Learning to Be a Popular Music Producer An Educational, Entrepreneurial, and Personal Guide for Aspiring Music Producers

Introduction: Learning to “be” a popular music producer with or without university Part 1: How to produce killer music (knowledge) Chapter 1: Music production mindsets: What you need to know Chapter 2: Does it just happen? Understanding creativity Chapter 3 Targeting commercial or self-expressive goals Chapter 4: Song writing and production Chapter 5: Working with different types of music Chapter 6: Audio Production: Learning the art and craft of audio sculpting Chapter 7: Critical Listening Chapter 8: Vocal production: Shit just got real! Chapter 9: Mixing like a pro Chapter 10: Producing music online: Remote collaboration Chapter 11: Project management Part 2: Become the best version of you Chapter 12: Producer Psychology Chapter 13: WTF is critical inquiry and how can I use it? Chapter 14: The road to success: Learning Chapter 15: Mindset Part 3: Making it happen: Living breathing and surviving as a music producer  Chapter 16: Producing awesome music as opposed to facilitating recordings Chapter 17: Industry integration and realities Chapter 18: Professional practice Chapter 19: Your music studio Chapter 20: I can make it! Music futures References Index

Biography

Brendan Anthony is an internationally recognised music producer of 30 years’ experience he has worked with INXS, Hans Zimmer, Jimmy Barnes, and Wheatus to name a few. He holds a Doctor of Education, is the author of Music Production Cultures: Perspectives on Popular Music Pedagogy at Higher Education (Routledge) and is the head of the Production and Entrepreneurship Major, Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, Australia.

"I've had the privilege of knowing Brendan Anthony since 1989 when he first started working at Rhinoceros Recording Studios, Sydney. His passion for music production is contagious and his dedication to helping aspiring musicians is inspiring. Brendan's book, 'Learning to be a Popular Music Producer', is a game-changer. It's a comprehensive guide that distils his international industry experience and academic expertise into a coaching manual that's accessible to musicians of all levels. I wish I'd had access to this resource when I started out.

My personal formula for music production is Passion + Commitment + Preparation x Persistence = Success. This is exactly what the good Doctor is promoting in this book, which is a good dose of reality. I’m sure this will resonate with anyone pursuing a career in music production and I'm excited to see the impact this book will have on the next generation of music makers.

Welcome to Show Business!"

Mark Opitz AM, Music Producer, Australia

"Brendan Anthony takes the reader through his journey and experience of music production to build his own effective coaching manual. Brendan does not instruct the reader on how to produce, he asks “how will you produce, what type of producer will you be?” in an era where the term “Producer” is opaque. Not only is Brendan an experienced producer with impressive credits, but he is also an academic and educator delivering a book that’s easy to read with the rigour of academia informed by the realities that a music producer faces in practise. The value in this book lies in the extensive work that Brendan does to unpack the social relationships, soft skills, creative and psychological actions necessary in the recording studio which are by far the most critical skills to procure for music production. Furthermore, Brendan goes beyond the usual tropes of technology and skill acquisition and explores the spiritual inspiration, insight, and the path to self-discovery required to make music production a central part of any musician’s life."

Dr Lachlan “Magoo” Goold (Regurgitator, Midnight Oil), UniSC, Australia 

"If you are learning to be a music producer, you must read this book! Brendan takes the reader through an exciting journey of his own experiences in the world of music production and, unlike other books, he explains how readers can start to strategically develop their own experiences and successes as music producers. The book guides creatives to become truly autonomous in their craft, by inspiring them to take on the challenges of real-world learning and to experience the many different forms of collaboration that are found in the world of music production. This book will make you want to get out there and get going, and will help with solving everyday problems that occur in the professional recording studio!"

Professor Rob Toulson, Music Producer and Educator, UK