# What do music producers produce? (copyediting question)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-music-producers-produce-copyediting-question/612740
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 13, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-music-producers-produce-copyediting-question/612740 "2012-02-13T20:09:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-music-producers-produce-copyediting-question/612740/1 "2012-02-13T20:09:52Z")
This is a usage question. The phrase I’m working with is “\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ is starting a job as a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_, but will continue to produce records on the side.”
“Records” seems wrong to me, as he probably actually isn’t producing any records at all - more likely CDs and/or downloadable music. (I am aware that some people still produce vinyl records, but let’s put that aside for now.) But I’m stuck on what generic word I should put in its place. “Music” seems a bit too generic.
What is it that a music producer (for example, someone who runs an independent music label) produces these days? As I understand it, he or she can produce songs and albums, but what is the generic way to refer to someone who wants to continue to work in the area?
Ideas?
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-music-producers-produce-copyediting-question/612740/2 "2012-02-13T20:36:13Z")
The correct term is probably something like “music producer” but you’d need to rewrite the sentence.
I don’t think you’ll have any problems with “records” but if you want to be a stickler, you can always say “recordings.”
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### Author:  [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-music-producers-produce-copyediting-question/612740/3 "2012-02-13T21:18:33Z")
I’d check to see how the industry phrases it. Check [Mix magazine’s web site](http://www.mixonline.com) for examples. Here’s [an interview with Quincy Jones](http://mixonline.com/recording/mixing/audio_quincy_jones/) that uses “producer” in a dozen different ways.
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### Author:  [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-music-producers-produce-copyediting-question/612740/4 "2012-02-13T21:26:40Z")
“Record producer \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ is starting a job as a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_, but will continue producing on the side.”
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-music-producers-produce-copyediting-question/612740/5 "2012-02-13T21:51:00Z")
Thanks, all. Decided to sub “albums” for “records” and leave it at that.
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### Author:  [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-music-producers-produce-copyediting-question/612740/6 "2012-02-13T22:39:07Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#):
>
> Thanks, all. Decided to sub “albums” for “records” and leave it at that.
Reasonable enough, as the “album” was originally an album of 78 RPM platters, bound together. As far as I’m concerned, it applies equally well to an album of downloaded songs as it did to 8-track or cassette.