ARTIST
This is the simplest of all categories—artists who produce themselves. This is a growing class of producer, and it will continue to grow signifi cantly in the fore-seeable future because of the democratizing effect of digital recording technology.
Examples go back many decades: Ben Selvin, Les Paul, Stevie Wonder (starting with “Where I’m Coming From”) Mike Oldfi eld, Prince, and so on. At the time of writing, there are two Billboard Top Ten hits, Gotye’s “Somebody I Used to Know”
and Calvin Harris’s “Feel So Close,” both of which were written, produced, and performed by the artist. Anecdotally, when I teach classes on production, a signifi -cant portion of the class identifi es themselves as artists who are studying to develop the skills to produce themselves.
AUTEUR
This category describes a music producer (or team) who is audibly the primary creative force in the production. The word is French for author and, in this con-text, derives from the term “auteur theory,” originated by French fi lm critics when referring to directors who express their unique personality through their fi lms,
observable “in a thematic and/or stylistic consistency in all (or almost all) the direc-tor’s fi lms.” 3 This style is not without its detractors, but it is widely accepted to the extent that screen credits have indicated “a fi lm by (director’s name)” since the 1950s. (Previously, the scriptwriter, star, or producer was credited in that manner.) 4 In music production (at the time of writing), many, but not all, auteur pro-ducers write the songs, play instrumental parts, lay down guide vocals, engineer, edit, and perhaps even mix as well. In any event, the defi ning factor is the unique personal identity with which they infuse their productions. The Billboard Hot 100 has seen a gradually increasing trend over the past 50 years to the current situation where auteur producers are generating most of the top ten hits.
Successful auteur producers are musically, technically, and commercially strong. Their songs, arrangements, orchestrations, sounds, and vocal parts are often recognizable, even though the artist may be unfamiliar. They may also have a sonic imprint or character that is distinct. Auteurs are not a natural choice for a band that writes and wants to play everything on their record. They are perfect for non-writing artists or those who need a co-writer. In demand by record companies, these producers solve an A&R person’s problem of finding a song and a producer, and they tend to focus on producing hits—something that bands often find difficult to do. Successful auteurs’ names carry weight with the media, which can make a difference in the struggle to make a breakthrough for an unknown artist.
Historically, certain formats, such as pop and R&B or urban, have favored auteur producers, though in the late 1990s and early part of the 21st century, those distinctions eroded. R&B has long had producers such as Holland, Dozier, and Holland, Gamble and Huff, L.A. and Babyface, and Jam and Lewis who fit this category. Hip hop producers such as the Neptunes, Timbaland, and Kanye West generated hit singles for many artists. In pop music, Max Martin, Red One, Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco, and Stargate have charted productions for many artists, as did the British team of Stock, Aitken, and Waterman in the ’80s and
’90s. The Matrix penetrated the rock-pop crossover market with their produc-tion of “Complicated” for Avril Lavigne. With the music industry diminished (as it has been since the early 2000s), the necessity for hit singles, and the dif-ficulty of getting untested artists on the radio, all formats now seem susceptible to the auteur approach. Train’s productions by Stargate are a contemporaneous example of a rock group that has changed its sonic identity, becoming some-what subjugated to that of the production team’s.
Self-contained auteur producers often own a production company or label.
With their comprehensive skills, it makes sense to apply their time, expertise, and energy in building a catalog of valuable copyrights, perhaps producing for other labels under only the most favorable terms and for substantial artists. Auteurs often enjoy a sustained period of success once established. Those with a distinctive style can become infl uential and even create a sub-genre. This was true with Holland, Dozier, and Holland’s remarkable series of ’60s hits, which formed the backbone of
the “Motown Sound,” and similarly, Gamble and Huff created the “Philadelphia Sound” in the ’70s.
When auteurs fall from favor or fashion, it can be hard for them to recover because their recognizable sound is strongly associated with a period or trend. In consolation, a few big hits as producer and writer can generate considerable income, and the skills are transferable. Testimony to that is L.A. Reid who, after producing distinctive hits for many artists (with the L.A. and Babyface team) went on to run Arista Records, Island Defjam, and Epic Records in addition to becoming a judge on “The X Factor.”
Auteurs require diverse skills, and teams rather than individuals are common to the typology. In the case of a team, one of the partners may be musically creative, with the other being a sounding board: the “big picture” person and/or the business brains.
An example of this is Stock, Aitken, and Waterman where Stock and Aitken were the primary writers who were active in the studio and Waterman supplied the business and A&R expertise. Even when this is not the case, there is usually some division of labor. I asked Lauren Christy from the three-person production team The Matrix how they defi ne their roles. She said, “People see Scott in front of the recording equipment, Graham with a guitar, and me with a book, and they think ‘that’s what they do.’ ” In fact, the lines are blurred. Graham might sing some words that Lauren will like and write down, and then Scott might add to that. Every idea goes in her book. When Scott starts to lay drums, Lauren might say, “Uh uh, I’m not feeling that groove against the vocal, the kick pattern is wrong.” Meanwhile Graham is working on the melody with Scott suggesting that the top line of the chorus swoop up so that it starts higher than the last note of the verse. As Christy said, “That’s what makes the partnership great. We’re kind of like a monster with three heads.” 5
The Holland, Dozier, and Holland writing and production team split up their responsibilities differently. In an interview with Dale Kawashima, Brian Holland explained,
Lamont and I would start writing the songs on piano. Eddie would also be there early on, and we would discuss what the melody and structure should be.
Lamont and I would then start recording the tracks, which would be the actual tracks for the master (not just demo tracks). 6
Despite the fact that this was 50 years ago, this writing to tape technique is function-ally similar to the methodology of many auteurs today. Lamont Dozier continued, In the recording studio, Brian and I would split the room. Brian would work with the drummer (usually Benny Benjamin). I would get with the keyboard players (usually Earl Van Dyke or Joe Hunter) and show them how to play the track and chords. I would also give the bass lines to James Jamerson; then he would inject his own bass ideas to make it stronger. We wanted to guide the musicians, so we could create our own sound. We would never let the band just go in and play the chord sheets. We were very focused on what we had in mind for these productions. 7
Brian Holland elaborated:
We would record the full track, which would include the melody with a scratch vocal, without lyrics yet, although sometimes we would have the title, and some of the chorus lyrics [such as “Baby Love” and “I Hear a Symphony”]. Then we would give the track to Eddie, who would go off and write the lyrics. 8
Eddie Holland would then take the track to his Detroit townhouse, close the cur-tains and shades, and lock himself away to write. He added, “There was no tele-phone. I didn’t go out much; most of my life was devoted to writing lyrics”. 9
Walter Afanasieff produced Mariah Carey and Michael Bolton, and wrote hits such as Kenny G’s “Don’t Make Me Wait for Love” and Gladys Knight’s “Licensed to Kill.” He often likes to play everything on a track, and when he uses musicians, he tightly controls their parts and performances as an arranger does. On the track
“Hero” for Mariah Carey, he performed all the instrumental parts saying,
I tried to simulate an orchestral sound with my synthesizers. There’s a huge timpani roll, a swell of strings, and French horns, which were all done on key-boards. In the back of my mind, I thought we might have an orchestra recreate the string parts. However, when Mariah completed her vocals, she said the recording sounded fi ne just the way it was, and that we didn’t need to bring in an orchestra 10
“Hero” became the second single from her album Music Box , reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Afanasieff, in a Mix interview with Brad Leigh Benjamin, said,
I like to do everything. I’ll create the rhythm, the drum parts, the bass lines, the keyboard parts, the string arrangements, the horn arrangements, and the vocal arrangements. Even when the guitar players are in doing their parts, I’ll be in their face every minute, every second, making sure they’re giving me exactly what I want them to play. I like being responsible for every note on the record, which I suppose classifi es me more as a producer/arranger. 11
Arif Mardin mentioned the term “arranger/producer” to me, and certainly many of the most successful producers such as Mardin, George Martin, and Quincy Jones are formally trained arrangers who specifi cally defi ne musical parts in their produc-tions. Clearly, Afanasieff is functioning as an arranger (and performer) and, in the case of “Hero,” also as the songwriter. To a greater and lesser extent, most produc-ers contribute to arrangements and sometimes they perform. However, the term
“arranger/producer” does not well delineate the producer’s relationship to the track or the artist. Afanasieff, like all auteur producers, employs a level of control that creates a signature identity, whereas Mardin’s and George Martin’s work tends to emphasize, adopt, or complement and adapt to the identity of the artist. The level of control and the signature sound are the characteristic qualities of the auteur
producers who commonly take complete command of the production, building from the composition up. As Max Martin said,
I want to be part of every note, every single moment going on in the studio.
I want nothing forgotten; I want nothing missed. I’m a perfectionist. The pro-ducer should decide what kind of music is being made, what it’s going to sound like—all of it, the why, when and how. 12
Benny Blanco said something similar to me as well. 13
In the 1960s, Phil Spector, using very different technology, techniques, and many musicians, exercised this level of mastery over his signature productions. As with fi lm directors, people often refer to his productions as “Phil Spector records.”
Mitch Miller also imbued his productions from the 1950s with his own identity, rather than the artist’s.
Very often, the only thing the auteur producer requires of the artist is that he or she sing or rap. Teddy Riley says this about his work with Michael Jackson and Bobby Brown:
Most of the vocal tracks were completed on the fi rst or second try. . . . If you can’t come into the studio and sing a song the way it’s supposed to be sung, then you don’t need to be working with me. . . . If the singer feels the music, and you’ve got the melody recorded beforehand, you’re going to get the vocals down cold. 14
Timbaland has worked with Missy Elliott, Jay Z, Memphis Bleek, Ludacris, Justin Timberlake, Ginuwine, and many others. Timbaland was explicit in a January 2004 interview with Billboard when he said, “My producing style is this: ‘I am the music.’
The artist is the front man for the producer.”
In the U.K. success of Stock, Aitken, and Waterman (SAW), even the artists’
singing ability was secondary to factors such as prior fame. SAW laid the founda-tions for an empire by writing and producing a run of hits for the previously non-singing but famous soap actors Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, triggering a decades-long recording career for Minogue.
Nowadays, inexpensive digital technology makes it easier, and more practi-cal, to develop impressive studio skills at an early age. The infl uence of artists and producers like Prince, Jam and Lewis, Timbaland, Calvin Harris, and so forth may inspire more kids to become profi cient writers, arrangers, and multi-instrumen-talists. Those who choose not to become recording artists in their own right may develop into the next generation of auteur producers.
Like Holland, Dozier, and Holland, working as a team helps Jam and Lewis handle several projects simultaneously. They have a saying, “We have no slack,”
which helps them come up with a solution to any musical or technical problem. If one of them is experiencing a creative block, the other one can take over. Jimmy Jam calls Terry Lewis “vocal master,” and Terry Lewis calls Jimmy Jam “track mas-ter,” loosely defi ning the roles they play in productions. 15
Although L.A. and Babyface have not produced as a team for many years, when they were collaborating, Reid said he liked having “someone to bounce ideas off.” He felt that it kept them from getting “stale” and kept up “the inspiration level.” He quoted Babyface as saying: “By working as part of a team, one always has the benefi t of a second opinion.”
FACILITATIVE
Often credited as a co-producer, this category of producer commonly starts out as an engineer, programmer, musician, or co-writer. The artist is the primary cre-ative force in the recording, and the role is to support, facilitate, and maximize the recording of the artist’s ideas.
This person may connect with an artist early in his or her career by making the production process seamless. If the artist becomes successful, he or she may see no need to change the formula, and the facilitative producer can become indispensable.
Success with one artist can lead to parallel relationships or full production credits with others if recording and touring schedules can be coordinated. The facilitative role meshes well with confi dent, self-directed artists who need a motivated, capable, and supportive person to keep the production process moving forward smoothly.
The facilitative producer takes care of tasks that the artist does not have the time, expertise, or inclination to handle; these are often centered on the engineering and technical aspects but they may include musical and administrative functions.
Facilitative producers generally do not want to be highly visible, or be the driving force behind the artist, or dictate every note recorded, and for that reason, they are not ideal for artists who do not have a strong vision and creative compass.
An artist may want to work with a facilitative producer who has a music back-ground for his or her formal or extended understanding of music, or for help with arrangements, song doctoring, or organizing and rehearsing the band. Facilitative producers who are engineers enjoy considerable room for personal creativity with regard to technical matters. These relationships can become long-standing, fulfi ll-ing, and lucrative, even though the royalty rate may be relatively low. The role is typically hands-on, detail-oriented, and comfortable. As Andy Jackson said, “You can roll into the next album and it’s like riding a bike. You pick it up where you left off, and you haven’t got to reinvent the wheel.” 16
COLLABORATIVE
It is my observation that a signifi cant percentage of producers characterize themselves as collaborative. The role is akin to coauthors of a literary work or screenplay where collaborators may contribute in different ways but, overall, they share the creative load. The result has a fresh identity that may be an extended or expanded version of the artist’s but not one that is overtly distinctive of the producer. Collaborative producers can come from any background: engineering,
arranging, songwriting, DJing, or from a band. Collaborative producers do not attempt to control every detail of a recording; they bring an extra-band-member mentality to their productions. Often described as the fi fth Beatle, George Martin’s contributions to their many productions are undeniably considerable. Nonetheless, in contrast to auteur producers, he invariably allowed artists to have the predomi-nant voice or stylistic fi ngerprint on their recordings. Whatever their background skills, the best collaborators fi t in, contributing as they deem necessary to gently steer the artist in the right direction, using their casting vote sparingly. They exhibit fl exibility and a desire to extract maximum value from the artist’s ideas. The col-laborative producer maintains a minimal sense of hierarchy in the studio, throwing his or her ideas into the creative stew along with everyone else’s. In some cases, they allow creative, organizational, or technical leadership to shift, recognizing good ideas from any source and encouraging their exploration. This relationship works well with a musically self-contained artist who has a vision and an identity but who wants a seasoned professional challenging and extending him or her daily. The col-laborative producer’s objective is to elevate the recording and the artist’s career by optimizing the artist’s identity.
When well matched to the artist, a collaborative producer’s experience can save an artist time, money, and frustration. There are times when seemingly absurd ideas can produce positive results, but unmediated groups of musicians can waste valu-able creative energy exploring dead-end ideas and processes that a studio veteran can avoid. A consummate collaborative producer carefully guides the workfl ow around creative, technical, interpersonal, and logistical blockages.
ENABLATIVE
Technology has been the driving force behind the history and techniques of record production. Before Jack Mullin brought magnetic tape-recording technology back from Germany in 1945, the fi nal recording, including all its parts and any effects, was best captured in a single, simultaneous performance. The term “producer” did not come into general use for decades; the director of recording, recorder, or tech-nician performed the various roles, through the fi rst half of the twentieth century, without credit on the recordings. Thus, the art of music production lay in fi nding talent and material, and creating conditions in which a successful recording could take place. These skills form a large part of what I call the enablative role. In the very early days, the role that we now think of as A&R was confl ated with that of producer. Fred Gaisberg was a talent scout, musician, music director, and engineer.
A documented division began at Victor, with their A&R committee identifying
A documented division began at Victor, with their A&R committee identifying