Delivering the Goods: Meet These Great Music Producers and Audio Engineers
Only two percent of women in the music industry handle production and audio engineering duties. With such skewed numbers, it’s safe to say that the industry has a heavy proliferation of male producers and artists. However, there are still quite a few talented women who are making their mark in the industry. Let’s meet two of them right now.
Take 1: Working on new tracks
As she begins her work on a new track, the first thing that Aria Nanji looks at, is the songwriting. She finds herself drawn to original, genuine and honest songwriting, lyrically and musically. Then she shifts her attention to the vocals, which tend to be the most important element of a song for her.
Well-written vocal lines grab her attention through their performance, timbre or distinctiveness. Tarana Marwah approaches new tracks in a more abstract manner, seeking their souls and heart. She is a firm believer in the intangible but omnipresent power of a song’s soul.
Take 2: Going through changes
One of the most critical tasks for producers/audio engineers to handle is discussing changes and rearrangements with the artist. Aria Nanji believes in communicating very clearly with the artist while keeping an open mind. She admits that she is learning to be better at what she does, and oftentimes it is the artists and their unique perspectives that widen her understanding of music and sound.
A touch of kindness and patience goes a long way in creating a great song. It’s most important to be kind and patient when communicating with artists — especially in regards to their work product. Tarana Marwah approaches this delicate task by creating and maintaining a special bond, she usually ends up becoming friends with the artist by the time the song is finished. She believes in letting everyone be heard and feel comfortable during the process.
Take 3: Essential traits
According to Aria Nanji, for any music producer/audio engineer who works with a variety of clients and artists from different backgrounds creating different genres of music, versatility is key. One needs to be able to adapt to any situation or requirement. For Tarana Marwah, it’s about possessing the vision to see where a track can end up. What you start with and where you end are usually worlds apart. Then you have to take it there.
Take 4: Inspirations
Tarana Marwah didn’t mean to end up as a music producer, it just happened naturally after she bought her first laptop in college and started fooling around with DAW’s. She figured out that she had a knack for it and kept it going. She continues to draw inspiration from artists like Grimes, Imogen Heap, and Bjork.
Aria Nanji went to Berklee College of Music to study vocal performance. During her first semester, she realised that she was chasing the dream of her teenage years and decided to pursue something more sustainable as a career. She began exploring other options and was introduced to Music Production and Engineering by a friend. She figured out that this is something she could do back in India as well and switched her major.
Final Take: The challenges
Aria Nanji admits that music producers and audio engineers face a lot of challenges in the industry, but her studio fosters an environment of inclusiveness and equality. She has never felt like she needed to work harder than her male counterparts to gain value or respect.
Tarana Marwah believes that India is very supportive of female artists but recognizes the challenge of existing in a nexus where there are so few women. Getting rid of the “just for decoration” image is also critical.
Do Follow :
Aria Nanji : https://www.instagram.com/ariananji/
Tarana Marwah : https://www.instagram.com/tarana.marwah/
