When you look back on pop throughout the last 100 years you see time and again, a great music producer controlling the recordings of a great artist. It might be Phil Spector's innovative "Wall of Sound" technique with The Ronettes. It might be Quincy Jones' guiding hand ushering Michael Jackson to the heights of the "Thriller" album. It might be George Martin's pioneering 4 track recordings with The Beatles. Whoever you pick their role is undeniably crucial.
While most all people agree on the importance of this role, there is sometimes confusion as to what that actual role is. This might be due to the fact that, for different producers, the job has different duties. The basic setup will be the same for almost any of them: sitting at the mixing desk, headphones on, making sure the riffs, beats, vocals and melody are coming in at the right time and at the right pitch, then supervising the mix later on.
In many cases, however, their role goes deeper. Lots of producers end up credited songwriters on albums, working side by side on the actual composition with the artists. Often, they also become like a self-help guru for a beleaguered band, motivating them to keep going through a hard recording. In other cases they may be a go-between for the record company and the artist.
A great example of how a hands-on production team can change an album's texture can be found on Lou Reed's second solo LP "Transformer", released in 1972. Reed had very basic acoustic guitar arrangements for many of the 11 proposed tracks at the outset. It was the glam rock production combo of David Bowie and Mick Ronson, however, who added the delicate, playful, nuanced arrangements which brought songs like "Perfect Day" and "Satellite of Love" so vividly to life.
As technology has taken over much of how pop is now written, the role of producer has become yet more crucial. Hip Hop, and its long journey to the mainstream, has had a lot to do with this. In rap, the beat-maker has always been crucial to the composition element of the songs, with the rapper concentrating on the lyrics.
As rap music, playing upon the blues habit of expanding upon an already established musical backdrop, has traditionally relied upon sampling, the role of the producer is often based around layering snatches of music performed by other artists into a new, fresh sound. A pioneering example of the form is Dr. Dre's debut solo LP "The Chronic" from 1992. Here Dre put together his own band to interpolate old P-Funk riffs and beats, adding his own drum loops and breaks to create a new, stylized sound.
In the modern era, where pop stars from talent shows rely completely on production for the musical direction they will take, the role of music producer is more crucial than ever. The singers are the ones who get the press. It is those behind the mixing desk, however, who are the true creative force behind their output. Producers are now offering Hip Hop beats for sale online so that singers and rappers have more options when it comes to their music production.
While most all people agree on the importance of this role, there is sometimes confusion as to what that actual role is. This might be due to the fact that, for different producers, the job has different duties. The basic setup will be the same for almost any of them: sitting at the mixing desk, headphones on, making sure the riffs, beats, vocals and melody are coming in at the right time and at the right pitch, then supervising the mix later on.
In many cases, however, their role goes deeper. Lots of producers end up credited songwriters on albums, working side by side on the actual composition with the artists. Often, they also become like a self-help guru for a beleaguered band, motivating them to keep going through a hard recording. In other cases they may be a go-between for the record company and the artist.
A great example of how a hands-on production team can change an album's texture can be found on Lou Reed's second solo LP "Transformer", released in 1972. Reed had very basic acoustic guitar arrangements for many of the 11 proposed tracks at the outset. It was the glam rock production combo of David Bowie and Mick Ronson, however, who added the delicate, playful, nuanced arrangements which brought songs like "Perfect Day" and "Satellite of Love" so vividly to life.
As technology has taken over much of how pop is now written, the role of producer has become yet more crucial. Hip Hop, and its long journey to the mainstream, has had a lot to do with this. In rap, the beat-maker has always been crucial to the composition element of the songs, with the rapper concentrating on the lyrics.
As rap music, playing upon the blues habit of expanding upon an already established musical backdrop, has traditionally relied upon sampling, the role of the producer is often based around layering snatches of music performed by other artists into a new, fresh sound. A pioneering example of the form is Dr. Dre's debut solo LP "The Chronic" from 1992. Here Dre put together his own band to interpolate old P-Funk riffs and beats, adding his own drum loops and breaks to create a new, stylized sound.
In the modern era, where pop stars from talent shows rely completely on production for the musical direction they will take, the role of music producer is more crucial than ever. The singers are the ones who get the press. It is those behind the mixing desk, however, who are the true creative force behind their output. Producers are now offering Hip Hop beats for sale online so that singers and rappers have more options when it comes to their music production.
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