1. Music Industry
Record Producers part 3
Contracts, Payment & Marketing
www.musicstudentinfo.com
Chris Baker

2. Record Producer Allegiance
• Producer’s fees are a recording cost recoupable by
the artist
• Label hired producers are on the side of the record
company

3. Record Producer Allegiance
• Artist hired producers are on the side of whomever
offers them the most work
• Independent producers are on the side of whomever
is bankrolling them this week

4. Producers Levels
Executive Producer Funds the project
Label Presidents
A&R President
Record Companies
Investors
Work on a point basis

5. Producer Responsibilities
• Maximizing the creative process
• Budget
• Scheduling
• Make commercially and technically satisfactory
recordings
• Bridge between artist and recording companies

6. Producer Skills in brief
• Great ears • Songwriting and
• Stickler for detail arranging
• Must know who to call • MIDI programming
• People skills • Pro Tools and/or
• functional sound
Express ideas effectively
engineering skills
• Understand musical
• Know when to say
styles
when

7. Superstar Producers Payment
• Advance from £10,000 per track and more
• Points range form 3 to 5 points or more
• Recoup at all-in rate retroactively from record one
• Only responsible for recouping the advance and
sometimes the recording costs.

8. Hot Producers Payment
• Advances range from £2,500 to £5,000 per track
• Points range from 1 to 3
• Royalty recoupment is calculated at the combined
rate
• Must recoup recording costs and advance at the all-
in or net rate
• Royalty is retroactive to record one

9. New Producers Payment
• Advances range from £0 to £1,500 per track.
• Points range from 0 (work for hire) to 1
• Royalties are computed at the net rate
• If earning points, producer must recoup advance and
recording costs
• Royalties are paid retroactively to record one

10. Producers How they maximize income
Production entities who command large advances from
record companies and then turn in completed masters
often:
1. Own studios
2. Own Equipment (outboard, mic's & instruments)
3. Own part or all of the publishing rights
4. Make all creative decisions
5. Represent or manage their artists earning high
percentages of artist money
6. Cut costs and keep the money saved

11. Producers Getting Paid
Producers are hired by:
1. Record Companies
2. Artists
3. Managers

12. Record Producer Safeguarding “your stuff”
• Get paid upfront or have a contract
• Know your client
• Work for hire
• Long term relationships
• Protect your work in case of contract offer
• Be able to use your work with another artist
• Write as much original music as possible

13. Record Producers The Artist Perspective
• Don’t get stuck with a bad producer
• Work for hire creates a cleaner break
• Accept input and try new things
• You should never loose your vision or identity
• Reward producers for their contribution

14. Producers Selling your stuff
• All work is heard by someone
• Artists often showcase producers and vice-versa
• Your work is your reputation
• The more high quality services you offer, the more
work you will have

15. Producers Free Enterprise
“Create the best product, at the lowest price, while
paying the highest wages.” Henry Ford
Find untapped markets for your work
1. Amateurs
2. Wannabes
3. Students
4. Hobbyists