The Compressor : What do Producers do?

I am asked often by prospective clients ‘Do I need a Producer?’ In order to answer the question I have to ask some in return namely:

What are you looking to achieve in the recording studio and professionally?

Who is the recording for?

If you are a covers band recording a demo for prospective weddings, I would say the answer is ‘No.’ If you are a band starting out and want to record a demo…my advice is the following: if you can afford it…have one! Perhaps it would help if I tried to explain what a producer can do for your project, bearing in mind that no two producers are the same.

Keeping it simple….and I’m going to upset some people here, but it’s probably worth thinking of it in terms of a Head chef and a Sous chef. Think Gordon Ramsey: he will know the dish he wants to create, the type of flavours he wants to have on his menu, the origins of the produce, the style of cooking, the price that he expects to charge, the time it will take to cook, how he wants it presented. He knows exactly what he wants…he could cook it himself, and sometimes he might…but he’ll want his Sous chef to get it right. The Sous chef is at the coal face and knows exactly what his boss wants. He could probably invent the dish himself, but Gordon is the name, the brand and it’s what people will pay for. The sous chef though will take the instructions and translate them into food heaven using his team of cooks.

OK…now think producer vs engineer.

The Producer will listen to your demo…the dirtier and incomplete the better. He will discuss the arrangement, he will throw out some songs and keep others. He might change the style, the tempo, the key and do all sorts of things to get the songs into shape. He will advise on which studio to work at, what the budget will be, sort out the session musicians, book the engineer, enter pre-production to rehearse the songs (some of which may have been changed) and then commence the recording process. Although the engineer he works with will have influence, it will be the producer who will guide the process, ensuring that the sound, the arrangement, the feel is what he has imagined. It is a deeply complex process and that is what you pay for. He will also often play a large part in the quality of the takes, pushing musicians to achieve their best. Equally, he will work in partnership with the artist(s) to make sure that all the goals are being achieved. Basically, the producer will organize the show from start to finish with a total budget and total calender, and will ensure that these are adhered to.

The engineer meanwhile runs the actual recording process which can and will include the following: setting up the mics and kits to get the sound the producer wants, using the correct pre’s, outboard and plug ins to get the sound. He will comp multiple recordings into a single seamless take which is where the real magic happens. He will work with the producer…carrying out the instructions…but also often suggesting improvements or ideas.

At the end of the tracking process the mix will begin, either with the same engineer or a different one….and hopefully the same producer! The mix is critical and the producer will approve everything before it goes off to mastering…which again he will organize.

Now, there are engineers who can do all of the above…and there are producers who can engineer…..we get some producers who engineer and do everything themselves. We get producers who do everything except Pro Tools….we get producers who sit at the back of the room and appear to be doing absolutely nothing! Generally though we tend to see a producer working with his regular engineer and creating something of note…which will have that individual stamp and sound identified with said producer.

A producer is the ultimate project manager and I believe will always have a role to play.

I hope that is a fair explanation…but the Compressor always looks for feedback so please comment if I have miised anything.

TTFN

The Compressor