Traditionally, an engineer is responsible for capturing sound - microphone choice, gear, etc. A producer can have a number of different responsibilities - anything from songwriting to judging performances - setting mood, and (perhaps most importantly) choosing which songs to work on!
Matt SquireI just try and get the best out of an artist - we all have a responsibility to fill the world with awesome songs!
Matt SquireI like to get a vibe first, then a melody and really beat up the melody for a while, then try and find a lyric that really suits him/her.
Matt SquireEvery artist is different - the pop mentality is different than bands for me, because I'm playing a lot of the instruments.
Matt Squire