6 Steps to Finding the Right Music Producer + Making a Record That Matters

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Finding the right producer can be a challenging and daunting task. With so many profiles online, how do you find the right one that will care about your project and can help you make a record that represents your sound and direction. How do you know you’ve found the right one? Or how do you find the right one? And once you find them, how do you communicate what you want with them in a way that gets the record you are looking for??

1.?Know the Exact Sound You are Looking For

Know exactly what you want. This is half of the battle.?

• Subject line: Project Proposal: [Your Name], x Singles, EP, LP
• Ex: Project Proposal: [Your Name] 2 Singles with Potential for EP
• Include links to any releases / DSP’s
• Rough Timeline / let them know you are flexible
• Request a consult on Zoom
• Send one follow up – that’s it. Don’t chase people. If someone doesn’t respond at the onset how is that going to work during your project?

My general advice is to find a producer that HAS the sound you are looking for already.

* unless you are working with me personally and then I might take some liberties because I know production and what a producer is capable of.)?

Knowing the sound you are looking for will help you choose the right producer and save a lot of time and money spent going in the wrong direction.

2.?Research and Referrals?

This part is really important. Research both producers online and local studios and producers. Research producers other artists have used (that have a similar sound to yours).?

Then get referrals from people in the business (like myself). Referrals from people that have had good experience with producers are always better than cold connections.?

Find each producer on?AllMusic.com. Select "producer" in the drop down on their profile to see what exactly they have produced. Sometimes they list famous artist names when they didn't produce but rather engineered, or played on the record. It's important to know what exactly they produced to make the right decision.?

3.?Interviews and Consults with Prospective Producers

Once you have a short list of producers, send an email introduction + outline of your project.

• Subject line: Project Proposal: [Your Name], x Singles, EP, LP
• Ex: Project Proposal: [Your Name] 2 Singles with Potential for EP
• Include links to any releases / DSP's
• Rough Timeline / let them know you are flexible
• Request a consult on Zoom
• Send one follow up - that's it. Don't chase people. If someone doesn't respond at the onset how is that going to work during your project?

In response to their response you could send another email (before setting up the Zoom consult) to say something like: Great! Would you be so kind as to send over a fee proposal per track and if you have any flexibility there as I’m funding this myself. Then I can send over potential dates for a a Zoom consult to discuss the project further! I’m looking forward to meeting with you.?

Following the meeting ask them to send over their contract.?

Run it by a lawyer. Most producers will ask for 4-5 points if the record goes above a certain amount in sales (you should always recoup your expenses including marketing before paying out) and some will ask for a % of licensing royalties.

*Points are generally equivalent to $1. For example: 4 points equals $4 on each $.99 download (iTunes)).?

Requirements for Selection

• Has the sound you want or is pretty close to it
• Is available
• Easy to talk to
• A good listener
• Seems genuinely interested in your music and working with you. If they are distracted with phone calls during your meeting or are constantly looking at their phone that’s a HARD NO. I don’t care what their credentials are. That’s a red flag that they are more interested in themselves than you!?
• Doesn’t name drop. Real people in the business won’t dangle opportunities as reasons to work with them (like the promise of introducing you to someone in the business, or hooking you up with licensing). They will be sincere in helping you tell your story and make the best production possible.
• Don’t be afraid to work remotely. .Most records are done remotely these days and the singer often flies in for vocals.?

Other important questions and considerations:?

• Do they include arrangements as part of their production? Some producers are actual musicians and play on the record.??
• If not, or in addition —do they bring in their own musicians? Many producers have top shelf musicians on call to come play records.
• Are they a “vocal producer” — “good with vocals”. Some producers are not – this is not their specialty. It’s good to know this so you know who you are hiring and you might need to hire a vocal arranger / producer.?
• If you want to play on the record yourself, you’ll need to send in files if you are recording remotely. Discuss with your producer how to coordinate and the best plan.?

4.?A&R Production Profile of Your Sound + Direction

This part is really important. Knowing what you want is one thing that is quite involved as it is (see #1 above). Then knowing how to get it is another thing entirely and just as involved and detailed.?

Producers are not mind readers and expecting them to be can be project suicide.?

Create a creative brief to give producers detailing the sound and direction for the project. Be sure to use examples (time counters of sounds and arrangements you like). Examples are more powerful and effective than explanations which can easily be misconstrued or misinterpreted.?

*To get A&R Direction and use our A&R Production Profile to develop your creative brief, join our?Artist Sanctuary Membership VIP Exclusive Experience?where you work privately with Cari and create your A&R Profiles of the sound + direction written for your producer in their language.?

This helps to build a sound for you and ensure the success of your record. Then you can relax and focus on the music. If you prefer to work in a group experience, Cari also does this work in her?Signature Songwriting Circle?led once a year.?You can find out more information about this experience here.?

5.?Remember—you’re the boss!?

I recently interviewed friend and Grammy, Oscar and Emmy winning producer Robert L. Smith for our Artist Sanctuary members. Inspirational and enlightening Robert shared his vast expertise producing and mixing records and with a 3 decade career in music working with many music legends.?

One of the takeaways for musicians was that “you are the boss”. Stop worrying about hurting your producers’ feelings or being “wrongly loyal”.?

Getting your sound right is critical. At the end of the day it’s your name on your record. I’ve been a few songs in and stopped a project because it wasn’t the right sound or producer. Don’t stay wrongly loyal. If you’re project isn’t working out bring it to us and we’ll help you find the right producer.?

Build your sound. Know what you want and how to get it. And keep communicating and tweaking until you get the sound you are looking for. But if you didn’t start the project knowing exactly what you want then you can’t expect miracles. If you need help with your sound + direction come work with us. We have a step-by-step system that makes it so easy for you and for any producer you work with. See #4 above.?

6.?Working well with your producer?

Every producer I’ve ever worked with really appreciates not only an A&R Production Profile (a creative brief), they also appreciate a production schedule. It helps to keep things on track and managing everyone’s expectations. Rather than sending your project off and wondering when you’ll hear back (and a month goes by :() — create a production schedule.?

Don’t ignore important logistics. It will make your life so much easier!?

I’ve narrowed it down to the easiest path.?

• Draft a production schedule. Send is as a “proposed production schedule” with a note “does this work for you? Open to any revisions!”?
• Production schedule:?
• Draft 1: MM/DD
• Revisions 1: MM/DD
• Draft 2: MM/DD
• Revisions 2: MM/DD?
• Lead vocals: MM/DD (if in person propose a date, if you are recording locally and sending in put due date)?
• Draft 3: MM/DD
• Revisions 3: MM/DD
• Final Mix Draft: MM/DD
• Final Mix Draft Revisions: MM/DD
• Final Mixes: MM/DD
• Get 3 mixes:?
• Lead vocal forward?
• Main mix
• TV mix (with background vocals, no lead)
• Instrumental mix

Don’t freak out when the first draft doesn’t come back as expected and just requires some tweaking. Remember USE EXAMPLES not explanations which can easily be misinterpreted.?If you are into Draft 2 and it’s still not lining up as you envision then somewhere there was a miscommunication or you didn’t dial out the sound correctly – or in some cases as I mentioned earlier – the producer is not be the right fit for you. For help determining this before you lose any money spent – set up a?30 min consult with Cari?and she can figure it out with you.?

Making a record is important stuff. It leads to you being able to bring your music to the world and make a piece of music that matters to people. I hope you got a lot out of this blog and it helps you make the record of your dreams!?

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