What is Music Production?

Russ Hepworth-Sawyer is a sound engineer and producer with extensive experience in all things audio. He is a member of the Association of Professional Recording Services and the Audio Engineering Society; a Fellow of the Institute For Learning (U.K.); and a board member of the Music Producer's Guild. Through MOTTOsound (www.mottosound.co.uk), Russ works freelance in the industry as a mastering engineer, a producer, writer, and consultant. Russ currently lectures part-time for York St John University and Barnsley College Online and has taught extensively in higher education at British institutions including Leeds College of Music, London College of Music, and Rose Bruford College. He currently writes for Pro Sound News Europe, has contributed to Sound On Sound magazine, and has written many titles for Focal Press. Craig Golding is currently Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Music Production degree program at Leeds College of Music in the U.K. Craig lectures in production, sound recording techniques, studio production, and song production and leads a team that is responsible for the delivery and development of one of the most popular music production courses in the U.K. Craig also has an active freelance career in sound engineering and production with over a decade's experience working in the industry. Under the banner of CMG Sound Craig has worked as an FOH engineer at many large venues in the U.K. including The Sage Gateshead; The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester; and Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. Craig continues to work with a variety of artists and ensembles both in live and studio contexts.

Section 1 - Music Production?1 Quantifying it 1.1 What is Production? 1.1.1 Introduction? 1.1.2 Today's Producer 1.1.3 Backdrop 1.1.4 The Current Climate 1.2 Understanding the Process 1.3 Understanding What Is Required 1.4 The Brief 1.5 Artiste & Repertoire? 2 Analysing it 2.1 Listening Skills 2.2 Listening Case Studies 2.2.1 eg. Amy Winehouse versus Michael Jackson 3 Your People? 3.1 Record Company 3.2 Artist 3.3 Your Engineer(s) 3.4 Agent or Manager? 3.5 Website Designer? 3.6 Others Section 2 Prepping it1 Project Management 1.1 Timescales 1.2 Financial considerations (linked to 2.2) 1.3 Personnel (linked again to 1.3) 1.4 Studios, Equipment & Session Musicians 1.5 Keeping on top of it all. Music is still a business when all is said and done 1.5.1 Personal Time Management Principles 1.5.2 Using that Computer - making it work for you. 2 Financial Management 2.1 Project Coffers 2.2 Making the finances fit 2.3 Paying Out 2.4 Your Pay? 2.5 Other Issues 3 The Reception What I mean by this is the listening to the Pre-Production, meeting the Artist and Label. To consider what to do with the material - what style and how and what? 3.1 The Artist 3.1.1 New Artist 3.1.1.1 The proposed market position 3.1.1.1.1 Style's Influence on the Music Production 3.1.1.1.1.1 Dress Sense & Image 3.1.1.1.1.2 Musical 'Style' 3.1.1.1.1.3 Artist Attit