Producer... Engineer... What's the difference? Some of the terminology and titles in the music business can be very confusing. A conventional recording studio is only useful to you if your project is performance-ready -- This means going in with your instrument(s) and doing what you do best while the engineer records you. In most cases, a producer is required.

The Engineer is the person "behind the dials". His or her job is purely of a technical nature. The engineer's sole responsibility is to record. This entails many things including microphone placement, level settings, editing, mixing, mastering, etc. Although engineers aren't always musicians, it is generally a good idea to work with one who has musical skills.

The Producer in the music business is like a director in the movie business. For a quality project, there must be a "director" who makes creative and quality control decisions. It is one of the greatest misconceptions among the general listening audience that the artists makes all of these decisions. Imagine the recording project as an empty house and the producer as the interior decorator. A good producer will be able to maintain the original characteristics and charm of the artist without compromising the quality of the product.