Changing Lanes: From Musician to Music Producer

Posted by entri in industry resources

Musicians throughout history are almost always known for either their hit songs or albums, certain performances, or career defining moments in their life (both positive and negative). With that said, many musicians have made the biggest impact on the world by not their music, but their careers as music producers.

In fact, many the world’s best music producers were/are famous musicians. Take Dr Dre for example; he is most famously known as being a pioneer in the hip-hop scene, but his time as a music producer has propelled many other famous artists into stardom.

So why do musicians make such good music producers? First off, they bring a whole lot of insight. When you look at the duo in The Neptunes. The Neptunes are a partnership between two producers where one is also a songwriter and has used his personal reputation of being a songwriter to signing the likes of Britney Spears, Snoop Dogg, and Busta Rhymes.

Butch Vig, a former singer and drummer, also goes hand-in-hand with the bands Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, and The Foo Fighers when in fact Vig developed his taste of grunge rock way before he signed any of them.

Not only do musicians bring knowledge of music, but they bring a different perspective. When working with a producer who has never picked up an instrument, rapped a line, or sang a verse, he/she does not fully understand music.

Musicians know what other musicians are looking for and need from the producer the moment they sign their name on the dotted line. This gives former musicians a distinct edge in the production business over other producers who not share the same perspective.