Master Your Mix Podcast

Ian Stewart: How to Get Big Low-End

Ian Stewart is a mastering engineer and audio educator from the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts where he's operated Flotown Mastering since 2011. Ian received his B.S. in Music Engineering Technology from the University of Miami in 2007 and has been a passionate advocate for audio quality, and for fostering a better understanding of the topics surrounding it, ever since.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
Streaming loudness targets: Do they even matter?
Should you master to -14 LUFS?
How to prepare for your first listen of a new project so that you can create a game plan for it
Establishing a benchmark for what your final mix/master should sound like
Getting big low-end with your mixes
Why bass isn’t always about the bass
Basslane Pro: How it will give you total control over your low-end
Understanding sample rates and bit depths: Which settings should you use?
Should you upsample/downsample your tracks when you export?
What is dither and when should you use it?
To learn more about Ian Stewart, visit: https://flotownmastering.com/
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Jim Anderson: Working with Reverbs

For nearly 50 years, Jim Anderson has set the standard for acoustic audio engineering and production, capturing pristine, high definition stereo and surround sound recordings that have garnered thirteen Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards, two Peabodys, and a pair of Emmy nominations among countless other accolades. 
Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Anderson attended Duquesne University on a musical performance scholarship, and it was there that his passion for sound and technology first collided in the music school’s on-campus recording studio. 
After graduation, he took work at the local public radio station, WDUQ-FM, and one year later, he made the leap to NPR in Washington, DC, where he engineered broadcast sessions for everything from news and documentaries to performances by jazz icons, classical orchestras, folk singers, and contemporary composers. 
In 1980, Anderson moved to New York to launch his career as a freelance engineer and producer, and over the next several decades, he would go on to record studio albums, live concerts, and film scores across a diverse array of genres with the likes of McCoy Tyner, Christian McBride, Arturo Sandoval, Petula Clark, Patricia Barber, John Zorn, and hundreds more. 
In 2003, he became a professor at the prestigious Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music in the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. In 2008, he was elected President of the Audio Engineering Society. 
Today, Anderson and his wife/production partner Ulrike Schwarz are widely hailed as industry leaders operating at the cutting edge of the immersive audio field, and their world-class recordings are regular fixtures at the Grammy Awards and on critics’ annual Best Of lists.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
Recording with limitations
How to handle high stakes pressure when you’re working with the best of the best
Helping artists achieve their vision for their albums
Adapting to new recording environments
Adding reverb to your mixes
Using pink noise to calibrate your reverb levels
How to create and use Impulse Responses
Tips for starting your day with a fresh perspective
How to record piano, horns, upright bass, and jazz drums
Being intentional with mic placement and selection
Using mics to create depth
How the impedance of your DI can drastically change the sound quality
To learn more about Jim Anderson, visit: http://andersonaudiony.com/
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Matt Ross-Spang: Leaning Into Simplicity

Over the past decade, Matt Ross-Spang has emerged as one of the premiere record producers and engineers working today across country, folk, rock and roll, and R&B. Known for a philosophy of putting artists first and for a skillset that’s enabled him to capture a vintage warmth and energy without ever sounding stuffy or dated, Ross-Spang has a discography that encompasses production, engineering and mixing for legends, perennial critical favorites and some of his own generation’s most exciting musicmakers: Elvis Presely, Lou Reed, Al Green, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Mountain Goats, Cut Worms, Drive-By Truckers, Margo Price, Lucero, Iron & Wine, St. Paul and the Broken Bones. He has won two Grammy Awards, for engineering Isbell’s 2015 album Something More than Free and again for its follow-up, 2017’s The Nashville Sound.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
Working at Sun Studios
Recording a full band with less than 9 mics
Vintage recording styles vs. modern approaches
Recording drums that have character
Recording in mono
Using minimal processing
EQing and compression on busses, instead of individual tracks
Gain staging your mix
Embracing bleed in your recordings
Using far mics for overdubs
Creating roomy recordings in small environments
Finding unique places to stick microphones
Using digital technology in an analog environment
Making samples sound organic
Building his studio, Southern Grooves
To learn more about Matt Ross-Spang, visit: http://www.southerngrooves.com/
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Jonte Knif: Building High Quality Audio Gear

Jonte Knif was interested from an early age both in engineering and musical instruments and music. This dual interest manifested itself in the daring decision to start studying harpsichord at the Sibelius-Academy in Helsinki, and engineering physics at the University of technology. This decision was soon to be found to be a mistake and Knif concentrated on music studies only.
During the following 6 years Knif played in many ensembles specializing in music from medieval times to Frank Zappa, and started to build tube amps and design speakers and harpsichords, which got international recognition.
Knif switched to study in the department of music technology in Sibelius-Academy and graduated in 2005. After graduation, he decided to concentrate on hardware design and founded Knif Audio in 2005.
Fueled by his passion for instrument building and audio, Knif Audio has produced many power amplifiers, experimental loudspeakers, one commercial loudspeaker, Knif Rauman Nº1, and new harpsichord and electric clavichord models.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
Becoming a gear manufacturer
Learning how to make gear
Understanding psychoacoustics
Balancing the needs of the pro audio community vs audiophiles
Mastering grade vs. mixing grade equipment
Looking back at your past work
What makes different models of EQ sound different
Hardware vs plugins
How Q values change in relation to EQ boosts/cuts
Tubes: Choosing the right ones for specific uses
Tubes vs. transformers
Plugin Alliance Soma: How it compares to the real thing
To learn more about Jonte Knif and Knif Audio, visit: https://knifaudio.com/
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Brent Hendrich: How Limitations Foster Creativity

Brent Hendrich is a freelance mix engineer with over 20 years of experience as a working professional in the Nashville music industry. Through his work on a Dove award-winning record, contributions toward Emmy award-winning compositions, and countless hours of studio experience, Brent has been building a track record consisting of a diverse repertoire of content spanning across genres of rock, pop, EDM, soul, jazz, and singer/songwriters. 
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
How networking can happen where you least expect it
Getting started as a freelancer: How to survive the rough early days
Traps to avoid when getting started
When/if you should niche down your audio services
How to get in the heads of artists before you start working on their music
Making room for vocals in a mix
Separating prep time from mix time
Listening to rough mixes: How to know what elements are important to keep in the final mix
How working with limitations fosters creativity
Exercises to strengthen your audio skills
To learn more about Brent Hendrich, visit: https://brenthendrich.com/
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Johannes Ringen: Writing film scores

Film and TV composer Johannes Ringen is known for his eclectic approach to music, combining traditional orchestral colours with electronic instruments and textural sounds. His compositions range from action films and thrillers to documentaries, comedies, and animation.
His recent work includes an action-packed score for Netflix's No 1 original film Troll, dark ominous music for the disaster movie The Quake, and a symphonic score for the quirky Viking comedy show Norsemen on Netflix.
After moving to Los Angeles, Ringen has contributed music and/or arrangements to major Hollywood productions such as Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron, Furious 7,  (directed by James Wan,) and The Fate of the Furious, as well as TV shows such as MacGyver and Hawaii 5-0.
Ringen is a graduate from the prestigious Film Scoring Program at the University of Southern California. When not composing, he can be found at flea markets with his wife and kids, secretly hoping to find unique instruments previously unknown to mankind for his next film.
 
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
- Why having diversity in your musical tastes is so important for composing
- Creating music with MIDI
- How to make virtual instruments sound realistic
- Battling perfectionism
- How to deal with “demoitis” and imposter syndrome
- Ways to beat writer’s block
- Why you should always have deadlines 
- Delivering tracks as stems
- Tips for evoking emotion through music
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Tony ”Jack The Bear” Mantz: Forging Your Own Path In Music

Tony “Jack the Bear” Mantz is owner and founder of Deluxe Mastering. He has had over 35 years working in many facets of the music business both here and overseas, but found his niche in mastering. Tony or (Jack) as he is also known, was trained in vinyl mastering at the famous Frankford Wayne Labs in NYC.This was the training ground for such luminaries as the late great Tom Coyne and Herb Powers. For decades now Tony has mastered for many of Australia’s top artists along with a few international artists that have notched up Gold & Platinum awards. It’s this expertise alongside his commitment to excellent customer service that will make your mastering experience a smooth one.Aside from mastering, Tony is also doing the rounds on the public speaking circuit to schools and organizations about his journey in the music industry.
During these talks he shares his profound life lessons in music and life that have shaped him today. Tony’s hope is to inspire others, to pursue their dreams in life.
Tony also hosts the Mastering Music Mastering Life podcast, where he has in-depth and engaging conversations with music industry heavyweights in all matters of music and life.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
Doing what you love
Defining success
Dealing without parental/social support systems
Making your own success
How to network properly
How to provide value to others (even when you think you don’t have anything to offer)
Battling imposter syndrome
The fine-line between self-deprecation and humility
To learn more about Tony “Jack The Bear” Mantz, visit: http://www.jackthebear.com.au/
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Jake Rye: Creating Wide Mixes With Character

Jake Rye is a Michigan-based producer and mixing engineer with over 16 years of experience working within the indie/alt rock genres.  Since 2006 Jake has produced and or mixed over 2000 songs with both indie and label artists alike garnering respect as a person who not only delivers the highest level of complimentary work but also the highest level of care for the process and the people involved.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
Mixing based on feel, rather than technical “rules”
Using saturation in your mixes
Jake’s go-to mics for recording
Driving preamps
The importance of consistency with your gainstaging
How to achieve wide mixes
Using mid-side compression to help with width
How he sets up his system for tracking and mixing
A simple trick to use during tracking that ensures each instrument will have clarity in the mix
How he structures his tracking process to encourage efficiency and creativity
Building relationships with clients vs. treating them as clients
Knowing when you aren’t the right person for a project
How he handles new projects and sets expectations early
To learn more about Jake Rye, visit: https://jakerye.com/
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Dom Morley: How to Get Your Vocals to Sit Right in the Mix

Dom Morley is a British sound engineer and record producer.
He started his career in the late 1990s at DEP International Studios in Birmingham before moving to London in 1999 to take a position at Metropolis Studios. Here he worked his way up through the ranks, engineering for such producers as Tony Visconti, Phil Spector and Mark Ronson. It was his work with Ronson on the Amy Winehouse Back to Black album that won him the Record Of The Year Grammy Award in 2008.
Since then Morley has become a freelance engineer and producer working recently with such artists as Sting, Adele, Grinderman, Kate Walsh, The Police, Colin MacIntyre and Jeff Beck. He produced the Mull Historical Society album City Awakenings.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
Moving up the ranks quickly as an intern
The small details that create a great experience for your clients so that they come back time and time again
Being the “fifth member” of the band
The most expensive mistake you can make in the studio
Establishing your creative vision in order to make the production process easier
How to set up a mix around the vocals
How he sets up his vocal effects to keep the mix exciting
Why it’s a good idea to record singers in the control room with you
Committing to sounds in the recording stage
What he does to ensure mixes translate across multiple playback systems
To learn more about Dom Morley, visit: https://www.dommorley.com/
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Katie Tavini: Having Fun While Working On Your Craft

Katie Tavini is a Mancunian mastering engineer, now based in Brighton, whose credits include Emeli Sandé, Arlo Parks and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Equally comfortable dealing with an artists' first ever release as she is with a seasoned pro's greatest hits – Katie's ability to bring out the best in a mix comes from her years of experience in studios, combined with her open communication with artists, engineers and labels that trust her to take care of their prized works.
Through her work, Katie has become one of the most in-demand mastering engineers in the UK. Since starting in 2014, the growing range of Katie's discography is testament to her versatility as an engineer. She is at home with everything from the heaviest metal to the lushest orchestral works and everything in between. A lover of music, Katie enjoys the challenge of taking on new styles and exploring new sonics.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
Why you shouldn’t wait until you are “prepared” to start your career
Having fun while you work
Not getting caught up with “technical” perfection
Reverse engineering music
Listening with intent
Starting a mastering collective
Collaboration vs. competition
The benefits of having a mentor
Do you need expensive monitors to master properly?
Enhancing the feel of a mix
Why sweeping with EQ can be dangerous
EQ vs. compression: which is better for creating feel?
Katie’s practice techniques to constantly get better at her craft
To learn more about Katie Tavini, visit: https://www.katietavini.co.uk/ and https://www.weirdjungle.com/
To learn more tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/
Get your copy of the #1 Amazon bestselling book, The Mixing Mindset – The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/
Join the FREE MasterYourMix Facebook community: https://links.masteryourmix.com/community
To make sure that you don’t miss an episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Android.
Have your questions answered on the show. Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com
Thanks for listening! Please leave a rating and review on iTunes!