Who is the Music Producer?

Quincy Jones, Sir George Martin, Rick Rubin, Mark Ronson, and Max Martin -  You may have heard theses names before. Chances are, you've heard these names alongside the biggest music stars of the last 70 years. 

But who are they, and what has been their role in the music making process?

In a nutshell, the Music Producer directs and collaborates with artists, composers, songwriters, arrangers, orchestrators musicians, engineers and record companies to ensure the 'big vision' of a song or project is reached. The Music Producer may choose to take on any combination of these roles themselves too. 

They have overall creative and technical control of the entire recording project, and the individual recording sessions that are part of that project. The record producer the makes creative and aesthetic decisions that realize both the artist's and record label's goals in the creation of musical content. Other duties include but are not limited to; keeping budgets and schedules, adhering to deadlines, casting musicians, singers, studios and engineers, overseeing other staffing needs. Ultimately, the record producer is responsible for the success of a project!

The final outcome you hear on some of the biggest albums of all time, like Michael Jackson’s Thriller (Quincy Jones), anything by the Beatles (George Martin, pictured above), or virtually every number 1 pop track released since the year 2000 (Max Martin), is based on the guidance, experience and input of the Music Producer. 

About the Author

Mark Fogliano is an experienced Music Producer, Songwriter, Composer ,Pianist for the Adelaide / Melbourne based music production company Eleven:11 Music Productions.

Eleven:11 Music Productions fulfils a range of musical needs - from song development, artist development, arranging, orchestration and music programming, to vocal and song production, recording, post-production, audio mixing and project management.