When looking to start a career in music production, it is vital to firstly have a real passion for music, as well as a fierce work ethic and self-drive to learn the required skills and apply them in a professional way. As with many other creative pursuits, good organisational skills and time management are also important. Critically analysing music that you find interesting and inspiring is a great place to start. Once you are equipped with the knowledge of what is happening in the music, then you'll be able to understand how it was made. Reverse engineering this music and figuring out how to place your personal touch on it would be the next step. Knowledge of music theory and composition also helps with music production. Playing an instrument, such as the piano or a guitar, helps with your understanding of music, and will enrich your production skills. Having a sound technical knowledge of DAWs and plugins is also essential.
As well as developing technical skills and understanding, those interested in music production should get involved in music communities, with Point Blank being a prime example of this. Being surrounded by like-minded peers and industry experts while you learn the tools of the trade will inspire you to pursue your career further. There are many tactics for getting into the industry and forging a successful career – and as many producers will undoubtedly tell you, there is not one single thing you can do that will guarantee success. Networking plays a key role in gaining and maintaining regular paid work as a producer, as does talent, perseverance, and dedication. Freelance producers often have many different projects and income streams to ensure they earn enough to make a living. One way producers build a name for themselves is to work with unknown artists initially, for little financial gain at first, who then become successful, making that producer’s skills more desirable to others, and leading to more lucrative collaborations. Perhaps you know some singers or rappers that would benefit from your production skills, that you feel may blow up at some point? Why not offer to produce some backing tracks for them and see if any become part of their repertoire? Getting your music out there is key to success (providing it is of a high standard of course!) – you never know who may hear it and want to employ you for other projects.
Library music (creating music that can be used in films and TV shows) is another potential income stream for producers. Creating music in a range of genres, potentially outside of your comfort zone, can also help hone your skills and versatility as a producer. Producing/selling sample packs are another way that producers can make money from their skills. Gaining work experience in production studios can be an effective way of starting a career as a producer – perhaps either as an intern or a junior technician/programmer. This can help you gain industry experience, learn new technical skills and network with active industry professionals. Remixing can help get your name out there as a producer – many artists have created their initial buzz through releasing a popular remix of a well-known track, and then capitalised on this success. Even if it is an unofficial remix, if you make an excellent job of it, it can potentially lead to other paid opportunities (though be careful about releasing remixes that contain uncleared samples, as this could lead to legal consequences). It has been known for established acts to hear an unofficial remix by an unknown producer and like it so much that they commission them to remix another of their tracks for a fee.
