What can a producer offer me?

  The Producer is responsible for the sound and feel of the music among other things. Through pre-production planning, a producer can also help you get your project ready to record, possibly saving you hundreds of dollars in wasted studio time. A good producer will wield the studio as a creative tool to give your songs the vibe... the atmosphere... the sound that you are looking for and demands to be listened to.

  In today’s market, an artist’s talent alone does not ensure a great sounding recording. A great sounding record is the best calling card, it will get you noticed. Working along side the artist, the producer must also ensure that the songs capture the market.

Why can’t I produce my own music?

  You can... but you need to ask yourself one question. How many successful music artists can I name who produce themselves? The answer is... you can count them on both hands with some fingers left over. The reason for this is that it is extremely difficult to effectively wear both hats in the studio. One of the ways a producer can be most useful to you is by providing an objective ear. It can be difficult to gain perspective as you create, and a good producer’s experienced objectivity will always reap positive benefits.

  A typical example is vocal performance. Your producer can recognize if you need to try it again and guide you through phrasing, pitch, emotion, etc. A good producer will also know when to stop you when you’ve nailed it. Having a producer share the helm, also frees you from having to worry about the distracting logistical and technical issues of the recording process, allowing you to put your energy and focus where it belongs... on your music.

Can you guarantee me a hit?

  Well senator... exactly what do you mean by “hit”? Joking aside, I believe, and most industry people agree, that even with the best producer on the job and the benefit of world-class recording gear and production, the first basic element that makes a great recording is the songwriting. A recording with mediocre sound quality does not usually stand in the way of a great song played by fabulous musicians. On the other hand, a great recording of a good song will not come off well when the music is represented poorly. How is it that we know whether we are going to represent a song in the best possible way musically? The answer is, we don’t, until it’s over.

  However, what I can guarantee, is a Class-A learning experience which ends with a sound production to be proud of and which will stand up, in sound quality, to any major commercial release in the market today.

I can’t afford a producer, can I?

  So maybe you like the idea of getting assistance, but don’t know if you can afford it. You have to ask yourself how serious am I about breaking my music and can I afford not to have a producer. Depending on the project, my fees are very reasonable especially if we contract under Ardenwood’s “Concept-to-Completion” pricing plan. What are your intentions? Is it to turn some heads and make people start to listen? Then a producer could be the best thing for your project.

What is required to contract for a producer?

  For the benefit of both the artist and producer, a simple, well written 1-3 page “project agreement” is all that is necessary. Sometimes producers will work for a reduced fee if there are “points” given on future sales. There are infinite variations for such agreements. The expectations of both parties, monetary fees and any payment schedules will be outlined in the document and Ardenwood Sound & DVD will present the first draft.

  The main idea is to be clear from the start about what you expect from a producer and know what they want out of the project as well. If the relationship begins with elements of honesty and trust, the recording will be that much more successful.

What should I know about picking a recording facility?

  These days, the independent artist or group has to weigh many different options when it comes to recording -- unlike the well-known major label artist who usually gets the opportunity to record and mix in a world-class studio because the record company is paying for it. Unless you’re an independently wealthy artist or have an investor behind you, recording in a world-class facility is not financially realistic.

  Since I work with many independent artists, I make it my business to seek out recording facilities that put out high quality work while accomodating real-world budgets. Being a recording producer/engineer for over 25 years now, it’s easy for me to partially evaluate a studio’s worthiness just by examining an equipment list (although equipment alone does not a quality facility make.) Musicians however, usually do not have this knowledge (nor necessarily should they) and need help in determining what the good options are for recording their project. I break down recording equipment and quality into four distinct categories:

1. World-Class
2. Professional
3. Semi-professional
4. Consumer/Home recording

  Since World-Class recording is too expensive and Consumer recording is usually not competitive marketable quality, the “Professional” and “Semi-Professional” categories are the ones in which a lot of marketable recordings are being made. Can you hear the difference in these two categories of recording? Yes, definitely. How much does it matter in today’s recording world where anything goes? I’m not sure. There are always exceptions but the axiom “You get what you pay for”, all other things being equal, still holds true.

  If you have experienced personnel doing the engineering and producing, even a semi-professional studio can produce excellent results given an appropriate amount of pre-production planning and communication with the facility (in order to plan for any shortcomings.) However, having said that, I also think that there is too much inappropriate use of “basement” studios when a more professional format was needed.

  As a generalization, the major differences between a professional studio and a semi-professional studio are the recording console, the multitrack tape formats, the microphone collection and the quality of the outboard gear. If a studio has a Mackie board and three ADAT machines, it is a semi-professional studio. If a studio has one of these consoles: SSL, Neve, Sony/MCI, Otari, Amek, Neotek and a 2” analog tape machine, it is a professional studio. Of course, cheaper digital gear has blurred this distinction somewhat by putting more powerful equipment into the hands of more inexperienced amateurs. Through experience, I have found that this newer digital gear often requires more technical expertise to extract good music quality from it than its older analog equivalent.

  So the question is, if you are an indie musician or group wanting to record and don’t know anything about equipment differences, how can you evaluate a studio? The answer is, you can’t, not by yourself. The best way around this is to find an experienced producer/engineer like myself.

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