There are different types of music producers, and this can get confusing. No one is better than the other, they are just different, so it’s important to find out what kind of producer you're talking to Traditional Producers Traditional producers can take your song or song idea and turn it into a great sounding track that you can record your vocals to. This category of producers are fantastic if you’re a songwriter and when working remotely. These folks are typically good at taking a written song, and creating arrangements - deciding which instrument will play on which song and what part each instrument will play. They are instrumentalists or multi instrumentalists that may end up being your ‘band’ on the recording. In some cases they know how to oversee and coordinate a project and locate the right talent at the best price and just ‘make it happen’, not unlike a musical Project Manager or Director. In some cases they also do ‘vocal coaching’ to the artist, helping identify the best key for the vocalist and guide the artist through the vocal takes, lending their experience to when you have it nailed, when to try again and how, what types of harmonies or doubles to do etc. Beat Makers Beatmaker Producers are common in the EDM, Hip Hop and Pop world. They are known for - making beats, often song-starters in these genres. This type of songwriting - where the beat or music bed comes first and then a topline is written to itstarted in the world of Hip Hop but now is common in much of Pop music. Since Pop music has become more beat oriented, many pop songs are written as 'toplines (vocal melodies) over pre-existing beats by Beatmakers with a particular sound. When working with Beatmakers you’d typically either choose from an existing beat they already have (and lease it for use or buy it for exclusive use), and then write a vocal melody and lyrics over it (this is the more common use case), or you would pay the Beatmaker to create a custom beat based on your specifications or around a melody you already wrote. As an example, Sia worked with a traditional Producer on her early records, which included live instrumentation and more organic production and songwriting processes. In interviews for her later pop-oriented releases she discusses how she wrote melodies over existing beats that Beatmakers sent her. If you listen to these records you’ll hear the stylistic difference that is due in part to the difference in process. Some producers work as Ghost Producers, lending their skills and beats to other producers and DJs to call their own. Both Traditional Producers and Beatmakers might or might not also be Mixing Engineers. In some cases if they mix this might be part of the package you get working with them, and sometimes their mixing chops are part of what make up the ‘sound’ they are known for. Mixing is a really important part of the production process. Some producers are hands on mixers, while others aren’t mixers at all but might sit next to mixers and direct them. They don’t have to be mixers, but it’s good to know what strengths they bring to the table. Every producer is different. Find out what your producer brings to the table by asking them.