which is noticeable in many of his songs. He also uses the same fade out ending in a number of his songs aswell. This production style work with the chosen genre, and by listening to his songs, you can recognise it as the work of Benny Benassi.
Although some artists choose producers who work with their chosen genre, other artists run the risk of choosing a completely different producer who can bring a whole level of uniqueness to the track.

Unique characteristics heard during playback:
Cypress Hill – Their songs start off with a low waveform and dramatically increase to a much larger waveform.
Prodigy – Gradual build up with a new layer of instruments every four or eight bars.
Enigma – Very unique panflute noise that could only be recognised as Enigma.
Hip-hop – Catchy drum beat to grab your attention with breakdown to keep you interested.
Live drummers – The use of live drummers over loops.

Music Technology Forum - Week 3: The Producer

In Music Technology Forum, we focused on producers and their role in Music Production. There are five main categories which distinguish the ‘good’ producers from the ‘elite’ producers.
1. Sound
2. Performance that’s captured
3. Song arrangement
4. Budget distribution
5. Communication skills

Sound:
Sound and sound quality is the most important factor when it comes to the production of music. Some producers spend hours, even days to come up with the perfect sound; whether it is a perfect harmony between singers, or a ‘click’ sound coming out of the bass drum – Rick Rubin trademark. Producers commonly find unique ways to differentiate themselves from each other.

Performance that’s captured:
It is important for the producer to capture the right performance for distinctive bands. There’s no point producing a heavy metal band which sounds weak. By using ideas from the band and own trademark skills, a Producer can capture the right performance that sounds appealing to the audience.

Song arrangement:
The arrangement of songs is an essential part of Music Production. Placement of certain sounds and audio should be arranged to give the song its full potential. With song arrangements also comes song choice, order of songs on an album and even producers co-writing songs.

Budget distribution:
The distribution of money can determine whether a producer keeps his job or not. A fair distribution of money between band members, sound labels, studios etc. and of course the producer will cause the least amount of conflict possible.

Communication skills:
Communication skills are a major factor for producers. Without great communication skills, there is no band to produce. These communication skills can be phone skills, skills of persuasion, and even to relax or possibly resolve issues between band members.

In conclusion, producers are vital to the music industry. Although they make their job look easy, it takes multiple years of training to reach their level. To be an elite producer, you would have to excel in these 5 categories, otherwise there’s no room for you in the field of producing.


Reference:
Steve Fieldhouse (2007). The Producer - Adelaide University.