The world of music production

The world of music production

Have you ever listened to a song and just fell in love with how it sounds?

I know most of us have and for this month’s article I reached out to producer and singer-songwriter, Sherika Sherard, who has worked with the likes of Spike Lee on the music for seasons 1 & 2 of the the Netflix show 'She’s Gotta Have It'. I also reached out to producer and sound engineer, Tenhush, who has had an ad placement with MissPap and has worked with the likes of BlazeYL, Kaliko Ko, and many other underground artists.

Make sure to join in on this month’s #iabmusicchallenge:

With a focus on it's instrumentation, post your favorite song  and tag the producer(s) who created it! This is a great way to give more exposure to all of our very talented producers and sound engineers out there.

SHERIKA

Instagram: @sherikasherard

Nina G: When did you start producing?

Sherika: I started learning to produce over a year ago. Simply because I wanted to take more control over my music, and I wanted to do more experimenting in order to evolve my sound further.

Nina G: Why do you enjoy the production side of music?

Sherika: It’s the feeling of freedom for me, even though it can feel overwhelming at times, the possibilities are endless and sometimes you stumble on things you just wouldn’t have if you weren’t sitting in the producer seat.

Nina G: What are some of the struggles that comes with being a producer/sound engineer?

Sherika: Things can get way too technical. For me, it’s more important for things to feel good than sound good. Playing with EQ’s and editing can really kill the vibe so for me, I’d rather get the full song done before I start losing faith.

Nina G: The music world is heavily male dominated, especially on the production side. What are your thoughts on the gender divide within this part of the industry?

Sherika: To be honest I can’t sit here and say it was male dominance that made me hold back in getting into production, I just shied away from it. I saw it as an unnecessary task that my magical record label would soon pay someone to do for me. I was naive and hung around in circles who all felt the same. I believe this mentality was found in a lot of female artists and does have a part to play in why the industry is so male dominated. More women are now seeing their worth and how much value they can bring, which is why things are slowly changing. Men aren’t giving opportunities, women are just taking and creating their own.

Nina G: What’s one of your favourite things about how music production has evolved?

Sherika: The price. The fact that people are making music with £200 (or even less) worth of equipment makes me so happy. It has allowed music production to be accessible to more people rather than just the middle class, which has allowed a wider range of sounds to be discovered.

Nina G: Is there anything you miss from production that isn’t there anymore?

Sherika: I feel like streaming has created a high demand for music and it has made artists feel like they have to release what I call “IKEA” music, to keep up with the demand. People are choosing mass production over quality, and quality is what makes good music.

Nina G: What advice would you give to people wanting to get into music production?

Sherika: Be patient and enjoy being a student. Even the best of producers have critics.

Tenhush

Instagram: @tenhush

Nina G:  When did you start producing?

Tenhush: I started producing about 5 years ago.

Nina G: Why do you enjoy the production side of music?

Tenhush: I grew up around music, especially hearing it in Church. It is something that just resonated with me. My dad also plays a number of instruments which made it easier for me to get a grasp of things when it came to music.

Nina G: What are some of the struggles that come with being a producer/sound engineer?

Tenhush: Off the top of my head, I think that getting yourself heard is often the biggest hurdle. I know that a lot of people have given up on their dream because you will send out one hundred emails and get only five replies. However, I think it’s important to remember that those five emails might take you further than the other ninety-five. Another hurdle that I sometimes struggle with, is working with artists whose music II wouldn’t normally listen to. I have been in situations where someone wanted me to carry an idea that isn’t really me and I feel like that takes away from my craft. That being said, we still have to produce work to the best of our ability and while I do sometimes struggle with artists' music I wouldn’t normally listen to, those experiences sometimes end up being the most memorable as you always learn something new.

Nina G: The music world is heavily male-dominated, especially on the production side. What are your thoughts on the gender divide within this part of the industry?

Tenhush: Good Question. I think originally (especially in hip hop) women were viewed as predominantly singers, but as of late, I have been seeing a lot of women coming into the industry as producers, engineers, rappers, etc. When I started learning how to produce, I watched a lot of YouTube videos and there were a lot of female producers doing tutorials. I think with all the technology and resources available to everyone, there aren’t really any reasons why someone can’t grow to be the next big thing. We now have 16-year-old producers and artists and I really think that’s a positive change. Hopefully one day, it’s something that can be taught in school and people can choose to do what they want to do at a younger age.

Nina G: What’s one of your favourite things about how music production has evolved?

Tenhush: I like how you can now make music from practically anywhere. The fact I can take my laptop or iPad on holiday and still work on a track still amazes me to this day.

Nina G: Is there anything you miss from production that isn’t there anymore?

Tenhush: I grew up playing drums and listening to music that had more live instrumentation and that’s one thing I miss hearing. Especially when I listen to songs with younger artists these days. I think that it is a dying art in music production. However, technology has opened a lot of doors so we can’t really complain.

Nina G: What advice would you give to people wanting to get into music production?

Tenhush: To be honest. I would say go have fun. Music is about your vibe, it’s a feeling so no one can ever say you’re wrong. Everything else will come in its own time.