Music Producer And Remixer, JACK RAYNER Discusses The Many Music Shows He’s Worked On Including KATY PERRY’S Prismatic Tour And Many Others!

Los Angeles-based music producer and re-mixer Jack Rayner has used his unique expertise in dance and music to create a name for himself in the television industry. Rayner’s work quickly drew the attention of hit prime-time television shows: Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and American Idol. Throughout his professional career, he has had the opportunity to produce recordings for hit makers Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus and Avril Lavigne, amongst other well-known artists.

His music collaborations led to his work being featured on The Dr. Oz show, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Saturday Night Live.

Rayner currently serves as the in-house remixer and producer for NBC’s #1 show America’s Got Talent, Tru TV’s Fake Off, ABC’s Dance Battle America and the new hit NBC series I Can Do That. Among his success as a prominent remixer and producer, Rayner is well-known for his projects that include his work on Magic Mike XXL, Katy Perry’s ‘Prismatic Tour,’ and season 10 of America’s Got Talent.

Learn more about Jack in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time today! So, how has 2016 been treating you so far? What were some of the highlights of 2015 for you? 

2016… Strange and Wonderful so far! I got married on Jan 1st! I am working on a lot of live shows this year and I absolutely love building productions and making stories come to life.

The highlight of 2015 was getting a puppy… I have always worked at home so it was long overdue to have a studio pup. I also got to work with Channing Tatum on his Beyonce piece for Lip Sync Battle which was a blast… he’s a great guy.

Generally, what’s a typical day look like for you lately? 

My studio is in back of my house so the commute is pretty good. I have 3 guys on staff at the moment and they show up at 10am on the dot. It’s good for me to have not only the help, but the structure.  I go through 50-80 emails in a normal day and work on multiple productions so there is a lot of communication in my day to day. Then I have to slip into music mode and take care of whoever needs their music 1st!

Have you always wanted to produce music for a living?

No. I didn’t even start tinkering with music until I was 18. I really had no idea that I would ever be called a music producer… it evolved in my life and I am so thankful for it.

How exactly did you first stumble into this career path?

I was a choreographer making mixes on the side for my dance projects. Those mixes evolved into breakdowns and then remixes… eventually I was producing full songs for film and tv. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!

How long have you been doing this? 

Music has been my career for 11 years.

You currently serve as the in-house producer and remixer for America’s Got Talent, Tru TV’s Fake Off, ABC’s Dance Battle America and the new series, I Can Do That. How do you juggle all of these shows? 

Luckily, I work from home so I have the flexibility to work on multiple projects in one day without having to be onsite. This allows me to prioritize and execute the music for whoever is rehearsing 1st. It’s really just about time management and making decisions.

Can you go over your specific duties for each of these different shows? How are they different and/or similar?

These shows are very similar as they are all variety shows in some respect. This is my 8th season on America’s Got Talent so I usually know what to expect with it. Fake Off was “the beast” to work on… all the acts were multi-media heavy and the sound design was heavy for those pieces which is why they are so fun to watch. At the end of the day, I am just trying to help the acts vision come alive. These shows have given me the opportunity to work with hundreds of creative people from all around the world who came to be on a tv show and dared to show the world their ideas… from Kenichi Ibina to Joe Jonas and a whole lot of names I can’t remember… but they were great all the same!

What shows or projects that you’ve worked on do you consider your favorite or what have you been the most proud of working on?

By far, Katy Perry’s Prismatic Tour.

I’m curious to know specifically about your producing job on the Katy Perry “Prismatic Tour”? What was that experience like for you?

I got to work one-on-one with Katy Perry and she really is just fantastic. She understands the swing of music, which is probably why she makes such great swinging tunes! I saw the show at the Staples Center in DTLA and was blown away to hear music that I worked on in my hometown arena.

With all the advancement made in the music technology world, how do you keep up to date with it all? Can you talk about the changes in technology that you’ve witnessed while being a producer?

A lot of time and $$ go into keeping up with technology. Funny thing is, a good song still stands with just a guitar and vocal. I think it’s fun to use technology do define yourself and I am constantly in awe of the sonic craftsmanship in today’s music… even when I do it! I started in music at the tail end of analog… I had a choice to get a tape machine or a computer and the choice was clear. I’m sure technology has hurt a lot of studios from the past because now you can record full albums in your bedroom and they can sound amazing. I have 1 analog keyboard and it does sound so much warmer the my vest plugins. Now you’re making me want a piano!

What has surprised you the most about this industry?

How complicated it can be to get paid. This industry is not for anyone that doesn’t have a business mind. Making music fun but the music industry is just that… industry!

Is there any show or project that you would love to work on one day?

Ugh, I wanted to work with Prince.

What advice would you give to someone that is interested in becoming a music producer?

Keep an open mind because styles change quick and you better “get into it” it you want to stay relevant. As I said before, you have to know how to get paid or you won’t be around very long.

What advice did you receive when you were first starting out?

I’m not sure I got any advice per se, but Shaun T who is a friend and collaborator of mine heard some of my tracks and said “Oooh, you’re gonna be rich!” Then he ran around my studio dancing to my track. I always remember that moment because of the energy.. not everyone wants to see you succeed in what you do but I have been lucky with the dance community and friends that have been very supportive.