The Life of a Music Producer

Music producers work on a contract basis and have work schedules that typically alternate between periods of heavy demands and significant downtime. When not in the recording studio producers write songs, develop new artists and expand their professional networks.

Education

Hands-on experience is the industry standard, and most music producers are musicians who have spent considerable time working in studios. While a degree in production is not required to land a job in the field, some colleges, including Belmont University and Full Sail University, offer related programs.

Work

Music producers are responsible for coordinating all aspects of a recording project. The producer hires the musicians and engineers who work on an album and oversees the project's artistic direction.

Income

A producer's income depends on royalties; a typical contract pays 3 percent on every sold copy of a recording. High-profile producers sometimes earn an upfront fee for their services in addition to royalties.

Recognition

Producers work behind the scenes and seldom become as famous as the artists they produce. They are, however, recognized at the Grammy Awards and most other major music awards and can become quite revered in music circles.

Controversy

Producers are sometimes criticized for meddling with an artist's creative vision, and many struggle with whether to make music that is more artistically interesting or commercially viable.

Resources

• Belmont University's School of Music Business