It’s not what you think. Music producers in the earlier days of the record business weren’t what people describe as music producers in today’s technological era. Music producers during the start of the technology surge were coined as simply beat-makers supplying the backing tracks for the artists that they are working with.
The real music producer was still the overseer of the project until around when drum machines started to become a software investment.
After the computer studio phenomenon took the turn for recording artists & changed the way artists accessed their backing tracks, the term ‘music producer’ became the beat-maker supplying the music production. We started mixing everyone’s tracks due to the overtly expensive costs of hiring a “real” music producer/audio engineer who is also the overseer of the project in sky-high SSL studio facilities. You get the point, albeit the days of Quincy Jones fast forward even in the hey days of Dr. Dre.
The superpower that the computer gave changed the way music was supplied.
Photo: Elya Reign, behind the music producer’s desktop.
Fast-forward to this day, an artist’s best friend is a kid who knows how to use a computer for generating & supplying for the artist’s music input & need.
I am not the one to be saying that today’s music producer doesn’t have the skills & ability to “produce music” compared to the traditional model. What I wanted to say though is that who is anybody to stop the technology surge in just so to maintain the traditional design & model of what a music producer was originally.
The truth is, why would a talented artist worry about scrounging around for thousands of dollars to pay high-rise studio costs when there’s a kid on Facebook who creates cutting edge music using a $300 laptop? You’d obviously go the latter.
IF THE RESULTS ARE THE SAME, THEN WHO’S COMPLAINING?
So, unless you wanted to choke on your ego as far as what accolades you harnessed for yourself in the early days of the record industry, you’re better of setting up a production set-up & a simple microphone soundproofing mechanism in order to work on the “future” hits you’re going to write, mix & record as far as music production & bing!!!
Below is a link to give you a sample of my own version of being a beat-maker-turned-music producer.
Click below:
Demo: I just pressed the buttons & added a little creativity.
It’s for the ages.