Unstoppable Recording Machine Podcast

Kurt Ballou is known for having one of the rawest most brutal signature production styles. His records burst with pummeling grit, yet they're always punchy and huge. We sat down and discussed the method behind his sonic madness with a focus on guitar tone, as well as how he built and maintained his career. One of the most prolific producers in metal/hardcore/punk, Kurt Ballou worked with a laundry list of bands including everyone from Champion and Have Heart to Kvelertak, Cave In and Nails. He also plays guitar in Converge, one of the most influential hardcore bands of the past two decades (currently on their eighth album). WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: - Kurt Ballou's thoughts on studio etiquete - Surgical EQ tips - Balancing budget vs time - The difference between panning space and reverb space - Cool uses for saturation plug ins - Using notches instead of low pass filters - The science of sound - Of course pedals and cab! - Smoothing out harsh upper mids Links: Kurt Ballou's Studio  Kurt Ballou's discography Learn mo

“I’m always trying to up my game.” -Ola Englund In the modern music industry musicians and engineers must learn to wear multiple hats in order to succeed. You might have to balance your time as a guitarist, songwriter, mixer, videographer, and blogger just to make ends meet. That’s the new normal.  In this episode Ola Englund (The Haunted, Feared, Ex-Six Feet Under) talks about his guitar playing, techniques, studio experience, and how he accomplished a breakout success with his YouTube channel. “If you make good content, the infrastructure is there for you to get your name out.” - Ola Englund WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: Tips for developing your ears How to dial amp sims for consistency Ola’s sweet spot for micing cabs The importance of video in an oversaturated market How Ola Englund started in YouTube  OE’s stance on cheaper series guitars vs small company boutiques.  Ola’s practice/warm-up routine or lack thereof   Links:  Ernie Ball Ola Englund Ola England - YouTube Feared - Facebook The Haunted - Facebook

We discuss some of our favorite drum mixing techniques. If you don’t have a great drum mix, you don’t have a mix. This can be intimidating because there are so many moving pieces to deal with. The first thing you need to get right is your overall balance. Without that your drums will either lose energy or sound disjointed. Once you nail an initial balance then you can start working on individual elements like how much energy is being driven by the kick, or dialing a slamming snare. “50 to 60 percent of my snare sound doesn’t come from the actual snare.” - Joey Sturgis IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: - Joey’s favorite methods for compressing drums - How to get a big roomy snare sound - The importance of overall balances - To parallel compress or to not parallel compress - Using multi-band compression to control the low end of a kick - Drum mixing automation tricks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luck is the meeting place of preparation and opportunity. Nobody knows that better than Josh Newell, who is regarded for his genre spanning work with artists such as Linkin Park, Avril Lavigne, Cynic, Intronaut, Celine Dion, and more. On this episode we discuss how Josh Newell has managed to work his way to the top LA production circles, the difference between producing pop and metal, what it takes to maintain a long career, as well as many of his favorite mixing techniques. If you want to work in big studios, on various different genres, for lots of different producers, this episode is for you. “If someone sings better upside-down, figure out a way to fuckin’ hang them upside down!” - Joey Sturgis WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: How to build intentional relationships How to spot and seize great opportunities The power of word of mouth How he became Linkin Park’s go-to engineer Josh’s take on Andy Wallace’s mixing style How to find “the hook” Links: Josh Newell's website NRG Studios CreativeLIVE audio courses Learn

John Douglass shares how he mastered drum editing and quit his day job. What are the #1 and #2 skills and traits that will get and keep your employment as an audio engineer? 1 - You must be reliable 2 - You must be an amazing editor John Douglass has worked his way up from being a kid with a laptop in a bedroom to working with some of the biggest artists in pop and metal. And he did it by becoming the best at crucial things that nobody else wants to do, like drum editing. If you want to up your drum editing game and turn audio into a full-time career, this episode is for you. John Douglass is an accomplished engineer/mixer/producer, having packed an impressive number and variety of credits into his five years as an audio professional. In the studio, he has worked with metal artists such as Battlecross, Cryptopsy, The Contortionist, Assassins, and Hypno5e in addition to pop artists such as Katy Perry, Nelly, TI, and Rick Ross. In addition to being an amazing engineer, he has also been an editor for Eyal Levi,

Finn Mckenty (CreativeLIVE, The Punk Rock MBA) joins us to discuss the inner workings of songwriting, creation of a unique point of view, and effective marketing for bands and producers in the fast-paced, highly competitive creative world of today. To say that today’s recording market is oversaturated would be an understatement. It’s more important than ever for producers to adopt effective and engaging ways to promote themselves. However, most think that self-promotion equals salesy spamming and that couldn’t be further from the truth. Hit play to find out the right way to promote yourself. “At the end of the day there are no secrets, just attention to detail and a lot of hard work. That's the difference between the pros and the beginners.” - Finn McKenty IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: Product market fit How to get an internship Developing your unique voice or sound The importance of high standards and how to maintain them Standing out in a crowded market The difference between part writing and so

Joey Sturgis shares his In The Box mastering tips and tricks. Out of the three of us, Joey Sturgis has done the most mastering and in fact, he's never had one of his mixes mastered by an outside engineer. He's totally self-taught and responsible for several chart-topping masters. In this episode, he shares some of his most effective mastering techniques. Joey dives into his process, and how goes about getting the last 5 to 10% out of the track, using tools such as saturation, harmonic exciters, processors like Waves MaxxBass and spatial treatment. “Having your mix unmastered is kind of like having a product on the shelf that doesn’t look like it was put together by a designer” - Joey Sturgis In This Episode You'll Learn about: Joey's goto mastering plugins Multi-band compression The loudness war Dithering Saturation in mastering Best uses for Izotope Ozone Enhancing the low end for small speakers Limiting vs clipping Mid-Side processing Links: Fuck 4k Plugin and Shirt Waves MaxxBass Fab Filter Pro-M

Joey, Eyal, and Joel are joined by mastering legend Bob Katz for some rousing discussion about the current state of recording and what it actually takes to create professional-sounding mixes and masters. It's really common for people to want presets and templates, however, mastering is always a case of figuring out what specific situations require. You can’t just slap the same plugins with the same settings on everything. You must diagnose each situation individually, and then apply the correct processing. Learn about what it takes to master at the very highest levels of the game from a true legend and innovator, Bob Katz. “It’s like putting salt and pepper on your food before you taste it.” - Bob Katz WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Bob’s minimum specs for a monitoring setup - The truth about mastering for iTunes - Bob’s approach towards M/S processing - Stem mastering - The use of saturation in multiple genres - The NS10 phenomenon Links: Bob Katz's website Mastering Audio - Bob Katz's book Bob Katz's K-Meter pl

Welcome to #MasteringCritMonday, the show where we critique YOUR mastering. Prolific mastering engineer, Maor Appelbaum stopped by to help us critique some listener-submitted mastering work. In this episode you'll learn about: Nice and loud vs fatiguing to listen to What to submit to a mastering engineer Adding low end without destroying the track When to apply a heavy-handed mastering approach Maor's favorite outboard gear Adding treble without harshness Mastering for vinyl Links: Maor's website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alan Douches is one of the most recognizable names in mastering when it comes to any genre of heavy music. With over 6000 mastering credits to his name with artists ranging from Mastodon to Whitechapel to Bowling For Soup Alan Douches has become one of the most in demand engineers in the world. We spoke at length about so many things that it's hard to summarize. Alan shared great advice for up and comers as well as lots of great mastering tips. “What are you pretending not to know?” - Alan Douches Topics: - Steps to take when mastering for vinyl - What mastering for Itunes entails - Analog mastering tips - The science of listening - Using dynamics to control your EQ Links: Alan Douche's Mastering Studio Pendulum Compressor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse Cannon, prolific mastering engineer/author/entrepreneur joins the URM Podcast crew to discuss what it takes to become great at mastering and promotion. After all, what good is your talent if you don't develop it or share it with the world? To really win at the game of audio you must learn to master your own motivation. Motivation is the most powerful personal asset you can develop. The same motivation that drives you to become a world class engineer is what will drive you to find better and better paying gigs. Without it you won't get off the couch, but with it you won't stop until the job is crushed. Easier said than done, right? Press play... "The motivation to not suck is all it took." - Joey Sturgis In this episode you'll learn: Jesse's ITB plugin chain How to handle ear fatigue The #1 way to refresh your hearing 2 keys to a great master Intentional relationship building The secret to keeping high level gigs A positive use of loudness in mastering Fundamentals that every mastering engineer s

Vocal production that sounds amazing requires you navigate the intersection of composition, physical performance, gear selection, and creative coaching with your A-game the entire time! That's why we devoted two podcast episodes to vocal production and mixing. This one is jam packed with info! “If the vocal sucks on the record you might as well trash the entire thing” - Joel Wanasek What you'll learn in part 1: Acoustic treatment for vocal recording How to fix badly recorded vocals AT4040 vs SM7B Time aligning vocals by hand Using Revoice Pro Autotune tips Outboard compressors like Shadow Hills and Distressors Condenser vs dynamic microphones How to save money on high dollar microphones Links: Melissa Cross Izotope RX (audio repair) Real Traps Audio Technica Empirical Labs Distressor Revoice Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Korneff has perfected the process of turning out modern, top-quality mixes on analog gear in an industry that's moving faster than ever. Can you imagine mixing on a massive console with tons of outboard, yet still keep up with modern deadline demands? Dan Korneff does it every day. According to him the keys are in the efficiency of your setup and how well you understand you gear. One of the beautiful things about audio is that there's usually multiple ways to achieve the same goal. Learn which methods and workflows are best for you, and optimize them until your process is second nature. Then you'll be able to focus on what really counts, the music! In this episode you'll learn: Dan Korneff's client requirements Secrets to punchy mixes with bus compression How to get properly credited for your work Why he prefers Cubase How he integrates Cubase with his console and outboard His inspiration for becoming a gear builder Where to start if you want to build your own audio gear Tips for maintaining a hea

Welcome to MixCritMonday, the show where we critique YOUR mixes. In the hotseat this month is Caleb Rodriguez. Caleb submitted a metalcore mix for us to crit and after a little investigation we figured out that he was making two major mistakes: He used little to no reference material His source tracks were not ready for mixing, yet he didn't fix them We also discovered that his mixing environment was an acoustical mess and that he was compensating by mixing in headphones, a big no no. Considering he wasn't even using reference material to get his bearings, Caleb was basically his own worst enemy on this mix. The combination of unedited, poorly performed tracks with an unreliable listening space placed a glass ceiling on how good his mix could actually get.  In this episode you'll learn about: Acoustical room treatments for under $200 How to properly use reference mixes Steps to take if you mixing environment is sub par Which little details make a huge difference in a guitar tone Replacing an out of tu

"Perfection Is The Enemy Of Progress" - Winston Churchill Imagine if our favorite mixers decided to stop mixing until every single aspect of their control room was perfect... They would never mix, because no control room is ever perfect! No matter how hard you try, you can't get better than best. Sure, there's always room for improvement, and over time, with the right work ethic, anyone can improve what their best is. However, in the present moment, you can't do any better than the best you can do. Learn to live with that. Perfectionism is one of the biggest momentum killers we face. It's a futile pursuit because like it or not, nothing will ever be perfect. You are chasing the impossible. Once you replace perfectionism with an unbreakable commitment to getting the job done, that's when your audio skills will really jump to the next level. Perfection is nothing, momentum is everything. In this episode we cover: Making the most of your listening environment Using "crappy" speakers to improve your mixes The

The most common mixing mistakes up and comers make involve trying to run before they walk. In other words... they try to do the advanced stuff before they conquer the basics. Focusing on the wrong things will keep you from achieving your mixing potential. For instance, you shouldn't even think about Mid Side EQ before you've mastered a simple 4 band. Don't mess with parallel compression when you don't even understand what attack and release do. Don't start mixing a song if the tracking still needs editing and tuning. All great mixes are built on solid fundamentals like EQ, compression, gain staging, levels, and panning.  “You don’t spend years on the mix, but you spent years learning how to mix” - Eyal Levi You can avoid the most common mixing mistakes when you learn: The biggest steps you can take towards great tone What to focus on first The importance of fundamentals The most common causes of bad tone Technical vs musical mixing When to take risks and experiment The pros and cons of new plugins Lin

Legendary producer Dan Korneff (Paramore, The Devil Wears Prada, Papa Roach) joins us for a rapid-fire Tips & Tricks session that will blow your mind. Ever wonder what it takes to produce and mix at the highest levels of the music industry? If you answered yes, then this episode is for you. "I think music exists in octaves. That’s just how it exists. So if you’re doing something in that 3k range check out the 6k, and the 12k and see what’s happening there." - Dan Korneff In 35 hard hitting minutes we cover: Dan's secret guitar widening trick Carving frequencies to make space in a mix High and low passing guitars Surgical EQ on guitars to eliminate harshness while retaining clarity His most hated guitar frequencies Harmonic EQ Processing individual tracks VS busses When to use sidechain compression What's on his master bus chain Optimizing hybrid mixing setups Why he prefers Cubase Maintaining a quick turnaround Links: Dan Korneff's credits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/

We're joined by acclaimed producer Andrew Wade (A Day To Remember, Neck Deep) to discuss strategies for getting the most out of your sessions. Everyone who records for a living will agree that nothing goes as planned. Entropy always creeps in. That's why it's crucial to set up every aspect of your work environment for maximum efficiency. From your DAW routing to your client booking method, it all matters. Remember, producers with long careers have learned to navigate the chaos. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: Why everything should be so organized How to communicate your vision What should be sent out when you are hiring a mix A breakthrough template method for super-efficient mixes What a good rough mix should consist of How to keep things compatible across multiple DAWs A no-brainer way to name tracks. You'll never hunt for lost audio again. What should be sent out when a track is going to be mastered How to avoid disaster AKA how to properly archive your files DOWNLOADS AND LINKS: Nail The Mix with

Welcome to MixCritMonday, the show where we critique YOUR mixes. First on the MixCritMonday chopping block is our longtime subscriber, Jenson Manning (we love you dude). We took him to school on: Bass VIs like Texas Grind Multiband compression Getting the low end of the kick balanced right The dangers of mixing in headphones (and how to make the most of it) Different mastering chains including plugins like Izotope Ozone and Slate Digital FG-X Getting the right snare sound Blending vocals The difference between real monitors and computer speakers Want us to crit your mix? Click here to find out how!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"You're translating what people say into what they want."- Joey Sturgis What's a producer's real job? Engineer? Coach? Fearless leader? Psychiatrist? Band member? Chaperone? Friend? Arranger? Songwriter? Session musician? Actually, it's all the above. You must become a musical translator. "They aren't the ones who are the expert. You're the expert, they are the client. They just don't know how to say it in your terms. They will never say, 'adjust it to a 4 to 1 ratio." - Eyal Levi "If they could translate it to you they wouldn't be hiring you. It's your job is to convert their language into technical shit."- Joey Sturgis IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: How to become a musical translator and interpret your client's vision What a client really wants and needs How to properly pace a session for maximum results and creativity How to read a client's personality and mood Who the best musicians are in the band Who he's actually working for Dealing with real world nightmare scenarios like a singer blo