What Can You Expect From A Great Music Producer Do?
 

I'm a budding musician/song-writer and am searching for a guy/gal who can work a studio, help with producing and not charge me a million bucks...Anyway can explain why these guys charge "Industry Standard," when the industry is currently not producing customers that pay?

I grew up making music with a childhood friend who played drums for his church group.

Good kid, real eager to learn and had a natural talent too.
i was more experienced than him so i taught him a bit on how to arrange songs and he quickly picked up on it..

We would play for hours on the piano and the drums, he was a great drummer.

That little kid is now making beats for local rappers at a very high price.
When he was an unknown producer he would eagerly give up beats for free just to collaborate but now that he made a name for himself his time is money..

if you can't pay the standard fee professional producers ask for try to find an up and coming producer and try to work out a more sensible deal..

^ I think this is the best route as well. Unless you know someone or have special connections those studio sessions and studio time are very expensive regardless whether you are a established artist or not. I had a couple of friends in highschool that would make beats and rap on their own. They would make their own demos too and tour. Sometimes it be like that when your first starting out. Its a hard knock life when you are an independent artist but at least you have more control of your artistry.