ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to establish a case for teaching and learning what the authors refer to as musical listening as a potential inroad to bridge the gap between practical and analytical studies of popular music, and therefore to teaching music production. It focuses on experience in teaching studio production in academic institutions, where studio production classes are taught alongside popular music studies, popular musicology and pedagogy, providing students with an interdisciplinary grounding in popular music. The musician/producer usually creates all the music and often writes the songs, bringing in vocal talent to front the project. The engineer/producer will craft the sound of an existing project, often using equipment and technique to create the magic in the studio. Flexibility and communication are key factors here, and as an engineering producer, one must acquire a repertoire of techniques that go beyond the strictly musical, including "emotional labour" and a host of other skills and approaches.
