Job Title: Sound Engineer
Task/ Responsibility: They provide technical support for the creative process. A sound engineer works on the recording by manipulating the audio by using equalization and electronic effects, mixing and the reproduction of audio. They work on the technical aspect of recording. They usually have the knowledge of setting levels and placing microphones. They would also be responsible for maintenance of the studio and its equipment.
Who They Work With: They usually work close to the producer, the songwriter and the mastering engineer and the artist. This is so they can help achieve the sound they are looking for and to also achieve the best audio for the mastering engineer to work with.
Employment Type: They could work freelance but most sound engineers usually work for a studio so they are familiar with the equipment so they can a get a good job done quickly and at the best quality they can.
Job Title: Mix Engineer
Task/Responsibility: A normal mixing engineer will usually have many years of experience and training with audio equipment, which has enabled them to master their craft. The over all description of the job is to receive a piece of music from an artist and use his skills to mix the sonic elements into a final version of a song that is ready to be released. He or she mixes the elements of a recorded piece together to achieve a good finished mix of a song. If the mix engineer is well known it will raise the profile of the project.
Employment Type: The mixing engineer will be a freelance and will work for himself or herself and will constantly looking for new artists to work for.
Who They Work With: They would need deal with the record label and producer
Job title: Session Musician
Tasks/Responsibility: A session musician writes and/or performs a backing track for other musicians, which can take place in a recording studio or during live performances. Although a large amount of education isn’t needed, knowledge of music techniques and theory are required, as a session musician needs to be able to read and perform music on sight. Most session musicians have specific specialties in regards to instruments, however some may be employed to play multiple instruments. Performance experience can be essential when being a session musician as it means there are more contacts and networks to work for and more job opportunities. Session musicians need to be open minded when working as every artist has a different style of music, meaning the session musician may play rock music but the music being recorded could be country. They are usually paid ‘per track’ depending on the amount of input they contribute to the project. Session musicians are expected to provide their own musical instruments and equipment needed for the recording process.
Employment Type:
Session Musicians are self-employed meaning they do not work unless they are performing, this does not include basic tasks such as accounting or contacting different musicians about future projects. Session musicians tend to have busy schedules as they need to work on as many projects as possible to keep a steady income. Due to being self-employed, session musicians have no set hours to work and can be working for extended periods of time.
Who they work with:
Session Musicians require a lot of contacts in order to be able to work. They need to be booked in to record for other musicians/recording artists in order to play their music. Without other artists the profession of being a session musician would be non-existent due to the fact that session musicians do not tend to record their own projects. Producers and sound engineers also work with session musicians, as the recording process would be more complex if done alone.
Job Title: Producer
Tasks/Responsibilities: A producer oversees and manages a recording session in a studio with an artist or band, and gives them directions to help make the record sound as good as it possibly can. They can help out with recording techniques, and may also make adjustments to the artists’ material to improve it. They sometimes also motivate and encourage the musicians to do better. They are responsible for the whole project from planning to delivery of the finished product. Would have budget
Employment Type: Being a record producer is a profession, and they are usually hired by the record company to work with signed artists and make sure that their music sounds as good as possible. Producers are freelance, and will work for the highest bidder, and may sometimes have to find their own work.
Who They Work With: The producer works with the artists in the studio by coaching and directing them, and they also work with the sound engineers to make sure that they are getting the best possible sound. The producer may also choose who the session musicians and sound engineer are, so they also work with them in that way. They may also work with the record label, as the record label may tell them how they want a record to sound, and it is the producers’ job to make sure that the desired sound is achieved.
Job Title: Artist
Tasks and responsibilities - The artist is the person who either writes the music or performs it. Artists are involved in the record company area. They usually sign a contract, which binds them to the record company, although they can also be freelance. They’re found through A&R Scouts usually.
Work with people in the record company such as producers, Image consultants, mastering engineers, etc.
Tasks/Responsibilities of an artist are to produce a piece of music that can be used to sell and make money off.
Job Role: Mastering Engineer
This is a person who is skilled in the task of taking musical content that has been previously mixed and prepare it for distribution, whether the preparation is in physical form for cd or vinyl or in digital form. They are either hired by the band, record producer or a representative from the record label to complete the audio mastering process. This means they are free lance/ self employed. Mastering engineers are specialists at transferring audio from one format to another mastered format. They make sure that each track is balanced. This requires a talent for listening and a clear perception of what most ears disregard. Mastering engineers work within record companies who bring albums to them looking to be mastered and ready for distribution.
Job Tile: Distributor
Tasks/Responsibility’s: The task of a music distributor is to distribute the finished products such as the CDs or Records. The products are distributed to record shops and other retailers that sell music like super markets such as Morrison’s. The retailers would then sell the records and all profit will be split between all the jobs required to make and sell the product.
Employment Type: A record company would employ a Distributor to distribute and find retailers to sell the records they produced and made.
Who They Work With: They would work along side the record company to decide which retailers would be able to sell their record allot. The record company would pay the retailer to sell the record so they have to work with the distributor to decide the best retailers that could make profit from the record.
Job title: Songwriter
Tasks/ responsibility: They write the song lyrics, melody and chords for a song. They’re also known as a composer. Their job is also to write popular hits, so when writing a song you will usually get a group of songwriters. Bands such as the Artic Monkeys, split a share in the song writing deal and they all got the same percentage, whereas on the other hand, bands such as The Beatles, only Lennon and McCartney got a share because they didn’t feel that it was fair for the other band members to take a share. Some songwriters are actual artists themselves and have had popular hits themselves and feel this would be more beneficial. They’re also known as singer-songwriters. Songwriters are usually very skilled musicians, as when they’re writing the song, they will be able to hear the chord sequence development. Co-written, is when a song is written by more than one songwriter. Sometimes this is a better way to write a song as it allows more creativity and more thoughts. In copyright law there is no difference between the lyrics or the melody, as they will all get their equal share unless another agreement is arranged.
Employment type: They are usually freelance. Which means they aren’t employed by anyone. They may have a publishing deal.
Who they work with: They will usually work with the artist if they’re pop artists. But if they’re a band they usually will write it and usually split the deal.
Job Title: A&R (Artists and repertoire)
Tasks responsibility: Scout talent, goes to shows from underground artist in hopes of finding someone to sign to their label. This is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and the artistic and commercial development of the recording artist. They will also negotiate the deal, and once the artist is signed, they will look after the artist and act as a go between – record label & artist manager.
No I.D
No I.D., got his start as a DJ, producer, and rapper; he released a solo album, Accept Your Own and Be Yourself (The Black Album), in 1997, and became famous for his production work with Common “I Used to Love H.E.R.”, among others. Wilson acted as a mentor to a young Kanye West, introducing him to Roc-A-Fella.
Employment Type: Full time employee
Who they work with: New artists and the record company
Job Tile: Distributor
Tasks/Responsibility’s: The task of a music distributor is to distribute the finished products such as the CDs or Records. The products are distributed to record shops and other retailers that sell music like super markets such as Morrison’s. The retailers would then sell the records and all profit will be split between all the jobs required to make and sell the product.
Employment Type: A record company would employ a Distributor to distribute and find retailers to sell the records they produced and made.
Who They Work With: They would work along side the record company to decide which retailers would be able to sell their record allot. The record company would pay the retailer to sell the record so they have to work with the distributor to decide the best retailers that could make profit from the record.
Job Role: Manufacturer
A manufacturer is in the record companies area. A manufacturer will make the CD’s/Records and then pass them on to a distributer to sell to stores.
Artist: The artist is the person who either writes the music or performs it. Artists are involved in the record company area. They usually sign a contract, which binds them to the record company, although they can also be freelance. They’re found through A&R Scouts usually. Work with people in the record company such as producers, Image consultants, mastering engineers, etc.
Tasks/Responsibilities of an artist are to produce a piece of music that can be used to sell and make money off.