AlexzanderM
What are the steps to become a sucessful music producer?
I am a senior in highschool and I am looking forward to going to Berklee College of Music to major in Music Engineer/Production. I am very interested in music production, which has led to me to desire a career as a music producer. I create intsrumentals on my laptop fromo a music program called Record. What are the steps I will have to take in order to become a sucessful music producer in the future #music
3 answers
Christopher L.
Christopher’s Answer
engineeer87 is spot on. Though I've since moved on, I used to work in music production/engineering (incl. a stint in a Nashville studio). Everyone I knew in the industry (myself included) got their start through a personal acquaintance or an apprenticeship.
I got my first job by making personal visits to all the major studios. I just stopped by and asked if I could work for free. Though most said no, I eventually found one that said yes. After a lot of hard work, they eventually started paying me.
Apprentices/interns work for little to no pay because it's understood that they will receive some form of education during the course of their work. Good engineers will go out of their way to teach you things during the course of your work. Make no mistake, you'll also do a lot of mundane, seemingly mindless tasks.
Pay particular attention to smaller studios, as you'll get more responsibility faster.
As your chops improve throughout the course of your internship/apprenticeship, you'll start to pick up paying gigs. Perhaps a live show here, an extra studio session there, etc. If everything works out and your network of clients expands, you'll eventually find that you're making enough money to eat more than Ramen. There are few salaried people in music - most live check to check.
Best of luck, I hope it works out for you.
Engineer87
Engineer87’s Answer
Disclaimer: I'm not a professional music producer. That said, I've been in/around pro musicians a lot. Here's my take on what I've learned from that.
Many music producers get their start apprenticing in a music studio under an existing producer. Although the pay isn’t great for the first few years, you get a tremendous amount of learning and experience on the job, which will make you highly desirable to other firms and companies in the music industry later. A lot of music is produced out of Tennessee, and especially Nashville – and not just country music! If you’re looking to get into the industry, take a look at internships over your summers down in Nashville, and you may find yourself working with a great production firm.
Nir Krawczyk
Nir’s Answer
To get work in a studio as a producer is very very hard because the positions are extremely limited. You must live in a music hub and you must be at the right place at the right time. The industry isn't growing really so you have to catch someone when they have a foot at the door and the manager but know who you are or have someone very credible vouch for you. And to top it all off, most of the work is not very satisfying as it's often working on commercials, or other music that you don't love. And the pay is meager.
For that reason most music producers start their own operations. This means that they become half "producer" half "engineer". This work would mean you build your studio up, instruments, space, software, etc and you build your clientele up. Since who you know is all you have in the begging you must get involved in the music community to get your name out there. Be super nice and offer people great rates in the beginning. In time if you are great at what you do then you might get hired by a publishing company/record company to go work for specific artists they are developing. But never forget your friends because the industry is so up and down, and even "successful" producers can find themselves suddenly out of work.