“What is it like to write music for other artists” you ask? Well, when everything clicks between you and the artist, it's like an orgasm of awesomeness... It's like, your music just got down and dirty and made the sexiest thing ever. However, when it doesn't go well, it makes you want to slam your head in your car door. There are things you can do in order to avoid the latter. Let's look at some of these useful tips.
Ask your artist what kind of song they want
If they tell you that they want to sound like Ellie Goulding and want that electro-pop/dance song, great! It sounds like they know what they want... Right? Sure! Ask them for samples of their music that they've done already to get some sort of context on their current sound. You listen to it, and you realize that they are closer to Dolly Parton than anything else that is even remotely electro... No offense to Dolly, I'm sure she could rock an electro track, but let's just say your artist doesn't really have the voice for it.
Go With the Flow
For the sake of reducing friction in a situation like this, go with the flow. You never know how it’s going to turn out unless you try it. Thinking that you know something isn’t the same as actually knowing something. As a producer, you’ll learn to have better judgement over time, however, don’t ever not try something just because “it isn’t what everyone else is doing” or “it doesn’t sound like everyone else.” Good! You shouldn’t aspire to be normal, you should aspire to be different! Who knows, this small town, country-folk singing girl might surprise you. You might even have a hit! But, you won’t know until you do it.
When Things Just Aren’t Sounding Right
If you aren’t having success with your current track, direct them towards something that you feel would better suit their skills or maybe start fresh with a new song in the same genre... Maybe that particular song didn’t work for them. Just remember that as a producer, your time is valuable and you don’t want to be stuck on any one project for too long and then realize it’s a lost cause.
In many cases, your job as a producer is to give your artist the hard truth and tell them that they may not suit this particular sound. The problem with this is that not many people want to create conflict between them and their artist. The disturbing reality is that your artist could easily walk out on you if they are offended or feel that you don’t believe in their talents. This is something that you have to be very weary of, as artists tend to be extremely emotional and irrational beings and may over analyze what you say to them and will close you off because they are giving you their heart and soul and they feel shot down... So, be very selective of the words you use when addressing an issue like this. There is definitely an element of psychology when you’re a producer and you’ll eventually learn how to conduct these types of uncomfortable conversations with experience. (Sounds like something you’d experience in a relationship :P)...
In Conclusion
The best thing to do before getting into this situation is establishing an open dialogue with your artist from the beginning of the project. You want to establish where you both stand in this relationship. And yes, a lot of the times, working so much with these individuals can begin to feel like you are in a relationship with them. You want to make sure there are boundaries established. When it comes to working in the studio, you guys are coworkers until this album is over. Then, you can go out for drinks after all is finished and sounding good and talk about how all of you at some point in the project wanted to strangle each other. It’s easier to get a long with people when you’re friends with them, but when you’re making a record, it isn’t always going to be rainbows and lollipops. During hard times, they don’t need you there to be nice to them, that’s what their friends and family are for, they need you to push them to get the best out of them. It’s a lot easier to do this when they look at you as someone that they respect. Someone that will make objective decisions that are best for the project.
Ultimately, everyone wants what’s best for the project to make it sound as amazing as possible, so, even if you have to tell an artist something they don’t want to hear, the finished product should speak for itself and show whether or not the direction you gave throughout the album makes it shine or is just utter crap. I know it’s all art and it’s relative, but final products speak for themselves. Some projects are great and you’ll cherish those projects forever, and others, you’ll want to wash your hands of immediately. Regardless, every album is an opportunity to grow whether it’s a success or not.