Will it be authentic and believable to audiences?.

How is it going to be placed in the market?.

Who is going to listen to this music on the radio?.

What is the personality of the musician being recorded?.

Spanoudi says it is important for producers to ask themselves the following questions when deciding to work with a musical artist: For founding director Sevi Spanoudi, a music producer’s decisions should be driven by what “makes financial sense for the growth of the artist.” According to Music In Africa’s Revenue Streams for Music Creators in South Africa 2022 report, this equates to an average monthly earning of R8 688 for music producers in South Africa.īlack Major is a boutique record label that has successfully produced a number of South African artists – including DJ Lag, Manthe Ribane and Sibot – according to their unique strengths and abilities.

Generally speaking, producers in South Africa get paid between R40 000 and R195 000 per production.

What are the specific terms of the recording deal in place? Sometimes, a producer may elect to receive a smaller upfront fee in exchange for a greater producer royalty on expected (future) revenue. Is this an independent production or a major label release? Įstimated earnings from music production in South Africa will depend on a number of factors:

Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) sector codes are currently being introduced in the ETPS, which will assist in long-term skills development and vertical integration opportunities for small businesses. Included in this economic sector are both ‘backstage’ skills (lighting, sound, staging, etc.) and ‘release’ skills (design, technological innovation, business management and financial literacy). The ETPS includes more than 40 different types of occupations that service all kinds of venues from theatres to cinemas, film studios, clubs and music festivals. This is a primary support sector to the creative and cultural industries, which in 2018 contributed R75.3 billion to the country’s GDP and employed 1.3 million people.

In South Africa, music production is formally included in the event, technical and production services (ETPS) sector.

It is the producer that can look beyond the purely creative process of making music towards finding its best route to market. Music production is a complicated and diverse role, defined by Berklee Online as “the process by which music is created, captured, manipulated and preserved so that it can be distributed and enjoyed.” Music production involves the melding of the technical and the creative it requires producers to work alongside both recording engineers and artists, in order to provide a holistic perspective on the musical project. This article looks at the current trends within the industry and suggests some tips on how to maximise revenue from music production in South Africa.

Southside with you producer