A method for producing a terpene or terpenoid selected from a monoterpene, a diterpene, a sesquiterpene, a triterpenoid, or a tetraterpenoid, in a recombinant host cell, comprising culturing the cell under conditions wherein the terpene or terpenoid is produced in a cell genetically engineered to have reduced expression of endogenous enzyme having farnesyl diphosphate synthase and geranyl diphosphate synthase activity wherein the recombinant host cell comprises one or more recombinant expression constructs encoding heterologous enzymes selected from GPP synthase, FPP synthase and GGPP synthase and a heterologous enzyme for producing said terpene or terpenoid, wherein the reduced farnesyl diphosphate synthase and geranyl diphosphate synthase expression is produced in the cell by having in the cell (i) the endogenous FPP synthase and endogenous GPP synthase operably linked to an exogenous weak promoter, wherein the weak promoter is KEX2, PGK-1, GPD1, ADH1, ADH2, PYK1, TPI1, PDC1, TEF1, TEF2, FBA1, GAL1-10, CUP1, MET2, MET14, MET25, CYC1, GAL1-S, GAL1-L, TEF1, CAG, CMV, human UbiC, RSV, EF-1alpha, SV40, Mt1, Tet-On, Tet-Off, Mo-MLV-LTR, Mx1, progesterone, RU486 or Rapamycin-inducible promoter; (ii) a heterologous genetic construct encoding endogenous FPP synthase and endogenous GPP synthase activity operably linked to a messenger RNA destabilizing motif; or (iii) a recombinant genetic construct comprising a gene encoding endogenous FPP synthase and endogenous GPP synthase operably linked to an endogenous promoter, wherein between the endogenous promoter and the gene encoding endogenous FPP synthase and endogenous GPP synthase activity is a heterologous insert sequence having the formula: -X 1 -X 2 -X 3 -X 4 -X 5 - wherein X 2 comprises at least 4 consecutive nucleotides being complementary to, and forming a hairpin secondary structure element with at least 4 consecutive nucleotides of X 4; wherein X 3 either comprises zero nucleotides or one or more unpaired nucleotides forming a hairpin loop between X 2 and X 4; and wherein X 4 comprises at least 4 consecutive nucleotides being complementary to, and forming a hairpin secondary structure element with at least 4 consecutive nucleotides of X 2; and wherein X 1 and X 5 comprise zero, one or more nucleotides. (i) the endogenous FPP synthase and endogenous GPP synthase operably linked to an exogenous weak promoter, wherein the weak promoter is KEX2, PGK-1, GPD1, ADH1, ADH2, PYK1, TPI1, PDC1, TEF1, TEF2, FBA1, GAL1-10, CUP1, MET2, MET14, MET25, CYC1, GAL1-S, GAL1-L, TEF1, CAG, CMV, human UbiC, RSV, EF-1alpha, SV40, Mt1, Tet-On, Tet-Off, Mo-MLV-LTR, Mx1, progesterone, RU486 or Rapamycin-inducible promoter; (ii) a heterologous genetic construct encoding endogenous FPP synthase and endogenous GPP synthase activity operably linked to a messenger RNA destabilizing motif; or (iii) a recombinant genetic construct comprising a gene encoding endogenous FPP synthase and endogenous GPP synthase operably linked to an endogenous promoter, wherein between the endogenous promoter and the gene encoding endogenous FPP synthase and endogenous GPP synthase activity is a heterologous insert sequence having the formula: -X 1 -X 2 -X 3 -X 4 -X 5 - wherein X 2 comprises at least 4 consecutive nucleotides being complementary to, and forming a hairpin secondary structure element with at least 4 consecutive nucleotides of X 4; wherein X 3 either comprises zero nucleotides or one or more unpaired nucleotides forming a hairpin loop between X 2 and X 4; and wherein X 4 comprises at least 4 consecutive nucleotides being complementary to, and forming a hairpin secondary structure element with at least 4 consecutive nucleotides of X 2; and wherein X 1 and X 5 comprise zero, one or more nucleotides. wherein X 2 comprises at least 4 consecutive nucleotides being complementary to, and forming a hairpin secondary structure element with at least 4 consecutive nucleotides of X 4; wherein X 3 either comprises zero nucleotides or one or more unpaired nucleotides forming a hairpin loop between X 2 and X 4; and wherein X 4 comprises at least 4 consecutive nucleotides being complementary to, and forming a hairpin secondary structure element with at least 4 consecutive nucleotides of X 2; and wherein X 1 and X 5 comprise zero, one or more nucleotides.