Whats the difference b/t a producer and a sound engineer

[lowendisthebest]

this is from something from another thread. i realized i dont know so...........

[baalroo]

it varies greatly depending on genre and many other things what a producer actually DOES, but basically the producer is sort of like the director of a film... he didn't write it, and he's not on screen, but he's responsible for the overall direction and composition. the sound engineer is responsible for getting the sound on tape.

[Philbiker]

The Engineer is the one who knows all the technical aspects of the equipment. The producer is more of an "overseer" of the process. Sometimes a good engineer will eventually become a producer (or a mixer, or mastering engineer, etc.); sometimes a producer is not formerly an engineer.

It's kind of like in football a head coach and a quarterback. The engineer is the quarterback and the producer is the head coach.

[brem]

The producer is managing the money and finding funding for production.
The sound engineer gets paid to do his job.

[adamrobertt]

Originally Posted by brem

The producer is managing the money and finding funding for production.
The sound engineer gets paid to do his job.

Um, not really. Generally a producer is more like a film director. He'll give advice about certain parts, sounds, songwriting, etc. Like "Hey this part would sound really great with this" stuff like that.

The engineer plugs in all the wires and mans the actual machines to record.

[baalroo]

Originally Posted by adamrobertt

Um, not really. Generally a producer is more like a film director. He'll give advice about certain parts, sounds, songwriting, etc. Like "Hey this part would sound really great with this" stuff like that.

The engineer plugs in all the wires and mans the actual machines to record.

I think he must've been thinkin of something like an "executive producer," but your definition is a bit too cut & dry.

For a thought experiment imagine you had infinite clout and could hire any producer, here's a kind of "in a nutshell" on what you would get hiring a few different famous producers...

Pharell - Hiring this dude is like hiring a producer + another band member. He's gonna show up with about 5 albums worth of material and let you use any of it... and anytime someone's stuck on a part he'll hop on the instrument and do it himself.

Rick Ruben - This guy's gonna show up with beer. He's basically gonna hang out and yell "HOLY **** THAT WAS AWESOME MAN, DO IT AGAIN BUT LIKE YOU'RE A CRAZY TURTLE!!!"

Steve Albini - With this guy you're going for the "steve albini" sound. He's gonna have a bunch of mics, mic everything up strange, do all the EQ settings himself, and probably make you play through specific amps, drums, etc.

[Chad Michael]

Sound engineers get paid to care about the sound quality of a live / recorded performance.

Producers get paid to care about advising the creation of / selling a product that millions are willing to pay for.

There are good and bad examples of each breed, but there is no mistaking modern greed and the decline of today's music.

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

Many recording engineers eventually also become producers, such as Ken Scott, Alan Parsons, et al.

[brem]

Originally Posted by baalroo

I think he must've been thinkin of something like an "executive producer,"

Yup.

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by Bob Lee (QSC)

Many recording engineers eventually also become producers, such as Ken Scott, Alan Parsons, et al.

Conversely, many producers were never engineers, but consistently get the same sound, such as Ted Templeman and T-Bone Burnett.

To take my football analogy to this step, some head coaches were quarterbacks at some level, but some were not.

Quite a lot of ignorance on display in this thread. Doesn't serve the OP or future readers very well, and I find it a shame that musicians who don't really know the difference between an engineer and a producer sound off so much.

[The Golden Boy]

Originally Posted by Philbiker

To take my football analogy to this step, some head coaches were quarterbacks at some level, but some were not.

Excellent analogy.

Head Coach= Producer

Quarterback= Engineer

Originally Posted by baalroo

Steve Albini - With this guy you're going for the "steve albini" sound. He's gonna have a bunch of mics, mic everything up strange, do all the EQ settings himself, and probably make you play through specific amps, drums, etc.

From my understanding, Albini isn't really about doing anything strange- he's about capturing your band. Not really creating an idealistic vision of your song- but capturing your performance in a very raw manner.

[lowendisthebest]

thanks guys, and now i know

[baalroo]

Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

Excellent analogy.

Head Coach= Producer

Quarterback= Engineer



From my understanding, Albini isn't really about doing anything strange- he's about capturing your band. Not really creating an idealistic vision of your song- but capturing your performance in a very raw manner.

Y'know i've heard anecdotes about both. Maybe his unorthodox style is what helps to capture the bands sounds? IDK, really I wasn't trying to be perfectly accurate as much as illustrate a point... all producers are different.

[Philbiker]

Now time to talk about the mixer.

[The Golden Boy]

Originally Posted by baalroo

Y'know i've heard anecdotes about both. Maybe his unorthodox style is what helps to capture the bands sounds? IDK, really I wasn't trying to be perfectly accurate as much as illustrate a point...

I think that's about right- it's one thing to go in with a vision, it's one thing to say you're going to let the band decide their own vision- it's another to really let the band decide what they're going to sound like *WITHOUT* influencing a lot of the sound.

[McHaven]

Originally Posted by baalroo

I think he must've been thinkin of something like an "executive producer," but your definition is a bit too cut & dry.

For a thought experiment imagine you had infinite clout and could hire any producer, here's a kind of "in a nutshell" on what you would get hiring a few different famous producers...

Pharell - Hiring this dude is like hiring a producer + another band member. He's gonna show up with about 5 albums worth of material and let you use any of it... and anytime someone's stuck on a part he'll hop on the instrument and do it himself.

Rick Ruben - This guy's gonna show up with beer. He's basically gonna hang out and yell "HOLY **** THAT WAS AWESOME MAN, DO IT AGAIN BUT LIKE YOU'RE A CRAZY TURTLE!!!"

Steve Albini - With this guy you're going for the "steve albini" sound. He's gonna have a bunch of mics, mic everything up strange, do all the EQ settings himself, and probably make you play through specific amps, drums, etc.

If only I could combine Pharrel and Rick Ruben.