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Recording Studio Rockstars

Lij Shaw Interviews music producers, engineers, studio owners, and other professionals to bring you inspiring stories, tricks, and insights from the recording studio. So that you can take your recordings to the next level and become a rockstar of the recording studio yourself! - Vance Powell, Michael Beinhorn, Russell Wolff, Graham Cochrane, Joe Gilder, Björgvin Benediktsson.
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Recording Studio Rockstars
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Now displaying: January, 2025
Jan 31, 2025
Taking care of oneself enhances professional interactions! Will discussed his journey from a small town to the music industry, emphasizing the importance of mental health and self-care within the field. He addressed the balance between technology and artistry and explored adapting to evolving production landscapes, such as Atmos mixing. Will also shared his insights on career transitions, the impact of music budgets, and recording techniques.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Will Kennedy, a platinum-selling producer, mixer, and recording engineer whose credits include U2 on Songs of Experience and Songs of Innocence, O.A.R. on Live From Madison Square Garden, and OneRepublic’s Oh My My. He’s also known for his work on The 88’s “At Least It Was Here,” the theme from the hit TV series Community. In 2021, Will teamed up with longtime collaborator Matt Wallace to create Studio Delux Immersive, a cutting-edge mixing studio at the legendary Sound City Center in Los Angeles. Together, they’ve mixed over 200 songs in Dolby Atmos and other immersive formats, bringing new depth to classics by Jason Mraz, Black Sabbath, The B-52s, and Selena Gomez, as well as enhancing new releases from Dave Matthews Band, Tank and the Bangas, Ondara, and Grouplove. Will’s expertise in immersive audio and multi-genre mixing has established him as a pioneer in the field, and he continues to inspire a new generation of engineers with his innovative approach and technical skill.

His personal studio in Los Angeles (Studio P) features an incredible array of modern digital equipment (Avid, Universal Audio, Waves, Soundtoys, Arturia, Korg), custom-built analog processing by JCF Audio, and vintage analog gear including a 1963 Vox AC 30 guitar amplifier, and restored 1973 Ampex 440-B reel-to-reel tape machine available for all mixing projects.

Will was also one of the originators of the popular “Mix Notes From Hell” podcast, and was the music producer for the East African singing contest show “Maisha Superstar.”

Thanks to Matt Boudreau at Working Class Audio for making our introduction!

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!


http://UltimateMixingMasterclass.com

https://www.adam-audio.com

https://www.native-instruments.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://www.izotope.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://roswellproaudio.com/

https://www.makebelievestudio.com/mbsi Get your MBSI plugin here!

https://RecordingStudioRockstars.com/Academy 

https://www.thetoyboxstudio.com/


Listen to this guest's discography on Apple Music and Spotify:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/immersive-mixes-by-matt-and-will/pl.u-Z6ppTR0zgV
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Gf5jNX58nyRQADahlZzOe?si=ef7c3bf4611e4707

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/491

Jan 24, 2025
Daily planning is crucial for managing a busy studio schedule! Duncan explored the importance of mastering, the impact of technology and AI, and the intricacies of creating a professional sound environment. He shared insights into his workflow, including his unique 'flight plan' approach to daily planning, while also discussing the challenges and rewards of mastering music for vinyl records.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Duncan Ferguson, a mastering engineer based in East Nashville with a true passion for critical listening and collecting all kinds of recordings. Duncan got into mastering naturally and has earned the nickname “the music librarian” from his close friends. Over the years, he’s honed his skills to bring music to life across all listening applications.

Duncan’s mastering studio, The Voltage Exchange, is all about solving problems for clients. After seeing the shifts in the music industry over the past decade, he’s focused on offering solutions for artists, producers, and mixing engineers while making the process as seamless as possible. Duncan believes in collaboration and transparent relationships — he loves having clients present during sessions and sharing his techniques, equipment, and choices to ensure their true vision shines through.

As someone who also collects vinyl, Duncan offers full-service in-house vinyl mastering and disk cutting with a new Sillitoe lathe. Duncan's mastering studio is right nearby me in East Nashville.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!


http://UltimateMixingMasterclass.com

https://www.adam-audio.com

https://www.native-instruments.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://www.izotope.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://roswellproaudio.com/

https://www.makebelievestudio.com/mbsi Get your MBSI plugin here!

https://RecordingStudioRockstars.com/Academy 

https://www.thetoyboxstudio.com/


Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4oZdXUCxUBz4sGLa5i1tWp?si=fbd381f435314baf

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/490

 

Jan 17, 2025
"The Distressor is an iconic piece of gear." Dave talked about his journey from musician to audio engineer, creating the iconic Distressor compressor, the role of distortion, harmonics, and thoughtful gear selection in achieving masterful audio mixing and production, and offered practical advice for aspiring recording engineers.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Dave Derr, a musician raised in a family of engineers destined to rock and make his mark on the recording industry. Dave started with studying classical piano, composition, and theory as a Music Major in college but still loved ripping solos on his '67 Gibson SG Special. This passion for music led him to a 12-year journey with the band Jack of Diamonds, touring the Philadelphia, Delaware, and Maryland areas.

But Dave wasn’t just rocking the stage—he was also the guy fixing the band's guitars, keyboard rigs, and PA systems. This hands-on experience sparked his path to becoming an Electronics Technician and eventually a studio engineer.

Dave landed a gig at Eventide and worked alongside industry giants, contributing to the design of iconic gear like the H3000, H3500, and DSP4000. And after hours? He ran his own recording studio at home, refining his craft night and day.

In 1994, Dave’s talents culminated in the creation of the Distressor—a modern classic that’s now a staple in major studios worldwide. Empirical Labs now has over 42,000 Distressors sold and an entire line of analog processors and digital plugins and their latest creation, the PUMP, a powerful 500 Series compressor based on the Distressor is breaking new ground for getting killer sounds in the studio or out in the field.

I am super excited to have Dave Derr joining us on the podcast today. This is a big day for me, the show, and definitely a bucket list interview!

PS Go to empiricallabs.com to find the Arousor and BIG FrEQ plugins where you can use the coupon code RSR10 for 10% off.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!


http://UltimateMixingMasterclass.com

https://www.adam-audio.com

https://www.native-instruments.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://www.izotope.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://roswellproaudio.com/

https://www.makebelievestudio.com/mbsi Get your MBSI plugin here!

https://RecordingStudioRockstars.com/Academy 

https://www.thetoyboxstudio.com/

 

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/489

Jan 10, 2025
"Listen to what the session musicians say during lunch!" Joe talked about how to be a great studio assistant, orchestral sessions, choosing the perfect vocal mic and DAW, Harrison Mixbus 32, the SSL UF8 and UC-1, and being a servant to the song!

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Joe Carrell, a Nashville-based producer, mixer, and recording engineer. Over his 20+ year career, Joe has mixed and recorded 12 Grammy-nominated albums, worked on Dove Award-winning songs, and contributed to over 38 charting number-one hits, with Billboard top tens in multiple categories, all the while producing pop artists and mixing everything from rock, country, jazz, gospel, bluegrass, etc. He currently works from the historic Treasure Isle Recorders in Nashville TN.

Joe Carrell began his journey in the professional music world as an assistant engineer for a member of Nashville's legendary Bradley family. With a strong background as a musician and a deep love for recording, Joe quickly became a sought-after expert in the industry. Today, he shares his passion and expertise on his YouTube channel, In The Mix with Joe Carrell, and in collaboration with platforms like Produce Like A Pro, Warm Audio, and SSL. Joe produces hands-on tutorials for both beginners and seasoned engineers, covering essential mixing and production techniques such as vocal mixing, managing multiple vocal tracks, adding depth to mixes, and insights into his hybrid workflow. He also offers tips on using EQ, stereo widening, automation, subgroups, balancing low-end frequencies, mixing orchestral elements, and crafting commercial-ready tracks across a variety of genres.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!


http://UltimateMixingMasterclass.com

https://www.adam-audio.com

https://www.native-instruments.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://www.izotope.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://roswellproaudio.com/

https://www.makebelievestudio.com/mbsi Get your MBSI plugin here!

https://RecordingStudioRockstars.com/Academy 

https://www.thetoyboxstudio.com/


Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0eq797VHiwEZkHpkPT2my7?si=70f85ca0cc324b3b

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/488

Jan 3, 2025
Conductor or conductor? Andrei talked about creating a studio in an old abandoned train carriage down under, composing in Ableton Live, saving drums for last, how to get your bass right, the best cassette plugins, and why you need a MIDI controller.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Andrei Eremin, a music producer, recording, mixing and mastering engineer whose work is Grammy-nominated, ARIA award-winning and has amassed over 8 billion streams to date. Since getting his start at Deluxe Mastering in Melbourne, Andrei has worked on releases by Hiatus Kaiyote, Tash Sultana, G Flip, Sampa the Great, Chet Faker and others, quickly developing a reputation as one of the most in-demand engineers in Australia.

Since then, Andrei has diversified his craft, producing an eponymous EP, a pseudonymous mixtape, records for other artists including Closure in Moscow’s third album “Soft Hell”, as well as mastering Tones and I’s runaway hit “Dance Monkey” and mixing Baker Boy’s debut album “Gela”, which personally earned him an ARIA award in 2022 for Best Mixed Album.

Thank you to Mark Allen at Vitalic Noise Management in Los Angeles for the introduction!

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!


http://UltimateMixingMasterclass.com

https://www.adam-audio.com

https://www.native-instruments.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://www.izotope.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://roswellproaudio.com/

https://www.makebelievestudio.com/mbsi Get your MBSI plugin here!

https://RecordingStudioRockstars.com/Academy 

https://www.thetoyboxstudio.com/


Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/506jX8KQxbW5RWcWHmfFe8?si=83af4cb7d0fc4bd0

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/487

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