What is involved in "production"?

[LockSmithDon]

I know this is totally a noob question, but that's the great thing about being a noob, you can get away with asking these. Once you're marked as a guru, you feel silly asking these questions. So, if you're a guru and you need a noob question asked, just PM me and you can relax in your guruism

Now about my question ... I can clearly hear the difference between songs that have spent more time in "production", but I don't know how to do it or even start. What's involved Is it just a matter of tweaking the highs/lows of each track Are there tool to help in this process School me, please.

Thanks!

[UnDesirable]

This is a pretty broad request for information. I'm a big believer in you learn by doing, so I suggest you participate in some fights and then read your reviews, looking for information on what you did wrong and what you did right. Then start asking more focused questiond about specific techniques. Listen to artist here you like and tell them what you liked about their song and ask how they did it. Here are a couple of links with alot of info on various topics.

http://emusician.com/tutorials/

http://www.computermusic.co.uk/tutorial/features.asp

[jimtyrrell]

Welcome aboard!
Here's my short answer:

Production is everything about a recording that isn't performance.

That looks more snide than intended. Hmm. I guess what I mean is, the way I see it, production encompasses everything from the original sound captures to the final mixdowns. There's a lot of things you can do in there, and it all falls under that one big heading.

It might behoove you to familiarize yourself with my recordings before giving my 'production' advice any weight. Heh.

[LockSmithDon]

Thanks. There are some good resources in those links. I'll have a look and take your advice. I'm trying to put something together for next week's fight. It'll be my first entry and the first song I've ever written. Scary, I know.

[LockSmithDon]

I just had another related question. Is mastering the same as production? Or is one part of the other? I don't mean to be playing nomenclature games, I'm just trying to get all the terms I've heard straight in my head. Thanks.

[ken]

Mastering is the last bit of eq and compression on the final stereo mix of the track. It is the final step in the process.

Production is putting the song elements together, deciding what and how.

Engineering is the technical part of recording those elements.

Mixing is combining all the recorded tracks.

ken

[c hack]

Here's something weird. I have almost exactly the same gear now as I did 5 years ago (the only improvement being a Newmann TLM103 (for acoustic guitar/vox) mic rather than a Shure SM57). But my production is a million times better. What changed? Beats the hell out of me. I didn't go to any school or read any tutorials. Near as I can figure, you just keep doing it a lot, and it gets better on its own.

[thehipcola]

Jim Tyrell nailed it.

For me, relative to production, peformance is like painting in black and white, and maybe some cepia.

Production is like adding another arm holding the full-on colour palette, with a rack full of differnt brushes and texturizers, and crate of different types of canvas. To me, it's the main thing. For sure my songwriting suffers for my interest in production. Just listen to anything I've done..

But I can't help it...because with production the possibilities truly are endless.

So, yah, it's highs and lows. It's stereo placement or mono..it's analogue or digital. It's choosing what kind of amp and guitar to use to get the sound you want... what kind of reverb to use, what brand even.. It's the decision you make to fill a fishfood jar with (unused) cat litter to use as a shaker when you discover that the egg shaker you always used for gigs sucks on your recording. Mostly it's about trying everything you can, as much as you can. Nothing replaces experience. Building cause/effect relationships in recording takes time and practice...and you never really know when you get there because there's always more to try. I can't believe what can be done from your own home these days.. armchair producers indeed!

Production is also sometimes difficult to blend with songwriting. It's hard to be objective about stuff you've written. So try to "produce" other peoples stuff, mix other's songs if you can. Get over to RemixFight and d/l the latest loopset and play with that...a great way to hone some production skills is to free yourself from having to create the content as well as making it sound good.

Great question! Sorry for the long-winded answer.... I love production!

[jack]

one from the history books

[roymond]

Like others, I generally lump all things other than performance (and writing) as production. Especially since I'm a one man operation and it all pretty much happens simultaneously. I don't know if this helps you, but here are the things that happen for me in there (which you may want to focus on whenever it makes sense):

1) tone - producing the desired "sound" for the part. Whether it's a guitar, synth, sample or your voice.

2) capturing/recording - setting proper input levels so that you get a strong signal to work with, which doesn't also contain hum and other undesireable noise. This should faithfully capture the tone produced in #1.

3) clean up - this may not happen until much later, but you'll remove noise at the beginning of a guitar solo, for instance (you know, that scratching sound when you removed your right hand from dampening the strings just before you start wailing). Then again at the end. Also, you zap those extra midi notes that don't belong in your keyboard part.

4) arrangement - What's the structure of the song (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, outtro)? how do all your parts work together to support the structure? How does placement of samples (spoken word, sound effects, etc.) work to further enhance it?

5) mix - What needs to be prominent or subtle at any given time? What needs to be "hot" or "soft"? What about fade ins/outs?

6) application of reverb - or compression or delay or any other "effect". This can be part of #1 above, but often reverb and subtle effects need to work "together" across parts.

7) over-all EQ & limiting (poor-man's mastering) - final task when creating your final mix-down to stereo. How much depth do you need? Should it be compressed to hell for that added punch on the dance floor?

8) MP3 compression - this is your final format for posting to SF, so do you risk a large filesize to retain those transients in the cymbals, or do you save negative feedback from your peers from the huge file download of your crappy first attempt?

All these things contribute to what people seem to evaluate here as "production" activities.

[Sober]

I like how everyone who can drop a sample into FruityLoops calls themselves a 'producer.'

Just like how anyone who has a penny invested in a company or establishment calls themselves an owner of said establishment. The jazz club I work at (and 'own' 5k's worth of) has like 100 'owners'. With the exception of the three people who own 98% of the place, I consider anyone who calls themselves an owner of that club a moron.

Anyways. How to get BETTER at producing... Do it a lot. Do it often. Try new things. Make mental or written notes of what does and does not work. For me, the approach has been the endless pursuit of noise elimination. There are things that can be worked out through software techniques, better recording techniques, better recording levels, or simply better gear. Once I get shit quiet, then I'll worry about how the rest sounds.

Currently, I'd like to figure out how to get a good acoustic guitar sound. I've just never been able to get a good one. I got a new guitar today. Maybe that will help.

[j$]

I like how everyone who can drop a sample into FruityLoops calls themselves a 'producer.

A producer is someone who produces something. End of story. Therefore, those drop samples are producers, like it or lump it. Someone who gets paid by someone else to produce something could reasonably called a professional producer.

j$

[Caravan Ray]

My production has improved since I had the wax cleaned out of my ears.

I'm serious - towards the end of last year - I was going steadily deaf - I don't know why - but my ears were totally clogged with wax - first the left then the right.

I do all my stuff with headphones on - and I just didn't realise is was going deaf - anyone who has ever made a comment about crap panning etc. on my songs - that was (part of) the reason.

And before anyone mentions it - yes I know my production is still crap - even with clean ears.

[roymond]

And before anyone mentions it - yes I know my production is still crap - even with clean ears.

A sign of a good producer (or songwriter, or lover): someone who's brutally honest about themselves, regardless of the outcome.

[c hack]

The jazz club I work at (and 'own' 5k's worth of) has like 100 'owners'. With the exception of the three people who own 98% of the place, I consider anyone who calls themselves an owner of that club a moron.

Well, technically, you are an owner. Just like if I had bought Apple stock 5 years ago (o why o why didn't i?), I'd be an owner of Apple now. Of course, implying that you have any say in what's going on dos make you a moron.

That said, that's pretty impressive that you own 5k of an establishment. When I was your age, I was on my way to owning nothing but student loan debt. What am I saying? I still do!

[thehipcola]

I'm sorry to ask what probably will be a stupid question, but what is YMMV? Can't....Figure...It....Out.....need....sleeep.....

Thanks!

[deshead]

but what is YMMV?Can't....Figure...It....Out.....need....sleeep.....

I find bed is the best place to get sleep, though your mileage may vary.

[LockSmithDon]

Well, I have a feeling I shouldn't be surprised ... but I am. I have learned a LOT more on this thread than I could have dreamed. From Jim and Hip's take on what is involved in production, ken and roymond's definitions, and jack and UnDesirable links, to all of the insight on getting a good acoustic sound ... I am impressed and grateful at the same time. Thank you.

... what is YMMV?

I think it stands for "Your Milage May Vary"

[jimtyrrell]

Don't feel bad, HipCola, I had no idea what it meant either. To paraphrase Douglas Adams, I'm so unhip it's a wonder my bum doesn't fall off.

[c hack]

I, OTOH, am so hip I can't see past my pelvis.

[Leaf]

Production is:


The process of producing something.


However, I think there is more to it... as in, when people round here say "good production" or " bad", what they really mean is "wow, you kick my ass, I wish I could get my stuff to sound as slick and professional as you" or " man, you suck, I so rule."


Yeah, that's about right.

..... actually, I always thought there was some technical element to the role of the producer.... when I would read the back of album covers of cassette inserts, I assumed that these people were doing some technical thing like the engineers (mixing, mastering, recording). Well, imagine my suprise and shock when I realized that these are just people who manage the recording process, with an end result in mind. It's really simple actually... the producer's role is to achieve a result...often a set result. This may mean taking on additional roles (like round here, you might be the producer, engineer, talent, writer, intern, sexslave), but ultimately, this person is the manager.

This is of course, merely my opinion and is not framed by any actual scholastic terminology provided by a designated authority.

[c hack]

Of course, this manager person sometimes is a huge influence on the album (look at Cash's American Recordings -- Rubin made him sound better than ever).