How To Find The Perfect Music Producer: The Ultimate Guide

If you are looking for a music producer, you have come to the right place.

This guide covers the many aspects that are involved in finding the perfect producer for your next project.

First, we take a look at what you need to do to make sure you're ready. Then, we examine what you should look for in a producer, and how to find one. Click here to jump straight to browsing producers.

Finding the right producer for the project can be challenging, so be patient with the process, and make sure to get all of the information you need to get started.

So, if you're ready, let's get into it.

Preparation - Knowing When You're Ready

First of all, it's important to ask yourself whether or not it's the right time to be looking for a music producer.

Once you have the basics of songs, musicians, project parameters, timeframe, and budget covered, you need to begin thinking about your musical identity.

Who are you? What kind of music do you create? What do you sound like, or, what do you want to sound like?

Knowing who you are is hugely beneficial when working together with a producer, because then your communication will be clear, and a producer can collaborate with you to achieve your goals and the sound you're looking for.

Moreover, if something goes awry, you need to have a strong enough vision to say, "No, that's not what we're looking for."

There is always room for misinterpretation, especially when we're talking about something as subjective as art. Being clear on who you are makes it easier to communicate what you want.

Additionally, though there are producers that handle a variety of different musical styles, most of them tend to have areas that they specialize in.

Are you looking for an EDM producer? A Hip Hop producer? A Rock producer? Other?

To make your search more specific, take some time to find tracks that inspire you and give you direction for your overall sound. Don't be afraid to do a deep dive into music that inspires you.

Identify what it is you like about the tracks you've selected, and make some notes too. This will help you understand yourself and will really help a potential producer to understand your inspiration and style.

Now let's take a look at what you should look for in a producer.

What To Look For In A Producer

There are a lot of different considerations to account for when you're looking for a producer.

Location could be an important factor if you're hoping to work more closely with a producer. If you are going to work on something from scratch, this is probably your best bet.

Just remember that recording a song or an album can already be a costly endeavor, and if you need to travel to a specific studio to work with your dream producer, you might have further expenses to cover.

Granted, we do live in a time when files can be easily shared through Dropbox or other file storage apps. Collaborating at a distance is certainly possible, and can work well in some situations.

Experience level is definitely something to take a close look at with any producer you're hoping to work with.

Your goal should be to work with a qualified producer, because you want someone that knows what they're doing and how to point you in the right direction.

Even if you come prepared with inspiration tracks, if the producer doesn't have a hot clue how to make you sound that way, they're not going to be able to give you the finished product you deserve.

Furthermore, you want your music to sound its absolute best, and a good producer will have a more objective view of your music than an artist is capable of having.

Here are some questions you may want to ask your hopeful candidates:

Some of these questions are pretty obvious. You want to get an idea of what the producer has accomplished in the past, and how much they're going to charge you for their work.

The third question is a little harder to bring up, because it could be taken personally. In essence, you're trying to figure out if the producer has credibility.

For maximum exposure, having a good name behind your recording can only help.

A producer is a good fit for you if they work in your genre, if they have solid experience, if they charge rates that work with your budget, and most of all, if you like them.

It's much easier to work with someone you like than it is to try to slog through a project with someone you can't get along with.

Unfortunately, no amount of experience or credibility can account for a good personality and a willingness to adapt to the situation. The good news is that most people in the industry don't get by being jerks.

Finding A Producer

LoudUp is a social network for everything music, which means you can take advantage of the Producers section to find a producer to work with.

Start with the Filter Results drop down menu on the left. You'll get a big list of ways to filter for the exact type of producer you need including one within a certain distance of your location or based on your preferred genres.

Next, use the "Sort by" drop down menu to organize the producers by Join Date, Name, Rating, City and Plugged In.

These options can come in handy if you're looking for people that work in a specific location close to you, or those that have an established reputation.

Furthermore, each producer has a listing of the genres they handle under their name. Some producers handle more, while others are more specialized.

If you're looking for someone specific, you can also take advantage of the search function.

Sharing Credit & Royalty Rights

In some cases, the producer may contribute to the composition or the lyrical content of your piece.

If so, you may need to discuss sharing credit and royalty rights.

We won't get into the exact details here, as it is a little beyond the scope of the article, but you can take advantage of organizations such as PRS, ASCAP and BMI to ensure fair treatment and compensation for both parties.

Make sure to work out an arrangement that is beneficial for both of you.

Final Thoughts

In many regards, finding the right producer comes down to relationship.

If you can't seem to work together, or the process is too unclear, you may have to continue your search.

You want to make sure that the rails for the project are tightly defined so that there isn't any confusion around what you're trying to do.

Arguments and differences can come up, so work with someone you trust.

If you get along with them, and there's good chemistry between the two of you, you will give your project a chance to come alive.

Photo courtesy of Robert Agthe used under Creative Commons.