Producer vs. Engineer vs. Exec. Producer - What is the Difference? (Producers & Points Pt. 1 of 3)

Welcome to episode 1 of our new 3-part video series on producers and points. In this series, Disc Makers CEO Tony van Veen will be discussing what producer points are, how they work, when a producer deserves points, and whether-and when-a producer may also deserve a songwriter split on your song.
Today’s video covers the first question we need to answer: What is the difference between the role of the recording engineer, the producer, and the executive producer?
Back in the day, when Tony's band went into the studio, they didn’t use a producer. Frankly, he kinda wishes they had, and we hope his lesson learned will be helpful to you.
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[@conradswartz]

Now I know I am a producer and not just an engineer, performing artist and songwriter. Thanks, Tony.

[@rickfranz318]

I always learn something from Tony's videos.

[@roadapplerecords7359]

"Producer" is a misnomer in the music business; it's really more what you would call "Director" in movies/TV. There are engineer/producers, writer/producers (Brian Wilson or Holland), arranger/producers (George Martin), programmer/producers, player/producers, psychologist/producers (Henry Lewy), money people/producers, etc. Whatever the project is lacking, usually the person who fills that void gets credited as the "producer".

[@truthinlight4255]

Good post. Old-School producers from the music industry that remember 60 years ago talk in interviews about the early 1960s when producers finally started getting more credible recognition for their value. Some of them said they preferred the title "Director" than the word "Producer". The word director just seemed a better fit for what they felt they were doing in the studio with the music. But for whatever reason the word Producer stuck has the primary one used. I was reading some interviews of older producers that explained how back during that era late 50s early 60s, there were some vocal-artists that didn't really have an official signed Producer to the sessions. (Back at that time, the person that was sometimes given credit as "Producer" did little more than watch the clock) So a demo of a song written by someone else would be sent from the record label, to the recording session, where the vocalist / singer would be able to listen to the demo. They talked about how some of those singers ended up demonstrating very versatile creative skills in the studio... Beyond just being a vocalist.... almost because they *HAD* to, (since at that time, record company hadn't yet started assigning Producers to work with the musicians &/or vocalist, and basically creatively run the season). There were a few vocalists that would listen to a submitted demo by songwriter, in some cases the demo was simply the melody played on a piano with the songwriter singing their lyrics. The singer would then take the demo, piece by piece, and start working through the arrangement - making changes, sometimes adjusting the tempo faster or slower, adding instrumental ideas... And if they were somewhat of a musician they also were capable of sitting down at the piano themselves or grabbing a guitar, or picking up the drumsticks and showing the other hired musicians (on the piano, guitar or drums) what they were looking for. They would decide key changes, in some cases even lyric changes, and ultimately would also be the one to decide which Take - if there were multiple takes - which would end up being the master Take chosen to be released. Often by time they were done working with it in the studio, with exception of the lyrics, it took on a while new life & barely resembled the original submitted demo, because of the metamorphosis the original song went through throughout the creative process in the studio. This type of creative changes in music are fascinating to me. These older folks from that era of music said in their interviews these type of individuals I described above in 1950's - early 1960's era music Industry, were rare at that time. (unlike many singers that just showed up at a studio and did nothing other than sing), They wore many hats .. other than being just a *singer or vocalist* they did pretty much everything else important & crucial to the development and overall recording session... (except for, of course, the original written composition that was submitted on the demo). I apologize, but I wrote all that to say I found your explanation above, of all the difference variations that could be assigned to "Producers", interesting. And it made me Ponder what category the type of person I described above that wore many different hats in the studio, that you might feel they would fall under ... if a title had to be assigned to them?

[@roadapplerecords7359]

Hi @@truthinlight4255. You may have misread some of those articles about '50s and '60s production. The singers were usually NOT the arrangers. Traditionally the producer's job was to put together the pieces for making a record for a singer; pick the material, hire an arranger, hire the musicians, book a studio, etc, keeping it all within the budget the record company had allotted the record. Hence the title, "Producer"; it was their job to produce product for "X" dollars. That was like, the Sinatra era and before. Elvis was very influential in working out his arrangements with his musicians in the 50's. And then in the mid '60s with the Beatles, singers began writing their own songs more commonly, and became much more involved in working on their "sound"; the arrangements.

[@mrbeecharme]

Thank you Tony, I appreciate your advice!

[@petecolorado5387]

Very well explained. Thank you Tony.

[@sahayramusic4818]

Good stuff as always!

[@ransommorelandjr6364]

Awesome Video. Thanks

[@KikoJonesUSA]

Nice breakdown for those wondering what the difference is between engineer and producer. Btw, there are producers who are not at all technicians; some of those don't know DATs from dBs. Tony actually mentioned one of them by name. A very famous one, too.

[@stevengovorchin]

This is good information!

[@danielbellaire8960]

GREAT INFO!

[@mrbeecharme]

Hi, so you mention releasing singles first basically, before a completed album, where should one release their singles ...cdbaby, spotify, other? thanks

[@tonyvv]

I like CD Baby. Great tools for artists. Fair rates. The most ways to monetize your music. Tons of streaming platforms. And they’re good people.

[@twistedspanner]

To me an engineer is a knob pusher who does what I tell him to do and get what's in my head down onto tape. (Or hard drive these days). That makes me the producer right. An executive or co producer is a nice way of giving someone credit who didn't do much. (That's what David Gilmour basically once said). I would think Pink Floyd's record company would be paying for studio time only to later recoup it from the band. So I don't buy the engineer pays for everything when it's actually the artist paying to get his/ their songs recorded. I've had engineers who think they are the producers or co producers when I'm paying them for the session and telling them what to do so they can forget it. Ok what if they program a drum beat for you.? Or what if they record your whole song for you to release that you wrote without you playing on it. Even tho they didn't write it. And what is an Assistant producer?

[@iancoulls]

Tony, I gather your business is about to offer a "producer" service. Are you intending to speak in future about the cultural and musical differences that exist in different countries and how these values can differ enormously from American tastes?

[@tonyvv]

Nah, no producer service coming. Recording, mixing, and producing needs to be done locally where the artist is, and the artist needs to be part of the process. I wasn't planning on talking about cultural differences between countries and how it impacts the music. Isn't that pretty obvious? I don't think I can add any value to that topic.

[@iancoulls]

I'm glad we agree on that, but there seem to be many large American corporations that may not agree with you.

[@shadowside8433]

A producer is almost like a temporary band member.