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I love producers but not if they don't share your vision.

That's because you are an engineer, right? That makes you some level of a Producer yourself, so you'd probably have definite ideas about what sound you're going for.

But even in cases of people who can self-produce, it is still often advantageous to work with someone outside of yourself. Someone who is much more skilled can teach you, and you could gain more professional contacts because now you are in their circle of contacts (assuming they like you)

Yes, it absolutely should be someone who really "gets" whatever we are going for (assuming that is any good LOL) or in some cases, it is someone who can produce what you need to be.

Sorry YOD, that's my other signature. lol

("I'm not an engineer, I just play one on TV")

I do however know what kind(s) of sounds I gravitate to.

I am creative department and a novice when it comes to the tech side.
I just know what it's like to work along side of a producer and you pray they see what you see, else they can change your whole vision.

Worse yet is when they start to screw with your choice guitar sound. lol

Depending on who that producer is, there are cases where the artist should yield to the producer IF they understand who the artist is trying to reach.

For example, my first project on my former label was assigned to a couple of producers who have 70 million records sold between them. I forced myself to shut up and let them do their job...then I became what they had produced for the next 2 years.

Had I produced, it would have been much more guitar-rock oriented and alienated a large percentage of the sub-genre of a sub-genre I'm in.

What they did greatly expanded what would have been my audience, and has allowed me to bring a new audience towards that sound instead of starting there and alienating them from the get-go.

That sounds great, provided the artist is flexible enough and confident enough to embrace the change(s) proposed.

If you drastically change the aspects of the music you get very close to the edge of either "art" or "crap" and very little in between.

If you have a mountain of materials to transcribe, it can get under your skin when all you really want to do is lay the material down verbatim.

It becomes a collaboration sometimes because the other option is just not possible in order to maintain regular conditions/keeping the peace.

The trick is whether or not the music produced is better for the collaboration or not. If not, there's no positive aspect to be gleaned.

I read a few of you's and I would like to address a few comments and pose a non - rhetorical question.
1) Actually, intellectual property which isn't paid for and "somehow has ended up in the hands of OTHERS", according to my experience of many years, has much lucrative potential, albeit, karma bites like a mother. I address this comment to Paperdog. My creations have earned many MANY entities TRI-MEGA bucks.

Gossimer, Your Intellectual property is protected the minute you penned the work...Its yours...

If somebody else is getting rich off it, and I do mean... Its heading to the Grammys NOW... then you gotta muster up a good lawyer and offer him his 33 percent on your new found empire. That's all I can say about that... Hope you land the motherload and Good luck to ya..

dawg writes:

-Soon at a CD near you: "Musicians Are The Endowed Agents of the Meta Note"

Really??? Way cool tittle...congratulations. I want one.

2)YOD: Question: Have you produced any acts that I, an avid radio listener, would know of...


3) General query: Would there happen to be any producer willing to work for stock options in my creative empire?
.

2. Depends on which radio station you listen to....but probably not. Personally I produce a specific sub-genre of christian praise music that is considered "out there" for mainstream christian radio.

Learned a lot from working with several producers that are played on radio every day though. Bill "The Governor" Cuomo, Jerry Abbot, Phil York, Jerry Marcellino, etc...


3. Ya never know until you try, eh? If you're amazingly talented, and have a track record of music sales, someone might take you on for a piece of it.

That sounds great, provided the artist is flexible enough and confident enough to embrace the change(s) proposed.


The trick is whether or not the music produced is better for the collaboration or not. If not, there's no positive aspect to be gleaned.

When it's a Producer who has a (real) track record of success AND knows what you're going for, why wouldn't you let them do their job? In my case, I like letting go of the reigns for the challenge of it. The excitement for me is in the process, not the finished product. I love not knowing exactly how a project is going to turn out until it's done, but if you use good ingredients it should be good, right?

Though I'm not a big Bowie fan, I have tried to emulate one aspect of his career, which is reinventing himself on every album. Predictability is the kiss of death in any kind of art, imo. You just never knew what Bowie was going to do next and that kept you from getting bored with him, even if you weren't a big fan.

So I'm always trying to expand & grow, never satisfied with what happened before. If things are going too easily, I will introduce a little chaos into the process.

And I try to find the boundaries of every musician who plays on a recording and stretch them, no matter how good that musician might be.

dawg writes:

-Soon at a CD near you: "Musicians Are The Endowed Agents of the Meta Note"

Really??? Way cool tittle...congratulations. I want one.

I was being only half serious... But I definately will be using that catch phrase in something musical ...Remember you said to me once, I should be planning my 2nd CD I'm still working on CD 1 (That hopefully gets out in October) You will get a copy... If you want one.. (Think of it as a designer Beer coaster)

When CD2 is manifest, you get a copy (But you have to come and pick it up at a bar of my choosing , over some beers

dawg writes:

-Soon at a CD near you: "Musicians Are The Endowed Agents of the Meta Note"

Really??? Way cool tittle...congratulations. I want one.

I was being only half serious... But I definately will be using that catch phrase in something musical ...Remember you said to me once, I should be planning my 2nd CD I'm still working on CD 1 (That hopefully gets out in October) You will get a copy... If you want one.. (Think of it as a designer Beer coaster)

When CD2 is manifest, you get a copy (But you have to come and pick it up at a bar of my choosing , over some beers

deal!

I think I'm going through in early February.

Code: Select allThough I'm not a big Bowie fan, I have tried to emulate one aspect of his career, which is reinventing himself on every album. Predictability is the kiss of death in any kind of art, imo. You just never knew what Bowie was going to do next and that kept you from getting bored with him, even if you weren't a big fan.

So I'm always trying to expand & grow, never satisfied with what happened before. If things are going too easily, I will introduce a little chaos into the process.

I have observed that Bowie has the type of mind and perspective to not sit still too long in one place... My take on the principle of artistic reinvention: (IMHO)

1) Must have some ADHD
2) Must have a passion for "all" forms of arts (Visual, Aural, theatric, etc)
3) Must be willing to let go of everything, every non -essential convention completely from prior projects
4) Must be able to define and sustain essential conventions (to carry the torch on through)

I think you could qualify Todd Rundgren the same way.

Chaos and unpredictability is something I see entirely too much of.

I prefer a "no thank you" helping of that, thank you.

Chaos and unpredictability is something I see entirely too much of.

I prefer a "no thank you" helping of that, thank you.

a little chaos is natural and will keep predictability away.

Have you ever worked with someone that had a death grip on what's being produced? That's where I live. I know what it's supposed to sound like even as it leaves my head/fingers/voice/whatever.

At this point, I don't even bother to record my music. There's always someone wanting to stick their hands in the pie and it's uncomfortable. (turn your head and cough)

I end up collaborating, as I can finish others' music very easily.
And it doesn't irritate me when I do. That way when someone wants to do something inane like integrate dance into the current piece I am working with, I don't mind very much.

Chaos is always in abundance depending on who you are/situation you are in. Unpredictability is an intangible quality unless you have a large repertoire already before you.

If you have 5 albums to your credit, you might actually have to worry about being unpredictable. (not I)

I equate it to a painter.

If the picture is painted and the colors need "touched up", this is not an issue. (slight adjustment for aesthetic sake)(more green on that tree)

If you are changing the picture itself, this is exactly what the artist wants to avoid. If the artist wanted help drawing a tree, they'd ask for it.

Very few need anyone to write their material(s) unless they have issues.
And everyone needs someone to tweak their material(s) very slightly to bring out the best possible product, but not change it too much.

It's akin to walking a mile on a razor blade.

Flat out, trust the musician.
They're going to perform it, listen to what they hear and attempt to understand what they want from it.
Do not impress your take of what you think they want.
That's trouble in a brown paper bag, no cap.