A music producer’s role is much like that of the film director. This role is much like that of a keystone – embedded and nearly hidden among the other, more visible people around him, yet holding the structure together by virtue of the place he occupies. The music producer’s job is to work with the composer, musicians and audio engineers, coordinating and guiding their efforts to get the best out of the composer’s work, the musicians’ skill, and the audio engineer’s technical expertise.

A music producer’s duties include:

• Controlling and coordinating rehearsals and recordings

• Working closely with the musicians, playing a guiding role

• Supervising the studio work – recording, mixing,  and mastering

Music production companies today perform a much broader set of functions than the three indicated above. They are often the talent spotters, examining an artist’s work and “delivering” it to a major record label. Independent production houses may also hire their own music composers, and have a much more hands-on approach than the commercial studios of the early 20th century.

Music producers may also write the music for their productions, thus taking over the role of composer. And finally, some of them also take full responsibility for promotion and marketing of the album, which gives them an even larger stake and share in the product.

Today, music producers can work with people without ever meeting them. Thanks to the Internet – especially Google Wave, which offers exciting new possibilities for any sort of collaboration – music production promises to undergo yet another revolutionary change.