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What is a Music Production Brief?
What do I need to make a music production brief? What kind of templates should I be using when creating a brief structure for my creative freelancer?
An effective music production brief will contain an overview of your entire project, which includes:
- Genre/style of music wanted – include a sample track or two if you can!
- Key dates & deadlines
- Audience for project
- Deliverable outcomes
- Project goals
The key to getting the final result you want is to make sure you give your freelancer a fantastic project brief. It can be hard to know what information to give your creative freelancer when you’re planning your project. If you have no idea how a music production brief structure works, how is a music producer supposed to know what’s needed of them?
How do I get Music Production ideas?
To gain some real musical inspiration, check out our archive of freelance music producer portfolios– where we share the latest and greatest in music production projects!
Example Music Production Project Brief:
Luckily, we’ve provided a sample music production project brief that’s sure to get you off on the right foot.
This brief will provide your freelancer with everything they need to know about both your release and your project. If you’re struggling to get off the starting block, feel free to use it as a template for your own brief:
Project name: Production and mixing on a 3 track EP.
About the vocalist and EP: I’m a female rapper and vocalist signed to an indie label and need help to produce my next EP. I have access to a professional recording studio and have provided guest vocals for a large number of professional releases involving some of the biggest names in hip hop.
Genre: Alternative hip hop
Example styles I like: https://soundcloud.com/temper3k9/speedn-n-da-rain?in=1-cleva-thoughts/sets/best-female-rappers-on
Skills I’m looking for: I need an experienced music producer to produce all 3 tracks for my next EP release. The music and lyrics have already been written and the vocals have been professionally studio-recorded. I need a full backing track produced from scratch made in Ableton Live.
I also need the track mixed and the session tracks need to be tuned and cleaned. We have a specialist engineer arranged to master the track. We, therefore, need the final project files delivered, but the stems bounced as consolidated files.
Record label: The EP is going to be released on F-Block records. This project is a one-off payment, so there will be no royalty split on the release.
Deadline: The track is being released in August 2017, so we’ll need the project file delivered by 28th April 2017.
Budget: $2000
Points of contact: Artist manager: Danny Johnson. F-Block A&R Manager: Nikki Roberts
Analysis:
Now, let’s break the brief down section-by-section so you know exactly how it works:
Project name: Production and mixing on a 3 track EP.
Your freelancer is probably working on lots of different freelance projects, so give yours a name to distinguish it. It’ll help you keep organised too.
About the vocalist and EP: I’m a female rapper and vocalist signed to an indie label and need help to produce my next EP. I have access to a professional recording studio and have provided guest vocals for a large number of professional releases involving some of the biggest names in hip hop.
Why does the freelancer need to know about you and what you do? Giving them the whole picture will help freelancer understand what’s involved with the project. For example, do you have equipment or access to a studio? How much experience do you have? These are all things that the producer will need to consider. Tell your freelancer what you do and how you do it.
Genre: Alternative hip hop
Tell the producer the style and genre of the project.
Example styles I like: https://soundcloud.com/temper3k9/speedn-n-da-rain?in=1-cleva-thoughts/sets/best-female-rappers-on
Sometimes it’s hard to describe a style you like, so show your freelancer the type of thing you like. Include anything that will help your freelancer get a good idea of what you want your finished track to sound like.
Skills I’m looking for: I need an experienced music producer to produce all 3 tracks for my next EP release. The music and lyrics have already been written and the vocals have been professionally studio recorded. I need a full backing track produced from scratch made in Ableton Live.
I also need the track mixed and the session tracks need to be tuned and cleaned. We have a specialist engineer arranged to master the track. We therefore need the final project files delivered, but the stems bounced as consolidated files.
Music production is very technical, and producers can use a variety of different technical equipment. You need to specify what kind of equipment and software you need your producer to use (if you have a preference). The producer will need to know as much detail about the track you have as possible. Let the freelancer know any extra services you need such as mixing or mastering, plus what finished format you need your project in.
Record label: The EP is going to be released on F-Block records. This project is a one off payment, so there will be no royalty split on the release.
How will the track be distributed? If there’s a record label involved, let the producer know. Your producer will also be interested to know if there are royalties involved.
Deadline: The track is being released in August 2017, so we’ll need the project file delivered by 28th April 2017.
When do you need your project to be completed? Don’t forget this crucial detail.
Budget: $2000
How much will you pay for the project? If you have a budget in mind, include it in your project brief. If you have no idea, you can discuss costs with your freelancer.
Points of contact: Artist manager: Danny Johnson. F-Block A&R Manager: Nikki Roberts
Who will your freelancer be dealing with? Make it easier for remote workers to communicate with you by making it clear who their point of contact is during the project. There will be extra questions and work that needs to be signed off, so make sure your freelancer gets straight through to the right person.
When you post a project brief on Twine, you can add a fully comprehensive project description. This will help you find the right creative freelancer and ultimately get the project you want.
We vet all of our producers and match them to clients using over 10 different criteria. This allows both parties to gain maximum results at the most effective price. We’re here to help along every step of the way and will do everything we can to make sure you have an awesome experience.
So, there you have it! A top-quality music production brief template. If you’d like any extra help, here are a few other articles we’ve written on the topic:
- Find out what makes a good project brief
- How to write the perfect project brief
- 11 tips on writing the perfect brief
To find a music producer for your project, click here
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Stuart Logan
