How to be a producer George Martin Stock, Aitken and Waterman Production lines As the line between artist and producer becomes increasingly blurred, we explore what goes into producing other people’s work and talk to some industry experts… hat do you picture when you and Rolf Harris – was to give him the song and mix, frequently composing the palette to a mainstream audience, has hear the word ‘producer’? A wide-ranging experience that would entirety of the artist’s record themselves: helped to create some of this decade’s W long-haired visionary telling enable him to help the Beatles Kylie Minogue’s I Should Be So Lucky biggest musical franchises: Nelly, Usher, the bass player of a band to wear revolutionise studio recording. and Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Jay Z, Justin Timberlake, Kelis and P. purple shoes for improved ambience, or On Strawberry Fields, for example, Up were enormous hits, and the largely Diddy to name a few. They veer in the a drum ’n’ bass DJ turning his hand to Martin was required to interpolate instrumental Roadblock elevated them direction of artists themselves, stamping making a tune? Whether it’s Phil classical orchestration, a horn section, to even further fame. a clear impression on every project they Spector or DJ Krust who comes to mind, a Mellotron, a swordmandel and, at one take, and then extending this branding this month we’re separating fact from point, a large number of people banging Producer or artist? out to their solo careers – it’s a logical fiction and glamour from graft in the biscuit tins. He was also forced to It was the approach of people like SAW step from the collaborative days of the arcane sphere of production. combine two takes of the song that that brought the producer out of the 60s towards the self-sufficient electronic In the beginning, music production were in different keys and at different shadows and into the limelight. underground of today. was an administrative process, with tempos: a Herculean task considering Recently, production teams like the producers simply organising recording the technology available in 1966. Neptunes have enjoyed both the Fresh produce sessions and then taking on a In essence, Martin’s role was to take ubiquity of the 80s hit machines and A knowledge of technology and supervisory role. With the advent of John Lennon’s sparse original song and the international fame of pop stars. arrangement built up by producing your magnetic tape in the 50s, it became transform it into a finished record, Pharell Williams’ solo career continues own music can lead to production possible to run cost-effective making decisions based on the Beatles’ to thrive, but it was his work with requests from other musicians, and independent recording studios. This in creative input but also adding his own partner Chad Hugo on hip-hop suddenly throw you into the job of turn facilitated the rise of independent eclecticism to the mix. He's pioneered crossover records like Nelly’s Hot In attempting to translate someone else’s producers like George Martin, who the structure for many artist/producer Herre and unusual mainstream pop creative fancies into actual music. This broke from his role as a staff producer relationships since the 60s. such as Britney’s I’m A Slave for U, won’t appeal to everyone, but if you’ve and A&R manager at EMI to go it alone. The other side of the production which got him his initial phame and ever had a desire to inflate the number Martin’s diverse background – which coin was illustrated by Stock, Aitken and phortune. The popularity of the of edits you’ve made on a vocal track had included work on classical music Waterman in the mid 80s and early Neptunes’ sound, which introduced a by an order of magnitude, made up and novelty records for Peter Sellers 90s. The trio often took control of both naïve and often awkward electronic terms like ‘spectral disambiguation' to describe using a free plug-in, or told someone that their funk saxophone “IT WAS THE APPROACH OF PEOPLE LIKE SAW overdub ‘really adds something', then this could be the creative path for you. To further our investigation into what THAT BROUGHT THE PRODUCER OUT OF THE makes a producer, we tracked down a legendary producer and an underground SHADOWS AND INTO THE LIMELIGHT” production duo to get their take on the art of making other people’s music. cm 070 | COMPUTER MUSIC JUNE 2006 FEATURE How to be a producer Phil Spector DJ Krust Production lines JIM SHARPE/REDFERNS JIM : NILE RODGERS PHOTOGRAPHY ile Rodgers is one of the most helped you to achieve your status as a that when they’re going off the path you personal highlights of your production prolific and successful production legend? can get them back. If the car is going career that the public might not know? N producers of all time. He’s NR: Music surrounded me at home: my straight, you don’t have to steer. To me NR: All of my work with Peter Gabriel on worked with Diana Ross, Madonna, mom was young and we led a nomadic the artist always has the final word: it’s film soundtracks: things like Against All David Bowie, Duran Duran and Mick life. I went to dozens of schools before I their picture on the cover of the record. Odds, Gremlins and Home Of the Brave. Jagger; he’s sold over 100 million was 17, and they all assigned me records worldwide; and as a founding different instruments to fill out their cm: What do you see as some cm: How do you approach the member of the band Chic, he co-wrote orchestras, consequently giving me a technical aspects of production? the hits Le Freak and Good Times, as working knowledge of the way that all NR: I'm not trying to be funny, but the well as the anthemic We Are Family for the instruments function. Know your enemy best tools are cool ideas: in today’s Sister Sledge. His film credits include All our interviewees stress the world we have a myriad of cool gear Beverly Hills Cop and Thelma and cm: How do you approach producing a importance of getting on good terms from which to choose. Usually I work Louise, his business ventures are still record when you’re working with an with the artist you’re working with with one engineer for a long period of expanding exponentially, and if we artist for the first time? before you kick off the production time, so they have to be well rounded. process. If a cruise around Santa listed the awards he’s received, you NR: I become a fan and get completely Monica in your convertible and lunch wouldn’t be able to lift this magazine off immersed in understanding their history, on your three-million dollar yacht isn’t cm: You work across a huge range of the floor. then I feel equipped to envision the an option, we suggest going for fish genres – do you feel it’s important to Nile took some time out from artist’s future. I always try to make the and chips and a pint of Original. cross genre boundaries, mixing and Seriously though, it’s essential that preparations for a series of high-profile artist’s ‘next record’ and not their last. matching elements? you take the time to get acquainted gigs with Chic to answer our questions with the needs, influences and NR: I was raised in a world music about his incredible career and give us cm: What do you think are the most desires of your artist, and sort out any culture. We all have a lot to offer each the benefits of his production wisdom. important contributions that a producer potential personality clashes before other, and with sampling you can have can make in enabling an artist to you get in the studio. Being on the a virtuoso shehnai performance without same page from the outset will save cm: What aspects of your musical achieve the sound they’re after? you time later. one lesson or even knowing what a upbringing and education do you think NR: See the artist’s vision with clarity, so shehnai looks like. FEATURE JUNE 2006 COMPUTER MUSIC | 071 How to be a producer George Martin Stock, Aitken and Waterman cm: What do you feel you have learned Prince, Miles and The Beatles – he’s on Needless to say I’m listening to MoPo basis? Has it opened your eyes to other from being involved in music for the that level to me. I think that when rock every moment I have. possibilities and other ways of working? past four decades? history takes a close look at Bowie NR: Well, budgets have the main effect NR: That I have only started to learn they’ll see what I see. cm: The majority of Computer Music on the way that I work, so I’m forced to about music. Last night, I had dinner readers write, produce and engineer be open to other ways of working. If it’s with the RZA and the GZA from Wu Tang cm: Chic’s sound has remained their own music – how do you feel a top-shelf motion picture or the Clan: it was an education! The great popular and you’re about to play some about this trend in home recording? Grammy TV broadcast, it’s just like the instrumentalists I’ve worked with (Jeff further high profile dates.