forums : Producing

Definition of a producer?

I'm new to this, in process of making my first tune.
i record local bands but much prefer dance, trance and DnB.

What do i class myself as?

Or am i getting the wrong end of the stick totally?

Re: Definition of a producer?

you don't have to classify yourself as anything!! just make and enjoy music

Re: Definition of a producer?

I think it's best to call yourself whatever other people describe you as.

A hacker, for example, isn't a hacker until he's been called so by other hackers.

Actually (and this is totally random), the Masons work the same way... :-D

[ luciphercolors - 21 Apr 2008 12:06 ]

Re: Definition of a producer?

a producer is a person who produces.

Re: Definition of a producer?

actually the way we use "producer" in this industry is not analog to how the rest of the entertainment industry uses the term.

here's how i would define it in the broader sense: a producer is a project visionary, someone who sees the whole canvas and puts all the pieces together so it the artwork can create itself. a producer may have extensive knowledge in the areas of songcraft (theory and songwriting styles), engineering, "what makes a hit song", and the recording process - or none at all, but that usually doesn't lend much confidence in a producer.

A producer has balls, and like a coach, knows how to coax a particular level of achievement out of his players, but can also be tender. Thus I think a producer should have a good (albeit potentially indescribable for them) understanding of human psychology, at least insofar as how to get what you want out of them and how people will react to a song or a piece of art (commercial or otherwise).

According to the industry's terminology, in urban music, it is the Programmer who lays out and arranges the beats. Thus technically we are programmers. However, electronic musicians tend to be engineer, programmer, producer, AND artist all in one.

I'd say that the second post is most accurate. Fuck the label. Just say, "I make music." Because that's what we do. Consummately.

Re: Definition of a producer?

By the way, please do as much as you can to avoid "dance" music when "dance" is as descriptive as you can get - stuff that falls into that general category tends to be the most disgustingly commercial of all...

Not that it has to have a style, it's just that I haven't heard a single 100%-"dance" category track that isn't a complete mockery of electronic music. See the episode of The Office where they're at the paper conference and Steve Carell's in his hotel room listening to the "Girls Gone Wild" anthem thing - vomit.