Page 8 - Fyne Times Spring 2014

8
SPRING 2014
The power behind the microphone
Although a lot of people dream about being a rock star, the room on stage is
limited and making a living out of performing can be very tough. However, the
performer is only the very tip of a very large industry which comprises artistic,
technologic and managerial roles. If it turns out your guitar is best off propping up
a bookshelf or your mike stand makes a good coat rack, then fear not! There are
plenty of other roles in the music industry that you can consider.
A&R Scout
TV shows like X-Factor would like to think they
are where all the new talent comes from. But
that’s really not true, especially if you are going by
the dictionary definition of ‘talent’! Music labels
are always on the lookout for ‘the next big thing’
and as a scout, it would be your role to find it. A
scout keeps up with the trends in the industry
and these days a large part of the job is reading
musical industry papers and surfing websites as
well as listening to new music online. Just make
sure you never mention you are a scout at a party
because somebody will find a guitar and spend
the whole night hounding you for a recording
contract!
Sound Engineer
A sound engineer is the geek of the studio! They
know what every button does and how to mix,
manipulate and use the technology to produce
the sounds required by the creative team. At
smaller studios the producer doubles up as the
engineer. But for larger studios, the role is now
viewed as vital, so much so the engineers often
get a credit on the album sleeve. Engineers are
also used for live performances, digital re-
mastering and loads of other technology related
things.
Producer
The producer is in charge of all aspects of
recording music. Most of the time they work
in the recording studio with the artists and
engineers, but there is also a certain amount
of organising, budget setting and negotiating
of contracts to do as well. It is a job which has
grown over the years and now producers not only
create a name for themselves within the industry
but also get paid a heck of a lot too! Producers
who are fashionable are often called upon by the
big stars to produce their albums simply so their
name appears on it.
Manager
A band or artist’s manager can make or break
them. The manager is basically the person who
handles day-to-day affairs and the careers of the
artists while they are busy being creative. Part
careers adviser, part salesperson, part mother,
the role of a manager is to get your act famous
and keep them famous. It is a very involved
job and one which takes a business brain, good
organisation, a creative flare and knowledge of
the music industry. These days a lot of managers
work in an agency and handle several clients.
PR and press
Getting the name of an act into the public
consciousness is harder than ever due to increased
competition. With the internet allowing more
and more music to be heard, it is hard to make
your act stand out. That is where the PR team
come in. They find ways of getting you star’s face
into magazines and carefully craft their image to
make them a desirable product. On the flip-side
of the coin, you could work the other side of the
press and become a music journalist. Then you
get to decide which stars appear on the covers of
your magazine.
If you were asked to list LGBTs in the music
industry, then you are probably going to come up
with the names of singers or other band members.
While LGBT performers are very important,
equally important yet unnoticed are the LGBTs
who work behind the scene.