It doesn’t matter where a producer is. You can work with them without physically being with them, thanks to technology and the internet. Remote music production is not only a possibility but also happens quite often, especially in the last few years.
The article on Bandzoogle, authored by Caleb J. Murphy, delves into the realm of remote music production for independent artists, a practice made increasingly viable through advancements in technology and the internet. Murphy, a music producer himself, outlines a typical remote production process that he follows with his artists, which includes:
- Receiving a Demo: Artists send an MP3 demo of their song, which can range from a simple voice memo to a more polished recording.
- Selecting Reference Tracks: Artists provide songs they wish their track to emulate in some aspect, aiding the producer in capturing the desired sound.
- Production Phase: The producer records instruments and arranges the track, considering any notes and reference tracks provided by the artist.
- Feedback and Adjustments: The process involves sending drafts to the artist for feedback or conducting remote recording sessions for real-time collaboration.
- Recording Vocals: Artists record their vocals independently, with guidance from the producer on emotional delivery over technical perfection.
- Finalizing the Track: After adding vocals and performing light mixing, the producer sends a draft to ensure both parties are satisfied before proceeding to the mixing stage.
- Mixing and Mastering: The final mix is refined, potentially using a reference track, before mastering the track for release.
Murphy also highlights tools that facilitate remote production, such as high-quality audio sharing software (e.g., SonoBus), music sharing and storage platforms (e.g., DISCO), and the necessity of an external hard drive for backing up projects.
Source: Remote production for indie artists: Getting started | Bandzoogle Blog
