Robyn Payne - Music Producer

Robyn Payne - Music Producer is an award-winning Australian music producer based in Brighton East, Melbourne with over 30 years’ experience producing songs and albums for delighted clients. As a highly skilled producer, musician and audio engineer with her own state-of-the-art recording studio, she has all the tools needed to bring your songs to life.

Robyn’s skills include music producer, multi-instrumental musician, composer, vocal producer, orchestrator, audio engineer, mix engineering and mastering engineer.

Her Melbourne recording studio features a professionally designed control room, two acoustically isolated studios and all the tech you’d expect. A concert series Yamaha C6 provides the ultimate in grand piano recording.

Robyn has been working professionally as a session musician, performer and producer for over 30 years, and so has built a broad repertoire of music styles. She’s comfortable producing pop, rock, country, funk, dance, R&B, soul, Celtic, new age, classical and more, from the simplest delicate arrangements to bands to full orchestration.

Whether you’re a singer/ songwriter with no band or recording experience, or you’re a full band who wants your sound captured the way it deserves to be, Robyn has the skills, the experience, the musical empathy and the equipment to make your song great.

What does a music producer do?

In short, I see my role as music producer is to capture the essence and emotion of a song in recorded form. I will enhance it without transforming it, but can transform it if that’s what’s required, bringing the song to life whilst ensuring a stress-free and enjoyable process.

In more detail, that means analysing the music and considering the best way to present it. What is the purpose of the production? (eg. a demo, commercial release, keepsake). Would the music benefit if some parts were changed, added or removed? Does the writer or the band have specific requests? What instruments or vocals would enhance it? Who will be playing and singing - the artists, band members, myself, session players? What is the budget? And so on. It is my role to consider all these things.

When it comes to the recording process, traditionally the music producer would be seen working alongside and directing the artist, musicians, engineer, arranger and often others. Today those roles tend to overlap. I am almost always the engineer as well as producer and often the arranger and musician. Being both engineer and producer enables me to manage a smooth efficient flow of the recording process whilst also keeping a working mix which the artist can readily review. Being multi-instrumental I am easily able to communicate with other musicians, and also play parts as needed.

If you’re a vocalist, my goal is to create a relaxed environment, give you a great headphone mix and guide you through the song, giving feedback, suggestions and encouragement to get the best possible result. I tend towards a session that flows and has spontaneity, rather than endless takes. I’m always on the look out for a great natural performance - any rough edges can often be touched up in the mix.