Music Production
Music production is a massive topic; but how it can be applied as a songwriting or arrangement technique is simple.
Most all musicians have some experience producing their own music. Humming a song idea into your phone’s voice notes, demoing out parts on your laptop, or recording a full-on production in the rehearsal studio all count as “music production” moments. That said, when played back, those moments may not produce the sound that you heard in your head while writing the song. When you create any recording, it’s important to realize that your production technique is like a silent songwriting partner, influencing how every instrument comes across, for better or worse. But the good news is that with a little thought and preparation, that silent partner can help out immensely.
To illustrate the point, think of the similarities between some of your favorite records. Maybe they all feature a Marshall style guitar sound? Maybe they all use a similar 808 kick drum or bass? Maybe the overall impact of the records are similar, due to a shared mastering approach? The point is, if you can point some sort of a finger to what you like in an existing record, you have identified a starting point when making your own. That may sound obvious, but it doesn’t stop there. We live in an age where YouTube can find you a thousand interview with the band that made that record, describing what gear they used. You can find mix tutorials from your favorite mix engineers practically spoon-feeding their EQ and compression technique to you. We have access to more high level techniques than ever before. But that can also be a problem…
Take us audio nerds, for instance. When audio engineers think about ‘music production', we tend to break things down into specific processes, techniques, and equipment. This mic placement for this instrument, that pre-amp choice for that singer, this bus compressor set to 3:1 ratio, fast attack slow release threshold hitting-…. Sometimes this train of thought can derail the whole song.
Working with a band at the production stage is not about dialing in the perfect mic placement or EQ. Yes, for me, the engineer, it is, but that is ALWAYS secondary to the true reason we are all in the (now virtual) room. It’s about the song. It’s about the sound that’s in the artist’s and producer’s heads. It’s about getting that sound in between two speakers for everyone else to hear. Those jumping off points we identified above help me, the engineer, start our session off on the right foot, with a basic sonic signature established that pleases us both. Whether it’s the right snare sound, the right vocal chain, the right guitar/amp/pedal combo, or even just the right attitude.
When you start thinking of the recording process in these terms, the YouTube-able production tricks or recording techniques are no longer just a matter of manipulating the recording technology. They become keys on a ring, each able to unlock a sound crucial to a specific recording session. If I pick up a guitar to write/record a part for a client, and twenty minutes later, it’s not jiving, I put that guitar down and pick another from the quiver. If I can’t get the vocals to sit in the mix right, it’s time to try a new compression or effects chain.
The techniques of music production can be endlessly complicated. But the point is simple. Music production is a songwriting tool. And we’re happy to help you use it as such.
