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| Brian Charles in Zippah Studios Control Room |
In this age of DIY budgets, it often turns out that bands are quick to decide that they can save money by opting to not use a producer. This probably stems from the basic fact that many people don't know what a producer actually does. A producer? Isn't he the guy who sits in the back of the control room and barks commands like "print it", and "rolling"? Or maybe he's the guy who's made it his mission to make you sound like him…brand you with his sonic imprint…whether you like it - or not. Well these are actual stereotypes that I have heard artists mention when talking about their awful experiences (horror stories) related to working with a producer. I believe these stereotypes stem from reality in some capacity, because of the many inexperienced people who dared to call themselves a "producer". Making decisions based on their ego, or adopting an aggressive attitude to prevent his motives from being challenged. Honestly, these are the things that recording horror stories are made from and you should know, that an experienced producer not only knows how to avoid these horror stories, but also knows how to help you realize your vision. An experienced producer will pay for himself in many ways…finding ways to keep you within your budget without compromising the quality of the recording as well as maintaining efficiency in the studio are just a couple of ways. A good producer knows how to get everybody working together…sharing momentum. Spending time in the rehearsal space with a producer (pre-production) making crucial decisions "off the clock" before setting foot in the studio can be the difference between staying within budget and going way over it. A good producer strives to keep harmony amongst band members by being the person that all ideas can be communicated to, and in-turn presented with objectivity to the others. If you think that you're this person in your band, I'd be willing to bet that not everyone in your band agrees with this (just a hunch). A good producer also strives to get the very best performances out of an artist, and should be armed with techniques to make this happen. Keeping players rotating during the "overdub process" so that the singer isn't stuck with three days of singing to do at the end of the recording schedule is second nature to a seasoned producer. Your recording should be about the music…this sounds simple, but a good producer knows how to keep the technical part of recording in the background so that you, the artist can concentrate on the music. I'd be willing to bet that your favorite records in the world…the ones that inspired you the most were probably made with a producer. I think that great musical performances are inspired… and capturing and nurturing these performances is best achieved by the deliberate actions of an experienced producer.
I just had lunch with an artist who had a producer on her last album who wouldn't let her play the piano on her own songs. She went home and cried after the session player recorded her parts.
ReplyDeleteThose situations can be tricky. A producer's decisions have to be made with the greater good of the record in mind, I will say, that bringing an artist to tears hardly serves the greater good in my opinion. I obviously don't know the specifics of her situation…but if I (as producer) thought that the artist's piano playing was a hinderance to making the record great, I would try to help her see this point and remind her that we both want the same thing. If the decision was the right one to make, I'd bet she would realize it pretty quickly. You have to be sensitive to an artists feelings in my opinion…and it sounds like this was handled in a tactless way with lame communication (that's my guess anyway).
DeleteMan, that sucks.
DeleteI totally agree with this post. A good producer is a great people person - part psychologist, part technical wizard, 100% believing in your artistic vision and talent. A good producer knows what's missing - whether it's another instrument, a different arrangement, or more emotion in a performance. And they know how to get it. As a vocalist, I know I can rarely be objective about my own performances, because singing puts me in such an emotional place by definition. And let's not even get into the mix - suffice to say, an objective ear is crucial for any band. Every player always thinks their part is too quiet in the mix, don't they ? A producer keeps the peace and minimizes the drama, focuses the work and gets it done. Self-producing can be cheaper, but rarely produces the best product, in my experience.
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