Tag Archives for " mastering "

Ken talked about mixing in the box with Pro Tools, the power of a home studio, Tannoy vs NS10, when to mix quiet vs loud vs mono, how to properly gain stage, and how to setup your mix template for awesome bass and drums!

My guest today is Ken Sluiter, a grammy-nominated recording engineer/producer/mixer whose credits include artists such as Heart, Jerry Lee Lewis, James Blunt, Andra Day and Weezer.  His work can also be heard on many records from indie-icons including Mekons, The Jesus Lizard and Ok Go.

Working closely with producer Joe Chiccarelli, Ken has recently mixed several projects for artists such as Morrissey, Flogging Molly, Augustines, Night Riots and Divine Fits. Ken has also recorded and mixed several film and TV scores with composer, Brian Reitzell which include “Hannibal” (NBC) and “American Gods (STARZ). As a producer, Ken has worked on soundtrack songs with Debbie Harry and Shirley Manson, Siouxsie Sioux, Marc Almond and the B-52's.

To catch Kens first appearance on the podcast go to RSR111 where we talked about his journey from Chicago to LA and becoming an early adopter of Pro Tools. Today we will be focusing on mixing and the projects he has been working on recently.

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Mike talked about the 6 important steps for mixing, moving from hardware to plugins, reverb vs delay, the problem with looking for problems, how to eq vocals, getting low end right in your mix, and the importance of guitar strums, plus lots more!

My guest today is Mike Indovina, a recording, mixing and mastering engineer based out of Toronto, Canada. He also runs the website masteryourmix.com where he shares many of the lessons he's learned throughout his audio career to help thousands of musicians and engineers create better mixes that they're proud of. In addition, he hosts the MasterYourmix Podcast where he has interviewed many top-level audio engineers including Sylvia Massey, Nick Raskulinecz, David Bottrill, and more.

With an interest in pop-punk and rock music, Mike got his start as a drummer, having spent the first decade of his career playing and touring with bands. 

Most recently, Mike released a brand new book called "The Mixing Mindset - The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio". This book quickly became a #1 best seller on Amazon. This book aims to provide people with a complete understanding of the tools, workflow, and mindset needed to create polished mixes with confidence, speed, and ease.

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Wyn talked about what he learned from Ken Scott (who recorded the Beatles), and his studio Total Access Recording in Redondo beach CA where bands like Black Flag, Husker Du, Great White, Dokken, and then No Doubt, and Sublime all made genre defining records. Wyn also shared some great stories and tips on recording drums and guitars.

My guest today is Wyn Davis and I am going to read his bio to you know because it tells his story well:

I started playing guitar when I was 10. I grew up in Southern California and was influenced by all the music that was created here and in Northern California. Beachboys, Doors, Canned Heat, Spirit, Jefferson Airplane, Frank Zappa, all of it. I think the releases of 1967-1968, the folk music, the rock music, the psychedelic music, the British invasion, all of it was the foundation of my ear. I played in bands and in 1974 moved to New York and performed throughout the North East at over 200 colleges and universities.

In 1981 I opened my studio in Redondo Beach, California and named it Total Access after a backstage pass I’d been given a few weeks earlier by George Massenburg when he was mixing FOH for Earth Wind and Fire. I imagined I’d be able to record my own music but quickly found out that keeping a studio open required clients. By word of mouth, the studio gained a reputation as a place where young bands could record in professionally designed space and come away with competitive results. 

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Jordan talked about building the perfect voice over booth, the best mics for voice, how to avoid plosives, the ultimate de-essing strategy, and how to get massive low end in your voice over mix. Plus he shares the story of helping to design the Roswell RA-VO mic with Matt McGlynn.

My guest today is Jordan Reynolds an established voice actor and in-demand, progressive voice-over demo reel and audio producer in Los Angeles. His voice has been heard all over the world. Voicing internationally known companies such as LEGO, Audi, Sprite, and Cisco - to voice dubbing and impersonating celebrities - to screaming in video games such as World of Warcraft to voicing villains in Netflix Anime series.

He directs and records voice talent both in his professional home studio or from their home studio online. Where he then mixes and produces personalized demo reels with music and sound effects.

He’s a frequent speaker on the topic of Demos, Audio, and Voiceover at some of the largest voiceover conferences in the industry. He also played a key role in designing the very first high-quality microphone made specifically for voiceover: The Roswell Pro Audio RA-VO.

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Dave talked about recording the grunge scene in Seattle, beating the demo, blending mics for great guitar recordings, the importance of headphone mixes, and the never before heard story of secretly editing the Even Flow master tape for Pearl Jam.

My guest today is Dave Hillis who started his career as a 17 year old guitarist for the legendary thrash metal band "MACE." Dave also spent ten years alongside legendary producer Rick Parashar, at Seattle's famed  London Bridge Studios, during the birth of the Grunge era where he worked as the engineer on Pearl Jam's debut album  "Ten" , "Mother Love Bone", the movie soundtrack for "Singles", Alice in Chains, Blind Melon, The Seattle Symphony, Love On Ice, and many others.

Dave’s producing and engineering credits include The Afghan Whigs', The Twilight Singers, Kevin Martin of Candlebox, and he has even worked with comedian, Denis Leary among many others.

In 2011,  Dave opened Starlodge Studios in Seattle; a private mix and overdub room featuring vintage and modern recording tools and his beloved AMPEX 1/2" tape Machine for analog magic. And he now lives in Pittsburgh PA where he recently works from a new multi purpose performance hall recording studio called The Sanctuary at Mr Smalls.

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Stuart talked about producing post hardcore music, creating a wall of distorted guitars, how to record and mix monster drums and guitars, killer mixing template tips, and how to create a mastermind group for your studio.

My guest today is Stuart Richardson who began his career as a recording engineer in his native Wales in the mid-'90s, cutting his teeth with bands and musicians who would go on to become breakout artists, such as Funeral for a Friend, Bullet for my Valentine, The Blackout, and Kids in Glass Houses. In 1998, Stu joined the band Lostprophets, who signed a record deal with Columbia Records/Visible Noise.

He spent the next decade recording and earning No. 1 albums and sales of more than 3.5 million units, multiple industry awards, millions of YouTube views and music streams, sold-out shows in clubs, arenas and headlining music festival shows on stages across the globe. Stuart has taken part in every aspect of the music industry.

In 2014 Stuart began focusing on recording, producing and mixing again moving his family from LA to Florida to open Rocky Water Studios.

He is currently a member of the highly acclaimed band NO DEVOTION, and a touring bassist with the legendary post-hardcore band THURSDAY.

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Brandon talked about recording bluegrass, Americana, and country artists at Southern Ground Studios in Nashville TN, capturing Paul McCartney's vocals, how to record acoustic guitar, mandolin, and banjo, and the best ways to record without headphones.

My guest today is Brandon Bell, a Grammy-winning recording engineer known for his work with Bluegrass, Americana, and Country music artists. Originally from central Arkansas, Brandon moved to Tennessee to study recording at Middle Tennessee State University.

He got his start interning for, and later assisting, renowned recording engineer & producer Gary Paczosa. With Gary he was twice nominated for the Best Engineered non-classical Grammy for Alan Jackson's Like Red on a Rose and Sarah Jarosz's bluegrass album Follow me Down.  

Brandon later received a Grammy in 2013 for Best Bluegrass Album for his work on the Steep Canyon Rangers album Nobody Knows You. His other credits at this time include Earl Scruggs, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Chris Thile, Darrell Scott, Dierks Bentley, and Blackberry Smoke.

In 2014 Brandon was hired to be Studio Manager and Chief Engineer at Southern Ground Nashville, a beautiful Nashville recording studio owned by Zac Brown. Brandon has expanded into production with artist Sam Lewis, and he also enjoys working with producer Dave Cobb on records for Robert Randolph, Dylan Leblanc, Dillon Carmichael, Anderson East, Brent Cobb, William Prince, Chris Isaak and John Prine. 

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Jared talked about setting and growing up your recording studio business, keeping track of income and expenses, how to properly 1099, and the best tools for bookkeeping like a pro!

Every year in April here in the US it’s tax time, and for those of us working professionally in the recording studio, it means organizing all the income, bills, and expenses of the year to see how we did and then send off a check to the IRS to show our gratitude to Uncle Sam. So today I have a guest that will help us better understand how to organize your recording business, and manage your money the smart way.

My guest today is Jared Eliseo, a licensed CPA with over 10 years of invaluable experience having worked with some of the largest accounting firms and businesses in the world. In 2014, he began using his talent to fulfill his true passion to open his own CPA firm, currently located in Charlotte, NC. He now serves Main Street small business owners by offering customized one-on-one financial and accounting services.

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Simon and Greg talked about recording remotely in Senegal and Morocco, Building a studio from local materials, getting professional recordings and video with a simple portable studio, and making sure that the chickens don't get you down. Plus lots of amazing stories about travel and music.

My guests today are Simon Walls & Greg Bonnier from Montreal CA. once a year, they pick a country, board a plane, pack suitcases full of gear and record as many talented artists as they can find. They have an amazing series on Youtube now called Simon & Greg Record The World.

Simon Walls is a music producer, songwriter and adventurer. After producing his own original records, he has been producing, recording and mixing for other artists such as Le Winston Band, David Jobin, Clay and Friends, ILAM, Tee Cloud, Sadio Cissokho and Aaron Lumley. He also produces for Wapikoni Mobile, Musique Nomade and AVATAQ offering recording services and mentorship to indigenous musicians across Canada. Between records, Simon is a motivational speaker at The Great Explorers where he tells the tales of his adventures.

Greg Bonnier is a record producer, sound engineer and filmmaker based in Montreal, Canada. Beginning at Musique Plus (Much Music) in 2000, he has since managed post-production facilities, mixed various TV shows, filmed and edited many documentaries, live shows, corporate films and web projects including a web series with renown French actor Pierre Richard. Since 2006, his work in music has led him to produce, record and mix all over the world with artists from all walks of life and diverse musical genres.

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