Richard James Burgess' book The Art Of Music Production is a must-read for anyone aspiring to be a record producer. We at StarPolish also feel that it is a must-read for artists, because provides sound advice and an excellent analysis of the art (and business) of producing a recording. In this excerpt, Richard advises the aspiring producer on what's in store-- including an explanation of the job of the producer and an analysis of producing a recording session. We suggest you read this section from start to finish the first time, but for ease of later reference, here is an outline with links: Introduction And Overview Managing The Session From Day To Day A) Pre-Production B) Recording The Live Band C) Recording An Orchestra Or Big Band D) Overdubbing Live Musicians E) The Computer-Based Session F) The Vocals G) Which Method Makes A Better Record - Live, Overdubbed Or Computer?
Introduction And Overview
"When two men in business always agree, one of them is unnecessary." William Wrigley Jr. A great producer sometimes does very little. The producer who knows when to butt in and when to butt out is, in my opinion, the very best kind. Flood (Nine Inch Nails, U2), discussing how you keep the creativity going, says "Some days [that] can mean just sitting there and saying, 'sounds great, just carry on'. Then other days, constructing a situation that you hope will spur people on." Some producers do almost everything. In the case of the All-Singing-All-Dancing type, the producer will be the songwriter, orchestrator, engineer, producer and vocal arranger. Sometimes the producer acts as a stimulant or a catalyst. Bands and artists have a habit of trotting out their clichés (or even worse, someone else's clichés).