Music producers have a stake in the legal battles over online music because
they are instrumental in getting the music out.
"A producer sees the overall picture and directs the process from start
to finish," says Karen Kane, a music producer. When the recording is successfully
released and sold, they have a share in the profits. Without the producer,
the end product appears unpolished and incomplete.
Most producers spend some time in related fields -- music editing, composing,
arranging or engineering.
When people say music is in the air, they're not kidding. Today, recorded
music is all around us. Sure, there are the obvious sources of music in your
local record store, but music producers work in many more fields than that.
Every television show, from a soap opera to a sitcom, has music. Every
film has a musical score. Music is even making its way into the world of CD-ROMs,
where some games have their own background score. In each case, a producer
is needed.
"It's a tough business," says Kane. "And for me, it's been a bit tougher
being female."
Being a music producer is not physically demanding and you can still do
this if you are in a wheelchair. You'll need a good ear, though. An appreciation
of music and good organizational and management skills will come in very handy.