Drums

Ever since I was a little kid, I have had a love for music. I would even take pencils and use them as drumsticks and beat on anything I possibly could. I was and still am an aspiring musician, yet I would love to be the person who makes it all happen; the person who is responsible for the making of the record and the visibility of the band. I am talking about the important position of the record producer.

The role of the record producer, in general, is the person who is responsible for the making of the record. They are responsible for the production from start to finish; from concept to final mix; from album cover to promotion; and from pressing to airplay. They also plan budgets, deal with lawyers, contracts, publishers, executives, engineers, just to name a few (Career).

While in the studio, the producer gives instructions to the engineer, including studio floor plan showing instrumental groupings, microphone placement and acoustics (Music). However, along with this comes many concerns for the producer as well. Musical range, rhythm, variety, dynamics and special control all must be combined and harmonized in order to produce a successful record. This is why the role of the producer is one of the most, if the most popular areas in recordings (Music).

In order to become a successful record producer, one must prepare his or herself for a long road ahead. Enrolling in sound engineering classes, learning to operate technical machines and visiting studios are good preparation (Music). You technically don't need a degree to produce records, but if you want a job with a major label, a masters in Sound Engineering or Music Business would likely be required. Most producers start out as engineers, composers, even studio musicians, and they work their way up the ladder (Music).

Producers who work on their own, regardless of a degree, are called DIY (Do-It-Yourself) producers (Creative). Most DIY producers do it for fun, which means they find their own bands and work with the band by the producer. A DIY producer uses their own equipment, which could be just a computer with audio software installed in order to record. This usually means a much cheaper studio cost and all profits go directly to the producer (Creative). Most recordings are done in the home studio of the producer.

A producer who works for a label earns a salary, royalties of $5,000 to $40,000 or more per album, plus points, usually 2 to 4% (Career). An exact fee could depend on the artist/producer. Salaries range from $20,000 to $80,000, and if the producer owns the company he/she works for, the salary can be a 6-digit income, even as high as $300,000 a year or more (Creative)!

Some good qualifications for a producer are that they must be reliable and responsible. They must have a good ear for music, a love for music and a knowledge of recording equipment (Majors). Good training would be to "shadow" other producers, meaning observing how they work in the studio. Volunteer work also helps because it creates marketability (Majors).

In order to get a better look into the role of producing, I have interviewed two DIY producers, who I have worked with while I was in my first band. Their names are Byron Terron and Carlos Capillerra. I asked them the following questionsÐ'...Ð'.....

KS: How and when did you start your careers?

BT: I started when I about 30. I was with a country band and I built a home studio so we could record some of our songs. I ended make making a demo for us and it sounded great, so I kept doing it!

CC: First, I started in Argentina with my band. But we went our separate ways and I moved to the United States. I got married and settled down in Burlington, Iowa. I worked for a while at Musicians Pro Shop but later built my home studio. I wanted to make demos of my early bands recordings, in other words re-record them.

KS: What intrigues you about the job?

BT: I just think it's enjoyable. I love mixing my own music. I can play a drum set into the machine, then guitar tracks. The whole composing of the sounds into a song is what I like.

CC: I simply just love music. I got into bands like Nickelback and Dave Matthews Band. I got some MIDI drums and some guitars along with a bass. I just loving hearing what I can create through a computer.

KS: How much time do you put into this?

BT: I work during the day at U.S. Cellular in Mt. Pleasant, IA. I pretty much just do this during my evening hours. Sometimes my band will have a gig that night so I couldn't spend much time on it, but otherwise every evening.

CC: I would say I am working in the studio at some point during the day, but my job hours vary.

KS: Was it pretty hard getting everything set up in the studio?

BT: Not really. I work with electronics all day long. I have a mix board, computer, some boom stands and microphones. That's pretty much all I needed. I installed the correct software in the computer and began.

CC: I've had my equipment for a long time, so I know how to use it. I have a computer and I just mix them into the computer and sample them. I would say the hardest part was learning how to use the software without messing up, but otherwise it was not hard to set up. Everything was finished within a couple days.

KS: Do you, by chance, happen to be involved with any organizations?

BT: No

CC: Nope

KS: Sorry, I was just curious. Did you need to take any classes to learn what to do?

BT: Nope

CC: Not at all.

KS: What are some of the best locations for this type of job for a successful career.

BT: Mt. Pleasant is actually a good place to start. With have a lot of bands in the city and many of them are looking to cut a demo. After that, you could move to a bigger city and get a lot more work.

CC: I would recommend any big city like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. But before you go there it would be wise to start in a smaller town, to get recognition there and then move your way up?

KS: Any negatives about the job?

BT: Absolutely. Mixing is hard work. Sometimes you can get so irritated you just want pull your hair out! A lot of patience is required. You got to take your time and stay focused.

CC: Of course. I had many problems with my mixing. I would not get the sound I wanted,