As an artist or band, finding the right music producer is like finding gold at the end of the rainbow. It can be the difference between a good album and a great one, and can send your career into the stratosphere if you take the time to get it right.

There are many great examples of artists that have met the right producer and it created their best work. Johnny Cash was at his best when he teamed up with Rick Rubin towards the end of his career. With Rubin’s stripped-back style of producing, we might not have heard Cash’s beautiful rendition of Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt, or any other of their collaborations that focussed on Cash’s majestic voice, backed only by acoustic guitar, piano and very little else.

But how did Cash and Rubin make such a great team? This, after all, was a producer that made his mark during the rise of hip hop in the mid-80s, producing the likes of The Beastie Boys, Run DMC and Public Enemy. Clearly the two men had a connection, and a vision for what the ‘America’ albums would be about, and they communicated well from the song-writing stage to the mixing desk.

Getting the Right Producer

When you’re looking to find a music producer, you should not only take into consideration their track record, but also do your homework as to any interviews they have done, where they talk about what music they like or who they’d like to work with. There is no point having your heart set on a famous rock producer when they are talking about how much they want to record with Justin Bieber and One Direction in their most recent interview with Rolling Stone.

Knowing Where to Find Music Producers

A quick Google search and an email sent out to various producers is fine, but it’s unlikely to yield results. You need to do your homework to find which producers are heavily into the music scene that you are involved with, and make connections based on this. Although the aforementioned collaboration between Rubin and Cash seems audacious on paper, Rubin had experience with rock bands and solo artists too, and he was looking to work with an established artist like Cash, so it made sense.

In order to ensure you are meeting the right producer for your sound, you could try hiring a music marketing company to put feelers out to producers in your field. They should already have contacts with producers and companies in your area, and will be able to make inroads with them. It will save you a lot of time and hassle getting out there and trying to make connections yourself, as doors don’t always open for unknown bands.

Egos and Personalities May Clash

Artists and producers have to be on the same page to make their relationship work, and to get the best results, and for that to happen, you have to be willing to compromise and listen to what the other side has to say, which can be difficult for some musicians, and for producers, too.

There has to be a moment where egos and a difference of opinion is put to one side and you work together for the betterment of the band. There are thousands of stories in the history of rock and roll where producers have been fired or albums aborted because the artist and the producer can’t get along and tensions arise.

If you are looking for a music producer then please get in touch with us today and we will see how we can assist you.