Those who call themselves music producers are responsible for arranging and creating the instrumentation, which can often be way more effort than the lead performer will need to put in.
Where do you find such talent, and how do you find someone who is a good fit for you?
The good thing is that there are tons of places you can search for music producers out there in the world, but the bad thing is that you may get overwhelmed and lost in your search when trying to find who will match up with your goals and financial situation the best.
With the seemingly endless amounts of producers out there looking to work with singers, bands, and rappers, you are bound to find at least one person out there who would be a good match for your musical vision.
Before you begin your search for a producer, you want to decide how involved you want them to even get in your projects.
The modern world of music production is nowhere near the same as what it used to be back in the day, especially when you consider more modern genres that have come to fruition.
Before we had all this access to technology, there were vocals, and there were live instruments. The producer was the one responsible for putting the entire vision together, which put them in charge of the instrumentation, the songwriting, and the vocal performers.
This type of record production still works well for many genres, including rock and jazz music, where someone is really needed to organize and spearhead the vision of the song. Responsibilities of a producer like this can include hiring, budgeting, supervising, and songwriting.
In more modern genres like dance, hip-hop, and R&B, a producer's job is often strictly to create the instrumentation. What style are you working on, and which collaboration style will work best for your songs and albums?
The next thing you want to consider if you are looking for a producer in modern genres like dance, hip-hop, and - is if you want to go for beats that are tailor-made for you, or if you want to go a more affordable route and use a non-exclusive beat.
Many premade beats are also non-exclusive, meaning the producer can give that beat to another artist to use. This is a great choice for someone in the early stages of their career who really can't afford a producer to give them custom-made production.
This takes away from the uniqueness of your brand image when you release an "original" song that other artists are releasing as their own as well. It doesn't have the same novelty of hopping on a popular beat to add your own flavor to a remix.
As you already know, social media sites like Tiktok, Twitter, and YouTube are good places to network with musicians.
Although these platforms have tons of other things going on in other niches, you can still find and build relationships in the music world if you know where to look.
Seeking out and building relationships with established (but not too popular) musicians and artists on social media can earn you some great advancements if you play your cards right.
Make a list of people that you respect in your music genre that could possibly be approachable online.
Producers can also easily be found promoting their work on social streaming sites like Youtube and Soundcloud.
Many producers will upload "type beats" for free download that artists can use to practice and freestyle without needing to worry about copyright or royalty claims.
Related Post: Paid Ads And Social Media Marketing For Musicians
Depending on your level of skill, your passions, your age, and many other factors, you can have a varying amount of opinions when it comes to terms and agreements in collaborative work with a producer.
Things can get tricky here, so have a good idea of the agreements you are interested in before you find a producer to avoid stress!
You want to be on the same page in terms of business when it comes to your creative collaborations. Ask the tough but necessary questions, or get a feel for what the person desires based on the information and actions they've shown you.
For example, if you're just playing around with school friends on a creative project, don't ruin the fun with talks of copyright law and creative ownership when it probably isn't necessary.
On the other hand, if you're trying to work professionally on a commercial project, don't assume people want the same creative terms and conditions as you do. Talk it out and get things in writing.
When trying to gauge your collaborator's interests, a good place to start is to ask what their endgame is with the creative work. Are they just in it for the love of the arts, or are they doing this for their career?
Classified sites like Craigslist and Backpage have sections that are dedicated to musicians looking for networking, instruments, and performance opportunities.
While most of these are targeted by location, a good amount of opportunities posted can be seized online from anywhere.
Online music opportunities found in classifieds can include online song collaborations, online music contests, and online auditions for touring opportunities.
There are much smaller music classified sites that target certain locations and genres as well (i.e., Singersource in D.C., where I landed a gig that paid me thousands of dollars!).
A quick google search for music classifieds relevant to your style may bring you several sites that can link you to a good producer. Be sure to look hard into the posts you see and avoid anything that sounds sketchy.
Popular sites like SoundCloud and Youtube are common places you can find producers uploading and promoting their tracks, but the best talent will also be found on a beat selling websites hosted on a platform like Beatstars or Airbit.
You can casually browse through Beatstars as a potential buyer on the hunt for a good match, or sign up as a member to chat with some producers that you may find interested and see who is open to working with you.
While these platforms promote somewhat of a pay-and-leave relationship, you can always take it upon yourself to build a genuine connection with the producer you are interested in working with if you want to build something that will last for more than just one song.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to find many people to collab with that won't require any far traveling. Sites like Meetup.com can help connect you with local creatives that would love to work with you on upcoming projects.
You can also take it upon yourself to go to local venues where musicians gather, like a jazz bar or a festival location, and network at a general music event that you're attending.
You could also visit a local recording studio to chat with the music professionals to see if they know anyone interested in producing for you.
Some of the best music venues are located right in school and church environments. These communities are great places to find talented people who are interested in the same things you are and often don't cost a penny to work with them.
Related Post: Music Networking - 5 Social Music Network Ideas For Online Marketing
If you're in a popular city, you may be able to find local workshops that have hundreds or thousands of producers, songwriters, and performers that gather to learn from each other and network.
This is an excellent chance to find someone in person to really connect with.
When many creatives get together for a big event, you can always count on that to be a great opportunity to network with people you may be interested in future collaborations with.
Don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone and meet new people that may change your life!
You can find producers on Freelancer sites, including Fiverr and Upwork, where they advertise their talent to other artists looking for potential hit songs.
The good thing about sites like these is that you can hear plenty of samples of their previous work and read detailed reviews on how it is to work with them for your songs.
I do session work on Fiverr as well, so I thought it would be a great idea to check out one of my fellow musicians over there that focus on beats while I focus on singing and songwriting.
I found many talented producers for crazy low prices, which shocked me! You might want to hop on this chance before the prices start to go up.
Related Post: 5 Affordable Producers Making Custom Hip Hop Beats
As a session singer, writer, and producer that has worked with over 300 clients to provide high-quality jingles, singles, and features, Yona spends her time creating and marketing new music and helpful resources for creators. Check out Yona’s latest releases on her Spotify, her Youtube and share if you like it!
If you are in need of singer, songwriter or song producer services, see what Yona Marie can offer you on her services page.
