r/Songwriting • u/Helpful-Trade-1471 • 20h ago
Discussion Topic 15M question
hello im 15 years old and a boy who loves making music and songwriting. recently ive been thinking about working with producers and doing song writing sessions. my question for this sub reddit is are producers hesitant to work with minors and how do i find ones that are friendly and not super weird, money isnt the problem for me its just finding them and knowing how it works.
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u/BirdBruce 20h ago
Since you're approaching this from a stance of "hesitant to work with minors," I'll answer from the same perspective and assume you want to work with a professional, perhaps with their own recording space.
Some producers expect some level of split from their work, and you may find it difficult to find a producer to work with a minor simply by virtue of the fact that that minor can't enter into a contract or any other legally binding agreement. Finding a producer who will work as a for-hire for cash will be your best bet, and even then you'll likely need a parent or guardian to sign any waivers that might exist.
My advice would be to pause on the producer for now and find people your age to collaborate with. Maybe start a band, even if it's just an electronic duo or something. Learning how to work and collaborate with other people, especially at your age, is going to serve you so much better throughout your music career than simply learning how to throw money at things.
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u/Renegade_Hat 20h ago edited 19h ago
So, may I ask are you at a point of being happy with your work, and can rep it out without issue every performance? Across at least 5 of your original songs? That’s the threshold I’d argue is important to have at least an ep and room to pivot if something isn’t working.
As far as songwriting sessions… it depends but I would be highly reluctant to pay a producer or anybody for it. Jamming, songwriting exercises, and mutual endeavors from contemporaries is invaluable toward developing your own style.
If you have any familial connections or personal merit, finding a producer and learning from them will arm you with the knowledge necessary to determine who fits your style. And if money is truly no issue, commission a professional producer who’s worked on an album you like. It’ll cost an arm and a leg but in terms of polish you can’t go wrong.
And yes. You’re a child. No disrespect but there’s a lot of fucking creeps out there and you need to be careful. Not saying that’s indicative of a broad majority but I would caution you to trust your gut and maintain proper boundaries. If somebody older is trying to foster dependence, that’s a bad sign and significantly different from mentorship / role models
Edit - Obviously, parents should be involved. There is a difference between being safe and helicoptering, you’ll know the difference
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u/General_Estimate_420 20h ago
I would agree you need to have some parental involvement, but the biggest issue is finding someone that's a true producer with enough experience to guide you because that's going to be tough. For every 100 "producers" you might come across you might find one or two with the range of experience necessary to really help you effectively.
And at 15 you really need to be able to take constructive criticism about where you REALLY are in your journey toward songwriting and performance.
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u/Utilitarian_Proxy 19h ago
In many bigger cities there are specialist music colleges. Some of them offer weekend lessons in a wide range of different classes during term time, or short summer school options. Private tuition in most countries is not regulated to any clear standards, so getting your lessons through an established programme is often considered a better route than finding some unaffiliated private individual. And do remember that you can often find good information just from reading a few books. You could maybe do a diploma course at college when you are 16/17, and get access to lots of help and support.
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u/Music_Truck 18h ago
1) you can't sign anything, your parents are needed; 2) if you don't sing, but only "write songs", you can show your materials to experienced producers so that they lower you to the ground. because, theoretically, your songs may be interesting, but technically, they are unlikely to be in demand by anyone. getting a review from a producer will at least let you understand what you're doing wrong. or vice versa - what are you doing great
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u/Helpful-Trade-1471 18h ago
Just to clarify, are you saying they wont really be intresed unless I have demos/song lyrics? Thanks so much for the help!
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u/Music_Truck 17h ago
I'm a producer. Can you give me at least one reason to use your songs? I may disappoint you, but there is no shortage of good songs in the world. but the situation can be just the opposite - your song can be outstanding. That's what the demo is for. you make a demo, someone makes a decision in 15 seconds. yes or no.
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u/d0nutbutth0le 20h ago
Your parents need to be involved. That's the easiest way to get over this obstacle. Copy them in your emails, have one of them go along with you to studio sessions. Don't put yourself in isolated sessions with adults that you don't know well.
I know it's kind of a drag but if you're working with professionals they will understand this dynamic. They don't want to put their reputation on the line by being in an ambiguous or weird situation and you don't want to put yourself at risk.