High-powered computers and advanced audio recording software now make it possible for amateur musicians to record their own music at home. More importantly, automation and plug-ins can turn virtually any musician into a decent audio engineer. Maybe that has been your experience. If so, answer this question: you can engineer your own music, but can you produce it?
In the professional world of recording studios, there is a distinct difference between audio engineers and music producers. New York City-based Supreme Tracks offers a thorough explanation on their website. Needless to say, both types of professionals are necessary to turn an average song into a hit.
What an Audio Engineer Does
The audio engineer is that person who sits at the mixing board, turning knobs and moving slide bars. They are that individual who spends hours mixing and remixing a song to achieve just the right sound. You perform the audio engineer’s job in your own home studio. But is that enough? Not for a pro-quality recording.
Audio engineers are specialists in fine-tuning individual works so that they sound great as standalone pieces. You could say that they are the last in a long line of specialists who get a piece of music from conception stage to public release. Along the way, a lot of other people are involved. From writers to arrangers to the musicians themselves, dozens of people can be involved in creating just one song.
All these people, and their tasks, need to be managed with a cohesive vision. That is where the music producer comes in. If you want pro-quality results, even if you are utilizing an online recording studio like Supreme Tracks, you need the help of a solid producer.
What a Music Producer Does
Supreme Tracks likens the music producer to a film director. The producer’s job is to oversee a project from beginning to end. That could mean a single song or an entire score for a TV show or film. A producer has to see the project through the lens of a single vision, then make sure that its individual components align with that vision.
For example, a producer might work with an arranger to make sure that what they come up with fits their vision for the project. They might be involved in hiring studio musicians capable of making an arrangement come alive. In short, the producer gets everyone on the same track to ensure that they all arrive at the same destination.
Recording Is One Small Part
Whether you make music online or do everything with locally hosted software, recording is just one small part of a very large equation. As a skilled musician and writer in your own right, you are capable of creating some very impressive pieces. People love your work. They love your live performances. But your fans often say that your recordings lack something. That something is often the touch of a good producer.
It can be difficult to listen to all the songs on a new album and pinpoint exactly what works and what doesn’t. You could walk away with a feeling that something is not quite right, but not know what it is. A good producer will listen to that same music and immediately know what can be done to make it perfect.
You can record and engineer music in your home studio. But can you produce it? If not, your work may never reach its full potential. The solution is simple: hook up with a good producer who can pull it all together.
