Unstoppable Recording Machine Podcast

Danish production legend Tue Madsen shares his experience engineering/mixing the most recent Meshuggah record. For over 30 years, Tue Madsen has been infusing top of the line metal production with out of the box thinking and creativity. Ever wondered what it was like to record drums in a swimming pool? This is your show. Want to learn what it’s like to record one of the most prolific progressive metal bands of our time live, in a room? This is your show. Curious about the production philosophy and mix approach of one of the most in demand metal producers of all time? This is your show. “I like people to go home with a little bit more than what they expected.” - Tue Madsen THIS WEEK, YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: - How Tue re-amps kicks, snares and toms - Why Madsen records drums in an empty pool - Live recording the latest Meshuggah record - Compression tricks from Tue Madsen - Taming the low end on down tuned guitars - New overhead mics from Sweden that Madsen loves - Tasteful compressor pumping - And much, much, more

Producer/educator/entrepreneur Brian Hood gets real about marketing yourself as a producer and how to properly network. You will gain an inside perspective on building a profitable studio and managing overhead expenses. In order to do both of those, you must always be learning and expanding your sphere of influence. Well honed people skills and an insatiable quest for knowledge are arguably just as important as your technical audio skills. "At the end of the day, the market is showing that the value is not in the gear or in the room, it's really just in the person being hired to mix or produce. Establishing your own value or your own brand is the future." - Eyal Levi THIS WEEK YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: - The remarkable role that social skills play in your career - Positioning your business when setting a price point - How the large studio market thinning out means more work for the ever growing project and home studio industry - The importance of reading/listening for new information and acquiring new skills - Surr

Audio renaissance man Bob Marlette takes the hot seat with us for a remarkable hour of philosophy, gear porn, writing soundtracks for major motion pictures, and how he’s remained relevant and on top for over 30 years. Bob Marlette shares the simple, but incredibly powerful mindsets that have helped him stay in the game. Whether it’s knowing when to pounce on opportunity, or embracing new technology, he’s figured it out. If you’re in it to win it, this episode is for you. “Say yes and figure it out.” - Bob Marlette THIS WEEK, YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -What it’s like to work with legends like Alice Cooper, Toni Iommi, Brian May, and Rob Zombie -Bob’s adventures in the Hollywood soundtrack realm -How to make your mark on multiple musical disciplines and genres -Making a technological evolutionary jump when the tool is pivotal -How to spot and exploit opportunities -Bob’s favorite gear -The future of mixing -The “dumbing down” of music, and how to combat it -Why Bob Marlette is not into tape Thanks for listening!

Mr. Kyle Black returns for an unprecedented back to back segment with Eyal for a discussion on work life balance, parallel compression, and his hand on the new Volumes record. You will receive Eyal and Kyle’s philosophy on keeping a significant other while climbing the career ladder. Kyle also dives into new tips and tricks he has applied to his mixing on the highly anticipated upcoming Volumes release. You will also hear insight on how to deal with your master bus channel before sending a mix off to be mastered by a pro. When is the time right to find someone to manage your business? Just listen to Kyle and Eyal on this week’s episode! “I don’t have any set rules, I just go for what feels right.” - Kyle Black THIS WEEK YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: - Working through sick spells - When the time is right to acquire a business manager - How to deal with conflicts of interest - Focusing on your career before a personal life - Not becoming pigeon hole’d into a certain genre - Submitting a spec mix to a band in order to ear

Pop Punk production hero Kyle Black opens up about everything from interns, guitar amp mic technique, and how he came up in the music industry. You get an all access pass into the vault of awesome gear Kyle has locked away in his Hollywood haven as well as an inside scoop on his dynamic approach to production and mixing. Kyle Black also answers your subscriber questions on topics such as tight but great feeling edits as well as what his favorite go to mics, compressors and preamps are for each element when tracking. “If I was 22 and wanted to be a producer or work in the industry and I was interning for you, I would give it 3 years of cleaning toilets..” - Kyle Black This week, you’ll learn about: - Sticking through the tough times of an internship for the long term goal - Practicing humility and controlling your ego when competing against others in the field - Kyle Black’s most coveted studio pieces - His go-to guitar/bass recording chain - Retaining a modern sound with organic intent by keeping elements off

Dan Malsch talks shop with us about diversifying the range of your portfolio, how quitting is just not an option, and our shared love for Summit compressors. You’re also going to be clued in on how to deal with the psychology of working on high profile, high pressure deadlines and requests as well as gain insight on the producer’s role and whether or not it’s appropriate to push your artist, or to “ride the vibe” and work with what you are given. “I think getting things to sound absurd is more of a matter of getting the elements to work together like a puzzle rather than adding and adding...It’s like a Rubik’s cube almost, especially with low end...suddenly it sounds absurd, in a good way.” - Dan Malsch ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Dan’s passion for educating from his studio - Keys to diversifying clientele - Dan’s new studio and why he upgraded the square footage when so many are downsizing - Some of Dan’s favorite go to outboard - Persevering in the midst of reaching the breaking point - Being on-

Welcome to #Mixcritmonday, the show where we critique YOUR mixes. “Often times when we don’t want to admit something to ourselves, the subconscious will take over and influence our mix.” - Eyal Levi ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Getting creative with sidechaining and multiband compression - The effects of arrangement on frequency space - Going with a new take (or performer) rather than slapping on a bunch of fx - What to check if you have phase issues with your drums - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam “Nolly” Getgood drops in to touch on everything from launching his new drum sample company GetGood Drums, to why he stepped down as the touring bassist for Periphery, production and mixing tips, as well as what it takes to network with the top tier world-class professionals out there. “There’s this curve that happens where when you are first starting out, you don’t know what you’re listening for and being able to hear things in a really controlled environment in an amazingly treated room, allows you to develop your ear to hear the subtleties...what happens once you know what you're listening to, you start to need less information to be able to do your job...” - Adam "Nolly" Getgood (Periphery, GetGood Drums) On this episode: - How classical informs Nolly’s musical perspective - The countless producers who came up in the forum scene - Nolly’s transition from touring musician with Periphery to full-time producer/engineer - How he delivered amazing mixes working with headphones on a tour bus - What DAW Noll

Engineer and author Ermin Hamidovic provides insight into building a successful career in audio from the ground up, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity. The grind. It’s nearly impossible to have a career in the audio industry (and pretty much any other field) without experiencing it. It takes a willingness to put in the work, and there are times when every signal you’re getting is telling you to curl up in the fetal position, cry, and quit. Ermin knows exactly what these experiences are like, and his story is one that demonstrates that perseverance pays off. “I think if you work smart and you work hard you will eventually get somewhere.”- Ermin Hamidovic ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Ermin’s game changing book “The Systematic Mixing Guide” - How keeping his head cool helped lead to his work with Periphery - The transition from semi pro to pro - Breaking out of working in one genre - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad cho

Producer, engineer and mixer, Alex Prieto, hangs out for a session of 20 questions, spanning project acquisition, mastering, buying useful gear upgrades, and the benefits/woes of interning. In addition to being a killer producer himself, Alex has also worked with legendary producers such as Susan Rogers, David Bendeth, Dan Korneff, Alex Newport, and Kato Khandwala. So, he’s seen it all, and thankfully for us all he’s happy to share his expertise. “Having one good pre for vocals and then monitoring. I think if you know what you’re listening to, you can do more damage than having a room packed full of gear.” - Alex Prieto ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - How Joey, Eyal, and Alex built their client rosters - Alex’s thoughts on what gear to prioritize in adding to your setup - The importance of delivering outstanding service to increase returning artists - Referencing tracks in a lossless format inside your DAW to accurately portray mixes - Which amp sims Alex prefers - And much, much much more Thanks for l

We dive into an intriguing discussion with guitar wizard Lasse Lammert on an array of matters ranging from nerding out on guitar tones, to how he sees sounds in his head, to amp preferences, and a whole lot more. Whether you’re a guitarist or you’re a producer working in a guitar based genre, it’s essential to get your guitar game up to snuff. We touch on pretty much every part of the process in this episode, and Lasse brings perspective that goes way beyond just the technical stuff that everyone has the tendency to get bogged down in. “Commit as early as possible...Don’t compare guitars to guitars if the mix isn’t similar.” - Lasse Lammert ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Lasse’s super power ability to “hear” colors - How to make use of the wide variety of guitar tone tools available - Guitar cab mic placement - String preferences - Pickup comparisons - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and engineer Justin Colletti drops in to discuss his background, the blog he writes as well as his outlook on where the industry is headed. Colletti brings up the importance of the business end of being a creative type in the world today. You will get a sense of how to handle crucial processes, such as filing for an LLC, amongst other tasks that coincide with owning your own company. The guys also talk about the fact that having the most expensive gear doesn’t exactly equate to the best end result and that the mind behind the tool is the real magic. “The music/recording industry does not operate on the “If you build it they will come” basis.” -Justin Colletti THIS WEEK, YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Justin’s philosophy on work loads/schedules -The importance of personal financial organizational skills -Colletti’s well rounded written works portfolio (much of which isn’t music related!) -How too many fanatics on the web glorify gear all too often -Joey’s, Eyal’s and Justin’s sleep patterns (seasonal change descr

Former member of Issues now turned producer, Ty Acord, gives a look into the world of his productions, songwriting and keeping things fresh. Production has evolved and continues to evolve in every genre of music. Staying on the cutting edge and keeping fresh is at the utmost importance in an overcrowded market. Surrounding yourself with people that match their strengths to your weaknesses is more advantageous than trying to do it all yourself. “If you just act like a normal person, and you’re not always trying to force yourself and force your stuff onto someone, a lot of times, people just naturally, to put it frankly, like you better.” - Ty Acord ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - How to stay fresh in your writing and productions - Proper ways to forge industry relationships - How to draw inspiration from multiple sources - Avoiding burnout - Why Issues stands out as a band - The importance of a formal music education - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more ab

We talk with Zack Ohren (Machine Head, All Shall Perish, Fallujah) about gaining trust, messy clients, and making Nintendo 64 soundtracks. We all have our audio origin stories, but Zack’s might actually take the cake. Our discussion takes us from him creating video game soundtracks professionally in his teens to producing some killer extreme metal. And, if you’re looking for a “how to” of dealing with problem clients, this one is a good place to start. “You can’t imagine something much nerdier than being a music nerd, that also is a computer nerd, quickly getting into digital audio workstation stuff.” - Zack Ohren ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Why working from home is a blessing and a curse - The pitfalls of housing bands - Zack’s audio industry origins - How not having a filter can actually help build trust with clients - Why working fast is important in extreme genres - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho

We’ve got Trey Xavier of Gear Gods here to talk building a YouTube empire, shred guitar, and, of course, gear. Okay, so we let our guitar nerd flags fly a bit on this one. Nothing wrong with that as long as you keep a sense of humor about things. And who better to join us for that than Trey? There’s also a ton here for anyone interested in learning how to market themselves and stand out from the crowd. “I think that humor is very very important in not being a joyless dick.” - Trey Xavier ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - The importance of finding your niche - Overdrive pedals - Approaching music theory from an interesting perspective - Perspectives on guitar gods - Shred, rock, pop, and jazz. Oh my! - Trey’s advice for starting a YouTube channel that can be applied to pretty much any venture - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk to the amazing Kevin Churko (Five Finger Death Punch, Shania Twain, In This Moment) about everything from his gear favorites, philosophy on work ethic, his rise to acclaim and working under legends like Mutt Lange. This episode jumps right into the nitty gritty of what specific struggles Churko had to go through before finally landing the gig that broke him through, as well as which skill sets ultimately landed him the gig. The importance of learning how to solve problems as well as take direction are covered in detail. “I don’t wanna be negative to the guys starting out, but If you can’t win the stamina test, you’re gonna fail..you really have to have extra juice other people don’t have..” - Kevin Churko ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - How you need to be willing to spend every available hour in the day working on the craft - The importance of stamina - How to stay relevant - Helping artists change their sound to mass appeal - Kevin’s favorite microphone for overhead placement. - Kevin’s experi

Mastering engineer Brad Blackwood (Korn, Lamb of God, Maroon 5) sits in with us to talk everything from how he sets up his mental space at the beginning of the day, to the one tool he wouldn’t be able to work without, and his lone wolf approach. Still have questions about mastering? Yeah, you do. Everybody does! Mastering might as well be ancient black magic for a lot of us. Luckily, on this episode, we’ve got Brad Blackwood along to pull back the curtain to show that it’s not actually magic, but it is often misunderstood. “I’ve really made it a point to listen to all kinds of music, all the time.” - Brad Blackwood ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Brad’s history and early beginnings at Ardent Studios - His favorite pieces of gear - The ins and outs of invoices and payments - Why Euphonic Mastering is a lone wolf operation - Brad’s methodology on resetting his ears to prevent sonic biasing - Whether or not shadowing a pro is the most productive means to an end or not - And much, much more Thanks for list

On this episode, with Adam Ayan (Paul McCartney, Katy Perry): demystifying the final sonic footprint of recorded music that is mastering. This discussion is jammed full of so much amazing information about mastering. Whether you’re looking to get into mastering yourself, an engineer, mixer, or producer that wants to be informed about what a mastering engineer is going to be doing with their part of the process, or an artist that would just like to know what goes into your songs coming out sounding polished on the other end of the process you’re going walk away from this episode with a whole new perspective. “I think that every recording has a loudness potential and a window where loudness works. If you push it too far, you get outside of that window. If you don’t push it far enough, you get outside of that window on the other side, which is where compression works.” - Adam Ayan ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Why some pros take interns and others don’t - Navigating sonic options and making decisions -

On this episode of the podcast, Mike Kalajian (Saosin, Against the Current, Moving Mountains) joins the show to cast some light on the subject of mastering. Ever been confused about mastering? You’re not alone. It’s a process that a lot of audio professionals just take an, “It’s just weird magic or something” approach to. Well, no longer! Mike is here to demystify the process a bit and, by the end, hopefully you’ll be on some better footing about what mastering is, why it matters, and how to get started if it’s a part of the audio production process that you’re interested in persuing. "Mastering is like the final coat of paint." - Mike Kalajian ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Mastering trends and loudness wars - Best bang for your buck monitoring and acoustic investments - Mike’s opinion on ITB vs. OTB mixing - Test masters for landing business - Experimenting with new gear - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc

Producer Jay Maas (Defeater) joins us for a discussion about outboard gear, client psychology, and the pros and cons of traveling. We’re always excited to have Jay on board. This time we get into the gear talk and sort through how he makes use of hardware without causing his workflow to come to a grinding halt. We were also shocked to finally come across someone that actually wants the artist around for the mixing phase of production. What kind of madness is this? “Being a recording engineer is funny, especially if you do a lot of tracking too. You’re like a therapist, you’re like a negotiator. You have to wear all these weird hats.” - Jay Maas ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Balancing the complication of outboard gear with turnaround time - The importance of committing - Why Jay likes having the artist around for mixing - The many hats that producers have to wear - How traveling as a producer can be alternately good and bad - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Lear