DIY Musician & Working with a Producer

In these modern times, musicians have ample, low-cost resources at their disposal that allow us to write, record, distribute and promote our own music (often referred to as “Do It Yourself” or “DIY”). But is it always a good idea to do everything yourself? If you are looking to make your album sound as good as possible, when is it the right time to bring in a producer, and how does it work alongside the DIY model?

What does a producer do, and why might I need one?

The producer of an album is like the director of a film: it is his or her responsibility to oversee, and often interpret the creative material, bring out the best in the performers, and deliver it all in a cohesive final product that’s (hopefully) as good as it possibly can be. While there are many variations in the role that the producer can play, it’s fair to say in a general statement that the producer is an added member of the band who can maintain an outside perspective and help guide the performances.

The benefits that a producer can bring to the table will differ from project to project, and from producer to producer, but here’s the main reason why you might need one: a new set of ears. Just because you can do everything yourself, it doesn’t mean you should. Having another (potentially more experienced) set of ears along for the ride yields ideas, sounds and approaches to your music that you might never have thought of. While it is possible to produce yourself, recognize your abilities and your limitations. You may be a great singer or instrumentalist, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are a talented producer, and production is an immensely important part of the recording process. Sometimes the right producer is the difference between an okay-sounding record, and a professional masterpiece.

How do I find the right producer?

It used to work like this: a band plays shows and develops a following, gets discovered by A&R people, gets signed to a major record label, and then the label puts the band in a studio with a producer, both chosen by the label. That model has all but vanished, requiring that artists and bands who want to hire a producer find one on their own. It can be a difficult and daunting task, but remember that producers are in the same boat – many are on their own as well, looking for bands to work with. Here are some approaches to finding a producer, and what to consider while doing so:

Go With What You Know

One of the best places to start looking for a producer is in your own music collection. Look at the credits for albums that have a sound like you want to achieve, and then use the web to learn more about each producer. While many may be big-names who don’t fit into your budget, you might be surprised by how many of them are accessible and cater to independent artists and bands. It never hurts to ask, and email is an easy, polite way to do so.

Indie + Indie

In addition to major label releases you have in your collection, listen to independent releases by bands in your area and you might find a producer who is just getting started or has a few albums under their belt, and is hungry to work. This level of producer might work more in the range of your budget, and isn’t necessarily poor in talent. Remember, even George Martin, Mutt Lang and Rick Rubin all had to start somewhere.

Ask Around

If social networking has taught us anything, it’s that a quick post asking a question can get you a lot of results, and fast. Ask your fellow musician friends (and ask them to ask their friends) if they know of any producers they can recommend for your project. An added benefit from this approach is that you can hear first-hand accounts of what it was like to work with a particular producer, much like a product review. That kind of input should be taken with a grain of salt as everyone’s experiences are different, but it can help you narrow down a potentially large pool of choices.

Know Your Budget

The DIY model can be deceptive when it comes to finances. It can be pretty easy to make an album for next to nothing, but realize that a producer will most-likely want to get paid. Be realistic about how much money you want to (or can) spend on the entire project, subtract estimated known costs (studio time, mixing, mastering, physical manufacturing, etc) and what’s left is your budget for a producer. In some situations, a producer’s fee might include things like mixing or even mastering – that will be addressed a little later.

Make Sure It’s the Right Fit

Finding the right producer can be a difficult task, and for good reason. In addition to covering their fee, it’s also quite necessary to have the proper marriage of-sorts between an artist/band and their producer. You’ll be spending a lot of creative time together, so not only do you need to be like-minded musically, but you need to simply be able to get along. When you’ve got a list of potentials, meet with each one or talk over the phone and discuss your vision for the project (in whatever detail you have). Discuss things like organic versus scientific, analog versus digital, favorite records, style/approach preferences, open-mindedness versus specific ideals… In other words, get to know each other and find out if you can be friends. Chances are you’ll have a gut feeling early on in the conversation whether or not it’ll work.

What Else Can You Offer?

Many producers also wear other hats, and this can help give you more bang-for-your-buck. A common skill set with producers is the triple-threat: producer, mixer, engineer. Those three talents tend to go hand in hand, and can allow you to streamline your project, both in terms of schedule and budget.

Many producers are also musicians themselves and might be able to lend a hand in the tracking department. Hiring a producer who can play an instrument or two and sing some backing vocals can make things a little easier on you. Remember, however, to make sure that you are comfortable with these extra skills outside of producing. If they say they mix and can play some keyboards for you, make sure you’ve heard examples of those abilities and that they will work for your project.

Lastly, find out about potential hook-ups a producer might have. They may work out of a particular studio that gives them a great rate, have a portable recording rig, or know of studio musicians that can help supplement your existing band. These things can really help a DIY project come together.

Play Some Music

Not only do you need to make sure the producer is right for you, the producer should have an interest in your music and (hopefully) be excited about it. Throwing money at a producer who doesn’t really like what you do is not the best recipe for making a record. Play some of the songs you want to record for them (a rough demo or live in person) and see if you can peak their interest. Hopefully any producer worth their salt will want to be into what you are doing and ask to hear some stuff before committing to the project. However, there are people who will just “go through the motions” without integrity or individual attention – decide how important those elements are to you and find a producer who reflects them.

Payment Plans

Every producer will have their own possible scenarios/rates to work under, and the function of this section is not to tell you which one to choose, but rather to give you an idea of some typical options. Also, you might suggest one of these options to a potential producer who doesn’t offer it already.

The big three producer’s rates are:

1. By the hour
2. By song
3. By album

Take a look at your material and your budget and figure out which one works best for you. Working by the hour might be best if you are not really sure what you are going for and want to give a producer a test run. It could also end up being the cheapest way to go if you are well prepared and highly efficient. Paying per song might be best if you want to do an incremental album, an EP, or if you aren’t sure how many songs you’ll want on the record. It’s also good way to ensure that each song gets the attention it needs without having to keep an eye on the clock. Finally, paying by the album might work best if you already know what you’re going for as a whole, and maybe are looking for a thematic or concept record approach. You might also encounter producers who discount their per-song rate after committing to doing more than a certain number of songs.

Credits and Points

While this topic is often discussed as part of a producer’s fee, I felt it needed its own section. The costs addressed in the previous section can be referred to as “up-front money,” whereas this section deals with “back-end money.” It is important to discuss with your potential producer if they have any interest in a percentage of your publishing, and/or writer’s credit. These areas are the determining factor for how money gained from the album’s laurels is divided.

An example of this would be a song from your album being licensed for a use on a TV show, or another band doing a cover of one of your tunes. Some producers will charge a smaller fee in exchange for publishing credit as a way of investing themselves in the project. Also, if the producer works with you on your songwriting, they may wish to have a percentage of writing credit to reflect that. Be comfortable with how you wish to release credits in these areas – they are legally binding and come into play in the unpredictable world of the future.

Lastly, it is somewhat of a tradition for producers to receive “points” on a record. In laymen’s terms, a point is a percentage of earnings from the sale of your album. A typical amount is 3 points (3%), so if you sell $1,000 worth of product, your producer would get $30 of it. A typical and friendly specification is that money from points is only collected after the costs of making the album are recouped. Giving a producer points can be a smart alternative to giving away publishing, and it also shows the producer that you are willing to reward them long term for helping you to make an awesome record.

Contracts

Most producers will bring this up themselves when speaking with you, but it is important that you and your producer draw up some form of contract to protect both of you in your endeavor together, in case things unfortunately go south. The contract should outline everything that you’ve decided upon with your producer. The main bullet points are duties (or “services to be rendered”), payment amounts and schedule, royalties and credits, and some sort of clause that limits the amendment to your contract without both parties consent. You can get as detailed as you and/or the producer want – understand it fully before signing to ensure that you, your music and your money are all protected. This can be a bit more complicated if your band is large and everyone is equally involved, but it is an important part of the process, and it also shows that you are professional and serious about your project.

That’s a whole lotta info to consider, so before I wrap this up, let me fill you in on how I arrived at all this with a quick recap of why and how I chose to work with a producer on my current album in-progress:

I made my first album almost completely on my own, only outsourcing the bass player, drummer and mastering chairs. When beginning to assemble songs for a second record, I realized that I wanted more people involved, and hoped that doing so might help improve upon the weaker areas of my first album. I started asking musician friends for recommendations, as well as asking for potential collective involvement from them. It evolved into looking at producers I admired, and then into finding a producer who had done a really good-sounding record with a fellow singer/songwriter I had met. Email led to a phone call and in-depth discussion, and then I sent him rough demos of my stuff. We started brainstorming ideas, came to an agreement, drew up a contract, and signed it. I’m very happy with the producer I chose to go with (his name is Chris Hobson – chrishobsonrecording.com), and it’s an experience I’ve really enjoyed.

It can be a challenge to relinquish some elements of control with your music, but if you find the right producer, it won’t feel like pulling teeth (Chris’s approach is: “I’ll tell you what I would do, but ultimately it’s your record, and you need to be happy with it – I want to make the record that you want to make”). Be honest with yourself about what you do well, what you do not-so-well, and decide how much control you want to give up to someone who can complement you in those areas. It’s your music, your album, and your money – do what feels right by all of those things.

Note: For related reading, Cameron Mizell briefly addressed working with a producer and more in his article “Preparing For the Recording Studio”.