A recording engineer is typically a technician who moves faders, pushes buttons, turns knobs, positions microphones, fixes cables, and such. A producer usually gets more involved in the organizational and creative aspects of a project and spends time helping the artist with song arrangement and creative decisions. These days there is a fine line between the two, and engineers often double as producers (or vice versa). I am equally comfortable in both roles. I am usually making mental notes during the first several minutes of a session in an attempt to understand the client's needs and wants. If the client seems relaxed and self-assured, then I will put on my engineering hat and try to stay out of the creative process. If I sense that the client lacks direction in this area, or if the client specifically asks me for input, I will assume more of a producer's role. When I am actually the designated producer, I take a very active role in all aspects of production, but continually check in with the client to make sure the project is still on track with what he or she wants.

If you are comfortable around a studio, know what you want (in detail), and feel your songs are pretty well "ready to go," then you probably don't need a dedicated producer. But if you are uncertain about some of your arrangements, choice of instruments, and so on, then you should have a producer. You can either bring along someone whose opinion you trust, or ask me to produce or co-produce. If you get your own producer, don't pick a friend who won't be brutally honest with you. Your music will be best served if you pick someone whose judgment you trust, as opposed to someone who will just tell you what you want to hear for fear of jeopardizing the relationship.

If you want me to produce, we would discuss and arrive at a mutually agreeable fee structure (by the hour, by the song, or by the project), and I would jump in with both feet. I would also request producer credit on the artwork.

You might just decide to self-produce and solicit feedback from people you know. This can be effective if it comes from knowledgable, neutral third parties. This type of feedback can be very educational and useful in helping you to fine-tune your work. There are also websites where you can post your mp3's for public evaluation and feedback (but be prepared for the inevitable juvenile comments like "you suck").

I came across a rather insightful comment in a music magazine recently and thought I would share it with you. This comment comes from Doug Minnick at Taxi:

"Play a song for five different people and you will often get five different answers. I recommend looking for common threads among critiques, i.e. if several different reviewers are mentioning the same point, that point begins to take on more weight. Some comments will ring true to you, others won't. Use the ideas you find helpful and discard those you don't".

And by the way, regardless of who is producing, it is a good idea to bring in sample CDs of bands whose sound (production style) you would like your recording to emulate.

what's the difference between an engineer and a producer?