The media portrays music producers as extremely wealthy, successful entrepreneurs who have the opportunity to travel to exotic places and encounter extraordinarily talented people. This portrait is somewhat accurate. What the media does not see is how hard music producers, or record producers, work. These visionaries collaborate with some of the most gifted and talented people and work behind the scenes in the industry. They are responsible for discovering new talent, bringing the creative concepts of musicians to life and promoting albums, concerts and bands.

If you want to live the exciting, fascinating and busy life of a music producer, you must educate yourself. Many people choose to attend audio recording schools or pursue recording degrees at universities or colleges. It is also ideal to talk to people who work in the music industry. Some colleges offer mentorship programs where students can directly contact and learn from current music producers.

Music education schools and colleges will teach you the basics of recording programs such as Fruity Loops, Reason, Audacity and Logic Pro. You will also learn many of the hardware aspects to music production such as MPC's, mixers, microphones, audio editing and audio interfaces.

If you wish to pursue a career as a music producer, you must be willing to work hard. You will have various job functions to perform, such as directing sessions, scheduling tours, overseeing productions, budgets and sales and helping musicians organize promotional and marketing campaigns. You will most likely have to work long hours and may have to travel. Being a music producer is not a typical 9-5 job. You will work during the weekends and probably late at night.

Producers also monitor the original recording of songs, along with any mastering or mixing that a record may require. The music producer may also aid with creating and refining the artist's work. Essentially, the producer makes the music the best it can possibly be. They are also responsible for hiring any additional musicians and technicians, and may even select the playlist for an entire album.

A music producer's salary can drastically vary. A producer who works for a small-scale record company can make only $20,000 annually, but those who work for major record labels can earn millions per year. Your salary depends on your company's market, the number of artists you produce and the size of your company.

The role of the producer has changed over the past few decades. Many successful musicians now work as producers and are able to make records themselves while pursuing the talent of new, young artists. Sean Combs and Timbaland are two successful producers who also create their own music.