The Art of Music Production ─ The Theory and Practice

The Art of Music Production is the first book to comprehensively analyze and describe the role of the music producer in creating successful music recordings. Now in its fourth edition, it is the definitive guide to the art and business of music production.

Author and producer Richard James Burgess distills this complex field by defining the distinct roles of a music producer.The first part of the book outlines the underlying theory of the art of music production. The second focuses on the job's practical aspects, including training, getting into the business, and--most importantly--the musical, financial, and interpersonal relationships producers have with artists and their labels. The book is packed with insights from successful music producers, ranging from the beginnings of recorded sound to today's chart-toppers and across genre lines. It features many revealing anecdotes, encompassing both the daily and overarching career-related challenges that a producer faces. Burgess addresses the changes in the nature of music production brought about by technology and, in particular, the millennial shift that has occurred with digital recording and distribution. His lifelong experience in the recording industry as a studio musician, artist, composer, producer, manager, and marketer, combined with his extensive academic research in the field, brings a unique breadth and depth of understanding to the topic.

Richard James Burgess is Director of Marketing, Sales and Licensing at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and also runs his own artist management company, Burgess World Co. He has managed major label artists with top ten chart hits and international touring schedules. As an artist in his own right, he has charted in many countries and has produced gold and platinum albums for artists such as Spandau Ballet, King, Adam Ant, Colonel Abrams, Five Star, Living in a Box, Shriekback, and New Edition.