Choosing the Right Music Producer for Indie Artists
I talk to indie artists all the time that are looking for a producer.
It’s a big decision for an indie artist to decide who they are going to spend their hard-earned money on and trust with their music. When indie artists start recording their music professionally, it will probably take awhile before they make any profit with their music. So, it’s definitely important for them to not waste their money and to find the right producer.
Here are 4 tips based on what I've seen working with artists over the past few years.
Find a producer that has a sound/vibe.
A lot of music producers say they can do all genres and will take on any project. Usually these folks can produce a lot of different styles with mediocrity. When I work with a new client, I want to make sure that they are into my sound. I want to be hired for my sound/vibe rather than just because I’m available and I have a studio. Some producers are great at producing several different genres, but be leery of producers that are willing to do any project just to make a dollar.
Most producers that have their own sound aren't as competitive as producers that are looking for any type of client they can find. Their sound should sell itself. They should get work by continually doing great work and drawing in clients rather than having to give a sales pitch to artists.
Don’t let the producer’s gear/studio have much influence on your decision.
We all love nice gear, and a lot times producers and engineers can fall down into a deep hole buying unnecessary gear that we think will make us. I’ve been there. Just because a producer has a flashy looking Instagram with lots of gear and a mixing console doesn’t mean that your project is going to sound great. With today’s technology, a good producer can get a great sounding product with minimal gear. It’s more about the producer’s skills than his studio. That being said, better quality gear can make a difference, but the producer’s skills make a much bigger difference.
Listen to their work rather than read their credits.
Listen through the producer’s portfolio. A lot of times producers, musicians, songwriters, etc, put credits on their website for projects that they may have had a small part in.
I live in Nashville and have worked with a good amount of country artists either performing or recording. A lot of artists move here with big dreams and have no idea how to get started. They’ll find a producer that has a credit writing or playing with a big name country artist and assume that they’re good. A lot of times they end up with a demo quality recording because their producer isn’t really that much of a producer. They may have wasted a lot of money on what should be their next single.
Spend more money to have 1 really awesome single rather than an average EP.
If it comes down to cost when choosing a producer, record 1 song with a great producer. I think it's more important to have 1 great song that represents you as an artist than 5 songs that just sound ok. You can do a lot with one awesome single. Since people don't buy records nowadays, it's often better for a new artist to have a great single and put other money into branding yourself, but that's another entire blog post.
There are a lot of music producers where I live in Nashville and a huge amount of options online. The market is pretty heavily saturated. Hopefully these tips will help you make decisions about who to go with. If I can help in any way, please let me know!
Ryan