a question on production

[c-rod]

I've been really getting into production lately, and want to be a record producer. i realize that it is a long road to travel and takes years of experience and contacts.

I guess my question is, where to start? i've started working and producing friends but I fear that will only get me so far. Should I start approaching various local bands without much of a resume? Do I have to take the techincal recording route, dive head first into engineering and go from there? Should i make a name for myself through musical projects, or apprentice under a proper record producer?

I'm not really looking for easy answers, just personal suggestion and what has worked for others. I'm in LA now so I'm surrounded by all sorts of things. I just don't know where to begin...

[joelpatterson]

Why is producing your friends "only going to get you so far"?

Sounds like that's your first foot in the door. Do a fantastic job and everyone will notice. Keep doing more fantastic jobs and sooner or later you make a name for yourself.

Very competitive field, keep in mind. You just have to be better/smarter/friendlier than everyone else. And if you don't have a track record, then your job is to do all kinds of stuff and create a track record.

[Dan Phelps]

Learn as much as you can learn about:

a) Engineering/Production/Gear/Why does that sound like it does?
b) Music theory, songwriting, arranging, different instruments
c) Friendliness, peace-making, encouraging, etc...

Most Producers seem to have some kind of angle: "I'm an engineer, so I really 'Produce' with my sounds" or "I'm a musician and I 'Produce' thru arranging" or "I'm a songwriter, so I 'Produce' by helping out the songs." And some guys are a mix...Like Daniel Lanois, Jon Brion, etc...

Anyhow, I think knowing as much as you can about how records are made, from "million-dollar-console-with a retractable coke mirror-type" records to "I did it with a 57 and a walkman" type records. You don't have to be a great Engineer, but it doesn't hurt to something about mics, compressors, etc... OR...becoming an Engineer is a fairly common step towards producing, if you're into the technical side.

And Practice. Practice on your friends, try and figure out why one performance of a song is the shit and why another is not. It might be smart to get a recording set up of some kind...laptop, tape machine, four track, etc... and volunteer to record demos for people. They really can't complain about you learning on them if it's free, right?

I think one of the most important things is to figure out how to stay out of the way when good things are happening. This could be literally or just mentally...like channeling creativity. There's all kinds of Producers, and I don't know if I'd even call myself by that name, but it's my philosophy that I'm NOT there to assert myself on the music. Just to help and support where it's needed.

Sorry for the ramble.

Dan