After hundreds of hours in your home studio and many demos, you’re finally ready to record your first album. Now it’s time to hire a producer. How do you find the right one? What should you look for? What are some red flags to watch for in the hiring process?
Choosing a producer is probably the most important decision you will make as a musician—second only to finding the right band members. The individual who produces your CD will ultimately be responsible for the outcome of your sound. Before you enter into this working relationship, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Know Your Goals
Michael Wagener, whose credits read like a who’s who of top metal bands, describes the role of producer as “The mother of the battalion!” Wagener is hands-on with his artists and is willing to take on a host of responsibilities. “It starts with picking the songs, arranging the songs, booking the studio, the engineer— if [the producer] doesn’t do it himself, like I do—keeping a budget, staying within budget, making sure everybody shows up on time, babysitting from beginning to end,” he says. For a band recording their first album, this type of producer—one who can provide expertise as well as guidance—is ideal.
Part of your approach will be dictated by what you’re recording for. Are you looking for gigs? Shopping for a deal? Will the tracks be uploaded to your website and/or Myspace page only, or are you going sell physical CDs? Most people now listen to music on iPods and cell phones, but if you hope to get your work into the hands of a manager, publicist, or wider audience who will listen on actual stereo systems, you don’t want an end result that sounds like a mixtape. This isn’t the place to try and save a few bucks.
Bruce Kulick partnered with producer Jeremy Rubolino to record his latest album, BK3. Although Kulick has years of recording experience and produces other artists, he strongly recommends hiring a producer who can take you to the next level. “A lot of people self-produce,” he says, “but it’s helpful to have that sounding board of ideas and vision to push you. That’s what Jeremy did for me. His creative control and direction took me out of my safe zone. Being pushed is so important. The Beatles were so incredibly talented, but some of the magic of their recordings came because George Martin pushed them at times, and because Lennon and McCartney were trying to top each other to make brilliant music that would ultimately live forever. So being motivated in some way is important.”
Read the rest of the tips via Tip Jar: How to Choose a Producer.
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