If you’re not comfortable performing in front of people, but you have lots of
music that is performance-ready, you can get that music performed by selling
or even lending out your performances on a profit-sharing basis to a local
classical ensemble to perform at events. Unless you’re composing for an
ensemble as big as the Kronos Quartet, you’re not going to make a whole
lot of money this way, but you can get your name out for people to see, and
it’s one more credit to put on the ol’ résumé.Producer/Arranger.......................................................................................
Just about every rap star and electronic music performer has had a “producer”
credit at one time or another. Ask them what they did as “producer” on the
record, however, and they may give you a blank look. “Why, I produced! What
kind of question is that?”The truth is, being a producer can range from singing backing vocals on a of
couple tracks to really giving a record a complete overhaul with a patient and
guiding hand. If you’re very famous, then the first example is probably the
extent of your production work. You’re attaching your very famous name to
a lesser-known person’s name, and hopefully attracting your fans to this
person’s record (and vice versa).Real producers are people like Genya Raven and Steve Albini (who prefers to
call himself a studio engineer instead of producer). They go into the studio
with the band and help tweak their sound and make it more marketable, or
just better. A good producer can call up other musicians in the trade, like
horn or steel pedal or xylophone players, to fill in what they think are missing
parts of the existing music.As a composer and overall expert in music, you can make a huge difference in
the evolution of a band by working in the producer capacity. Start with small,
local bands first, and if it seems like this is something you are very good at,
the word of mouth and studio association will start bringing the clients in.
There are lots more bands out there than there are producers (especially
good producers). A good producer is never short on steady employment.Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom. Many producers need assistants, and
this is a good way to gain experience and get your foot in the door if a pro-
ducing position opens up.Knowing how to write arrangements is another side of being a good
producer — it’s also a good career in itself. An arranger can take a piece of
music written for one instrument, or multiple instruments, and make it better
suited for another instrument or another set of instruments entirely. A famil-
iarity with instruments’ physical and tonal capabilities and excellent, second-
nature transposition abilities are essential to being an arranger.Chapter 21: Nine Career Opportunities for Composers 269