This week Ross Robey of Rollings Artists lets us gather some pretty awesome info. He founded Rolling Artists as well as being the manageing partner. Today he is giving us some takeaways from working with some of the top producers in the scene. After reading Ross Robey’s piece, visit his website www.rollingartists.com
Ross Robey
One big thing I’ve come to learn from representing producers is that quality comes second-to-none. How you present your art is paramount. I’ve heard countless exceptional songs that sonically just weren’t “packaged” properly. A poor recording or a bad mix will ruin an otherwise great song for an otherwise great band. You can spend all of the money and effort in the world marketing your product, but unless your product is technically satisfactory, it won’t get the attention it deserves. In our ADD culture you have very few chances to make a lasting impression with your product. Make it the best you can. Put the quality of your songwriting and your recordings first above all.
Second, I’ve come to learn the value of a good hook. If it’s not stuck in your head, it’s not going to stick in other people’s heads. Our producer and songwriter clientele are constantly writing and adding to their catalogue of music. As a result, not only does the quality of their songwriting improve, but so does their ability to help the artists they work with find or develop the right hook.
The final and most important thing I’ve picked up on is the importance of an artist’s trust in the record-making process. It takes a lot for an artist to share their baby with someone – be it a producer or a cowriter. The best songs and the best sounding records always come about when both the producer and the artist are equally as enthusiastic about and inspired by what they are doing together. This means being comfortable with one another’s decision-making during the session, and trusting that experimentation is a good thing. – Ross Robey
