What is Music Production?

Making great music is no easy task. In fact, music production takes a whole team of experts working together to make a hit song.

So what exactly is music production? In short, it is the process of making music.

While musicians themselves are the face of a song, they are generally not the only ones in on the creation of the product. Without managers like Mark Gillespie, the world would likely not be blessed with some of the most notable music producers of the century.

There are generally six steps involved with music production—each step plays a pivotal role in the process and each involves a specific set of expertise.

To truly understand the beauty and complexity of the music, here are the six steps of music production:

1. Writing the song

The first step of the process is to actually come up with the music itself. That means that songwriters will create a specific harmony and rhythm that is accompanied by lyrics as the foundation. A good song tells a story with a specific point or message that is synced up to a beat that is attention-grabbing. While the song will likely be further molded throughout the rest of the music production process, the songwriting portion is one of the most important—if not the most important of all the steps.

2. Arranging the song

While the initial melody and rhythm are important to create a song, it is the arrangement of these elements that elevate the song to the next level. Arranging the song is as simple as it sounds—it is quite literally arranging specific instruments to play within the song. A great arrangement is one that keeps the listener entranced from start to finish.

3. Tracking the song

After the song is arranged, the next step in the music production process is to actually capture the song through a recording. So each individual instrument or sound used in the song is recorded and tracked to create the layered effect of the recording. Tracing the song is what gives the recording life.

4. Editing the song

Once the song is tracked, the process is still far from over. The next stage is all about details—which is the editing the song. This is where all the fine-tuning of the recording process takes place and certain sounds or pitches can be edited or polished to make the song run smoothly from beginning to end. The goal of this step isn’t to create music, it is to perfect it!

5. Mixing the song

This step in the music production process is where the magic really comes to light. Mixing in itself is an art form that takes lots of practice to perfect. It is best compared to that of a conductor—the mixer knows exactly what instruments or sounds to use at the perfect time to enhance the overall listening experience. Many DJs are talented mixers and are able to do so live during performances too!

6. Mastering the song

The final part of the music production process is mastering the song. This is basically the last bit of fine-tuning to ensure the sound of the song makes sense for the individual artist. Mastering the song is usually done for the entire album—so that each individual song compliments one another for the listening pleasure of the album itself.

The art of music production is one that will naturally improve with practice. By following these six steps of music production and being open to learning along the way, you are bound to create some epic songs that listeners will love.