Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast

My guests this week are Alexandra Bartles and Rick Snoman of Pro Audio Ears and Altar Recording Studios, the world’s first boutique recording studio dedicated to Electronic Dance Music.  Alex is a practicing audiologist with over 18 years experience who specializes in tinnitus retraining therapy. She also serves on the AES education and historical committees, and is co-chair of the Electronic Dance Music committee.  Rick is an award winning producer and remixer, who’s worked with Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and many others. He has his Ph.D in audio technology from Cambridge University, and is the author of the highly regarded Dance Music Manual, a standard textbook in schools around the world. The two have collaborated to create Pro Audio Ears, a unique site designed to help develop the critical listening skills and analytical listening that are essential for an engineer or producer’s success. During our interview we talked about the intricacies of our hearing and ears, some facts about tinnitus th

My guest this week is drummer Matt Starr, who's worked with Ace Frehley, Joe Lynn Turner, Mr. Big and many others both recording and touring . Matt is also a successful career coach, using his past success and failures as a guide to help musicians getting started or those that are stuck in place. During our interview we talked about going from frontman to sideman, his secret for networking, working with producer Mike Chapman, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at rating your musical taste, and the rise of interactive sheet music. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epGuid: 'https://bobbyoinnercircle.com/?p=2712', rssUrl: 'https://bobbyoinnercircle.com/feed/podcast/', backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };

No guest this week, but you'll find plenty to listen to as I give my top predictions for what will happen next year in the music industry. We'll look at a wide variety of topics including: How music venues adapt to the new worldLive streamingThe many facets of the TikTok storyFacebook getting biggerSongwriting changing once againVinyl shortages and what might happenPodcasting petering outSmarter plugins becoming the normand much more. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epGuid: 'https://bobbyoinnercircle.com/?p=2704', rssUrl: 'https://bobbyoinnercircle.com/feed/podcast/', backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };

No guest on the podcast this week, but I will be taking my annual look back at how the music world changed in 2020. Even though the pandemic dominated the headlines, there was so much more that happened in the past year. We'll cover: Some of the serious fires that shaped our year and our futureThe booming guitar marketThe ups and downs of Guitar CenterStreaming numbers, platforms, and changesSome lawsuits that could change songwritingIntroduction of new gear and technologyAnd much more. Remember that you can find the podcast at BobbyOInnerCircle.com, or either on iTunes, Stitcher, Mixcloud, Google Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Deezer, TunIn Radio, and RadioPublic. Enjoy the show! var podscribeEmbedVars = { epGuid: 'https://bobbyoinnercircle.com/?p=2696', rssUrl: 'https://bobbyoinnercircle.com/feed/podcast/', backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px',

NEWS The 3 types of media every artist should knowTop 10 Audio Hardware pieces from this year by GearNews GUEST Producer/Engineer Mark Plati - Part 2 Mark Plati has worked with a wide range of major artists including Prince, David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Talking Heads, Fleetwood Mac, the Bee Gees, The Cure and many others. In Part 1, which was Episode #338, we talked about we talked about working with Prince and Bowie, music for theater, following up on opportunities, and much more.  Today in Part 2 of our interview we talked about all about the technical and philosophical aspects of producing, including producing and engineering at the same time, his approach to different genres of music, being a track “energy manager,” dealing with a low budget projects, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at the 3 different types of media artists need, and the top 1o pieces of audio hardware this year from GearNews. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epGuid: 'https://bobb

NEWS A look at Apple Music prices around the world Production relief from Congress with the HITS bill GUEST Super Hi-Fi CEO Zack Zalon Zack Zalon started his music business career as the general manager of the legendary Troubadour club in Los Angeles. Soon after Zack became president of Virgin Digital, and then managing partner of We See Dragons, an agency designing digital platforms for clients like National Geographic, Comcast, Citibank and more. In 2018 Zack co-founded Super Hi-Fi using technology that allows its A.I.-driven audio platform to intelligently and seamlessly stitch together music and other audio content in digital delivery channels. Current partners include Peloton, iHeart Radio, The Associated Press, and Universal Music Group. During our interview we talked about differentiating between music platforms, using the techniques of radio in streaming, why streaming audio quality doesn’t matter as much as you might think, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at Appl

NEWS Warner Music uses AI-driven A&R to sign more artists Popular artist vocals and lyrics can now be deep faked GUEST The Police and Sting manager Miles Copeland - Part 2 Miles Copeland formerly managed The Police and created IRS Records. IRS was at the forefront of punk and New Wave as the home for bands like REM, The Bangles, Dead Kennedys, The Go Gos, and many others. He also managed Sting in his solo music and film careers. In Part 1 we talked about Miles growing up in Egypt and Lebanon, getting involved with the upstart punk scene in London, behind the scenes at IRS Records, hearing The Police’s “Roxanne” for the first time, and much more.  Today in part 2 of our interview we talked about the modest start that The Police got during their first tour of America, bein g a manager and running a label at the same time, the mentality of music execs in the corporate environment, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at how how artificial intelligence is used in A&R,

NEWS YouTube can now puts ads on all your videos whether you like it or not Thunderbolt 4 is coming to a computer near you GUEST Police manager and IRS Records founder Miles Copeland Miles Copeland formerly managed The Police and created IRS Records. IRS was at the forefront of punk and New Wave as the home of bands like REM, The Bangles, Dead Kennedys, The Go Gos, and many others. He also managed Sting in his solo music and film careers. The son of one of the founders of the CIA and a mother who had worked for British Intelligence, Miles and his brothers grew up in the Middle East, which greatly influenced his openness to new music. He now owns and operates Copeland International Arts, which features musical styles from all over the world, including Middle Eastern, world music, Irish, tango, flamenco and Polynesian.  In Part 1 of the interview we talked about Miles growing up in Egypt and Lebonen, getting involved with the upstart punk scene in London, behind the scenes at I

NEWS Labels make Twitch crack down on music infringement Immersive sound without speakers or headphones GUEST Musician, vocalist, and mixer Robert Martin Robert Martin was a long-time member of Frank Zappa’s band, the musical director for Bette Midler, and toured or performed with Paul McCartney, Michael McDonald, Stevie Nicks, Boz Scaggs, Etta James, Patti LaBelle, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Loggins, and many others. Robert also recorded with Prince, the Moody Blues, Lyle Lovett, Gladys Knight, The O'Jays, Sheila E, The Blues Brothers, and a long list of other artists. He played, mixed and co-produced Wilson Pickett's 1987 Grammy nominated album on Motown, “American Soul Man,” and composed the music for the television shows Cybill, Baywatch, Martial Law, and three seasons of Lifetime Television’s Intimate Portrait series. Robert also presents live Master Classes with a special focus on the advanced harmony and theory of Frank Zappa. During the interview we shared some Frank Zapp

NEWS Is Spotify's new Discovery Mode tool pay-to-play? Drive-In Concert audio is actually pretty good GUEST Engineer John Cuniberti Check out his OneMic series on YouTube Engineer John Cuniberti began his music career as the drummer in Eddie Money’s first band, transitioned to mixing monitors for Stevie Wonder, and eventually became chief engineer at San Francisco’s famed Hyde Street Studios. It was there John engineered a long line of seminal records for Bay artists like Joe Satriani and the Dead Kennedy’s, and eventually went on to work on projects for Sammy Hagar, PJ Harvey, the Neville Brothers, and many others. John eventually transitioned into mastering where he’s done award-winning projects for Tracy Chapman, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Thomas Dolby, Aaron Neville, Jesse Colin Young, the Grateful Dead, and many more. He’s also as the inventor of the first commercially available reamping device called Reamp, and is the creator of the OneMic minimalist recording series on YouTube. Duri

NEWS The RIAA is going after 41 YouTube ripper sites A fire at the AKM factory means audio chips are about to get scarce GUEST Nashville mixer Biller Decker Check out his Template Mixing And Mastering book You can also listen to Billy on Inner Circle Podcast #197 Billy Decker has mixed hits for Kenny Chesney, Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean. Jaime Lynne Spears, George Jones and Sam Hunt, among others, that have sold over 25 million albums. Billy is different from most other mixers in that he’s able to mix extremely fast thanks to his templates that outline all the basic parameters of each instrument. To that end, Billy isn’t shy about how he does it and has recently released a book called Template Mixing And Mastering that explains his method. He’s also helped developed the Bus Glue series with Joey Sturgis Tones as well as his Drumshotz library with Drum Forge.  During the interview we talked about why he started using templates, the thinking behind processing different mix

NEWS The company that monopolizes ice cream truck music The 100th anniversary of the theremin GUEST World Maestro Colin O'Donohoe Colin O’Donohoe has worked as a composer, conductor, band leader, drummer, flautist and audio engineer in the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Brazil and Turkey. In 2010, his Pangean Orchestra united instruments and musicians from around the world and gained international recognition to where he was nicknamed “World Maestro.” Colin also composes for television and film, with his music being featured on The Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, and Access Hollywood. During the interview we talked about learning composition and orchestration as a drummer, joining a Chinese orchestra, his outlook on using indigenous instruments and players, living in Turkey, how he got the nickname “World Maestro,” and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at the how ice cream truck music is controlled by a single company, and the 100th anniversary of the theremin.

NEWS The rise of fake artists in streaming Even old analog engineers are now okay with mixing in-the-box GUEST Producer/engineer Gareth Jones My guest this week is producer/ engineer Gareth Jones, who’s a pioneer in the use of cutting edge digital equipment, sampling technology, and synthesizers.  Gareth produced five albums for techno innovators Depeche Mode and six albums for synth-pop superstars Erasure, and many more.  As the mixer of John Foxx’s seminal album Metamatic, he realized that an artist could truly define his sound with electronics. Then, as the co-producer of many of Depeche Mode’s greatest works, he helped to create experimental music with global chart appeal. Trained at the BBC, Gareth got his start recording the best of London 1980’s new wave and industrial artists before he moved to Berlin to work at the legendary Hansa Studios. During the interview we talked about taking advantage of unforeseen opportunities, his love of modular synthesis, life on

NEWS The album is being reinvented for the streaming eraThe legendary Prophet 5 synthesizer is being reissued GUEST Studio designer and Phantom Focus developer Carl TatzHear more from Carl on Episode #17 Carl Tatz has gone from being a studio owner in Nashville to designing studios, mixing rooms and listening rooms for some of the biggest clients in the world. He then took that to another level by  developing his own technology and products. Carl wanted to take monitoring to another more precise level and developed his Phantom Focus technology, which incorporates dual subwoofers and meticulous setup using a client’s existing monitors. The result is smooth pinpoint accuracy seldom heard in rooms without this optimization. Along the way he incorporate his own products into the mix, which includes monitors, subwoofers, amplifiers, monitor stands, workstations and even a specialized eChair that helps keep the listener locked into the sweet spot.  During the interview we talked about the b

NEWS A look at what happens on the Internet in a minute in 2020Acoustic materials made from recycled plastic bottles GUEST Producer Mark Plati - Part 1 Mark Plati has worked with a wide range of major artists including Prince, David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Talking Heads, Fleetwood Mac, the Bee Gees, The Cure and many others. Mark was initiated into the New York City music scene working under the tutelage of dance music legend Arthur Baker in New York City in the late 80’s. In 1991 he began a ten-year association with minimalist composer Philip Glass’ New York City recording complex, The Looking Glass. There he produced, engineered, mixed, or performed on albums by Bowie, The Cure, Hooverphonic, Alisha’s Attic, Duncan Sheik, Dave Navarro, as well as Glass himself.  In 1996 Mark co-produced David Bowie’s Earthling album, which marked the beginning of a period where he produced, recorded, mixed, or performed on most of Bowie’s musical output until 2003, even serving a 3 year stint as David’s

NEWS Neighboring rights and what it means to an artistGibson's latest guitar aging technology GUEST Music producer and Soma Breath founder Niraj Naik Niraj Naik is a music producer and self-described renegade pharmacist from the U.K and founder of SOMA Breath, one of the fastest growing wellness movements fusing ancient techniques with modern science.  Niraj is also the founder of Breathe In Beats, a music collective renowned for their legendary conscious music festivals. These dance music festivals combine live and electronic music along with his famous breathing techniques for reaching new states of consciousness.  Niraj is also producer of the soundtrack for the famous Wim Hof Method and produces music for many of the worlds top therapists and wellness centers. During the interview we talked about why traditional western medicines don’t always work, the link between musicians and autoimmune issues, how musicians can better handle stress,  and much more. On the intro I’ll take a

NEWS Music piracy is evolving, or so an industry association wants you to believeSony is de-emphasizing electronics GUEST Engineer, producer and musician J.J. Blair Musician, engineer and producer J.J. Blair has a long list of engineering credits including Joe Bonamassa, Kelly Clarkson, Jeff Beck, the Black Eyed Peas, Keith Urban, Weezer, and many more. He’s also 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. is one of the most talented  engineers that I’ve personally worked with, able to hear things that most people miss. He’s also an avid gear aficionado with a collection of both music and audio gear that most people can just dream about. During the interview we talked about working in the studio during the pandemic, simplicity when recording, his placement of favori

NEWS The social media universe in 2020Guitars are selling better than ever during the pandemic GUEST Songwriter/educator Andrea Stolpe Andrea Stolpe has written songs for Faith Hill, Julianne Hough, Daniel Lee Martin, Jimmy Wayne, and others. She’s also worked as a staff writer for EMI, Almo-Irving, and Universal Music Publishing. Andrea teaches songwriting at the University of California’s Thornton School of Music, and is the author and instructor of Berklee College of Music’s online course “Commercial Songwriting Techniques.” Her book, Popular Lyric Writing: 10 Steps to Effective Storytelling, offers songwriters a practical approach to lyric writing according to each writer’s unique voice, and the ability to finish songs with greater ease and consistency. She also offers songwriting retreats both online and in person. During the interview we talked about what it means to be a staff writer, the songwriter as producer, if lyrics or music should come first, placeholder lyrics, and much

NEWS You won't see too many mid-level foreign artists touring after a 50% visa price increaseGet ready for the immersive audio wars as Sony 360 Reality Audio is released GUEST Producer/mixer/engineer and plugin developer Dan Korneff Producer, mixer and engineer Dan Korneff has not only worked with prominent names like Breaking Benjamin, Paramore, Papa Roach, Lamb of God and My Chemical Romance, but has developed some of the coolest audio plugins available. Dan not only knows how to expertly use his audio gear, but he also knows what makes it all tick inside as well, being very hands-on when it comes to modifying consoles, vintage outboard gear and microphones. That led Dan to create his first plugin called the Pawn Shop Comp, which is like a combination of vintage tube and FET compressors blended together to create something really unique. His latest plugin is the Talkback Limiter that faithfully emulates the sound of the famed SSL talkback mic circuit made famous by Phil Collins, b

NEWS 64% of UK musicians are considering leaving the music business Horn players at risk during the pandemic GUEST Royalty Exchange partner and music exec Anthony Martini Anthony Martini got his start as a rap/metal vocalists before finding his way into other parts of the music business. During his management career, he worked with acts such as Lamb Of God, Fall Out Boy, Train and Sia before he discovered the then-unknown rapper Tyga. Anthony then founded the independent record label Commission, where he signed artists like Lil Dicky, MadeinTYO, and IDK, who generated billions of streams and chart-topping singles. Along the way he was named as a Billboard Hip-Hop power player in 2019. Anthony is now a partner at Royalty Exchange, the online marketplace for buying and selling royalties, where he drives their artist relations and deal-making. During the interview we talked about getting into management, starting an indie record label, how artists and investors are vetted at Royalty E