This comparison is an absolute cause for debate. It's a very interesting animal to dissect, so let's get right to it.
To me, a "beat maker" is someone who creates "beats". Nowadays, it's usually done on some type of computer. A beat machine (like an MPC or sampling keyboard) is the same thing. They are just pieces of hardware with their own internal CPU systems. So for the sake of argument, let's just say that 99% of modern music is done on a system that contains an internal CPU (yes, the Game Of Thrones intro theme song was entirely done on a computer. Crazy, huh?)
So what exactly does it mean to "make beats"? Believe it or not, most non-music-making people still don't quite understand what it is, which is totally ok. Here's a brief explanation of what "making beats" means: Think of it like a "one man band". The "beat maker" is literally composing a full piece of music. They are "playing" the drums (or "programming"), keyboards, instruments, various sounds, percussion, you name it. Sometimes, they take other pieces of music that already exist and "manipulate" them into brand new beats (in other words, "sampling"). All of this is done on a computer (most of the time, with just a keyboard hooked up to it).
Making beats is awesome. It's a skill. It's addicting. There's so many ways to express yourself. So many palettes, colors, sounds to choose from. It's like being a modern day classical composer, minus the paper, sheet music and feather tipped ink pen. It's 2016. We use computers. And software programs. Lot's of them. Almost too many to choose from. It's a skill that requires creativity AND technical know-how.
Ok. Cool.
So, what is a "music producer" then?
Well, in my opinion, a "music producer" is someone who produces music (surprise!). The definition of "produce" is to "make or manufacture from components or raw materials". In this case, our components are music chords, drums, instrument riffs and anything we can manipulate to produce "sound", which ultimately we like to call a "song", or "music".
So the argument becomes "Well, if I make beats, aren't I 'producing music'? And doesn't that qualify me to be considered a 'music producer'?".
In 2016, the answer is yes.
Why is the answer yes? Because music is different now. The music consuming public loves anything that's good. A lot of good music nowadays doesn't necessarily have to contain vocals. There are pieces of music out there that were created with a laptop and headphones by people who are simply "making beats". It's 2016. Sh!t is different now.
I think the true argument here is the argument of "What else can you do beyond just making a beat?". Can you write lyrics? Can you compose vocal melodies? Can you play any instruments? Can you manifest song concepts and give purpose to a song? Do you have the skills to commit to the totality of creating a full song, with other people involved (vocalists, musicians, other composers, etc). Are you a leader? Do you know how to inspire other creatives while collaborating?
All of these questions have to do with one thing, and one thing only. The production of a song. Taking raw material and producing an audible collection of sound that provides satisfaction to the human being listening to it, usually lasting a few minutes, with hopes that they will love it, play it over and over, become inspired by it and hopefully remember that very moment in their life when they first heard it.
That's all this stuff really is at the end of the day.
Making beats is awesome. Producing music is awesome. It's all labels that either offend you, or stroke your ego. Having the skill set to do more or less is entirely up to you. Your process of how you "produce music" is also entirely up to you. Who gives a sh!t anyway.
You produce stuff. From scratch. For the world to consume. That idea alone is pretty damn cool if you ask me.
751 comments
This debate wouldn’t be so confusing, if the men and women in classical, film, tv and jazz, video game music world, release the term Composer over to the popular music genre. This is why in hip hop and electronic music, we fish around for what it is that we do, by terms. Writers of music, (no matter the idiom or genre), are called composers. If your composing music from the ground up. What else would you call yourself. If you chop samples and that’s all you do. You don’t write anything. Then that’s another story. Producer. The music producer is the person who is responsible for how that composition sounds, sonically! Again! Sonically. A producer is going to take the composition or as we call it, BEAT! And mix every element of the composers arrangement, effects, automation and etc. It’s very common in this day in time, for a composer to be the producer and engineer. I play these parts myself all the time. So the question of what’s the difference of a composer and producer is like asking the difference of a writer and director of a film. We don’t see credits for movies where a certain director did it and think, man! He wrote a good film. Unless if it states that. Once we hip hop heads throw this beat maker title away, then terms will make sense again. But in reality, the so called beatmakers who compose from the ground up, are simply Composers.
With what you said that still doesn’t make you the producer that makes you the beat producer know if it’s just released as an instrumental okay you’re the producer but if you have no involvement in the rest of the song that only makes you the beat producer
Yo, Savier Breth- What defines a musician? According to you its playing a “real instrument” and putting "thousands of hours of study and practice to be a “real” musician." While I do agree that it does take dedication and hard work to master an art, I don’t, however, think that you have to play a “real instrument” to be a “Real musician”. Lets take a look at the word “Musician”… “MUSIC”-ian. MUSIC! No where in that word does it state the “real” way to go about creating music. Music doesn’t have to be heard only when an instrument is playing. Yes, An instrument is a HELPFUL tool that channels music through the manipulation of a talented artist, BUT, that is not the only way to create music, and to say it is, is just quite RIDICULOUS and ignorant in my opinion. I will agree with you that the majority of the mainstream music that we hear today is GARBAGE and disgraceful to say the least.The CONTENT is shallow and disrespects the ones who TRULY use music as a tool to inspire change for the better. BUt its still music, regardless whether or not you think so.
Illmind is pretty much correct. And it pretty simple to see the divisiOn. First start with the term composer. A certa type of composer=songwriter. Who writes melodies and lyrics or both. The proDucer is the guy responSible for putting tHe song together Right? So if you take a raw song, lets say with just a melody played by an instrument. The first step is to arrange it, which really means, additional writing. The next steps are common sense. Record, edit, mix and master. These duties are all handled by the producer. Therm beatmaker came from producers who played a role in instrumental production or beat battling as a sport. Has nothing to do with how educated you are. Lol. So again! A music producer can choose to be a beatmaker if he or she wants too. OR continue to Producer songs for artist. Music production falls in these parts/categories. Arrangement, recording, editing, mixing and mastering. The main melody is handled by a songwriter. And yes a songwriter means the person who created just the melody and had a sYnth or Lead instrument take the role.
This article has good points and false points. Writer is correct in saying beatmaker is a modern day term for composer in urban and dance music scenes. In fact, the term beatmaker shouldn’t even be used. Composer is the correct term, as well as the legal terminology for rights issues regarding royalties etc. Any human can wear multiple hats and play different roles on the same project.
However, the term “music producer” is false here. The term is really “record producer”. The producer is hired by the label to oversee and stay on budget, for a recording project. The record producer seldom creates the music. They are more like a director of a film. They are concerned with budgets, scheduling, selecting workers to work on a project, selecting studios and engineers, selecting the mastering facility and who will master it. Dealing with graphic design staff, art directors, and marketing teams.
In 1 man show operations, it almost becomes silly to use the term as it is completely out of context and makes the person look like an ammateur. In smaller projects, the credit should be omitted.
Basically in modern day, the term producer has replaced a dual hats person doing the composing, arranging, programming, mixing, even some attempt to master. This confusion solely came out of the hip hop scene in the 1990’s.