Is VR the future of recording? Justin talked about keeping his studio The Hallowed Halls fully booked through 2020 by offering video and VR production for bands, how to keep your family while making records, why your headphone mixes suck, and spoons!

My guest today is Justin Phelps chief engineer and designer of the Hallowed Halls recording studios in Portland OR. He began his career in 1996 at San Fransisco’s famed Coast Recorders where he worked as a house engineer and received considerable guidance from a chief engineer/producer John Cuniberti and studio owner/gear guru Dan Alexander as well as working at some of the Bay Areas finest studios including The Plant, Prairie Sun, Studio 880, Tiny Telephone and Studio D. 

In 2004 he acquired the lease for one of the more historic spaces in San Francisco, Hyde Street Studio C which he restored to its former glory and ran for the next 5 years as one of the busiest rooms in San Francisco when he met his wife Deanna and started his family. 

With the birth of their first daughter, they relocated to Portland Oregon where he founded Cloud City Sound a multi room facility with a busy mastering suite serving many regional and international until 2016 when he opened The Hallowed Halls located in a 5500 square foot, historic, turn of the century library where the building’s natural acoustics made for an ideal recording studio site. 

Since then, they have been cranking records out for a wide variety of American and International acts, hosting a constant stream of events benefiting the local music and arts community and dabbling in new recording directions. The most prominent of these would be music video production. 

The Covid 19 era has seen a particularly high spike in combined music and video as a result of the severe limitations placed on live performance. Necessity is the mother of invention and Justin is currently modifying The Hallowed Halls to facilitate concert performances and multi camera shoots including VR concerts in Studio A’s main hall. 

Through a partnership with a strong concert streaming distribution network, the hope is to use this to get the lifelong patrons of our studios back to work and to find new creative outlets for the music we create. So far it’s working. 

Thanks so much to John Cuniberti for making our introduction!

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson

Don't be relentlessly offensive! Geoff told hilarious stories about Lou Reed's record being too raw for Clive Davis, getting kicked out of the Holiday Inn with Keith Moon, working with Tom Dowd, designing class A audio gear for Daking Audio.

My guest today is Geoff Daking who grew up playing in local bands before attending American University which he ultimately left to join the NY based Mercury artist Blues Magoos to play the drums in 1966 (I was born in 1967). 

Between ‘66 and ’69, they recorded four albums, two of which were platinum, and a top-five single, “We Ain’t Got Nothin’ Yet”. The peak of their career was in 1967 when they toured four months with Herman’s Hermits and The Who (the Hermits were the headliners). During that time he became fascinated with recording and engineered some of the Magoos last albums. In the summer of 1969, Geoff went back to Woodstock where he played in bands with Tim Harden, Dave Sanborn, Paul Butterfield and Buzzy Feiton. 

In 1970, Geoff became a staff engineer at Sound Ideas in NYC, then SoundMixers NYC, and later as an independent engineer. And In 1982. he opened his own studio, Nimbus Nine, which grew to four rooms, one API, one Neve, one Trident, and one ProTools.

Since 1970, Geoff has designed and built more than 20 recording studios for music, film and commercial production. including the all analog “BIG Blue” in Katonah NY for the recording of Joan Osborne’s premier album, “Relish” and Tuxedo Park for Cyndi Lauper’s “Sisters of Avalon”. His most recent studio is the multi-million dollar music production facility in Saint Petersburg Florida, Big3 Entertainment.

In 1993 Geoff started manufacturing his own line of audio equipment. The first product was a combination mic-pre/eq. This all-discrete Class “A” unit was based on the legendary Trident A Range circuits by Barry Porter. Next was the FET Compressor. In 2000, production began for full-size Class A recording consoles in frame sizes from 16 to 80 inputs. 

Thanks so much to William Wittman for making our introduction!

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Website Links:
https://www.daking.com

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson

Make "pink" great again! Clint talked about using pink noise to lock guitar mic phase, how to edit and mix killer drums, why you should start your mixes with the vocal, and how to adjust eq without reaching for the solo button, plus lots more!

My guest today is Clint Murphy a multi-platinum, award-winning producer, engineer, mixer, songwriter, and musician. He has worked on records as diverse as Manic Street Preachers, Enter Shikari, RØMANS, and 50 Cent, racking up hits both in the UK and internationally. 

UK chart successes include recording and mixing No.2 album ‘Half Way There’, for English pop-punk band Busted, mixing No.3 album ‘Rip It Up’ for hard rock legends Thunder and producing, mixing and writing for upcoming bands such as Keir, Courts, Twin Wild and Youth Club. Most recently, Clint has been working with British rock band Enter Shikari, mixing their critically-acclaimed, UK No.2 album ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’.

Back in his native New Zealand, Clint’s work continually tops the charts through artists such as Devilskin, Opshop, Annabel Fay, The Feelers, Kimbra, Junica (Ladyhawke), 8 Foot Sativa and Bic Runga. This has resulted in Clint being recognized as ‘Engineer Of The Year’ multiple times at the New Zealand Music Awards.

Other international successes include Chinaski’s no.1 album ‘Rockfield’, covering three no.1 singles notching up over 60 million YouTube streams, Codes’ multi-award-winning album ‘Trees Dream In Algebra’ and Melanie C’s multi-platinum album, “Beautiful Intentions”, which spent nine weeks topping the charts in Europe.

Thanks so much to Ryan Smith at (Sterling Sound) for making our introduction.

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Website Links:
https://www.clintmurphyproductions.com
Facebook
Instagram

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson

How do you get the best performance from a band? Howard talked about recording choir for Leonard Cohen, mixing Arcade Fire, working with Steve Albini and Daniel Lanois, why you should limit yourself in the studio, and other great stories!

My guest today is Howard Bilerman, a GRAMMY and Juno awarded musician, sound engineer & record producer who has been recording bands for over 30 years. As co-owner & head engineer of the  hotel2tango recording studio in Montreal, Bilerman has enjoyed working with some of Canada’s most talented artists, as well as others from The USA, The UK, France, Italy, Scotland, Africa, Spain, Ireland, Switzerland, Portugal & Australia. 

Some of the artists Howard has worked with include: LEONARD COHEN, THE ARCADE FIRE, VIC CHESNUTT, A SILVER MT. ZION, NAP EYES, BRITISH SEA POWER, SAM ROBERTS, PATRICK WATSON, COEUR  DE PIRATE, ADAM COHEN, LOU DOILLON, THE WEBB SISTERS, and WOLF  PARADE to name just a few. He has been credited on over 500 records to date,  including as an engineer on LEONARD COHEN’s GRAMMY winning song “ You Want It  Darker”. 

Howard has been a regular faculty member at the BANFF CENTRE, having helped to create their groundbreaking INDIE RESIDENCY & SINGER SONGWRITER programs.  Bilerman’s recordings have received international critical praise, and the hotel2tango is seen by many as being at the center of Montreal’s independent music community.

Thanks so much to Steve Albini for the introduction.

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Website Links:
www.howardbilerman.com

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson

To click or not to click? That is the question... Jay talked about playing drums and producing artists at Pentavarit Studios, how to create a Nashville numbers chart, why he uses two different monitors for mixing, and how to record vocals and guitar.

My guest today is Jay Tooke an Award-winning, Canadian born producer, songwriter, and musician who moved to Nashville back in 2012.

Having gotten his start as a working musician at the age of 17 some of his earliest memories are of plunking out melodies by ear on the family’s piano, but it was the intro to Dire Straits “Money for Nothing” that lit a fire in his soul for the drums. Not long after he started a love affair with the guitar and from then on, his sights were set on a career in music. 

During his 26 year career, he has toured all over the world with a range of artists from Canada and the US, and has produced records that have garnered critical and commercial success in Australia, New Zealand, Germany as well as Canada and the US. 

His philosophy behind making records has always been about helping the artist find their own voice in the studio. It’s never about forcing ideas or making the record he wants to make. It’s a collaboration between producer and artist to find the truest form of the song. Allowing the material to become the best version of itself through exploration and experimentation.

Thanks so much to Bobby Holland for the introduction.

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Website Links:
IG: @jimmyofthetookes
Facebook

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson

Is noise really a bad thing in a recording? Jessica talked about cleaning up audio with iZotope RX, focusing bass with Low-End Focus, and even re-balancing a mono mix using amazing new plugins to restore audio from old tapes and vinyl records.

My guest today is Jessica Thompson a GRAMMY-nominated mastering and restoration engineer, audio preservation specialist, and educator. She has digitized, restored, and revived historic recordings for artists ranging from jazz pianist Erroll Garner to blues and folk revolutionary Barbara Dane, from Ethiopian keyboardist Hailu Mergia to proto punk band Jack Ruby, from anarcho-punk band Crucifix to synthesizer legend Pauline Anna Strom.  

She masters music both new and old and has worked on records for Michael Daves, Flipsyde, Matthew McNeal, International Dub Ambassadors, Teno Afrika, Occurrence, and many more. 

She sometimes writes gear reviews for Tape Op Magazine and contributed a chapter on "Mastering the Sonics of Historic Recording Media" for the book Music Preservation and Archiving Today.  

She currently serves as President of the San Francisco Chapter of the Recording Academy. In her spare time, she likes to ride steel bikes and walk her dog, Eddie.

Thanks so much to Ian Brennan for making our introduction!

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Website Links:
www.jessicathompsonaudio.com
Instagram @jathompso
Twitter @jathompso

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson

When Barrack Obama asks you to play the drums... Wes talked about playing at the DNC with Beyonce, Sting, and Mariah Carey, rocking out with Chuck D, how to build a great drum room, and choosing the best drum fills and cymbals!

My guest today is Wes Little one of Nashville’s most adaptable and multi-faceted drummers, as well as a top flight arranger, producer and songwriter. 

Wes was trained in performance and composition at the Manhattan School of Music and shaped by years of studio and stage work with major acts. Currently a first call session drummer in Nashville, Wes has also performed or recorded with Chuck D, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith,  John Legend, Melissa Etheridge, Robben Ford, Michael and Randy Brecker, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. He works in Nashville, where he lives and records daily in the studio.  

Some of his credits for recording or touring are with Robben Ford, Christopher Cross, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Trey Anastasio, Little River Band, Larry Carlton, Sting, Stevie Wonder,  Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Joe Perry, Steven Tyler, John Legend, Jamie Fox, Melissa  Etheridge, Jermaine Jackson, Mariah Carey, Public Enemy, Shakira, Busta Rhymes, Emmylou Harris, Mary J. Blige Anita Baker, Paul Shaffer, Dierks Bentley, Pam Tillis, Ashley Cleveland, Bootsy Collins, MC Lyte, KRS-One, Vernon Reid, Delbert McClinton, Big Daddy Kane, The Pointer Sisters, Emmylou Harris,  Wynonna Judd, Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, Luke Combs, Warren Haynes, Sonny Landreth, Little Big Town - Eric Johnson, Larry Carlton, Deena Carter, Paul Schaffer, and his own venture - The Big Greasy. 

On another note, Wes also played on Broadway. “I have made whip crack sounds for John Lithgow in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” says Little. “I have played quite possibly the largest set up in the world of drums and percussion in the show BKLYN. I acted the part of a drummer that couldn't speak in the show "Once Around the Sun.” I also played in a big bang on stage for 3 months in a show of “Rat Pack, Live at  the Sands."  

Thanks so much to Smith Curry for making our introduction.

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Website Links:
weslittle.com

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson

Is it really all about the Benjamins or the Hamiltons? JJ Blair talked about recording Hammond Organ, how to store your studio mics, how to record the "Purdie Shuffle", and the secret to getting a great sound in Pro Tools using a console.

My guest today is J.J. Blair a native Chicagoan, who came up playing in blues and reggae clubs as a teenager in his home town, before eventually moving to Los Angeles to begin his recording career.  Known for taste, musicality and proficiency in a broad range of musical styles, J.J. has also amassed a great collection of vintage mics, outboard gear and instruments, which he draws on to make outstanding recordings and productions.  

He produced and mixed the Grammy winning record "Press On," by June Carter Cash, engineered on the Grammy winning and #1 Billboard Hot 100 record "Great American Song Book vol. 3," by Rod Stewart, as well as engineering on P. Diddy's #1 hit "All About the Benjamins." 

J.J. has been a producer and engineer since 1994.  His clients, credits and list of musicians he's recorded include Jeff Beck, George Benson, The Black Eyed Peas, Body Count, Joe Bonamassa, Jon Brion, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, David Cassidy, Kelly Clarkson, Vinnie Colauita, Double Trouble, Peter Erskine, Melissa Etheridge, Jason Falkner, Josh Freese, Jim Keltner, Roger Manning, Keb Mo, Zigaboo Modeliste, Bernard Purdie, Smokey Robinson, The Pointer Sisters, Rod Stewart, Tommy Stinson, Marty Stuart, Weezer, Whiskeytown, and Edgar Winter to name just a few.

J.J. works mainly from his personal recording studio, Fox Force Five Recorders. 

Thanks so much to William Wittman for making our introduction!

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Website Links:

Instagram: @j.j.blair
jjblairrecording.com
Produce Like a Pro
CVKeyboards.com

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson

Wait.. a DI can sound better than a mic on a guitar? Adam talked about mixing for the stage with acoustic band Trampled by Turtles vs producing and mixing Hip Hop artists like Mina Moore scratching vocals on Serato in the studio, plus tons more!

My guest today is Adam Krinsky a Mixer/Engineer in Minneapolis, MN. He owns and runs a studio in St. Paul, MN called Bellows. In his 15 years of music, he has been a Producer, Engineer, Mixer, FOH Mixer, Tour Manager, Manager, and Educator. 

Adam’s career started after graduating from the Institute of Production and Recording in Minneapolis. He was hired by the owner and co-founder Tom Tucker as his assistant engineer at Master Mix Studios. In parallel to working in a big fancy studio, he was also moonlighting in a small punk rock basement studio called Vaudeville. A million dollar studio during the day, a Mackie and 57’s at night. Krinsky started working at a local guitar shop called Twin Town Guitars which is where he met many of the local musicians. 

In 2006 he recorded and mixed an album called A Detail of Soldiers by The Alarmists which received local recognition. Since he has never been without a project to mix. Over the years Adam has worked on albums for artists like Bo Ramsey, Mason Jennings, The Pines, Kill The Vultures, Sadistik, and Peter Wolf Crier to name a few. These artists range in genre’s from Blues and Folk to Hip-Hop to Indie Rock. 

Somewhere along the way, he was asked to go on the road. Reluctantly he eventually tried it out and found a second passion in touring. He’s since mixed FOH for artists like Iris DeMent, Mason Jennings, Har Mar Superstar, Marijuana Deathsquads, The Pines, and Trampled by Turtles to name a few. He has also taught at a few recording schools and was a field mixer for the 6th Season of Jersey Shore. These days Krinsky is either mixing in his studio or on tour with Trampled by Turtles.

Thanks so much to Evan Bakke for making our introduction!

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Website Links:

www.adamkrinsky.com
Instagram: k_rinks
Facebook: Adam Krinsky
Twitter: @AdamKrinsky

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson

How does a reverse Dr. Pepper help you capture great vocals? Will talked about how he sets up the ultimate vocal chain at Quality Touch Studios, why you need a top-down analog mix bus chain, how to make Reaper look like Pro Tools, and mixing bass!

My guest today is William Bowser an audio engineer based out of La Plata Maryland. 

“I've been engineering for almost 20 years since 2002 where I started in the chorus room of Leonardtown High School, just myself, a microphone, and a tape recorder. From there for years I ran a home studio as an artist, producer, singer, songwriter, rapper, and engineer trying to make it and perform all over the country. 

I signed a developmental deal early on in my career with Universal Music and an indie label based out of Brooklyn New York which at the time was my most successful endeavour. When that fell through because of monetary mismanagement on the label's part I went back to being an independent artist but this time more informed and with a larger grasp of the business side of music. 

I began slowly but surely becoming more and more enamoured with the engineering side of things while bringing my skills and experience as an artist to the table. This helped me not only cross over easier but get jobs engineering for studios in Southern Maryland, Baltimore, and Atlanta Georgia.  

Fast forward after going through both a divorce and personal growth I was blessed to meet my now wife and Co-Owner of the studio (Quality Touch Studios) Tracy Bowser. 

The birth of my son signalled a new chapter in my life that changed everything from being more responsible to holding myself accountable for the actions that directly now affect my family as well as, myself and my career. Now here I am doing major work, being attached to millions of plays and achieving all my life goals one at a time, and letting God lead the way.” 

Thanks to Patrick Rene aka Killah Trakz for making our introduction.

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

⬇︎⬇︎Scroll down to listen⬇︎⬇︎

Listen TO THE PODCAST here⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Website Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qualitytouchstudios
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/william_bowser_qts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/illsoulproduc
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/illsoulproductions

Additional podcast editing and production by:
Brayden Stremming
Vlad Vasilcenko
Jon Richardson