A singer can also be a producer if they have the skills and the technical know how to effectively produce and sing their own songs.
As a matter of fact, most singers these days have their own home studio and produce their songs as this gives them the creative freedom to do whatever they want without the hassle of going to the studio every single time.
But if you ask me for my personal opinion, I will start out and say you focus on one thing, master it before moving on to something else
Think about it like this, if as a singer without even becoming a very good singer, you decide you want to start producing your songs.
What happens is that you become mediocre in both and your singing skills and your production skills may not be as good as you want them to be.
Who is a Music Producer? What does a music producer do?
Basically a music producer is someone that oversees all aspect of the creation of a song or an album
And most times these include making the choice of songs, musicians, instruments and how those instruments are played and those notes are sung as well as where the songs are recorded.
So you can see that it involves a whole lot of work being a music producer.
Before you even start to consider if you can sing and be a music producer, I think it is ideal you know the job of a music producer and what a music producer does.
Here are some of the jobs of a music producer
He is the visionary of the complete project
A music producer is the visionary for the overall sound and feel of a record or album.
They visualize and imagine the end result, so they must be able to listen, experiment, and explore all aspects of music.
Since producers can have a diverse set of skills, there are several potential roles they can play.
Though not exclusive, some of these roles are:
- Recording Engineer – One of the aspects of a music producer is that he is the recording engineer. He is in charge of the technical aspects of mixing and recording of tracks
- Composer – The music producer is also the composer as he directs and writes the song.
- Music Arranger – He collaborates and works for the artist to ensure that the recorded version of the song comes out really great
- Musician – Also the music producer also doubles as a musician because most times he knows how the songs are written and how to deliver them.
- Music Manager – Finally the music producer is also in charge of making sure the album gets produced; which includes from hiring the right people to getting the job done and making sure all deadlines are met.
How to become a music producer
If singing and producing is something you are really interested in, then you should definitely know what it takes to become a music producer
So here are some tips and ways you can use to become a music producer
1. You need to create a digital workstation
This is basically your power house and where you make magic and give your fans good music.
A digital workstation is a computer setup and software program that you use to make and arrange music.
So my advice to you will be to get a DAW such as FL Studio, Bitwig and Pro Tools.
One that I totally recommend is Magix Music Studio – which you can read my review about it here
Most of these DAWs also come with online docs and tutorials that will help you setup and get the right connections
2. Create the right studio environment
Next you want to make sure that you get the right environment for music production.
The right studio environment will help you and anyone you want to collaborate with to come up with new and exciting music.
So you want to set up a studio that has all the right equipment and instruments that you need and is also comfortable for you and everyone going to work there.
Also you should ensure that the recording space is well treated and sound proofed so your recordings are of the highest quality.
Related: Here is an article i wrote answering the question “Can you be a natural singer”
3. Learn to write good and catch lyrics
As a music producer, one thing you need to get totally dialled in is your song writing game.
Come up with lyrics that fit the rhythm of your song and match the overall mood of the melody.
For instance, if the song is low and sad, the lyrics should match the feeling conveyed by the music
Try singing the words or having a singer use them to see how they sound out loud.
Have a friend who writes poetry or lyrics try to come up with some for your songs.
Also you want to check out this article I wrote asking “can a singer lose their voice?”
How much do producers make per song?
A good music producer makes between $3,500 and $15,000 per song.
This depends on a lot of factors though
For the newbies and entry level producer they can charge anything from zero to $3,500 per song.
Mid level producers can charge anything from $3,500 to $7,500 per song
While the famous and well known music producers can command anything from $15,000 upwards per song.
A good music producer worth his salt and that knows what he or she is doing can earn lots of money in royalties of a single song for years to come.
Do singers produce their own songs?
Most singers do not produce their own songs, especially the famous and mainstream singers.
This is because they can usually afford to pay a music producer whose job is to ensure that their songs and albums get the necessary attention that it deserves.
Nowadays, producers are usually the middle-man between artist and label.
… Another reason is simply that producing music is a different skill-set than to sing or write lyrics.
But if you are an upcoming music singer without the backing of major funds then you can and should learn how to produce your own songs
This also gives your creative freedom to create the song exactly how you want it to be.
Conclusion
A singer can be a producer if that is really what they want.
But like I said earlier, one thing you need to do is to ensure that you master one completely before adding the other one.
