by John Durant

Created on: February 12, 2007   Last Updated: April 25, 2009

I could write volumes about the training required to become a music producer, but I'm only going to focus on a limited area of study for the folks who just want to get their feet wet. You don't need a college degree to get a basic understanding of music production, but formal studies in music production and audio engineering wouldn't hurt either.

Many successful producers in this business have little or no formal musical training, but they do have the desire and determination to learn everything they need to know to get the job done. Today's music producers must have exceptional abilities in the musical, technological, AND business aspects of the recording industry. I'm only going to focus on the technological field of study that will bring you the most benefit as an introduction to basic music production.

I'm first going to assume that you have a good working knowledge of music. This doesn't require that you have the ability to read music, but just that you have a good grasp on the basic principles of rhythm, melody, harmony, and song structure. If you don't have the desire to learn this, then just stop reading now, and don't waste another moment of your life on this dream. A producer is like a conductor of an orchestra; he understands each individual part, and also has an understanding of how that single part relates to the whole composition. This is the foundation on which everything else is built; and with that being said, I'll now introduce you to the area of study which I think is necessary for any aspiring music producer.

The technological advances of multimedia PC technology have opened many doors for music producers and recording artists. There are a variety of low-cost digital music production suites available that can be used for creating professional quality recordings right in the comfort of your own home. The complexity of the editing and effects processing features, allow even rookie producers to create mixes that are pleasing to the ear. A vast number of professional producers use these same systems to complete pre-production mixes before taking their project to commercial recording studios. Many of these programs can produce high quality audio that is acceptable for use in broadcasting and many other commercial uses.

Cakewalk, Nuendo, Pro Tools Express, Garage Band and Logic Pro 7 are just a few of these programs that are available for those owning a home computer. These programs range from approximately $50 to around $600, and whether you own

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