Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast: Recent Episodes
Bobby Owsinski
Indie plugin developers who want to launch a genuinely new synthesis tool will recognize their own blind spots in Evan Mezeske's story.
Indie plugin developers who want to launch a genuinely new synthesis tool will recognize their own blind spots in Evan Mezeske's story.
Evan left Google after 11 years building large-scale fraud systems to create Anukari, the first commercially available 3D physics modeling synthesizer that runs in real time.
He discovered that technical originality creates a marketing problem most developers never anticipate. When a product is genuinely new, the market has no category for it, and polished 3D visuals can trigger skepticism instead of excitement.
His path from that invisible launch to being discovered by Doom Eternal composer Mick Gordon and Star Trek's lead sound designer reveals what actually moves a tool without a genre.
Listen to how this totally unique approach to synthesis went from unnoticed to being on everyone's radar in this Inner Circle Podcast episode.
Connect with Evan:
LinkedIn
Anukari
Instagram (Anukari)
YouTube (Anukari)
“You do not need to know chemistry to enjoy fireworks”: Exploring the physics-driven thinking behind some of the most groundbreaking plugins
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Audio plugin developers who assume machine learning is the right tool will find the process used by Hannes Andersson and the team at Oeksound genuinely surprising.
Andersson is CEO of Oeksound, the creator of Soothe, the dynamic resonance suppressor that became so dominant on Spotify's Top 50, yet it's team rebuilt the algorithm from scratch.
Oeksound's secret is two people in a room listening for hours until the math feels right, a standard that quietly shaped the sound of a lot of recorded music without anyone outside the company knowing it.
When Soothe 2 went viral during COVID and overuse artifacts began appearing on Spotify and Apple Music top tracks, the team rebuilt the core.
Knowing what a plugin is actually taking away matters as much as knowing how to use it, and Oeksound's other tools reflect that same standard.
Bloom, the adaptive tone shaper, reads the entire incoming signal before processing, so a high-shelf boost for warmth automatically pulls back when sibilance arrives rather than amplifying it.
Spiff began as a mouth-click suppressor for close-mic'd vocals and evolved into an adaptive transient shaper that Andersson also uses for frequency-specific stereo placement, boosting attack on one channel while keeping overall levels balanced.
Every product is tuned through hours of listening sessions by engineers who also write, produce, and mix, because emotion is the only benchmark Oeksound trusts.
Connect with Hannes:
LinkedIn
Oeksound
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Song copyright protection for musicians who record ideas with a voice memo at 3am proves nothing in a dispute. That original moment completely unverifiable.
Nadim Rahman built Songproof, a dual-blockchain platform, after recognising that musicians needed an irrefutable timestamp at the exact moment inspiration strikes, not after the fact.
For 99 cents per song, Songproof issues what Rahman calls a birth certificate for your music, anchored to the blockchain, so that if a collaborator or label ever questions who wrote what first, the proof already exists and cannot be altered.
Songproof actually uses two separate blockchains for distinct purposes: Bitcoin handles the timestamp, creating irrefutable proof of when a song was created, while Polygon handles split sheets through smart contracts.
Hear more about Songproof on this week's episode.
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Music industry professionals still betting on major labels to develop artists should know the system has structurally exited that business.
On this week's episode I break down the data showing how UMG and WMG now redirect spending toward catalog acquisitions rather than new careers. . .
. . . have made AI licensing deals explicitly designed to reduce artist relationships. . .
. . . and then kept the copyright settlement money those deals generated without passing any of it on to the artists whose music was used for training.
I also looked at:
- TikTok trying to fill this development vacuum, but 59% of its new-user feeds are already AI-generated content, so even that alternative is narrowing fast.
- Spotify's global top 50 fell from over 90% new releases in 2019-2020 to roughly 70% by early 2026, and by May seven of the top ten songs were more than two years old.
- Luminate found that 56% of 13-to-24-year-olds regularly listen to music made before 2000, with 25% of that group favoring tracks from the 1990s or earlier.
- Hip hop, which held roughly 30% market share at its late-2000s-to-2020 peak, has gone entire months without a single Billboard top 10 placement.
- Suno raised $400 million at a $5.4 billion valuation while battling UMG and Sony in federal court over training data.
- Tidal announced it will pay zero royalties on fully AI-generated tracks and badge them for listeners.
- The AFM's lawsuit against Warner and Universal over withheld AI settlement money gives artists a concrete legal precedent to cite when evaluating any publisher or label deal where royalty flow-through terms are left unstated.
- YouTube's argument that uploading a video constitutes blanket consent to train Google's Lyria 3 model shows why reading platform terms of service before posting has become a practical rights-management step, not a formality.
On the gear side:
- Dean Guitar's parent Armadillo Enterprises filing for Chapter 11 after a Gibson trademark loss illustrates how intellectual property exposure can collapse a company faster than market conditions,
- while Höfner's acquisition by GEWA Music suggests bankruptcy does not always end a legacy instrument brand
- Royer Labs has a new home
- and a new honor for Jimi Hendrix in New York City
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Independent musicians sometimes upload masters that are too hot, so they lose transient detail the moment streaming platforms apply loudness normalization.
Mastering engineer Jeff Graves spent two and a half years measuring 214 audio fingerprints across 15 samples per genre to build a 24-stage AI mastering platform, and in this conversation he explains exactly why delivering at the target LUFS level protects the dynamics and clarity that make a song translate from earbuds to car speakers.
His platform flags any process that compresses the loudness range by more than 1.5 LU, giving independent artists the transparency that black-box services have always withheld.
Jeff built LuvLang Studio after years of frustration with opaque online mastering services like Landr and eMaster, which he says run tracks through only seven or eight processes without explaining what they do.
His platform applies 24 named stages, measures LRA pre and post chain, and rejects uploads where headroom is insufficient rather than attempting to salvage a bad recording.
Users can choose single or album mode, blend a reference track via a percentage slider, and adjust a 7-band EQ. Three output tiers cover MP3, 24-bit, and 24-bit with full options, with bundle pricing for multi-song projects.
The platform also embeds metadata with track titles formatted exactly as the artist specifies and links directly to distributors such as CD Baby.
For bedroom producers who have never had a mastering budget, the educational layer built into this workflow may matter as much as the output file.
Every stage is named and visible, so each session teaches the vocabulary behind the decisions, things like why true peak spikes hiding between samples cause distortion only after a platform compresses the file, or why classical dynamic LRA typically falls between 10 and 20 LU while a heavily compressed master lands between 3 and 7.
Understanding those numbers gives an independent artist enough grounding to judge when a result is trustworthy and when it signals a problem upstream in the mix.
Connect with Jeff:
LinkedIn
LuvLang Studio
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
On this week's episode, session vocalist Darlene Koldenhoven tells us how her music hit #4 on the Billboard classical crossover chart with no manager or label.
The common assumption that a major-label infrastructure is required to chart is exactly what her story dismantles, and she walks through the specific decisions that produced number-one worldwide radio chart results as an independent artist.
Darlene, a veteran of over 1,000 studio sessions and 14 self-produced solo albums, separates creative and business calendar periods rather than blending them, because the mental demands of each pull in different directions.
On the chart side, she treats Billboard eligibility as a research problem: the weekly sales threshold shifts based on competing releases, so she tracks rule changes instead of targeting a fixed number.
Her vocal coaching draws on audio psychophonology, a listening-rehabilitation method developed by Dr. Alfred Tomatis, which she uses to address frequency deficiencies standard technique cannot reach.
These same principles of persistence, research, and structured execution are what allowed Darlene to chart and build a career without a manager or agent.
Of special note is the story where she served as the session contractor who hired the vocal trio for Pink Floyd's sessions with producer Bob Ezrin, and Ezrin asked her personally to coax David Gilmour out of the tracking room when the blend wasn't working.
Connect with Darlene:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Music career longevity is what separates artists who last from those who burn out chasing the wrong metrics.
Too many aspiring musicians hand control to social platforms, grinding out content as servants to algorithms while the industry gaslights them with success measures that have nothing to do with real longevity. Keith Jopling spent 25 years inside the business, including time at Spotify, then interviewed 80 artists and bands to write Riding the Rollercoaster, and the creative director model he extracted from that research shows musicians how to flip the equation: command the platforms, define your own hit, and build a career on your terms before the rollercoaster throws you off.
Jopling maps five routes to longevity: a hit song, a classic album, being dropped by your label, becoming a cult artist, and building your brand. The dropped-by-your-label route surprises people, but his case studies show artists consistently respond by making their strongest record since their debut, independently or on a new label. On the album question, he credits Taylor Swift's pandemic releases Folklore and Evermore with pulling fans back to long-form listening, and points to Charli XCX's Brat as proof an album can still become a genuine cultural phenomenon. Harry Styles launched a new album with listening parties in 40 cities, a Netflix special filmed at the Co-op in Manchester, reinforcing that the release cycle still drives touring and commercial momentum.
Jopling's most actionable insight is the creative director model: appoint someone inside the band, or bring in a trusted collaborator, to own the visual and commercial identity of your project from day one. Your manager handles the weekly hustle; this role thinks longer term, ensuring your photography and platform presence tell one coherent story. He also reframes the hit song entirely: forget chart position and focus on the song your crowd sings back loudest at every show. That is your hit, and that is what you build forward from. Both moves return control to the artist and away from the platforms and gatekeepers that longevity research consistently shows will not build a career for you.
Connect with Keith:
LinkedIn
Riding the Rollercoaster (Book)
Website
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
On this week's episode, Bobby speaks with Dr. Bill Evans, audio scientist, producer, educator, and inventor of the Performance Restoration methodology.
Bill believes that drum recording has always involved a painful tradeoff, but it doesn't have to.
Most engineers accept mic bleed as an unavoidable character of a drum sound, questioning whether removing it could actually alter the drummer's true performance DNA.
Bill spent seven years answering exactly that question. His concept of the Virtual Audio Workstation, involves a new audio file format that remains compatible with WAV files while carrying additional performance metadata.
The format separates articulations, preserves room information as an independent element, and provides what Bill describes as functionally infinite dynamic range, allowing details like hi-hat foot checks to be raised dramatically without introducing grain or artifact.
At the center of that work is PRISM, Bill's AI framework that converts audio to MIDI, edits it, and converts it back again, using the artist's own recordings as the sole training data rather than a generative pool.
The distinction is important. Generative AI aims for plausible. PRISM aims for what a specific musician would actually play.
One of the earliest demonstrations came during a Flying Colors session when seven seconds of guitarist Steve Morse's solo disappeared. Evans reconstructed the missing passage through PRISM, and Morse, known for being exacting about his performances, could not identify the recreated section.
The larger takeaway is a fundamental rethinking of how engineers approach drum recording.
By separating articulations and ambience into controllable elements, PRISM preserves ghost notes, cymbal strike positions, and subtle performance details that are typically lost in the production process, allowing the final recording to reflect the musician's actual performance rather than a substitute version of it.
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Female artists who hire producers risk losing creative control before a single song is released.
On this week's podcast episode, Xylo Aria, founder of Music Production for Women(MPW), tells us how she learned this the hard way, by paying for sessions where male producers overrode her vision, leaving her with music she never put out and studios where personal safety competed with creative freedom.
Seven years building MPW taught her that the real barrier isn't technical knowledge, but confidence and the self-imposed belief that production simply isn't for women.
She shares how she dismantled those barriers and why owning your production is the only way to fully own your art.
Xylo started writing songs at 12, spent four years as a corporate accountant, then quit after a close friend died suddenly, moved to the UK, and launched MPW about two weeks after leaving a contract role.
The platform runs a year-long Master Your Music program, alongside free online and in-person events throughout the year.
Students range from complete DAW beginners to demo-makers with knowledge gaps, spanning electronic, folk, singer-songwriter, and sound-healing genres.
Xylo's sharpest takeaway from her years of teaching is that 70 percent finished is great. Stop tweaking, release, and move on because productivity compounds when you let go.
For women who have paid for sessions and walked away with music they never released, she advises to open the DAW now, build muscle memory across your own genre, and take the first step before you feel ready.
Waiting until you're further along is the trap, because every finished project you own outright is one where no one else controlled the outcome or the room.
Connect with Xylo:
LinkedIn
Website
MPW
Instagram
TikTok (MPW)
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
On this week's episode, Elliot Easton, guitarist for The Cars and Creedence Clearwater Revisited, takes us through his journey with the band and beyond.
Easton looks back at The Cars' origins, from getting a label deal the old fashioned way, to connecting with famed producer Roy Thomas Baker, to recording the band's initial albums, to how his many influences shaped his solos in the studio.
He then tells us about his time with Creedence Clearwater Revisited, and the broken tour with The New Cars where bad management sunk a potentially good thing.
Finally we talk about Elliot's Rickenbacker 12 string and his signature Gibson Tikibird Firebird, which has become somewhat of a collectors item.
If you've ever enjoyed The Cars music and Elliot's playing, you'll love the ground that we cover in this episode.
Connect with Elliot:
Instagram
Facebook
X
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Music business professionals who still see major labels as career partners need to hear what Bobby Owsinski lays out plainly: Universal Music Group's pursuit of a $3 billion Spotify stock sell-off signals that labels have shifted from artist development engines into financial instruments that happen to license music.
The failure mode is assuming the label is on your side when, as Bobby explains, artists are a line item on a balance sheet.
His counterintuitive fix is to stop waiting for label validation and recognize that AI flooding submissions without capturing listeners, and stagnating streaming growth, are signals that independent builders have more leverage now than at any point in the modern music business.
Bobby walks through specific pressure points across the business.
YouTube raised individual plans from $10.99 to $11.99 and family plans from $16.99 to $18.99, compounding recent hikes from Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon that together push subscribers toward cancellation.
Universal Music Group's proposed $3 billion Spotify stock sell-off earmarks roughly $850 million for artists, but under an artist-centric model that concentrates payouts on Taylor Swift and Drake rather than developing acts. T
he BMG-Concord merger introduces private equity firm Great Mountain Partners at 33% ownership. IFPI data shows 837 million global streaming subscribers, doubled since 2020, yet growth in high-revenue Western markets is stalling.
Listeners leave with a clear-eyed framework for evaluating every major-label conversation.
Bobby's evidence shows labels are optimizing for catalog margins and investor returns, not artist development, so traction you build independently is no longer a stepping stone to a deal but leverage you already own.
Private equity now shapes both BMG and the UMG acquisition bid, compressing the window where a label adds more than it extracts. The practical move is to treat label infrastructure as a specific tool for scaling from star to superstar, and only if you are already there. Otherwise, the balance sheet math works against you before the contract is signed.
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What matters more in the music business, mastering every plugin, or becoming the kind of person people want to hire again?
On this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby talks with songwriter, producer, engineer, and educator Gary Gray about music licensing, post production, rhythmic integrity, AI, immersive audio, and the character traits that keep people working in a changing industry.
Gary shares how his early life as a drummer, his music theory training, and his work alongside artists and mentors like Quincy Jones shaped the way he approaches production and problem solving. He explains why he often fixes rhythm first when a deadline is tight, why written music licensing briefs can leave composers guessing, and how You Score the Scene helps composers submit music synced directly to picture.
The conversation also gets into Gary’s work studying cinematography, shooting professional footage on an iPhone, the stigma around AI tools, consumer demand for immersive audio, and why “character counts” may be the most important business advice for anyone in music, production, or post.
Connect with Gary:
Website
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
You Score the Scene
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What can a 1956 recording console teach us about the future of music production?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby talks with Tom Camuso, Director of Engineering at The Les Paul Recording Studio, and Michael Braunstein, 3rd Generation Les Paul Manager.
They discuss the newly restored Les Paul Recording Studio in Los Angeles, Les Paul’s groundbreaking recording innovations, and why his original Fairchild based console still feels ahead of its time today.
Tom and Michael take us inside the restoration of Les Paul’s original gear, including his 1956 console, early multitrack machines, lathe, sound on sound system, and studio setup.
They also explain why the studio is designed as both a working space and an educational resource, how Les Paul’s inventions shaped modern recording, and why today’s DAWs still follow many of the same ideas he was using decades ago.
You’ll also hear how the Les Paul Foundation supports music education, preserves Les Paul’s legacy, and funds hearing related research, including tinnitus research.
Connect with Tom and Michael:
LinkedIn (Michael)
Website
The Les Paul Foundation
“Les would be over the moon knowing his studio exists again.”
Les Paul’s Groundbreaking Recording Gear Gets Back to Work – Part 1
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What makes a compressor become one of the most trusted pieces of gear in modern recording studios? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby talks with Dave Derr, founder of Empirical Labs and creator of the legendary Distressor.
Dave shares the story behind the Distressor’s development, including how early studio challenges, dead drum sounds, 1176 experiments, and real-world testing helped shape one of the most widely used analog compressors in music production. He also talks about the creation of Nuke mode, the thinking behind Brit mode, the evolution of the Distressor, and how products like FATSO, Mike-E, and Empirical Labs plugins fit into his design philosophy.
Along the way, Dave and Bobby get into analog saturation, transformer sound, plugin clones, trademarking knobs, Eventide, the Philadelphia music scene, favorite instruments to record, and why the 1980s may have been a peak era for audio quality.
Learn more about Dave Derr and Empirical Labs:
LinkedIn
Empirical Labs Website
Empirical Labs Instagram
Empirical Labs Facebook
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What does it really take to turn a good voice into a sustainable music career? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby talks with vocal coach, singer, songwriter, and artist developer Patrice Peris about the voice, the business, and the habits that help independent artists move from practice room to real performance.
Patrice shares why today’s singers need more than technique, including branding, web presence, booking strategy, emotional delivery, and a real understanding of the music business. She also breaks down the differences between classical, musical theater, and contemporary singing, why pitch perfection is not the same as a great vocal, and how simple warmup habits can create real vocal improvement over time.
You’ll also hear Patrice talk about finding your authentic sound, helping artists stop hiding behind imitation, thriving after cancer, and her move into trailer music and sync placements.
Learn more about Patrice Peris:
Voice Studio
Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What happens to iconic guitar shops when the founders want to step away, and who makes sure those legendary brands do not disappear?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby talks with Ben Montague, Founder and CEO of The North American Guitar Global, TNAG, about vintage guitars, legacy music retail, trusted online selling, and the future of some of the world’s most respected guitar stores.
Ben shares how he went from touring musician and guitar trader to building The North American Guitar, expanding into Nashville, partnering with Carter Vintage, and acquiring Norman’s Rare Guitars. Along the way, he explains why trust is everything in the vintage guitar market, how customer relationships still drive high-end instrument sales, and why preserving great retail brands matters to the entire music industry.
This is a fascinating conversation about guitars, entrepreneurship, collectibles, and the people behind the stores that shape music history.
Guest links and episode links:
LinkedIn
Carter Vintage
Norman’s Rare Guitars
YouTube
TNAG Global acquires Norman’s Rare Guitars
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What does it take to keep a commercial recording studio thriving as the music industry keeps changing? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby talks with Tom Weir, Grammy-winning engineer, producer, mixer, and owner of Studio City Sound, about how his studio continues to grow by expanding beyond traditional music recording into ADR, voiceover, livestreaming, Dolby Atmos, podcast production, and AI augmentation sessions.
Tom shares how Studio City Sound adapted from its longtime location into a larger North Hollywood space, why commercial studios have to diversify to stay competitive, and what he is seeing firsthand as more artists bring in AI-generated tracks that still need real singers, players, instruments, and engineering to sound right. He also explains why he still mixes through his Neve console, what analog gear continues to earn its place in every session, and how a working studio survives by staying useful, flexible, and sonically excellent.
If you care about recording studios, analog mixing, Dolby Atmos, AI in music production, and the future of the music business, this conversation delivers a real-world look from inside the control room.
Connect with Tom:
Studio Website
LinkedIn
Instagram
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What happens when a world-class mastering engineer tries to replace himself with AI, and fails? On Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby sits down with Jonathan Wyner, mastering engineer at M-Works, professor at Berklee College of Music, head of artistic technology initiatives for BEATL, and past president of the Audio Engineering Society, for a sharp, eye-opening conversation about AI mastering, music production, education, and the future of human creativity in the studio.
Jonathan explains why AI mastering still cannot match the listening pass, judgment, and intention that a human mastering engineer brings to a record. He also shares why he spent years trying to automate his own work, what today’s tools can actually do well, where they still fall short, and why music creators need to think carefully about controllability, quality, copyright, and the role of mentorship as AI becomes a bigger part of the creative process.
This episode also explores Berklee’s artist-centered AI music summit, how AI is reshaping music education, why mixing remains a much harder challenge than most people realize, and where the next breakthroughs in music technology may come from. If you want a deeper look inside music production, mastering, AI in music, and the future of creative workflows, this episode delivers exactly that.
Guest links:
Website
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What is the biggest problem in mixing right now, and why are so many modern sessions making that problem worse?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby sits down with multi-platinum mixer and engineer Richard Chycki, known for his work with Rush, Dream Theater, Aerosmith, Mick Jagger, Alice Cooper, and Pink, to unpack what is really hurting mixes today. Richard explains why too many recording decisions are being postponed, how immersive audio changes the way mixers create space, and why clearer standards are needed if Atmos mixes are going to translate in the real world.
Bobby and Richard dig into the realities of mixing legacy artists in immersive formats, including the challenge of preserving the original intent of a classic record while adapting it for modern playback. They also talk about why dense sessions with hundreds of tracks can actually slow down decision making, how bed versus object choices affect impact and glue, what makes Sony 360 different from Atmos, and why emotional intent still matters more than technology. If you care about mixing, immersive audio, Dolby Atmos, Sony 360 Reality Audio, session management, and modern music production, this conversation is packed with insight.
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Can compressor presets really fix a weak vocal, or are most mixers solving the wrong problem first?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with author, musician, and lecturer Craig Anderton to unpack the art and science of vocal production, from performance psychology and gain envelope “microsurgery” to why a single vocal can connect more directly than a doubled one. The conversation also moves into inside out mixing, recording vocals flat, plugin minimalism, DIY creativity, and the mindset required to keep evolving with music technology. Craig Anderton is an internationally recognized authority on music technology, has written more than 1,000 articles, authored over 50 books, and continues to publish through Sweetwater while sharing educational resources at craiganderton.org.
Craig explains why great vocals start before the compressor, why performance still beats presets, and how subtle gain moves can often outperform heavy processing. He also shares stories about learning from top engineers, working with voices like Martha Davis and Chuck D, building bigger sounding vocals without the usual tricks, and finding creative freedom by using fewer plugins and following what the song actually wants.
Connect with Craig
Website
Sweetwater articles
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What does it really take to stay relevant in today’s music business when private equity is reshaping pro audio, viral success is far rarer than people think, and YouTube keeps gaining influence?
In this solo episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby breaks down the latest music industry news and production trends, connecting the dots between business shifts, platform power, legacy gear, and loudness myths so artists, producers, mixers, and music creators can better understand where the industry is heading.
Bobby digs into Native Instruments filing for insolvency, what that could mean for users of Native Instruments, iZotope, Plugin Alliance, and Brainworx, and why private equity continues to create concern in pro audio. He also looks at AudioTonics acquiring more respected audio brands, the sale of Norman’s Rare Guitars, and why not every acquisition is bad news.
From there, Bobby tackles the reality of going viral in music, why slow growth often creates a stronger long-term catalog, and why YouTube may be the smartest platform for artists who want sustainable traction. He also explains why YouTube views no longer count toward Billboard in the same way, why that matters less for indie artists than many think, and why platform relevance is shifting right in front of us.
The episode also celebrates 75 years of the Fender Telecaster, with Bobby explaining why its design still matters today, before wrapping with a practical breakdown of LUFS, streaming loudness, and the new laws affecting video streamers. If you want a sharper view of the modern music business without hype, this episode delivers exactly that.
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Is AI really coming for your gig, or are most musicians worried about the wrong things entirely? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, author, musician, and lecturer Craig Anderton breaks down what AI actually means for working artists, producers, and songwriters, and why the real advantage is still the human fingerprint that machines cannot touch.
Craig unpacks new listener data that shows real pushback against AI-generated music, why fans still want to support human artists, and how musicians can stop trying to “out-computer a computer” and instead double down on feel, emotion, and creative risk-taking. He also shares where AI tools are genuinely useful in the studio, from vocal comping and demo production to research and writing, and where they fall apart on nuance, vibe, and context.
You will hear Craig’s take on legal and copyright minefields around training data, the difference between influence and imitation, and what K-pop and modern fan culture can teach every independent musician about building deeper connections and putting a unique “fingerprint” in the music.
Connect with Craig
Website
Sweetwater articles
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What role do commercial recording studios really play in today’s home studio world? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with Sam Rudy, founder of Pro Studio Time, to explore whether studios are still necessary for modern music production, or simply a creative luxury. From writing camps and residential studios to AI disruption and changing booking habits, this conversation dives deep into how artists, managers, and labels are navigating studio choices in 2025.
Sam shares insights from working with over 130 studios globally, explains why so many studio inquiries never turn into bookings, and reveals what artists actually look for today, which is often less about gear and more about feel. If you have ever wondered whether high-end studios still matter, or how to choose the right space for your next session, this episode delivers answers.
Guest: Sam Rudy
Founder, Pro Studio Time
https://prostudiotime.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/pro-studio-time
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Studios are perhaps not a necessary part of the production anymore the way they used to be, but they are still a place where people can get together and collaborate
• High quality audio is still very much a thing and necessary
• Most studio inquiries do not turn into bookings, often only 20 to 40 percent convert
• Many artists book studios not for the gear, but for how the space makes them feel
• A pair of speakers and a decent vocal chain is sometimes all you need
• Daylight and atmosphere are increasingly important factors when choosing a studio
• Residential studios have gained popularity due to flexibility and creative focus
• AI and new technology may disrupt parts of the industry, but past tools like drum machines and autotune ultimately expanded creativity
• Lowering the barrier to entry for music creation can lead to more artists eventually seeking professional studios
• Success in any field comes down to volume of iteration, doing it as often and as long as possible
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What if immersive audio is not about the future at all, but about going back to how music was always meant to be heard?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with Adrian Weidmann, CEO and founder of Immersive Design Labs, to unpack why Dolby Atmos and immersive audio have left so many engineers scrambling, and how the real breakthrough is not technology, but clarity. Adrian shares how his background in test and measurement, studio microphones, and live capture shaped a radically simple philosophy, accuracy over novelty.
From designing a preamp to be “the electrical equivalent of effectively a 12 inch piece of copper wire” with no coloration, to building a 7.1.4 array that mirrors Dolby’s speaker layout, Adrian explains why immersive audio should feel natural, not futuristic.
If you care about sound, space, and the emotional impact of music, this conversation will challenge the way you think about recording.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Dolby Atmos came out of cinema and now engineers are scrambling to figure out what to do with it
• The biggest challenge with immersive audio is clarity, not technology
• The preamp was designed to be the electrical equivalent of a 12 inch piece of copper wire with no coloration
• Immersive audio should capture musicians playing in a space, not chase novelty
• The IDL array replicates the positioning of a 7.1.4 Dolby speaker configuration
• Embrace the bleed, the room itself should become an active instrument
• Each song should be affiliated with its appropriate acoustic space
• A microphone is a transducer, and anything other than an omni is a compromise
• Focus on the song, capture the emotions associated with the interaction with the musicians
• Success advice from outside the studio, I show up
Connect with Adrian Weidmann and Immersive Design Labs:
Adrian's LinkedIn
Immersive Design Labs Website
Immersive Design Labs Facebook
Immersive Design Labs LinkedIn
Immersive Design Labs Instagram
Immersive Design Labs YouTube
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What if the biggest thing holding musicians back is not talent, but mindset?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with DJ Bander, Zach Schnall, CEO of Bander Productions, to explore how artists can build real career momentum in today’s music business. From jazz roots to electronic dance music success, Zach shares how he transitioned genres, built a brand, invested in marketing, and developed the business skills most musicians ignore.
This is a deep dive into branding, social media strategy, financial literacy, EDM production standards, and why waiting to be discovered is no longer a viable strategy in the modern music industry. If you want to learn something about the music business that you never knew before, this conversation delivers.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Musicians struggle because they are waiting to be discovered instead of building leverage
• Labels want to see that you are already basically on the 80 yard line
• Investing in your brand is essential, trying to find the cheapest way can hurt your career
• Dance music requires concise structure, professional edits, and release ready production
• Downtempo allows more compositional freedom, EDM demands technical precision and relevance
• Marketing success depends on long term commitment, not short timelines
• Bringing in an audience is only part of the equation, artists must actively engage
• Financial literacy is critical, advances are often debt and poor management can derail careers
• Mentorship accelerates growth in ways YouTube and AI alone cannot
• The best artists trust the love they have for their own sound while being their most honest critic
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Coming up...
00:01:15 - From jazz piano to electronic music
00:03:15 - Becoming DJ Bander and learning to DJ
00:04:54 - Why EDM is technically harder than it sounds
00:06:52 - Release-ready production and commercial standards
00:08:56 - Edit justifications and structure in long tracks
00:11:24 - Staying relevant in a competitive EDM market
00:14:11 - Building capital, investing in brand and ads
00:16:58 - Waiting to be discovered vs building leverage
00:19:01 - Financial literacy and managing advances
00:22:40 - Branding your name with intention
00:25:08 - The mentorship mistake young artists make
00:26:53 - The best advice he ever received
00:28:28 - How to connect with DJ Bander
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Is the gig economy really built to support musicians and freelancers, or is it setting them up to fail?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby talks with Ben Ikwaugwu, CEO of SoundCheck Live, about why the freelance economy is growing faster than the tools designed to support it. Drawing from his background as a professional vocalist and supply chain professional, Ben explains why fragmented communication, lack of systems, and one time execution pressure make it harder than ever for musicians and gig operators to run a sustainable business.
Ben also shares how SoundCheck Live is being built as an operating system for the gig economy, and why understanding people, workflows, and relationships matters more than technology alone.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• “Companies are operating more and more with freelancers, but they want to act like they’re enterprises.”
• “The number one pain that we’re eliminating right now is the fragmentation of managing gigs and freelancers.”
• “You don’t get a performance review in the gig economy. You have one time maybe to just screw it up.”
• “Musicians turned business owners are some of the best negotiators, but some of the worst at building systems.”
• “We’re building an operating system for on demand teams.”
• “You have to be really good at your job to keep getting jobs.”
• “More than half of the US economy will be freelance.”
• “We don’t have infrastructure built for people who don’t operate nine to five.”
• “The world is built on relationships and how you treat people.”
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Coming up...
00:01:14 - Meet Ben Ikwaugwu and the gig economy problem
00:03:21 - Learning systems through supply chain
00:05:08 - The idea behind SoundCheck Live
00:07:37 - Fragmentation in gig management
00:11:50 - Why the gig economy gives you one shot
00:16:10 - Education, AI, and building your own tools
00:21:14 - Leadership lessons from supply chain
00:26:19 - Building teams and company culture
00:29:00 - Advice on balance and staying grounded
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What really matters in music production when AI can generate songs, demos, and arrangements almost instantly?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with legendary Nashville engineer and producer Ed Seay to unpack how AI, modern songwriting practices, and changing production tools are reshaping the music business. From demo studios being bypassed to why human instinct still cannot be replaced, this conversation offers an inside look at where music has been and where it is headed.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• “90% of the people in the world aren’t pros. It’s all about the song and the singer.”
• “You give it the prompts and then it spits it back at you in like five or six seconds for different versions.”
• “They’ve analyzed everything from Bach to now.”
• “They don’t know what you’re thinking of tomorrow or next week.”
• “If somebody can create a demo, you just eliminated the players that were going to play on it.”
• “The sum of all the stuff sounds great, but the individuals don’t.”
• “If it sounds good, it is good.”
• “I remain the boss. I don’t let it become the boss.”
• “Everything is moving really fast and interesting to watch.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Why Do Musicians Still Struggle to Grow a Fanbase in 2026?
This week on Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Prospect Hill drummer and FanFlowy co-founder Mark Roberge reveals how the music industry still lacks the systems that every other business takes for granted. From cost-per-acquisition to automated fan engagement, Mark shares why most artists burn out - and how FanFlowy was built to fix that. If you're serious about building a music career that scales, this is a must-listen.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• The music industry lacks core systems like cost-per-acquisition tracking
• Why so many talented artists give up before making it
• How FanFlowy automates fan engagement, growth, and nurturing
• The role of DMs, funnels, and targeted ads in fanbase building
• Why Spotify and YouTube followers are harder to grow than monthly listeners
• How conversation trees inside Instagram helped convert fans
• Why “real” content outperforms polished production in ad strategy
• The importance of mental toughness and staying power in music
• How Indie Artist Compass maps the path to real income from music
• The dangers of relying too much on AI-generated music
BEST MOMENTS
00:00:10. “That’s Mark Roberge, rock drummer and co-founder of FanFlowy.”
00:00:19. “They’re losing because the workload is so crushing.”
00:01:44. “It’s not just make your music and then go play live. It doesn’t work like that.”
00:03:01. “Every other industry has this and the music industry did not.”
00:05:14. “The hardest one to grow is the follower count on Spotify and the subscriber count on YouTube.”
00:06:02. “They went from a ghost town to hundreds of messages in their DMs.”
00:10:56. “The migration thing is a big deal. Do you have a way to do that?”
00:13:20. “I want all the marketing to happen as well.”
00:21:08. “I just gave you the foundation. Get the foundation laid, get it set up.”
00:30:23. “If you really want this bad, you have to be all in and you have to take the hits.”
Also, a video version of this podcast is now available on YouTube as well.
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What happens when a lifelong audio engineer suddenly can’t work in a studio anymore?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with Luke Delalio, engineer, educator, cognitive artist, photographer, and creative force at Korneff Audio. Luke shares the deeply personal story of how tinnitus changed everything, forcing him to step away from music production just as his career was thriving.
But what began as a devastating setback became the catalyst for an entirely new creative life. From theater to photography, plugin design to painting, Luke’s journey shows how curiosity, experimentation, and a refusal to follow the rules can lead to surprising breakthroughs.
If you’ve ever had to reinvent yourself, or are curious about the mindset behind some of the most innovative audio tools today, this is a must-listen.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• How tinnitus forced Luke to abruptly leave the music industry
• Why boredom can be a powerful driver of creativity
• How Luke helped shape Korneff Audio's unique plugin philosophy
• The engineering story behind Chocolate Milk and the Siemens W295 EQ
• How real studio problems inspired new plugin workflows
• Why Luke believes experimentation is central to audio innovation
• The hidden history of the Sound Techniques console
• How photography and theater helped rebuild Luke’s creative identity
• Why he’s skeptical about AI’s impact on the future of creativity
• The one piece of life advice Luke regrets not following sooner
BEST MOMENTS:
00:03:18. “It just never stopped. It's been my one true love.”
00:04:56. “Dan showed up at my mom's funeral and said, I'm setting up Cornford Audio. You want to come along?”
00:06:01. “That is pretty much mapped to Dan's thinking big because he was always a tinkerer.”
00:09:09. “That's like the real fun of being in a recording studio, was all the experimenting.”
00:17:09. “Tinnitus is audible anxiety.”
00:22:09. “I'm writing about that, and I'm trying to figure out what console was it mixed on... Sound Techniques.”
00:33:16. “The things that really get under my skin are the moments when I've been unkind.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Can one sync placement change your entire music career?
On this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, I’m joined by Chris SD - producer, engineer, songwriter, and founder of Sync Songwriter. Chris has helped artists get $30,000 placements, land Billboard features, and book world tours through sync licensing. In this deep-dive conversation, he breaks down how sync really works today, why connections matter more than ever, and how indie artists can win big in film and TV without major label backing.
If you’ve ever dreamed of getting your music into movies, shows, or commercials, this episode is your ultimate roadmap.
You can find out more about Chris SD's Art Of The Song Pitch program here - https://www.syncsongwriterprograms.com/a/2148209546/o6RJ27FZ
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• What a music supervisor actually does
• Why sync licensing is the last place for massive music exposure
• Why indie music is often preferred over major label tracks
• Why you need to write authentically, not “for sync”
• How AI is affecting sync, and what it can’t do
• What supervisors look for in an ideal track
• Why relationships are more valuable than random pitches
• The difference between stems, masters, and what’s really required
• How The Art of the Song Pitch program works
• Why now is the time to act, not just learn
BEST MOMENTS:
00:01:32. “A music supervisor is someone who is hired by movie studios, TV studios, ad agencies to go and find music.”
00:02:57. “Indie music, that's exactly where indie music comes in.”
00:04:37. “Every single story I've heard, even the ones that look like people just went viral, there was someone involved who was connected in the industry.”
00:06:18. “Music supervisors are the new A&R.”
00:10:07. “Nora Ryder won five Oscars... the genres were jazz and Russian hip hop.”
00:14:06. “You can't legally place an AI song in TV and film right now.”
00:20:32. “You're certified. You're ready for me to introduce you to music supervisors.”
00:31:08. “It wasn't for the money. The money is amazing... but the reason I got into it was the exposure.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What does a life in music look like when you follow curiosity instead of chasing titles? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, 7-time Grammy-winning producer, engineer, and songwriter Brent Maher shares a remarkable journey across genres, generations, and creative mediums. From recording legends like Elvis and Duke Ellington to discovering The Judds and inventing a new format - a musical novel - Brent’s stories reveal how passion and patience can outlast trends and change the industry from the inside.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Success is doing what you love, not chasing recognition
• Brent’s path from engineer to producer to songwriter was guided by curiosity
• How a surprise moment led to Tina Turner recording one of his songs
• The unique way he discovered and developed The Judds
• Recording Duke Ellington and how it fulfilled a lifelong dream
• Why he never actually met Elvis despite engineering his last #1 hit
• How Brent produced an entire Elvis track from Jungle Room rehearsal tapes
• Creating the world’s first musical audiobook, Night of the Orphan Train
• The untold story behind America’s Orphan Train movement
• A touching story of how a stranger helped him buy his first Gretsch guitar
BEST MOMENTS
00:02:43. “I couldn't really go to sleep... I wound up writing a song that evening.”
00:04:10. “Tina can't get that song out of her head. She wants to cut it.”
00:06:54. “Naomi Judd was a registered nurse... and Diana loved her.”
00:09:15. “We wound up with three songs that were quite different, but there was something that would weave them all together.”
00:13:16. “I engineered Duke Ellington’s... maybe his second or third last record before he passed away.”
00:20:10. “Every time he quit singing, you'd hear the other band. This was pre-automation.”
00:22:51. “It’s a musical novel... a fictional audiobook with songs woven in like a musical.”
00:35:35. “She said, I will co-sign this guitar as if I'm your mother. That woman changed my life.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What does the future really hold for music in 2026?
In this solo episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby delivers a rapid-fire rundown of where the industry is headed, and what musicians, producers, and music pros need to prepare for right now. From AI-generated music to streaming platform shifts, gear market slowdowns, and major label controversies, these predictions cut through the hype and hit the heart of what’s changing.
If you care about the music business, you can’t afford to miss this one.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Streaming prices are rising as subscriber growth plateaus
• YouTube is quickly becoming the #1 music streaming destination
• AI slop is clogging platforms and turning off listeners
• Major labels are cutting deals with AI music generators, often at artists’ expense
• Human musicianship is making a comeback
• Another round of venue closures is coming
• Big music gear consolidation and fewer product releases ahead
• Social media fatigue is real, artists are quietly pulling back
• A Grammy nomination for an AI music designer is highly likely
• NAMM and other major industry shows continue to shrink
BEST MOMENTS:
00:01:02. “There will be a revolt against AI, yes and no.”
00:02:07. “I predicted a new artificial reality experience... that didn’t happen at all.”
00:04:28. “In 2025, I predicted the TikTok ban in the US would hold.”
00:08:39. “Private equity investment in record labels, yes, this did come to pass.”
00:11:08. “Fintech for musicians takes off.”
00:15:23. “Let’s get to 2026 predictions.”
00:16:45. “I predict AI slop becomes intolerable.”
00:18:13. “Artists will leave major labels over Suno and Udio deals.”
00:29:10. “I predict an AI music designer will be nominated for a Grammy.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
2025 was wild. Is the music business finally changing for good?
In this solo edition of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby breaks down the most important developments across music, audio, and tech in 2025. From AI-generated hits to Spotify insiders cashing out, this episode is packed with sharp insights that every music creator, producer, or business insider needs to hear. Whether you're trying to keep up or stay ahead, this annual year-in-review will leave you better informed and ready to thrive in 2026.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• AI-generated artists like Velvet Sundown gained massive traction - before the truth unraveled
• Major labels settled lawsuits with AI platforms instead of protecting artists
• Streaming growth has stalled, and Spotify execs are quietly cashing out
• Gen Z is consuming less music, with a shift toward video platforms like YouTube Shorts
• Copyright rulings now require human authorship to qualify for protection
• Touring is becoming unaffordable for 82% of independent artists
• Live venues face financial collapse, despite the boom in live music revenue
• New immersive audio format “Eclipse” launches from Samsung and Google
• The DAW Project exchange format could finally fix cross-platform session sharing
• TikTok’s fate remains uncertain, and its music influence is fading fast
BEST MOMENTS
00:01:13. “This was a big year for AI and especially AI music.”
00:02:00. “We’re trying to show the flaws in the streaming distribution system.”
00:03:00. “It underscores the importance of authenticity.”
00:04:00. “They settled - because they want more money in their pockets.”
00:07:07. “If there’s no human author, there is no copyright.”
00:08:06. “You are now an AI music designer.”
00:10:29. “Now your mailing list and brand matter more than SEO.”
00:13:05. “Daniel Ek is a founder of a European AI military company.”
00:21:01. “The state of live music is indeed fragile.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Is your music really yours in the age of AI?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Marc Gray, CEO of SonicOrigin, dives into the future of audio verification. From watermarking that survives TikTok filters to tracking AI-generated content, Marc shares why authentication is becoming essential in today’s music and media industries. If you’re a creator, label, engineer or just curious about where music tech is heading, this episode will open your eyes to the tools that may soon become standard.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Why people no longer trust what they see or hear online
• What makes content “copyrightable” when using AI tools
• How SonicOrigin’s watermarking survives pitch, speed, and format changes
• Why mastering engineers are ideal for embedding watermark tech
• How new California laws will impact AI content labeling
• Differences between watermarking, signal injection, and fingerprinting
• How multiple payloads allow metadata to be private or public
• The role of distributed ledgers in proving content provenance
• Why industry-wide buy-in is essential for adoption
• How watermarking could extend into advertising, podcasts, and deepfake detection
BEST MOMENTS
00:02:23. “We have created the most resilient watermarking technology ever created.”
00:03:03. “It survives pitch changes, speed adjustments, stem separations.”
00:03:55. “Most AI-generated content will soon be required to carry a watermark.”
00:04:49. “The minute one artist hears one artifact, you’ve lost all credibility.”
00:08:47. “You cannot escape the underlying code.”
00:10:15. “Only works if there are maybe one or two watermarks, not 85.”
00:12:22. “Nobody trusts what they see on the Internet anymore.”
00:14:04. “The commercial aspect is stopping piracy. The other is deepfake detection.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What happens when a teenage house party promoter takes on one of the biggest forces in live music?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with Tommy Dorfman, a veteran club promoter and founder of Juice Entertainment. Tommy shares how he built a powerhouse promotion empire from scratch, packed out venues across New Jersey and New York, pioneered the East Coast house music scene, and went head-to-head with Live Nation. His story dives deep into the grind of promotion, the mafia encounters, and a David-versus-Goliath lawsuit that could reshape the live music industry. If you've ever wondered how the live music machine really works, this one is unmissable.
Key Takeaways:
• How Tommy started promoting events at age 15 to pay his own rent
• Why house parties were the gateway to building a nightlife empire
• The moment Tommy packed 1,500 people into a club on a Wednesday night
• Inside the gritty hustle of street-level promotion before social media
• How Tommy ran Myspace’s live events division on the East Coast
• A firsthand account of mafia threats and how he stood his ground
• How Live Nation allegedly forced him out of a major festival deal
• The 15-year legal fight against Live Nation and what’s at stake
• Why ticket prices are skyrocketing—and who’s really to blame
• What Tommy hopes to change for fans, artists, and independent promoters
Best Moments:
00:00:07. “I started off throwing parties because of a necessity. We lived in houses of my own. At 15 or 16 years old.”
00:01:02. “People were like, yeah, this is awesome, man. You just get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to chill with celebrities and drink champagne. Nah. You work your ass off for it.”
00:02:52. “I do my first successful solo party in New Jersey, like in 1997. Packed it out with over 1,500 people. On a Wednesday night.”
00:03:35. “Then I started on a Thursday party packing that was one of the most successful parties in New Jersey history.”
00:04:14. “We started promoting side parties, sometimes a night, six nights a week… up to 10,000 people.”
00:07:03. “The Mafia let me keep doing business because they wanted to make money.”
00:12:20. “They came in like animals. ‘We’re going to kick you the fuck out of your contract.’”
00:16:24. “I ended up going homeless. I went from drinking champagne with Snoop Dogg to going homeless.”
00:24:00. “Your kids and my kids go to college… they read Doctor Richard Barnett’s book. He confirmed this.”
00:31:40. “If you believe in something and you work hard enough for something, I think you can accomplish anything.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What makes a brand partnership truly authentic in music today?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with Katie Nowak, VP of Marketing and Partnerships at TBA Agency, to explore how meaningful collaborations are redefining success for artists. Katie shares behind-the-scenes stories about building the “Here and There” festival with Courtney Barnett, partnering with brands like Microsoft and Levi’s, and using creative strategy to connect niche artists with deeply engaged audiences.
Whether you're an artist, marketer, or industry insider, this episode reveals the power of authenticity, community, and strategy in today’s evolving music business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• The origin and mission of the “Here and There” festival with Courtney Barnett
• How TBA Agency built brand partnerships with Microsoft, Levi’s, and more
• The role of AI in enhancing, not replacing, artistic expression
• Why niche artists can offer deeper engagement than mainstream acts
• How to pitch brand partnerships around authenticity and connection
• Insights into building private and corporate event activations for artists
• Katie’s personal journey through major industry roles and companies
• The evolution of her role from tour marketing to strategic leadership
• Why social media and PR require constant experimentation and community input
• How being nice and staying true to yourself drives long-term career success
BEST MOMENTS:
00:02:49. “Levi’s created custom denim jackets for all of the artists that participated in the festival.”
00:03:42. “We uploaded all of Courtney’s drawings into Microsoft’s AI tools... it was a love letter to each city.”
00:05:12. “This was a way to show that humans using AI can still make something creative with human hands.”
00:06:51. “Microsoft was very open to any and all ideas... they trust your creative mind.”
00:08:06. “These are niche artists... they bring a certain edginess that makes the brand feel cool.”
00:10:15. “I grew up doing musical theater and performing… I’ve always been in the arts.”
00:14:32. “Being at TBA and building it from the ground up has allowed me to grow into the best version of myself.”
00:19:01. “The things that do best on social are new signings, big press looks, and artist moments at Coachella.”
00:27:17. “Being nice and being yourself is going to yield the best results.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Is high-end studio gear still worth it today?
For this milestone 600th episode, Bobby welcomes back fan-favorite Dennis Moody, a world-renowned studio and live mixer who’s appeared on every 100th episode since the podcast’s launch. In this revealing conversation, Dennis opens up about the biggest shifts he’s seen over the last decade in music production, gear, touring, and what truly matters when it comes to crafting a great sound. Whether you're a seasoned engineer or just gear-curious, this episode will change how you think about tools, tone, and tech.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Vintage mics aren’t essential anymore
• Knockoff gear quality has drastically improved
• MP3s still don’t match WAV file quality
• Touring travel strategies for pros
• Studio vs live mixing philosophies
• Managing loudness requests from artists
• Smart tech choices can rival big-budget gear
• Why stage volume is lower than ever
• The power of mixing through preamp adjustments
• Why Dennis is choosing creativity over money
BEST MOMENTS
00:02:26. “Yes. Because I wanted to be, but... hoping to be even a little more level up, which seems to be now.”
00:03:16. “I'm seeing a lot of really, call them knock off companies, like, my favorite warm audio.”
00:07:26. “That's amazing. The difference. But people, that's just the way it is now.”
00:10:18. “Thing's been around, circumnavigated the globe at least 12, 14 times.”
00:15:29. “Once the show started, it just was the most fun ever.”
00:21:25. “It turned out perfect. There were 8500 people there, and it was just absolutely amazing.”
00:27:31. “I would have done more of that for me. More for my stuff, you know.”
00:33:50. “If you want to have an interesting life, you have to make it interesting.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What can a nightclub DJ teach you about running a business?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, we sit down with DJ, author, professor, and speaker Amani Roberts - also known as DJ AMRo - to unpack how his pivot from corporate America to the turntables led to a purpose-driven creative career. Amani shares insights from his book DJ’s Mean Business, his work teaching music business at Cal State Fullerton, and what DJing can reveal about reading a room, adapting under pressure, and staying relevant in the age of AI. This conversation is packed with wisdom for artists, educators, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about the modern music industry.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Why R&B groups disappeared from the mainstream
• The connection between DJ sets and business growth
• What every artist should know about music publishing
• The biggest misconceptions about gear and DJing
• How AI fails to match human connection on the dance floor
• Why the imperfections in music are what make it timeless
• The reality of teaching Gen Z students post-pandemic
• How to protect your business and brand as a creative
• Essential advice for aspiring music industry professionals
• The #1 mindset shift that helps creatives actually finish things
BEST MOMENTS:
00:04:01. “It was my thesis in grad school. I was deciding between this and why there are no longer any saxophone solos.”
00:05:01. “There was a week in July 1997 where 14 out of 20 songs on Billboard’s Top 20 were R&B groups.”
00:08:23. “You gotta figure out how you’re going to market yourself. Grow your email list. Learn the business.”
00:12:36. “Each 15 minutes of a DJ set relates to growing a business.”
00:14:27. “Reading a crowd is only acquired through being in person and being around people.”
00:18:32. “They said I might have 12 students. First class? 34. We've been running like that ever since.”
00:24:36. “AI will never know heartbreak. That’s why it can’t replace artists.”
00:31:02. “Done is better than perfect. Most people just don’t want to get in the game.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What does a $44 million video game sound like?
This week on Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, game composer Tim Larkin breaks down the high-stakes world of e-sports music. From scoring Dota 2 tournaments with 100-piece orchestras to building adaptive music systems that respond to gameplay, Tim reveals what it takes to create soundtracks that elevate the gaming experience. If you’ve ever wondered how music in games works or how orchestras fit into digital worlds, this episode is a must-listen.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• How Tim Larkin scored the $44M Dota 2 International tournament
• The structure of dynamic, reactive video game music
• Why game concerts feel like rock shows
• The shift from writing jingles to scoring blockbuster games
• Real orchestras vs samples in game scoring
• How Valve supports creativity in music production
• Recording with orchestras across Seattle, Utah, Budapest
• The realities of composing for long vs short dev cycles
• Tim’s transition from live trumpet gigs to game soundtracks
• Advice for aspiring game composers in today’s flooded market
BEST MOMENTS
00:01:52. “Every year we put on what's called The International, which is kind of like the Super Bowl of e-sports.”
00:02:12. “We peaked out at a prize pool of about $44 million for a video game.”
00:03:44. “The audience knows the music. So it's like doing a rock concert in a way.”
00:04:27. “The first company that came up was Broderbund… they hired us basically on the spot.”
00:05:06. “In video games, the music is reactive. It’s dynamic.”
00:06:06. “With Dota, as the action intensifies, so does the music based on layers.”
00:07:40. “You're talking $20 to $40,000 maybe for an orchestra. It's a small part of a multimillion-dollar event.”
00:14:15. “My goal in college was to be a session player. I tried to learn every type of music possible.”
00:27:17. “You’ve got to listen to good music. If you can’t reach that bar, don’t try to approach it.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
🎙️ Is AI the biggest disruption the music industry has ever seen?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby welcomes Matt Adell, COO of Musical.ai, a trailblazer in bridging the gap between rightsholders and AI developers. With a career spanning Napster, Beatport, and Native Instruments, Matt offers deep insight into the seismic shift AI is bringing to music - bigger than file sharing or streaming. He explains how attribution, fair compensation, and licensing are being redefined for a new digital era.
This episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom, music tech history, and a clear-eyed look at where we’re headed next. If you want to understand what’s really going on in music and AI, this is essential listening.
Key Takeaways:
• Why AI’s impact on music is bigger than file sharing or streaming
• How Musical.ai connects rightsholders and AI companies in licensed environments
• Why artists should get paid based on how their work influences AI outputs
• The dangers of unmanaged AI training on copyrighted content
• Why creative outputs are easier to attribute than factual ones
• The oversupply of music and its economic implications for artists
• Why music's shift to streaming wasn't a loss—it was a win for consumers
• The future of fair licensing in AI-driven content creation
• Matt’s unique career path from punk rock drummer to tech executive
• His personal message about sobriety and finding balance
Best Moments:
00:02:05. “AI does not think. It is a giant calculator.”
00:04:03. “Unmanaged, it was an existential threat to copyright owners, to musicians, to composers.”
00:06:37. “Depending on what someone output, it's going to be more or less similar to each piece of training data.”
00:08:34. “Our technology works the same way no matter what. It's model and modal agnostic.”
00:12:13. “Music is usually on the cutting edge, but AI is moving fast.”
00:14:07. “We went from a couple hundred new releases a week to over 150,000 every day.”
00:18:04. “Imagine if everyone who played golf thought they deserved to get paid to play golf.”
00:28:06. “I'm sober now for 160 days... if anybody else is concerned about their own drinking or drug use, there's a place they can go.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Why is tinnitus still a taboo in the music industry?
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby dives deep into one of music’s most ignored health crises with Sven Köllmann and Jack Rubinacci of Tinnitus Quest. Tinnitus affects up to 1 billion people worldwide, yet it remains misunderstood and overlooked, even as it wrecks lives and careers. Sven and Jack explain why hearing loss is just the beginning, why research has been misdirected for years, and what it’s really like living with the chronic condition. They also reveal how Tinnitus Quest is fast-tracking research and pushing musicians, celebrities, and everyday sufferers to speak out finally. If you’ve ever heard ringing in your ears, don’t miss this one.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Over 700 million people worldwide suffer from tinnitus
• 120 million live with the severe, chronic form of the condition
• Hearing loss is the #1 cause, but not the only one
• Tinnitus is especially common among orchestral musicians and garage bands
• Stigma keeps many musicians silent about their condition
• Tinnitus Quest aims to bridge the gap between researchers and patients
• Celebrities like William Shatner and Chad Blake are helping break the taboo
• Research has shifted from the ear to the brain in recent years
• There is no objective measurement for tinnitus yet
• Hearing protection remains the best prevention
BEST MOMENTS
00:02:14. “Almost 700 million to 1 billion people worldwide… that is considered a world health problem.”
00:04:13. “Not much is said about this, and not much is done about it.”
00:07:01. “It’s a pandemic within the music industry.”
00:10:12. “The number one protection is hearing protection.”
00:15:00. “Right after that, my ears were ringing.”
00:17:04. “I pulled them out because I thought it was tough. I thought I was rock n roll.”
00:22:18. “The manifestation of chronic tinnitus happens in your brain.”
00:35:00. “By helping others, you're helping yourself.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
What if the biggest roadblock in music licensing wasn’t legal complexity, but outdated systems? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, we dive deep into the wild world of music rights with Grayson Sanders, CEO of Chordal. A former film composer turned tech founder, Grayson reveals how his sync clearing platform is transforming the way music gets licensed, making it faster, easier, and smarter. We explore the landmark TikTok deal, the rise of AI-generated music, and how real artists can survive and thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Discover why most music still isn’t being licensed legally
• How Chordal’s Instant Clear tech simplifies sync for brands
• Why AI music won’t kill real musicians, but will shake up the library world
• Grayson’s wild journey from composer to startup founder
• What TikTok’s music policy means for creators and brands
• The licensing bottleneck no one talks about
• Why music licensing is still stuck in the 1990s
• What collaborative rights management really means
• The surprising future of royalty-free music
• Why human connection still beats perfect AI audio
BEST MOMENTS
00:01:58. “It all boils down to this concept that we came up with called collaborative rights management.”
00:03:27. “So that eventually when a licensee comes, they have everyone in one place.”
00:05:59. “We're most interested in... the middle and the bottom. That's the piece that is maybe expanding the pie.”
00:07:36. “This technology can come in here and do the work of potentially hundreds of clearance people.”
00:10:25. “Sync is so dynamic and nuanced... you're pairing one piece of art with another.”
00:13:29. “TikTok had been experiencing a lot of infringement on their platform.”
00:19:07. “It's going to actually add more value to authentic, artist-produced music.”
00:32:09. “You look back and you realize you're already halfway up that hill.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
How do you build merch that actually connects with fans? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, I sit down with Seamus Menihane, CEO of Armada, a top-tier merch company helping artists, from indies to heavy hitters, turn merch into a true brand extension.
If you've ever wondered what merch sells best, how to price it, or how to avoid costly mistakes, Seamus breaks it all down. With his roots as a touring drummer and years running Downright Merch, he’s built Armada into a full-scale merch partner that delivers everything from screen printing to full e-commerce.
This is your inside look at what works, what flops, and how artists can take control of their merch game.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Keep your merch line small and focused
• Over-ordering too many products hurts profitability
• Best-selling item is still the black t-shirt
• Vinyl reissues and preorders perform extremely well
• Indie artists need to think beyond just screen printing
• Custom apparel adds premium pricing but costs more to produce
• Merchandise profit margins depend on volume
• E-commerce is essential for indie artist success
• Print-on-demand is a smart test tool for new ideas
• Merch advances are real, but mostly for high-end artists
BEST MOMENTS
00:02:12. “We lead first with the direct to consumer side of the business.”
00:03:25. “We proactively put designs in front of them.”
00:04:16. “I would go on tour and come back and I would work at a screen printing shop.”
00:10:28. “You can’t go wrong with a black t-shirt.”
00:12:06. “Custom apparel that we design definitely sells at a premium.”
00:14:52. “The kids just aren’t drinking anymore.”
00:26:01. “Consistency day in and day out… that’s crucial for any endeavor.”
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
How Mark Wood Reinvented the Violin and Inspired a Generation
On this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, I’m joined by recording artist, performer, inventor, Emmy-winning composer, and music education advocate Mark Wood. Known as the original string master of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mark shares how he revolutionized the world of string instruments with his electric violin designs and helped ignite a movement in music education with his Electrify Your Symphony program. We explore the intersection of classical training and rock performance, the birth of his iconic Viper violin, and the entrepreneurial drive that’s powered his decades-long career.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Music is essential for emotional and creative development
• The violin remained unchanged for over 500 years before Mark’s innovations
• Inspiration came from Hendrix, Van Halen, and his own woodworking family
• The invention of the self-supporting electric violin changed live performance
• Amplifying bowed instruments requires entirely different tech than guitars
• Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s early days started with skepticism and QVC
• Electrify Your Symphony has reached over a million students in 28 years
• Entrepreneurship is essential for modern musicians
• Juilliard experience shaped his approach, even after leaving
• Self-made artists must think like business owners, not just performers
BEST MOMENTS:
00:02:09. “You might or may not be able to name any other violin maker except Stradivarius.”
00:05:33. “As a 15 year old I was mentored by Leonard Bernstein.”
00:07:13. “What are you going to do with your life? And I said, I want to be a rock violin player.”
00:10:27. “So it's a violin with a hand, right? Carved exactly like it in my hand.”
00:13:29. “With a bow, I'm able to get that sustain the guitar players always are trying to get.”
00:18:09. “We're putting together a rock orchestra. Awesome. And we want you to be the orchestra.”
00:21:00. “A teacher after that came up to me. Mark, can you put together a Trans-Siberian orchestra at our school?”
00:38:22. “Stoicism and real focus on making sure that you're in control of how you respond to the world.”
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Barry Coffing has lived every corner of the music business, from opera scholarships to songwriting for Hollywood films, and now, innovating the licensing space. As founder of MusicSupervisor.com and WeGetArtists.com, Barry has reshaped how independent musicians connect with opportunities in film, TV, and beyond.
In this episode, Barry shares his journey from club gigs to scoring major placements, the evolution of his licensing platform, and why transparency and fairness for artists drive everything he builds.
We also dig into the challenges and possibilities of AI in music, why flaws can make music more human, and Barry’s powerful advice for creators: make the art you want, then fight like hell to share it.
Listen in for a mix of war stories, practical licensing wisdom, and fresh perspectives on how artists can thrive in today’s ever-changing industry.
Catch the full conversation and unlock insights that could transform your career in music licensing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle podcast, I sit down with Francois Barrillon, Neural DSP’s plugins product manager and product lead for their new vocal plugin Mantra.
Francois shares how he went from building guitar pedals in his spare time to leading development on one of the most innovative vocal tools available today.
We talk about Neural DSP’s expansion beyond guitars, how Mantra was designed to be an all-in-one studio solution, and what it takes to create plugins that blend analog feel with digital power.
In This Episode:
• How Francois got into music tech through analog gear
• Why Neural DSP made a vocal plugin
• Mantra’s tracking mode and low-latency design
• How Sculpt uses spectral EQ to fix vocals fast
• Quad Cortex gear and crossover into non-metal markets
• Francois’s journey from L’Oreal to Neural DSP
• The company’s global team and HQ in Helsinki
• Combining analog modeling with new DSP possibilities
--
Additional Resources:
To learn more about Mantra, visit https://neuraldsp.com
--
Key Takeaways:
00:00:00 - Coming up...
00:00:28 - Meet Francois Barrillon from Neural DSP
00:01:18 - Why a guitar company made a vocal plugin
00:02:08 - Expanding DSP tech beyond guitar
00:03:10 - Inside Mantra’s tracking and mixing modes
00:04:20 - Latency issues and performance design
00:05:08 - Real-time effects boost vocal confidence
00:06:34 - The full Mantra plugin vision
00:07:22 - Quad Cortex and gigging with compact gear
00:08:51 - Francois’s path from L’Oreal to music tech
00:10:15 - Why the vocal plugin was the next big move
00:13:19 - Who Mantra is built for
00:14:17 - Latency: myths vs. real-world use
00:17:47 - Why all-in-one design reduces latency
00:18:13 - Home studio users and smart EQ with Sculpt
00:21:02 - Sculpt’s compression, de-essing, and normalization
00:23:52 - Neural DSP’s team, HQ, and remote setup
00:25:05 - Francois’s non-metal roots at Neural DSP
00:26:20 - From metal plugins to mainstream expansion
00:27:08 - Mantra’s clean demo and audience feedback
00:28:08 - DIY gear nerd to product lead
00:30:07 - Modeling analog vs. creating new tools
00:31:57 - Final thoughts and wrap-up
—
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode of the Inner Circle Podcast, I sit down with Ritesh Patel, the CEO and founder of Ticket Fairy, a next-generation ticketing platform helping promoters market and manage events.
What makes Ticket Fairy unique is its built-in word-of-mouth referral system, where fans can earn rebates—or even free tickets—by getting friends to buy.
Ritesh brings a wealth of experience to the platform. Having promoted over 400 shows worldwide, and with a background in cloud and systems administration, he had the vision to reimagine how event promotion and ticketing could work.
That vision attracted investors including the founders of YouTube, Twitch, and Reddit.
Alongside Ticket Fairy, Ritesh is also Director of LOCUS, a music series hosted in Tulum, Bali, Bristol, and Sydney, featuring some of the world’s most acclaimed DJs, producers, and live acts.
🎯 In this episode, we cover:
- How Ticket Fairy is changing festival promotion and gig marketing
- The challenge of the secondary ticket market
- Cultural differences in event promotion around the globe
- The future of event technology and ticketing platforms
- Ritesh’s journey from promoter to tech entrepreneur
This is a must-listen for promoters, event organizers, and artists who want to understand where ticketing and live events are headed.
📍 Recorded from Ritesh’s office in London.
A video version of the podcast is also available on YouTube.
_
Additional Resources:
To learn more about Ritesh and The Ticket Fairy, please visit https://www.ticketfairy.com/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn:
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode of the Inner Circle Podcast, I talk with Mitch Beer, a Philadelphia-based session bass player and multi-talented music professional.
Mitch has toured with Grammy-winning Digable Planets and The Bacon Brothers, and works as the go-to session bassist for Grammy-winning producer Joe “The Butcher” Nicolo.
He also contributed as bassist and producer on Lil Uzi Vert’s #1 platinum album Pink Tape.
Beyond session work, Mitch is the founder of Retro City B Room Studio, co-founder and co-host of the Asses in Seats Podcast, and serves as a Board Member of the Music Media Collective, supporting independent musicians.
He’s also a Governor for the Philadelphia Chapter of the Grammys, and goes live on Instagram daily to share career advice for musicians.
🎯 In this episode, we discuss:
- How to break into professional session work
- Creating a comfortable and inspiring studio environment
- The importance of storytelling in music
- Career advice for aspiring musicians and producers
- Mitch’s journey balancing performance, production, and mentorship
If you’re a musician looking to navigate the music business, improve your studio workflow, or get inspired by someone working at every level of the industry, this episode is a must-listen.
📍 Recorded from Mitch’s office near Philadelphia.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Mitch at mitchbeerbass.com
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.in
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
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• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode of the Inner Circle Podcast, I sit down with Barry Rudolph, an audio engineer and prolific technical writer whose career bridges classic studio work and in-depth gear expertise.
Barry has worked on records with Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pat Benatar, and Hall & Oates, earning credits on more than 30 gold and platinum albums.
Beyond his engineering work, Barry is recognized as the leading reviewer of pro audio gear and plugins, with more than 5,000 reviews published in Mix Magazine, Music Connection, Resolution, and other top publications.
What we cover in this episode:
- How Barry’s background in aerospace engineering helped shape his studio career
- The latest trends in audio gear and plugins
- Whether buying recording gear is a smart investment
- The rise of remote music collaboration
- Barry’s unique perspective on balancing studio work and tech writing
With decades of experience both behind the console and inside the world of product reviews, Barry offers insights that are invaluable for engineers, producers, and gearheads alike.
📍 Recorded from Barry’s studio in North Hollywood.
Additional Resources:
To learn more about Barry, visit barryrudolph.com
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the m
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode of the Inner Circle Podcast, I’m joined by John von Seggern, the visionary behind Futureproof Music School—a next-generation program that blends personalized mentorship with AI-driven music production tools. Unlike traditional schools, Futureproof is designed to meet the needs of today’s independent artists.
John brings over 30 years of experience as a studio musician, producer, and sound designer, including collaborations with electronic music pioneer Jon Hassell, extensive international touring, and contributions to major films such as Pixar’s Oscar-winning WALL·E.
Before launching Futureproof, John led online education programs at Dubspot and Icon Collective, where he saw firsthand how outdated models failed to keep pace with modern music creation.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How AI is transforming music education
- The balance of online vs in-person learning for musicians
- Blockchain technology and the future of student credentials
- Lessons from blending traditional and electronic music
- John’s journey from performer to educator and entrepreneur
If you’re curious about the future of music education, AI in creative learning, or simply want insights from a veteran producer, this episode is for you.
Recorded from John’s studio in Los Angeles.
Learn more about John at futureproofmusicschool.com
Also, a video version of this podcast is now available on YouTube as well.
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode of the Inner Circle Podcast, I talk with Tony Braunagel, one of the most respected drummers and producers in modern music.
Tony has played on more than 200 albums, including Grammy-winning records by Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, and Buddy Guy. On stage, he’s performed with icons like B.B. King, Lightnin’ Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray, and dozens more.
As a producer, Tony has worked on over 40 albums, many of which have won or been nominated for Grammys and Blues Music Awards. His credits include projects with Taj Mahal, Eric Burdon, Coco Montoya, Phantom Blues Band, and others.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Tony’s journey from session drummer to Grammy-winning producer
- The art of collaboration and managing egos in the studio
- The financial realities of today’s music business
- His vision for a new studio complex near St. Louis
- Lessons learned from working with some of the biggest names in music
Whether you’re a musician, producer, or music fan, Tony’s stories and insights shine a light on the craft of performance and production at the highest level.
Recorded from Tony’s studio in Los Angeles.
Find out more about Tony at https://www.tonybraunagel.com/
Click here to watch a video version on YouTube.
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(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/prof
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode of the Inner Circle Podcast, I’m joined by Jenna LoMonaco, a digital marketing powerhouse who currently leads marketing at ONErpm—a global music company offering artists distribution, publishing, marketing, and content production across 43 offices in 28 countries.
Jenna’s career spans roles at Glassnote, Kobalt, and Island Records, where she spearheaded the digital strategy that skyrocketed Shawn Mendes to global fame. She’s also guided the online growth for Mumford & Sons, Martina McBride, New Kids on the Block, Elton John, Childish Gambino, and many more top artists.
💡 In this episode, we discuss:
- The evolution of digital marketing in the music industry
- Marketing strategies for new and emerging artists
- Global music trends shaping the industry’s future
- Challenges artists face in today’s competitive landscape
- How ONErpm empowers artists with tools and strategy
If you’re an artist, manager, or music marketer, this episode is packed with practical strategies and industry insights you can use to grow your career.
📍 Recorded from Jenna’s office in New Jersey.
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Additional Resources:
To learn more about Jenna and ONErpm, please visit onerpm.com, and https://www.instagram.com/jennasourus/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Lucie Burns, also known as artist and producer Lazy Hammock, joins me to talk about building stage confidence, connecting with audiences, and overcoming performance anxiety.
We also dive into:
- Her journey as a #1-charting artist with 25M+ streams
- How perfectionism and comparison affect live performance
- Her Stage Ready Artists coaching program and creative support community
- Insights from her book The Art of Live Performance Unlocked
- Trust, mindset, and the power of authenticity on stage
Lucie shares valuable advice for performers at all levels, straight from her coaching and music career.
--
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Lucie at lucieburns.com and stagereadyartists.com
🎧 Subscribe and follow for more behind-the-scenes music industry insight.
--
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode, I sit down with music industry veteran Jay Gilbert, co-host of the widely read Your Morning Coffee newsletter and podcast.
Jay has held senior executive roles at Universal Music, Sony Music, and Warner Music Group, where he pioneered digital music marketing and online strategies for iconic artists like Nirvana, The Police, KISS, Bob Marley, Elton John, Guns N’ Roses, and many more.
👉 Topics we cover in this episode include:
- The evolving role of record labels in the streaming era
- Why solo artists are dominating over bands today
- The impact of AI on copyright, attribution, and intellectual property
- Marketing strategies for modern musicians
- Jay’s career advice for up-and-coming artists
- The story behind Your Morning Coffee and how it became a must-read for the music business
Whether you’re a music creator, label executive, or just curious about the future of the music industry, this conversation is packed with insightful music marketing tips and forward-thinking analysis.
Additional Resources:
To learn more about Jay, please visit jaygilbertconsulting.com, and yourmorning.coffee
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry,
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest this week is my old friend 17 time Grammy winner Benny Faccone.
Benny has a rich credit history with artists like Mana, Santana, Ricky Martin, Luis Miguel, Sting, and so many more.
He’s a veteran of the old A&M Studios when it was one of the hottest recording facilities in Los Angeles.
That’s where he honed his recording and mixing skills under old school legends like Bruce Swedien, Shelly Yakus, and Don Hahn.
He’s also a die-hard analog guy, still mixing on a console and using real outboard gear when he can.
During the interview we talked about learning from industry legends, the plugins he uses and why, converting his studio to solar energy, getting caffeine poisoning from too much coffee, and much more.
I spoke with Benny from his studio in just outside of Los Angeles.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Benny work: http://bennyfaccone.com/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode I cover some recent overlooked audio and music industry news. We cover:
- The eras of popular music and why they’re not what you think
- The emergence of AI-generated band Velvet Sundown
- Major labels in the middle of licensing discussions with AI music generators Udio and Suno.
- Major label and private equity want to buy more catalog, and what that means to their artists
- The TikTok closure is pushed back again
- How tariffs are hurting vinyl production
- How pop stardom is now shorter than an adult butterfly’s lifespan.
- An overview of music venue health
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is bass player, author and music business marketing consultant, Carter Fox.
Known as the Soulful Traveling Spaceman Bassman, Carter has toured with R&B legend Freddie Jackson and Grammy-winner Regina Belle, while also collaborating with artists and producers such as Skrillex, Leon Huff, David Ivory, Adventure Club, and more.
Carter is also the author of Music Business Bassics series of books, with How to Effectively Release & Promote Your Music as an Independent Artist, becoming the #1 new release in Music Business Books on Amazon in April 2024.
As with his books, Carter’s marketing consulting firm helps artists, podcasts, businesses, and brands grow their online presence.
During the interview we talked about the YouTube channel optimization strategies, promoting your music effectively on YouTube, the Philadelphia music scene, his upcoming new book Exploring Cosmic Melodies, and much more.
I spoke with Carter from his office in Philadelphia.
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Additional Resources:
To learn more, please visit https://www.carterfoxconsulting.com/ or https://www.carterfoxmusic.com/
--
(FREE DOWNLOAD) The Magic EQ Frequencies everyone with a DAW should know: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest this week is modular synthesizer maven Chris Meyer, who has done important engineering work at Sequential Circuits, Digidesign, Marion Systems with the legendary Tom Oberheim, and Roland R&D U.S., where he was chief engineer.
Along the way he created Vector Synthesis and worked on the Sequential Prophet 2000, Prophet VS, and Studio 440; Digidesign's Q-Sheet; and the Roland DM-80.
During that time he also served as Technical Chairman of the MIDI Manufacturer’s Association, creating many additions to the MIDI specification, for which he received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.
Chris has also taught synthesis at UCLA Extension, wrote numerous articles for Music Technology and a column for Keyboard Magazine, and most recently co-authored the book Patch & Tweak [https://www.patchandtweak.com] with Kim Bjørn.
Today he runs the website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel LEARNING MODULAR, where he teaches others how to master modular synthesis.
During the interview we talked about the evolution of modular synthesis, transitioning to motion graphics and back into creating music, navigating the challenges of studio design, the future of spatial audio, and much more.
I spoke with Chris from his studio in New Mexico.
—
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Chris and module synthesis at: https://learningmodular.com and https://aliaszone.com/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Online music collaboration is for many the holy grail for efficiently working in a home studio.
The problem is that most tools that are available suffer from latency that makes true collaboration impossible.
SyncDNA is the first online platform that allows frame-accurate synchronization of collaborators anywhere in the world.
Co-founders Dominic Castro and Gary Lux joined me to discuss SyncDNA and how it’s been helping mixers, musicians, composers, directors and producers do their jobs more easily.
Dominic and Gary are not tech guys trying to adapt to the music business, by the way. Dominic is a music producer, mixer, and sound editor with an impressive list of mixing credits for artists like Halsey, Jay-Z, Shawn Mendes, Universal Pictures, Netflix, Amazon, and many more.
Gary is a prominent Hollywood music mixer with a wide range of credits that includes artists like Usher, Keith Urban, Sting, and Janet Jackson among many others. He also served as the head music mixer for Universal Studios, where he received two Emmy nominations. He is widely known for his expertise in Dolby Atmos immersive mixing.
During the interview we talked about overcoming latency and distance limitations, SyncDNA’s impact on music and film collaboration, the platform’s cost structure and subscription plans, and much more.
I spoke with Dominic and Gary from their studios in Los Angeles.
–
Additional Resources:
Learn more about SyncDNA at: https://www.syncdna.com
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news,
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is the CEO of the Merlin Network of independent music labels, Jeremy Sirota.
Merlin is a member-based organization representing the digital licensing rights for hundreds of independent labels and distributors in nearly every country around the globe.
That makes up 15% of the recorded music market.
Under Jeremy’s leadership, Merlin has entered into new partnerships and created programs to help its members take advantage of the latest technologies and licensing opportunities.
During the interview we talked about the unique position of Merlin in the music industry, the impact of AI on the industry, the introduction of the Merlin Connect program to simplify music licensing, the role of technology in music consumption, and much more.
Check it out for some great insights!
You can also watch a video version of the episode at https://youtu.be/HzwD_E1Wuu0
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Jeremy and Merlin at: https://merlinnetwork.org/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
I read a lot of music biographies and history books, especially from the Rock era. Like most people, I love reading about the story behind the hits. The best book I’ve ever read about that era is Buzz Me In: Inside The Record Plant Studios.
The Record Plant was co-founded by engineer Gary Kellgrin and businessman Chris Stone, and it’s three studios in New York City, Los Angeles, and Sausalito, plus a fleet of remote trucks, were ground zero for the music business from the 1960s through the 80s. In fact, in 1976 alone, three #1 albums―Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life, the Eagles' Hotel California, and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours―were all recorded in Record Plant studios.
The studio was also the center for audio innovation, thanks to the involvement of speaker and studio designer Tom Hidley, who recently passed.
Buzz Me In was written by two great friends of mine, Marty Porter and David “Mr. Bonzai” Goggin. Marty is an author, journalist and publisher who began his career as a technology writer for Rolling Stone, GQ and Premiere magazines, then became editor and publisher of recording and musical instrument publications Pro Sound News, EQ, Guitar Player and Surround Pro magazines.
David is an award-winning author, photographer, and music journalist, who’s written over 1,000 articles for magazines in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and has published 6 books. He’s also a press agent in the music industry and has represented numerous recording studios, manufacturers, and trade organizations such as SPARS and the World Studio Group.
During the interview, we talked about how Record Plant started and some surprising key players, the unique business model that powered the studio, how new tech drove the studio business, how many believe that it was the real Hotel California, and so much more.
Sit back and listen to some great behind-the-scenes stories.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Buzz Me In at https://amzn.to/4kAXY6I
Also, a video version is now available on YouTube as well.
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is Josh Simons, CEO of Australia's only ASX-listed music company, Vinyl Group.
Josh’s journey is as diverse as it gets. He founded Vampr, the 'LinkedIn for creatives,' connecting over 1.4 million music professionals worldwide. He’s also been instrumental in developing platforms like Jaxsta and Vinyl.com, tackling challenges in music metadata and e-commerce.
Prior to working in tech Josh ran a record label, publishing function, film production company, and was the lead singer of Australian indie rock band Buchanan. As a songwriter and producer, he’s shared credits with Travis Scott, Troye Sivan and Kanye West, and as a performer has toured with Coldplay, Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood.
During the interview we spoke about innovations in music consumption, the future of music labels, the intersection of physical and digital media, the resurgence of cassettes, and much more.
I spoke to Josh via zoom from his office in Melbourne, Australia.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Josh at: https://www.joshsimons.us/ and Vinyl.com
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is music marketing strategist, speaker, author, and the founder of Cyber PR, Ariel Hyatt. Known for her bold ideas and practical strategies, Ariel has helped thousands of independent musicians and creative entrepreneurs craft sustainable careers over the course of two decades.
Ariel has always been at the forefront of music promotion, and she continues once again with her new book From Buzz to Bond: How to Stop Chasing Hype & Build a Lasting Music Career.
In it she introduces the concept of Bond Marketing, a 10-step system known as the Bond Marketing Funnel. It’s designed to help musicians move beyond simple social reach and build deep, lasting fan relationships.
During the interview we spoke about navigating changes in the new music business, addressing artist burnout, exploring the bond marketing funnel, the importance of fan sanctuaries, and much more.
I spoke to Ariel from her home in New York City.
Ariel has also appeared on Episode 55, 130 and 371.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Ariel and CyberPR at https://cyberpr.com, https://www.facebook.com/arielcyberpr, https://www.instagram.com/cyberpr/,
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is Danny Garcia, co-founder and CEO of the music promotion and discovery site Songtools.
Songtools makes it easy to promote your music across Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, and reach out to over 150,000 curated Spotify playlists.
It also helps playlisters discover new music, and vets both artists and playlists to make sure that the experience is top quality for both.
The company’s signature tools include SongFly, which is an easy-to-use solution that enables artists to launch ad campaigns, complete with visuals, with just one click.
In less than one year, SongFly ran fan-building ad campaigns for close to 3,000 different artists, and delivered over 500K new fans to artists across all genres.
During the interview we talked about how important focused marketing is for artists, countering bots in music discovery and promotion, strategies for growing playlists, current trends in music business, and much more.
I spoke with Danny from his office in New York.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Danny and Songtools at: https://www.songtools.io/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is Lon Neumann, the president of Neumann Technologies, a company that’s focused on designing and commissioning production facilities for immersive audio.
Lon has a long history with Sony, and is especially keen on their 360VME virtual mix environment system, which he discussed at length during the podcast.
He started in the business as a live sound engineer at the famous Whisky a Go Go and Roxy Theater in Hollywood, and later went on to mix for Earth, Wind and Fire before becoming chief engineer for Stevie Wonder’s personal studio.
Since then he’s worked primarily in audio technology, where he trained PBS engineers in surround sound production and loudness management, and helped develop immersive and loudness standards for SMPTE, AES, and the Consumer Technology Association.
During the interview we spoke about how Sony’s 360VME can help music and post mixers alike, the importance of phase coherence in immersive sound systems, his days mixing concerts for many legendary artists, and much more.
I spoke to Lon via zoom from his home in Los Angeles.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Lon's work: https://neumanntechnologies.com/ and Sony 260VME at https://www.sony.co.jp/en/Products/create360RA/360VME/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analy
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week's podcast episode, I bring back my popular music and audio industry news segment with a full episode dedicated to stories that matter—but often fly under the radar.
In this episode, I dive into a wide range of timely and thought-provoking topics, including:
- Why today’s music has been scientifically proven to be simpler than it used to be
- How hit songs have evolved over the last 5 years
- Whether view counts actually mean anything anymore
- How AI-generated comments could be killing social media
- The mind-blowing science behind bending sound waves
- If hashtags still have a role in the modern digital world
- And—why musicians can’t just go on strike like actors and writers
Tune in to hear surprising insights, smart commentary, and the stories behind the headlines—things you’ve probably thought about but haven’t heard explained quite like this.
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is owner and president of HIP Video Promo Andy Gesner.
Andy’s firsthand experience in playing in bands and releasing records gives him a special insight into music promotion and marketing. Over the past 25 years, he has built HIP from the ground up, developing innovative promotional strategies that adapt to the ever-changing media landscape.
Andy and his team have promoted more than 4,800 music videos for artists including Bryan Adams, The B-52s, Bon Iver, Johnny Cash, Death Cab For Cutie, Pearl Jam, Maroon 5, Sia, and Weird Al Yankovic, spanning genres from indie rock to hip-hop, pop, metal, and beyond.
During the interview we spoke about the evolution of video promotion, video marketing strategies for artists, the many television channels that artists aren’t aware of, AI in video creation, and much more.
I spoke to Andy from his home in New Jersey.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Andy and HIP Video Promo: https://hipvideopromo.com
–
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is someone who’s spent the last 35 years on a mission to protect the hearing of musicians, audio pros, and music lovers alike.
Dr. Michael Santucci is an audiologist and the founder of Sensaphonics, a custom in-ear monitor company that’s become a go-to for top performers around the world.
What sets Michael apart is that he’s not just running a company—he’s an audiologist first. That means everything Sensaphonics does is grounded in science, with a focus on long-term hearing health.
From musicians and engineers to venue staff and even astronauts, Dr. Santucci has been a tireless advocate for protecting ears in the most demanding environments.
In fact, since 1999, Sensaphonics has provided custom hearing protection and communication solutions for every mission to the International Space Station, working closely with both NASA and SpaceX.
During the interview we talked about the major causes of hearing loss and tinnitus, the evolution of hearing protection, the importance of monitoring sound level, innovations in in-ear monitors, and much more.
I spoke with Michael from his office in Chicago.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Dr. Santucci and Sensaphonics at: https://sensaphonics.com
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews,
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is country music author and historian, and a member of the Western Music Hall Of Fame Don Cusic.
Don is the author of over 30 books, including biographies of Roger Miller, Eddy Arnold, Gene Autry and Chet Atkins.
He’s also written album liner notes for Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Ray Stevens, Eddy Arnold, and Sonny James, as well as for multiple film soundtracks.
Don has a number of credits as a producer and songwriter, and is a Professor of Music Industry History and Professor of Music Business at Belmont University.
During the interview we spoke about the evolution of the Nashville music scene, Chet Atkins - the man behind the Nashville sound, Don’s writing journey, the changing landscape of Music Row, and much more.
I spoke with Don from his office in Nashville.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Don Cusic's work: https://www.doncusic.com/
–
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is my good friend for many years, Engineer Dennis Moody.
Dennis was my first guest way back on Episode #1, and he’s been on the podcast almost every year since.
Dennis is unique in that he does live sound as well as studio recording, as he’s he’s engineered some of the biggest acts at some of the world’s most famous venues.
He’s also known as “the Drummer’s Engineer,” since some of the world’s best drummers hire him to engineer their personal albums.
Because he travels so much doing live sound, he’s almost like the Inner Circle’s roving reporter, as each time he makes an appearance he tells us about the latest music and audio trends worldwide.
During the interview we spoke about what it’s like to do gigs around the world, trends in music and gear, the art of live sound mixing, navigating the challenges of travel, and much more.
I spoke with Dennis from his studio in Los Angeles
Dennis has previously appeared on Episodes 1, 50, 100, 151, 200, 300, 399, and 500.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Dennis Moody's work at: https://www.dennismoody.com/
–
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is composer, orchestrator, and CEO of Budapest Scoring, Balint Sapszon.
Trained at the prestigious Bartók Conservatory and Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary, Bálint holds a Master’s Degree in Composition, Jazz Arrangement, and Music Theory. In 2007 he received a Fulbright Scholarship to study film scoring at the University of California Los Angeles, where he quickly began establishing himself in the world of film music.
Bálint’s film scoring and orchestration credits include Parasite, which was the Oscar winner for Best Picture, Spike Lee’s Netflix film See You Yesterday, all time Chinese box office hit Operation Red Sea, the HBO film Bad Education, and more.
After using his friends back in his native Hungary to record the score for his first film, and then helping other composers do their scores there as well, Balint founded the Budapest Scoring Orchestra and eventually purchased one of the finest scoring stages in Europe to record in. Today Budapest Scoring is used by composers, film and television studios from around the world.
During the interview we talked about the birth of Budapest Scoring, his transition into film scoring, the global impact of the Orchestra, his Jazz influences, and much more.
I spoke with Balint from his home in Los Angeles
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Balint Sapzon's work at Balintsapszon.com, and Budapest Scoring at budapestscoring.com
–
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews,
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is is one of my oldest and dearest friends – Los Angeles studio bass player Paul ILL.
I’ve known Paul for such a long time that I sometimes forget what a heavyweight musician he is, as he’s played with a wide variety of great artists both in the studio and on the road.
This includes superstars like Tina Turner, Pink, Gwen Stefani and Alicia Keys, to legends Bob Weir, Mike Love and producers Michael Lloyd and Linda Perry, among a long list too vast to mention.
During the interview we spoke about:
- how his gear has evolved over the last few years,
- his journey as a mental health professional and his work with musicians through Music Cares
- what it’s like playing with a full orchestra
- how the studio scene has changed in Los Angeles
- how he brings more to the table than just expert bass playing, and much more.
I spoke with Paul from his studio in Los Angeles
Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Mental Health and Music
00:00:19 - Guest Introduction: Paul Ill
00:00:30 - Paul's Musical Background
00:01:01 - Gear Evolution Over Seven Years
00:01:21 - Gearaholics Anonymous
00:02:13 - Gear from 2018
00:03:06 - Current Gear and Setup
00:04:33 - Amplification Changes
00:05:33 - Quad Cortex and Its Impact
00:09:06 - Playing with Orchestras
00:10:37 - Reading Music and Preparation
00:11:13 - Using the Quad Cortex in Live Settings
00:12:05 - Direct Box Preferences
00:15:15 - Physical Ailments of Musicians
00:20:00 - Generational Changes in Musicians' Health
00:21:03 - Session Work Changes Over Time
00:22:08 - Remote Session Dynamics
00:24:06 - Producer Expectations in Sessions
00:27:32 - Collaborative Technology in Music
00:28:16 - Experiences with Bill Ward
00:30:00 - The Importance of Tone and Gear
00:31:29 - Misunderstood Musicians: Songwriting
00:33:07 - Upcoming Solo Album
00:34:38 - Multi-Instrumentalist Approach
00:35:29 - Mental Health Professional Side Hustle
00:36:37 - Conclusion and Future Plan
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Paul ILL at: https://www.instagram.com/paulillmusic, https://www.facebook.com/paulill,
–
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books:
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is musician, book and magazine publisher, and artist Mike Lawson, who also happens to be my book publishing champion.
Mike was the person who took a chance on me to publish my first book, and then most of my subsequent 20+ books after that.
He’s since gone on to become the owner and publisher of notable publications like School Band and Orchestra and Musical Merchandise Review magazines.
If those credits were Mike’s only claim to fame it would be pretty substantial, but he’s also continued to be a working musician having recorded and/or performed with musical luminaries like Merl Saunders, Vince Welnick, Vassar Clements, Pete Sears, John McEuen, Bob Welch, Phil Keaggy, Jack Casady, Rob Wasserman, Michael Cleveland, and a host of others.
He has released eight albums as “Mike Lawson and Friends,” continues to front his tribute band Hooterall?, and even has his own Pearl River signature guitar.
During the interview we spoke about his journey to getting a signature guitar, transitioning from musician to publisher, staying on the bleeding edge of technology, his stints at Gibson, and much more.
Timecodes:
00:00:00 - Introduction: Mike Lawson's Journey
00:00:22 - Meet Mike Lawson: Musician and Publisher
00:01:33 - The Story Behind Mike's Signature Guitar
00:06:22 - The Importance of Quality and Affordability in Instruments
00:07:42 - Transitioning from Musician to Publisher
00:08:15 - The Start of Mike's Publishing Career
00:10:02 - The Birth of the Entertainment Source Library
00:12:00 - Innovating with CompuServe and Music Industry Forums
00:13:41 - Working with Gibson and Building Gibson.com
00:15:40 - The Shift to Mixed Books and Publishing
00:19:07 - The Evolution of Mike's Publishing Career
00:22:29 - Returning to Gibson and New Opportunities
00:24:15 - The Move to Alfred Publishing
00:25:03 - Current Publishing Ventures: MMR and SBO
00:27:49 - Balancing Music and Publishing
00:28:19 - The Impact of COVID on Music Production
00:30:37 - Embracing Technology in Music Creation
00:33:36 - Imposter Syndrome: A Common Struggle
00:37:21 - Lessons Learned from Merle Saunders and Vince Welnick
00:40:41 - Conclusion and Closing Remarks
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Mike's music at https://www.mikelawson.com, and his book and magazine publishing at https://artistpro.com
–
Get fantastic mixing tips from the best selling Mixing Engineer’s Handbook: https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Rich Thomson, the founder and CEO of Dreamliner Luxury Coaches, a leading provider of tour buses and logistics in the United States.
Rich's journey in the industry began in 2020 with just 12 coaches, and he has since expanded Dreamliner to an impressive fleet of over 200 luxury buses, 70 trucks, and 220 trailers.
The company now services more than 50% of major arena and stadium tours across the country, catering to high-profile clients in the entertainment industry, including stars like Morgan Wallen, Billie Eilish, and Beyoncé.
Dreamliner also supplies executive coaches for group meetings and executive trips for Fortune 500 companies including NASCAR, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the Professional Golfers’ Association of America.
During the interview we talked about what to look for when renting a tour bus, the different types of coaches that are available, the difference between coaches for executives and tour buses, the importance of professional drivers, and much more.
Timcodes:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Dreamliner Luxury Coaches
00:01:34 - Key Considerations When Renting a Coach
00:01:59 - Challenges in Finding Professional Drivers
00:02:32 - Overview of Coach Types
00:02:47 - Differences Between Star Buses and Executive Coaches
00:03:49 - Common Requests from Artists
00:04:51 - Outrageous Requests in the Industry
00:05:36 - Service Areas: U.S. and Canada
00:06:11 - Sustainability in Coach Building
00:06:57 - Perception of New vs. Older Coaches
00:07:38 - Rich's Journey into the Coach Business
00:09:20 - Lessons Learned and Changing Perspectives
00:10:25 - Social Dynamics in Nashville
00:13:01 - Diverse Clientele Beyond Music
00:14:25 - Differences in Client Demands
00:15:47 - Expansion into Trucking Services
00:17:32 - Coach Sales and Fleet Management
00:19:06 - Incorporating Technology: Starlink
00:19:53 - Logistics Evolution in the Industry
00:20:45 - Future Goals and Diversification
00:23:00 - Importance of Professional Drivers
00:24:44 - Business Approach and Experience
00:26:31 - Final Advice: Going All In
00:27:40 - Closing Remarks
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Rich Thomson and Dreamliner Luxury Coaches at https://www.dreamlinercoaches.com
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobby
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is engineer, mixer, and podcaster Matt Boudreau.
Matt’s musical journey began in the late '80s as a band member and drummer, eventually transitioning into the world of audio recording in 1994. Since then, he’s developed expertise in Stereo and Dolby Atmos mixing, with credits including Alanis Morissette, Death Cab For Cutie, and Green Day among others.
Matt is also the founder and host of Working Class Audio, a podcast with 20,000 monthly listeners, and over 530 episodes.
During the interview we spoke about the evolution of immersive audio, his innovative approach to mixing in Atmos, his insights after 500+ podcasts, encouraging authenticity in music production, and much more.
I spoke with Matt from his studio in the Bay Area.
Key Takeaways:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Technology and Art
00:01:15 - Matt Bedro's Background in Audio
00:02:45 - The Evolution of Immersive Audio
00:04:30 - Competition in Immersive Formats
00:06:10 - Consumer Demand and Aesthetic Challenges
00:08:00 - The Role of Early Adopters in Technology
00:09:30 - Disappointment in Classic Album Remixes
00:11:30 - Approach to Mixing Classic Albums in Atmos
00:14:30 - Economizing the Mixing Process
00:16:50 - Marketing and Selling Music
00:18:30 - The Importance of Artist Education
00:20:00 - AI's Impact on Music Production
00:22:30 - Using AI Tools in Audio Production
00:25:00 - Podcasting Journey and Insights
00:28:00 - Building Connections Through Interviews
00:30:30 - Adapting the Podcast Format
00:32:00 - Being Authentic in the Industry
00:34:00 - Encouragement for Young Audio Professionals
00:36:00 - Conclusion and Closing Remarks
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Matt at https://www.mattboudreau.com/ and https://www.workingclassaudio.com/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on I
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter and music tech entrepreneur Sidney Swift.
Sidney is a 10x platinum producer with major credits like Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Sabrina Carpenter, and many more.
In 2019, he started Defient to bridge the gap between music, pop culture, and next-gen technologies. This led to being granted a US patent for inventing "secondary device synchronization", a technology used in music and television to layer digital media experiences.
He’s also the founder of Recoup, which is focused on empowering modern music executives with AI tools for artist development and direct to fan engagement.
During the interview we talked about embracing AI in music management and marketing, the unique way he broke into the business, his virtual artist side project, the changing landscape of music creation, and much more.
I spoke with Sidney from his home outside of New York City.
Key Takeaways:
00:00:00 - The Inevitable Rise of AI
00:00:20 - Introducing Sidney Swift
00:01:27 - From Music Producer to Tech Innovator
00:03:07 - Reinventing Himself in the Industry
00:04:12 - The Shift in Music Creation
00:05:29 - Embracing Change with AI
00:06:42 - The Future of Music Genres
00:08:16 - Copyright Concerns in AI Music
00:10:07 - Creative Collaboration and Credit
00:11:35 - Breaking into the Music Business
00:13:35 - The Move to Los Angeles
00:14:29 - Navigating the LA Music Scene
00:16:19 - Innovative Approaches to Songwriting
00:19:15 - The Birth of Defiant
00:20:28 - Introducing Rekoop
00:23:29 - The Future of Music Creation00:25:10 - The Changing Landscape of Success
00:27:12 - The Value of Small Fanbases
00:29:46 - The Importance of AI in Music
00:30:51 - Advice on Embracing Discomfort
00:31:57 - Closing Thoughts and Reflections
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Sidney's work: https://recoupable.com
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow m
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this episode of the podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mimi Camara, an accomplished entertainment attorney known for her work with rising artists such as Soulja Boy, Gracie's Corner, and Young N' Ace. With a background in business and legal affairs at major labels like Atlantic, Warner Brothers, and Encore Records, Mimi has transitioned to focus on helping independent artists navigate the complexities of the music industry while building sustainable careers.
We kicked off our conversation by discussing the often misunderstood role of business affairs lawyers in record labels. Mimi emphasized that their primary responsibility is to protect the interests of the label, which can sometimes lead to a perception of them as the "bad guys." However, she explained that many lawyers genuinely strive to do the right thing for both the label and the artists, and her unique experience allows her to advocate effectively for her clients.
Mimi shared insights into the day-to-day realities of working in business affairs, revealing that it involves much more than just signing artists. From negotiating brand deals to mediating between artists and label creatives, the role is dynamic and requires constant relationship management.
We also explored the evolving landscape of music discovery, particularly the role of platforms like TikTok and YouTube. While TikTok has been a powerful tool for A&R research, Mimi pointed out that YouTube is increasingly becoming the go-to platform for music discovery, allowing artists to reach a global audience without the barriers of subscription fees.
Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Mimi Kamara
00:01:18 - The Role of Business Affairs Lawyers
00:03:30 - The Busy Life of a Label Attorney
00:06:25 - The Complexity of Artist Deals
00:09:10 - Trends in Artist Development
00:11:44 - Artist Management vs. Direct Artist Approaches
00:14:07 - Navigating Relationships with Artists and Managers
00:16:12 - The Importance of Trust in Artist Relationships
00:18:44 - Educating Artists on Business Matters
00:21:04 - Common Mistakes Artists Make
00:23:32 - The Role of Copyright in Music
00:26:43 - Songwriting Trends and Collaborations
00:30:10 - The Impact of TikTok and YouTube on Music Discovery
00:33:15 - Final Advice: The Importance of Community
00:34:20 - Conclusion and Closing Remarks
–
Connect with me:
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiB
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is Grammy-nominated producer/mixer/composer, Richard Tozzoli.
Rich may be the most prolific television composer anywhere, as his work has appeared in an astounding 1800 TV series, 20,000 episodes, in 40 countries. His unique style has been featured on CBS Sports, NBC Olympics, Counting Cars, Pawn Stars, Duck Dynasty, Trading Spaces, MLB, FOX NFL and many more. Artists he’s worked with include Al DiMeola, Ace Frehley, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Omar Hakim, and others.
Prior to turning his attention to composing, Rich was an excellent recording engineer and mixer, working on 5.1 surround sound projects for the likes of David Bowie, Carly Simon, Boston Pops, Blue Oyster Cult and Hall & Oates. He has also authored numerous articles on audio production and technology as well as the book Pro Tools Surround Sound Mixing.
During the interview we spoke about transitioning from engineering to television composition, how his engineering skills were important in gaining music supervisor attention, his annual writing trip to the Caribbean, expanding in to full orchestration, focusing on planetarium shows, and much more.
I spoke with Rich from his studio in Northern New Jersey
Timestamps:
00:00:00 - The Importance of Reinvention
Discussing the necessity of reinventing oneself and the learning process involved.
00:00:22 - Introducing Richard Tozzoli
Overview of Rich's impressive career and accomplishments in television
composition.
00:01:50 - The Volume of Work. Rich shares the staggering number of cues and series his music has been featured in.
00:02:35 - The Role of Agents. Exploring how good representation can lead to opportunities in the industry.
00:03:29 - Transitioning to Composition
Rich discusses his shift from engineering to composing for television and the motivation behind it.
00:04:37 - The Unique Approach of Artists
Insights into how successful artists carve out their unique niches in the music industry.
00:05:29 - Ego and Confidence in Music
The balance of having confidence without letting ego take over in the creative process.
00:05:58 - Engineering Skills in Composition
How Rich's background as an engineer enhances his composition work.
00:07:21 - Speed and Efficiency in Mixing
The importance of quick mixing skills in the fast-paced world of television music.
00:08:14 - Simplifying the Process
Rich shares tips on simplifying music creation to enhance pro
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
My guest today is renowned musician, composer, and inventor of the groundbreaking Mutantrumpet Ben Neill. Ben’s Mutantrumpet is a hybrid electro-acoustic instrument that combines 3 trumpets and a trombone into one. It then incorporates interactive computer technologies that produces a sound that blurs the lines between acoustic and electronic music.
Ben became interested in electronic music when he was the Music Curator of the N.Y.C. performance space The Kitchen from 1992 to 1999, and since that time he’s been incorporating electronic influences into his work. This includes thirteen albums, as well as exhibitions in museums and galleries in New York City and London.
Ben began his teaching career in 2007 as a professor of music technology at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and was a Professor of Music Industry and Production at Ramapo College until 2024.
His new book is called Diffusing Music, and explores how technology is enabling new levels of creativity, and transforming how we share and experience sound.
During the interview we talked about why the Mutantrumpet was developed, using an AR headset during performances, the future of music collaboration, how music reflects society, and much more.
I spoke with Ben from his studio outside of New York City.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
All about the Mutantrumpet (02:07)
Incorporating AR into performances 08:49)
Embracing electronic music (11:05)
Using proprietary plugins (23:50)
One last question (37:47)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Ben Neill’s work: https://www.benneill.com/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the brilliant hip hop artist, producer, and designer James ‘Homebwoi’ Maddox.
Homebwoi’s work has been featured on 10 major label albums, 2 major motion pictures, and 3 commercially released video games.
Homebwoi is also the head of product design for his company Metro Southern Media, which specializes in creative services for artists, corporate branding, and film production services.
In this episode, he and I discussed how signing a record deal was the beginning of the end of his first band, the unique way he got established in the Atlanta music scene, his production process and why he likes to work with real musicians, how he became a multimedia service provider, and much more.
Homebwoi also shared his journey from starting as a young music producer navigating industry pitfalls to becoming a successful multimedia entrepreneur.
Are you ready for this?
Then run, don’t walk, and listen to this episode now!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
The beginning of the end for Homebwoi’s first band (01:35)
Working as a producer (10:45)
Homebwoi’s producer tricks (19:56)
How Metro Southern Media started (27:03)
One last question (31:23)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Homebwoi’s work: http://homebwoi.com, https://metrosouthernmedia.com/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the amazing Norman Varney of AV RoomService.
Norman is an acoustic consultant who has designed over 500 critical listening rooms around the world, starting back to when he owned an audio retail store.
After that, he became director of the Custom Installation and Home Theater divisions at Music Interface Technologies. There he designed the innovative and elaborate electrical system for the Scoring Stage of Lucas Film’s Skywalker Ranch.
Norman then became a senior engineer with the Acoustic Systems Business at the Owens Corning Science & Technology Center. He spent a considerable amount of his time there testing in anechoic chambers, reverberation chambers, and acoustic labs in general.
In this episode, Norman and I discussed some common acoustic myths, acoustic listening tests at Owens Corning, how extravagant home theaters can get, the difficulty in designing an immersive playback room, the built-in resonant point in American home construction, and so much more.
Are you ready for this?
Then tune in now!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Let’s bust some myths (01:43)
Home theaters then and now (13:08)
Building immersive rooms (22:42)
Vibration protectors (31:02)
The worst spaces for good acoustics? (38:11)
One last question (41:02)
Additional Resources:
Follow AV RoomService on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/avroomservice/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podc
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with Chandler Kinchla (commonly known as Chan), the guitar player for Blues Traveler and his new band W4RHORS3.
Born in Ontario, Canada, Chan moved to Princeton, NJ where he met his Blues Traveler bandmates. After graduating high school, the band moved to New York City where they gigged around town until they secured a record deal.
After they were signed, a bartender at one of the places they played at introduced the band to David Letterman. The band played his late night show many times over the years, which helped put them at the top of the music world.
The band has then gone on to record 15 studio albums that have sold over 10 million copies, and played over 2,000 shows in front of more than 30 million people.
In this episode, Chan and I talked about the “majesty of New Jersey,” what it’s like to play 300 dates a year in New York City clubs, the reasons for creating the H.O.R.D.E. tour, playing dates with W4RHORS3, and so much more.
Are you ready to meet this legend?
Then tune in now!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
From Canada to New Jersey (01:59)
How Blues Traveler broke through (06:23)
Blues Traveler’s history with David Letterman (16:35)
Let’s talk about the H.O.R.D.E tour (18:15)
Chan’s work as a solo artist (20:33)
Last question for Chan (29:11)
Additional Resources:
Follow Chan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chankinchla/ and https://www.instagram.com/the_chan_gang/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: http
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with singing coach to the stars, Eric Vetro.
Eric has a client list that’s a “who’s who” of music celebrities, including Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Rita Ora, John Legend, and Shawn Mendes, as well as the lead singers from bands like Haim, Weezer, Incubus and Muse.
He’s also trained A-list actors for the movie musicals La La Land, Chicago, Judy, Mary Poppins Returns, Hairspray, Beauty and the Beast, Eurovision, In The Heights, Cinderella, and Wicked, among many others.
Plus he’s worked with many Disney stars who went on to have great singing careers such as Vanessa Hudgens, Sabrina Carpenter, Ashley Tisdale, Olivia Holt, Laura Marano, and Dove Cameron.
In this episode, Eric and I spoke about his unique coaching style, how his background as a piano accompanist made him a better singing coach, how he gets a movie star ready to sing in a movie, why warming up your voice is so important, and so much more.
Are you ready for this?
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Eric’s experience as a voice coach for the stars (01:47)
Is there a fast track to becoming a great singer? (06:02)
Eric’s unique coaching style (10:13)
From vocal coach to vocal producer (15:14)
How Eric became a vocal coach (21:04)
Eric’s first paid coaching job (25:37)
BBC Maestro (29:53)
One last question (35:36)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Eric’s work: https://ericvetro.com/
Learn more about BBC Maestro: https://www.bbcmaestro.com/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn:
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
Last week, I broke down every single important (and interesting) piece of music news for 2024. And today, like last year, I’ll be making my own predictions for music in 2025.
Listen in to learn all about them, from why I think young audiences will push back against AI-generated content to why indie artists will be dominating the mainstream music scene.
I’ll also be discussing the possible future of streaming platforms, which industry key players will be facing challenges, the indisputable adoption of lossless audio as a standard, and more.
Are you ready for this?
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Let’s review my 2024 predictions (00:27)
2025, a bad year for AI? & other predictions (09:46)
Why Live Nation might lose their suit (19:02)
Additional Resources:
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with… myself. Yes friends, today, I go solo for this special episode of the podcast.
In it, I’ll be reflecting on the major stories that shaped the music industry in 2024.
In this special year-in-review episode, I’ll be going over TikTok’s potential ban in the US—an event which will completely change the industry going forward, Japan's unexpected cassette tape resurgence, and Chechnya's surprising tempo regulations.
I’ll also be discussing how Spotify is adapting its royalty models, Live Nation’s issues with the US government, the sad death of some iconic music institutions, immersive audio’s struggle to gain traction, and so much more.
Whether you're a producer, artist, or industry insider, this episode is a must-listen if you want a detailed look at where the music world stands and where it's going.
Are you ready?
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Let’s talk about immersive audio (01:12)
Chechnya’s tempo ban (03:21)
The US TikTok ban (15:43)
Cassettes are making a comeback (22:16)
Live Nation is getting sued (28:06)
Some news about Taylor Swift (33:21)
Additional Resources:
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with Constantine Roussos, the founder and CEO of the DotMusic top-level domain name.
Constantine is a Greek-Cypriot musician, songwriter, producer, engineer, and entrepreneur whose dream of having a “.music” domain name put him up against some of the most powerful tech companies in the world.
As you’ll hear today, he was able to persevere and eventually garner the support from the largest music coalition ever assembled, with members representing over 95% of global music consumed.
Constantine has an interesting background, initially becoming a Cypriot Green Beret out of school, which unbelievably led to joining the military band.
He later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Entrepreneurship with a minor in Music Industry at the University of Southern California, before continuing his education at Musician’s Institute in Hollywood and becoming a certified music sound engineer.
He then went off to Pepperdine University where he earned his MBA. His last educational journey was graduating from Harvard Business School’s prestigious Owner-President Management program.
A pretty impressive background; and yet, this is only the beginning.
In this episode, Constantine and I talked about how top level domains work, why Facebook’s initial startup plan was brilliant, being a Cypriot Green Beret, why online privacy and verification are so important for musicians, and more.
Are you ready for this?
Then tune in now.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Meet Constantine (00:47)
The only thing you can control is your website (19:49)
Let’s talk about DotMusic (25:13)
How to apply for DotMusic (52:41)
Additional Resources:
Follow Constantine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dotmusic/
Learn more about Constantine’s work: https://constantinemusic.com/
Learn more about DotMusic: https://music.us/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books:
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the brilliant John Mlynczak, the president and CEO of the National Association of Music Merchants (also known as NAMM).
John started in the music business as a hotshot trumpet player in New Orleans with a passion for music education.
From an early age, John has been interested in music technology, which eventually led him to taking a job as director of education with PreSonus, then with book publisher Hal Leonard, and then to his current position at NAMM.
In this episode, he and I will be discussing how trade shows like NAMM are evolving, how NAMM compares to trade shows in other industries, the change music consumers and retailers have seen over the years, his passion for music technology and how it led to major changes in school curriculums, and so much more.
Are you ready to meet this visionary?
Then tune in now!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Learning from being a CEO (01:13)
How NAMM is moving the music industry forward (04:00)
How the music creation experience has changed (12:09)
NAMM 2025 (20:46)
More info about Summer NAMM (24:03)
Get to know John (32:04)
Our last question (38:10)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about John’s work: https://www.johnmlynczak.com/
Learn more about NAMM: https://www.namm.org/
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the amazing Steve Einzig, an A-list booking agent and the CEO of bookingentertainement.com.
bookingentertainement.com specializes in booking big name A-list musicians and entertainers such as John Legend, Ed Sheeran, Stevie Nicks, Seal, and Maroon 5 for private and corporate events, catering to ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
Not only does the company book music from every genre, but also standup comedians and celebrity chefs as well.
In this episode, Steve and I discussed how his passion for the blues led to a breakthrough label job, the most demanding clients to work for, how the number of hits determines how much an artist gets paid, the most popular music genre for private and corporate gigs, and so much more.
Are you ready?
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
How do artists get to do private gigs? (01:14)
Why use a booking agency? (05:04)
Steve’s typical day (07:55)
The most difficult clients to work with (14:03)
Private buyers vs corporate buyers (19:48)
Last question (30:53)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Steve’s work: https://bookingentertainment.com
–
(FREE DOWNLOAD) 6 proven ways to avoid muddy mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/6-freqs-download-1
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the brilliant Nick Bottini, a multi-instrumentalist, consultant, and performance coach for musicians.
Nick is a well-studied musician who taught at various levels, eventually rising to the Head of Music London schools.
He transitioned into performance coaching after discovering the steps that unlocked his own musicianship. Since then he’s helped everyone from students to top music professionals to sports figures and even entrepreneurs.
In this episode, Nick and I discussed when a musician needs a performance coach, why visualization doesn’t always work, how to get into a state of flow, the cultural shifts the music industry is seeing right now, and so much more.
Are you ready for a riveting conversation?
Then tune in now!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Why you need a performance coach (01:06)
From violinist to performance coach (06:04)
Nick’s coaching method (16:38)
Is your identity holding you back? (19:07)
About “Just Play” (22:06)
Our last question (31:40)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Nick’s work: https://www.nickbottini.com/
--
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with acoustician and studio designer Hush Paz.
Hush’s company Sense and Sound offers an exclusive “Studio in a Day” service, where they design, install, and calibrate their customers’ studio acoustics in just one day.
Among the many clients that have utilized this service include mixer DJ Swivel, film composer Sam Ewing, producer/composer Mike Woods, and video game audio company Hexany Audio.
Hush has also designed his own unique acoustic panels, as well as Smart Legs for a super simple installation.
In this episode, Hush and I discussed how his “Studio in a Day” concept works, why speaker placement in a room is so crucial, how cable degradation influences the sound, how he developed his acoustic panels, and much more.
Are you ready?
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Studio in a Day (01:17)
The best spot for your recording work? (08:36)
Let’s talk about speakers… and the best ones for you (11:02)
How Hush became a studio designer (23:41)
One last question (38:37)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Sense and Sound: https://www.sense-sound.com/
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Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the brilliant Paul Wiltshire, a music technology entrepreneur and the CEO of Songtradr.
Songtradr is the only open and automated licensing marketplace of its kind with all types of music users from independent filmmakers, production houses, and advertising agencies to major brands such as Google, Microsoft, Disney, Netflix and Amazon.
Since the platform’s official global launch in 2016, it has rapidly grown to more than 400,000 artists, producers, and songwriters worldwide using the technology for content management, distribution, and licensing.
Paul's career began as an award-winning producer and songwriter, having produced and/or composed music on twelve no. 1 chart topping albums and singles and twenty-eight top 20 albums and singles.
He has worked with artists such as The Backstreet Boys, Vanessa Amorosi, Delta Goodrem, Human Nature, and Australian Idol artists, including Guy Sebastian.
You can find out more about Paul’s music production background on Episode 106 of the podcast.
In this episode, Paul and I discussed how to build music industry infrastructure, Songtradr’s acquisition of Bandcamp, having a music supervisor team that works with brands, using AI to generate metadata, and so much more.
Are you ready?
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Let’s talk about Songtradr (01:38)
AI and the music industry (10:44)
What was surprising about Bandcamp? (18:26)
Working with music supervisors (23:43)
The future of music licensing (32:08)
Additional Resources:
Connect with Paul: https://www.facebook.com/Paul.L.Wiltshire/
Learn more about Songtradr: https://www.songtradr.com/
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Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn:
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the amazing Emmy-winning producer, songwriter, and publisher, Michèle Vice-Maslin.
Michèle has had numerous hit songs and cuts all over the world as well as over 6,000 music placements.
Winning an Emmy for her work on the CBS TV show Guiding Light, she’s been quite successful in both television and films, with such a long credit list that it's hard to pick just a few––so it’s no surprise that her music can be heard on radio and television every single day, all year long.
Maybe even more amazing is that Michèle had the privilege to collaborate on a song with the legendary Bob Dylan.
In this episode, Michèle and I spoke about her start as an avant-garde artist in Los Angeles, being heartbroken over a Madonna comparison, why instrumental sections of a song don’t work for songwriter pitches, the importance of being a self-reliant artist, and so much more.
Ready to meet this incredible woman?
Then tune in now!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
From playing in bands to becoming a songwriter (01:35)
Producing over writing (09:34)
Let’s talk music production (22:15)
Writing with Bob Dylan (28:17)
One last question (38:28)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Michèle’s work: https://www.pinksharkmusic.com/michele-vicemaslin
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Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the brilliant Kanru Hua, the founder of the music software company Dreamtonics which created the Synthesizer V and Synthesizer V Studio voice synthesis applications.
A cumulation of years of AI research, signal processing, and musical passion led to Synthesizer V, which faithfully replicates the nuances of the human singing voice.
Its voices are available natively in English, Japanese, and Chinese. The software even allows any voice to sing in any of the three languages.
Pretty fascinating, right?
In this episode, Kanru and I discuss the many legitimate uses for vocal cloning, the evolution of Synthesizer V, how to use cloned vocals as guides for human singers, the challenges of vocal synthesis, and so much more.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Well then, what are you waiting for?
Run, don’t walk, and listen to the episode now!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Let’s talk about vocal cloning (01:49)
Who is the main audience for Synthesizer V? (08:04)
The future of vocal cloning (14:13)
The best piece of advice Kanru has learned (21:36)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Synthesizer V: https://dreamtonics.com/synthesizerv/
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Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the amazing Andrea Whitt, a pedal steel, fiddle, and viola player.
Andrea has toured with Shania Twain, recorded on Grammy award winning albums, and performed and recorded with dozens of other musicians including Journey, Deep Purple, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Halsey, and Phil Lesh.
An accomplished visual artist, Andrea is regularly commissioned for paintings in her signature ink, watercolor, and oil styles, and her work can be found on her Boho Bunnie site.
Andrea is also an exceptionally versatile arranger and composer, and was commissioned to write two pieces for the International Viola Congress.
As a guest clinician for schools and music conferences, she instructs young string players in improvisation and multi-genre performances.
In this episode, Andrea and I talked about how she became a pedal steel player, how fiddle and pedal steel play a similar role in a band, her unique painting style, keeping her art life and music life separate, going from Brazilian jazz to EDM to country music, and so much more.
Ready to meet this multi-talented artist?
Then tune in now!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
From classical viola to pedal steel (01:35)
Making the jump into improvisation (07:44)
Andrea’s artwork (12:28)
Touring with Shania Twain (16:15)
Andrea’s favorite music genre (27:10)
One last question (31:29)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Andrea’s work: https://www.andreawhitt.com/home
Check out Andrea’s art: https://bohobunnie.com/
Follow Andrea on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bohobunnie
Follow Andrea on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bohobunnie/
Follow Andrea on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/andreawhitt
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Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses:
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the brilliant Cheryl Engelhardt, a Grammy-nominated singer, composer, speaker, and career coach.
Cheryl began her music career as an advertising and film composer in New York City, creating jingles for national ad campaigns. She then pursued a career as a pop/rock singer/songwriter and had songs in television and film. She also toured internationally with her backing band.
Cheryl transitioned into new-age music and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New-Age, Ambient, or Chant Album in 2022.
She’s also a certified trauma-informed master coach, and her In the Key of Success coaching program provides career coaching helping musicians attain their goals.
In this episode, Cheryl and I talked about how she got into jingle writing, the joys and pains of being a left-handed piano player, creating her “making of” videos, her best tips for creating emails, her first job as a scuba diver, and so much more.
Are you ready to meet this incredible artist?
Then tune in now!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Writing jingles (01:32)
How Cheryl learned orchestration (05:59)
Studying piano as a left-handed person (07:53)
The shift to new-age music (10:53)
How Cheryl keeps it personal (20:38)
Transitioning into coaching (23:12)
What is a trauma-informed coach? (27:41)
Cheryl the scuba diver (34:41)
One last question (37:10)
Additional Resources:
Follow Cheryl on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbemusic/
Follow Cheryl on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbemusic
Learn more about Cheryl’s work: https://www.inthekeyofsuccess.com/, https://www.cbemusic.com/
--
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook:
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the founder of IAIAI Technologies, Mick Kiely.
IAIAI Technologies uses ethical AI technology to protect music copyright holder’s interests. Its GeanAI produces an AI fingerprint that profiles and tracks copyrighted works, while its QuiBot is an AI composer that is responsibly trained on music theory rather than scraping others’ works.
The company’s Mymic is a repository for cloned voices, while its Quantum Star Project is a research project into how quantum computing can be used in music.
All this is the brainchild of Mick Kiely, a musician and television composer who started his technology journey composing scores for video games.
Mick would then go on to start the world’s first generative music platform called XHAIL, which was embraced by the creatives in Hollywood.
This led to the birth of IAIAI Technologies, with the main idea that AI serves as a force for good to reward and protect artists.
Together, Mick and I will be discussing the irreversibility of AI training and what it means for the music industry, how Mymic creates voice DNA profiles to detect voice cloning, why the industry has to find a balance between AI innovation and protecting artists’ rights, and more.
Are you ready?
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Let’s talk about ethical AI (01:34)
Mymic and voice cloning (09:54)
What’s QuiBot? (14:24)
Mick’s backstory (20:57)
The Quantum Star Project (28:05)
One last question (30:14)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Mick’s work: https://iaiaitechnologies.com/
Access my FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.mixingcrashcourse.com
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode, I sit down with producer, technologist and entrepreneur Marcus “Bellringer” Bell.
Marcus has marketed, promoted, produced, remixed, written for, and mentored some of the world’s superstars and brands. His list of credits includes Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, and Beyonce, as well as Discovery Network, Amazon, and Warner Bros, just to name a few.
Marcus is also the CEO of Bellringer Productions LLC, a music sync licensing and production company that operates a catalog of over 10,000 songs and 300 recording artists.
Marcus has also published a number one Amazon bestseller called “The Bellringer Branding Bible: The 5 Musician Branding Principles For Singers, Rappers, DJs, Music Producers, Composers, Writers and Recording Artists.” He’s also on a mission to financially empower people with his Wealth and Impact Academy.
Together, Marcus and I discussed the use of AI in music creation, his Ravyn Lyte project, his sync licensing company, and his bestseller book.
Are you ready?
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Let’s talk about Ravyn Lyte (02:06)
The healing powers of music (07:33)
Helping creatives gain financial independence (14:06)
The Bellringer Branding Bible (20:33)
Bellringer Productions (29:03)
One last question (41:38)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Marcus: https://www.bellringermusic.com/about
Learn more about Bellringer Productions: https://www.bellringerproductions.com/
Learn more about Ravyn Lyte: https://www.ravynlyte.com/
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bob
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.
Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.
Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/
In this week’s episode of the podcast, I sit down with two legends of the rock and classical music worlds, conductor Brad Thachuk and guitarist Steve Thachuk.
Brad and Steve are the founders of Gravel Museum Music, an organization dedicated to preserving the rich legacy of rock music in the concert hall by presenting the repertoire with full symphony orchestra and dynamic arrangements.
Some of Gravel Museum’s shows include The Music of Phil Collins & Genesis, Classic Rock Radio, Deep Purple Rising, and Symphonically Hip.
Both Brad and Steve have PhDs in music as well as other impressive credentials.
Brad is the music director of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, the conductor for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s BPO Rocks! series, and a lecturer in Orchestral Literature at the world-renowned Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
As for Steve, he is the head of guitar studies at Cal State Northridge in Los Angeles, and has appeared in recitals as a chamber musician and soloist with orchestras throughout North America and Europe.
In this episode, the brothers and I discussed their amazing music career, how they went from classical music to rock back to classical again, why working in a record store was so important later in their careers, the massive prep time required for a show, how Steve worked his way through graduate school by winning guitar competitions, and more.
Are you ready to meet these legends?
Then tune in now.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
The Gravel Museum orchestra (01:38)
Creating a new show (10:22)
Brad and Steve’s background (15:06)
How orchestras survive (27:54)
One last question (40:23)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Steve’s work: https://www.steventhachuk.com/
Learn more about Brad’s work: https://www.bradleythachuk.com/
Learn more about Gravel Museum Music: https://www.gravelmuseum.com/
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook: https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out my best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow me on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
In this week’s episode, I sit down with audio legend George Massenburg. George is a Grammy-winning producer, engineer, and educator.
He has also worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, The Grateful Dead, and Phil Collins.
A gifted audio designer, George literally invented the parametric equalizer, and his GML products are widely-known for their superior high quality. He continues that work in the digital domain today with plugins from his Massenburg Design Works.
Suffice to say, George has a lot of knowledge to share with us today. And that’s exactly what he does in this week’s episode of the podcast.
Listen in as he and I discuss the importance of critical listening, his lifelong quest for the perfect dynamics controller, working on Earth, Wind & Fire’s biggest hits, and much more.
Are you ready?
Let's dive in.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Let’s talk about dynamic control (01:16)
George’s unique approach (06:57)
Critical listening (13:13)
George’s preferred genres to mix (27:25)
The best project George ever worked on (30:20)
One last question (34:27)
Additional Resources:
Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook.
https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfix
Check out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
Is incomplete metadata keeping you from getting paid for your work? Then you definitely will want to give this week’s episode a listen!
In it, I sit down with the founder and director of the metadata management company Noctil, Jacob Varghese.
Jacob has over 24 years of experience leading complex technology projects in the telecom, media, and entertainment industries with Fortune 500 companies.
When Jacob entered the music business, he wanted to solve technical challenges related to rights management and metadata in music.
His company Noctil helps record labels, music publishers and performing rights organizations better organize, verify, and deliver their metadata in order to make sure everyone gets paid.
Unfortunately there is no standardization for metadata distribution, so Noctil plays a vital role in getting the right metadata to the right music delivery service.
In this episode, Jacob and I discussed the different forms of metadata, why it’s so important to music creators, so-called black box money that artists can’t get their hands on, metadata roadblocks, and so much more.
Are you ready to learn more?
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Why metadata is so important (01:28)
Metadata requirements (03:11)
How Noctil helps music professionals get paid (08:37)
Jacob’s background (14:00)
How changes to streaming affect metadata (19:42)
Dealing with incomplete metadata (23:26)
One last question (26:38)
Additional Resources:
Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcast
Check out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski
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In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
In this week’s episode of the podcast, I sat down with someone you’ve already met before (in fact, he was one of the first people I interviewed on my podcast, specifically in episode 51), the amazing Mark Schulman.
Mark is a world-class drummer and motivational speaker. He has played with rock n’ roll royalty, manning the drum chair for everyone from Billy Idol, to Foreigner, Sheryl Crow, Cher, Stevie Nicks, Beyonce, and many other familiar names. He’s also done four world tours with P!nk over the course of fifteen years.
Suffice to say, this is a man with a lot of experience in the music industry.
Mark has also been presenting keynote addresses to corporate clients over the years, and his current presentation, “Hacking the Rockstar Attitude,” is a huge hit with companies like Dell, Genentech, IBM, Citi, Cisco, Walmart, and many others.
In this episode, Mark and I discussed his lifelong battle with tinnitus and hearing loss, his shift from being a touring drummer to a keynote speaker, why attitude is the foundationof success, the importance of embracing change, and more.
Mark also shares a sensational story about auditioning for Cher which I’m sure you’ll love.
Ready?
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Dealing with hearing loss as a musician (01:21)
From touring to keynote speaker (07:07)
Auditioning for Cher (11:51)
The rockstar DNA (18:56)
Discussing Mark’s books (26:45)
One last question (34:05)
Additional Resources:
Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcast
Check out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski
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In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
In this week’s episode, I sit down with the co-founders of Neural DSP, Doug Castro and Francisco Cresp.
For those who aren’t aware, Neural DSP manufactures the highly regarded Quad Cortex amplifier modeler as well as a line of modeling plugins.
Even though Neural DSP is located in Finland, both Doug and Francisco are from Chile. They fell in love with the country and its music as high school exchange students and decided to relocate to Finland after school.
After Doug developed the Darkglass bass pedals which he eventually sold to Korg, he and Francisco created Neural DSP with the idea of developing state-of-the-art amplifier simulator tools.
In this episode, they will be sharing with us how they founded Neural DSP, why they decided to focus on plugins before the hardware when founding their company, what sets them apart from their competitors, and more.
Are you ready?
Let’s dive in.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Doug and Francisco’s backstory (01:11)
Using machine learning to change the industry (06:53)
Software first, hardware later (08:36)
How to learn the pedal (15:56)
A question about bass and guitar synthesis (26:09)
What you should know about Quad Cortex (28:43)
One last question (29:56)
Additional Resources:
Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcast
Check out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski
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In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
In this week’s episode of the podcast, I sit down with two guests who have done the most amazing work on some of David Bowie’s most beloved albums, Ken Scott and Emre Ramazanoglu.
Ken is a legendary producer and audio engineer (who also appeared on Episodes 461 and 462), who aside from being one of the five main engineers for The Beatles, has also worked on some of the most notable albums by David Bowie, Elton John, Jeff Beck, Supertramp, and so many more.
Also featured is mix engineer and producer, Emre, who has a wealth of immersive mixing experience, especially in Atmos.
Together, we will be discussing Ken and Emre’s involvement in remastering some of David Bowie’s most iconic albums. We’ll also be touching on the importance of modernizing old recordings to fit contemporary standards, the pair’s innovative use of Atmos in their work, the technical difficulties that come with working with Atmos mixing, and what it was like to collaborate on such ambitious projects.
Ready to learn more?
Tune in now.
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
Revisiting David Bowie (01:13)
Why we shouldn’t fear innovation (02:48)
Let’s talk about Atmos (05:36)
Ken’s favored mixing approach (12:04)
Talking ambience (17:42)
Dolby Atmos in Apple Music (27:42)
One last question (33:27)
Additional Resources:
Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcast
Check out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/
Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/
Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski
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In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
The world of music is constantly evolving with new inventions and instruments thanks to the innovative minds of people like my guest this week, Alexandra Fierra.
Her creation, the Demon Box, is almost indescribable. The device utilizes electromagnetic fields (EMF) to create and manipulate sounds from everyday electronic devices.
She found inspiration in her synesthesia. This neurological condition, where senses intertwine, led her to explore the world of electromagnetic fields.
We discuss all the technical aspects of the Demon Box, including its three-channel design, multiple outputs, and the ability to manipulate sounds that we may consider as noise from various electronic devices.
Her vision is to make this groundbreaking instrument available to everyone, democratizing the creation of unique and experimental sounds.
She gave us all the details as well as the background of the device, and who might find the box most useful.
Listen in now and learn more about the infinite possibilities of the Demon Box!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
The Demon Box and its use of EMF (00:07)
Three-channel design and its significance (03:44)
Various ways to activate and use the Demon Box (06:35)
Planned Kickstarter launch and pricing details (09:55)
Alexandra's background and musical journey (13:52)
Evolution of the Demon Box over eight years (16:25)
Target audience and potential applications (18:06)
Origin and meaning of the name "Demon Box" (21:06)
Analog core with digital capabilities (23:17)
Alexandra's personal advice for overcoming challenges (25:22)
Additional Resources:
Learn more about the Demon Box: https://www.eternalresearch.com/
--
Connect with Bobby:
Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcast
Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski
--
In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.
They say we are the sum of our experiences, and as many musicians know, whatever life throws at us, we can take and turn into art.No one knows this better than my guest on the podcast this week, Ray LeVier.Ray is a drummer, composer, producer, author, and motivational speaker who has played and recorded with John Abercrombie, Dave Binney, KJ Denhert, Joe Locke, Francois Moutin, Wayne Krantz, Mike Stern, and Rich Tozzoli. At the age of 12, Ray suffered severe burns all over his body which left him unable to play the drums in a more ‘traditional’ way. As a result, Ray has come up with his own innovative methods to play the drums.Ray’s story is one of hope and resilience and he shares all of it with us in this episode. Listen in as we discuss Ray’s breathing techniques, how to achieve a flow state and optimal performance, how drummers with physical limitations can overcome the challenge and play effectively, why mindfulness is key to creating beautiful art, and more.Let’s dive in. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 106695817, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is producer, musician and remixer Danny Saber.Danny’s worked with musical legends like David Bowie, Sheryl Crow, Marilyn Manson, U2, The Rolling Stones, Public Enemy, Willie Nelson, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, and Madonna, among many others.He’s also contributed to television commercials for McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Coors, and soundtracks for films such as “Blade II,” and “Moulin Rouge!.”Most recently Danny’s been busy working on some recently discovered songs by the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence, as well as a documentary on the singer’s life.During the interview we spoke about his early band days around Hollywood, getting into remixing, producing the Rolling Stones, why producing a film is way different from composing, hanging with football legend Jim Brown, and much more.I spoke with Danny via Zoom from his studio in Los Angeles. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 106695817, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Morgan Hayduk, who’s the co-founder and co-CEO of Beatdapp, a company that helps artists, labels, performance rights organizations, and streaming platforms detect fraudulent streams. Morgan started his career in music as a lobbyist for the Canadian music industry in the area of copyright protection before starting Beatdapp, although the company’s original mission was as a streaming auditing tool for record labels. After many conversations with record execs, it became clear that just about everyone in the industry was having a problem with streaming manipulation, which led to inconsistencies between sales reports and streaming services’ server logs.As a result, Beatdapp developed a tool to detect fraudulent streams and prevent them from impacting royalty payouts. Industry estimates that anywhere from 10% to 20% of all streams are fraudulent, so Beatdapp’s tool is critical to restoring full payouts to artists everywhere.During our interview, Morgan spoke about the two goals of streaming fraud, why fraud can’t be detected in a royalty statement, why even AI music companies are worried about streaming fraud, the various different types of streaming fraud, and much more.I spoke with Morgan via zoom from his office in Los Angeles. On the intro we look at potential new music delivery format, and some facts about vinyl records. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 106415398, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is mastering engineer Maor Applebaum, who’s worked with the likes of Faith No More, Yes, Meatloaf, Eric Gales, Walter Trout, Dream Theater, Sepultura, Halford, and many more. Maor has written presets and collaborated with various plugin companies such as Waves, Brainworx/Plugin Alliance, Softube, Arturia, Leapwing Audio, Pulsar Audio and others. He's also guested and lectured at various trade shows and recording schools, and is co-creator of the THE OVEN line of analog hardware which is modeled and emulated by Brainworx.During our interview, Maor spoke about the different mastering requirements for different genres, common mixing problems that he sees, what he asks clients to supply for mastering, the audio gear he’s developed, and so much more.I spoke with Maor via zoom from his studio outside of Los Angeles. On the intro we look at song melodies getting simpler and production more complex, and the quietest places in the U.S. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 106178493, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is mastering engineer Howie Weinberg, who has 20 Grammy Awards and 76 Grammy nominations, 4 TEC awards, 2 Juno awards, 1 Mercury Prize award, 200+ gold and platinum records, an unbelievable 19,000 total credits, and 91 billion streams.Howie started working in the mail room at Masterdisk in New York City but soon became the apprentice of mastering legend Bob Ludwig. Within a few months Howie began mastering tracks for hip hop stars like Kurtis Blow, Run DMC, Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy. Since then he’s mastered projects for legends like U2, Nirvana, Sheryl Crow, The Clash, Madonna, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, John Mellencamp, Ozzy Osbourne - the list goes on.During our interview Howie talked about mastering at the beginning of hip hop, the tremendous volume of work that he does, why he thinks vinyl is a fad, why he creates both an analog and digital master, and so much more.I spoke with Howie via zoom from his home in Santa Monica. On the intro we look at Universal Music’s patent to be able to embed binaural beats in label songs, and a look at the different eras of modern music that show when rock died.
You've probably wondered how musicians get hired to play on film and television sessions. My guest this week is Deb Chase, who’s a contractor for musicians playing on movies and television scores, and even acting in them as well, and she'll tell us how it all works.Deb came into the business almost accidentally but she found she really had a knack for it as she learned under an old-school mentor before going out on her own.During her time in Hollywood she has contracted musicians for everything from American Idol to the Soul Train Awards to the Grammy telecasts, to orchestral players for live performances with Aretha Franklin and James Brown, among many others.In our interview Deb talked about how she became a contractor, the importance of contractors to professional musicians, how shows sometimes hire based on the look of the musicians, the paperwork required by the Musician’s Union, and so much more.Get ready to learn about a whole musical world that you probably weren’t aware of.I spoke with Deb via zoom from her office in Los Angeles. On the intro we look at the 3 most prevalent lyric themes, and the Moog factory store closes for good. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 105315098, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Marek Stycos, who’s company Audio Alchemist acts as a brand manager for a wide range of pro audio manufacturers. He’s also the president of high end pro audio creators Dangerous Music and Chameleon Labs.Prior to starting Audio Alchemist Marek worked as director of Pro Audio at Guitar Center corporate, where he was responsible for recording, live sound, dj, and lighting curriculum creation, chainwide merchandising and department design for all 213 locations, vendor product line and relationship expansion, and more.During our interview Marek talked about behind the scenes at Guitar Center, the concept behind Audio Alchemist, how brand management for pro audio has changed, gear that feels like making music instead of engineering, and so much more.I spoke with Marek via zoom from his studio outside of NYC. On the intro we look at how artists are releasing in more formats, and tape isn’t dead yet. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 104849547, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is 5 time MPG mastering engineer of the year Katie Tavini, who’s work includes Rudimental, Bloc Party, Ash, We Are Scientists, Nadine Shah, Arlo Parks, Los Bitchos and many more.Since starting in 2014, Katie has grown to become one of the mostin-demand mastering engineers in the UK, who’s at home with everything from the heaviest metal to the lushest orchestral works and everything in between.Katie is also a founding member of Weird Jungle, a collective of independent mastering engineers in the UK dedicated to helping bands, artists and labels release the best possible version of their work.During our interview Katie talked about becoming a mastering engineer, how mastering has changed in the last few years, things that mixers sometimes overlook, starting Weird Jungle, and so much more.I spoke with Katie via zoom from her studio in Liverpool. On the intro we look at how mainstream success isn’t as big as it used to be, and in honor of Fathers Day, ultimate Dad Rock bands. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 104061708, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Erik Himel, who expanded his touring guitar career into hosting the hottest jam night in Hollywood, to producing a Las Vegas show, to custom music programming for private and corporate events.Erik’s credits include Powerman 5000, the Russian supergroup Mumiy Troll, Alan Parsons, Eagles Of Death Metal, Puddle of Mudd, Candlebox, Robby Krieger, Michael des Barres, and many more.He was the longtime host of The Sunset Jam, which was the longest running residency show at the world famous Viper Room in Hollywood, grossing a million+ dollars and showcasing over 1500 performers and numerous sponsorship collaborations.He’s also been a co-producer of 27 - A Musical Adventure, which is retrospective concert honoring the music icons gone too early at the age of 27. The show had a multi-year residency at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas with over 120 performances.During our interview we talked about playing music with lyrics you can’t understand, the hack he used to get his first tour, his unique approach to running a jam night, creating a corporate event music business, moving to Paris and what the music scene is like there, and so much more.I spoke with Erik via zoom from his home in Los Angeles. On the intro I looked at how kids may be losing their love of music, and a new Ai headphone that nails the “cocktail party effect” .
My guest this week is conductor John Jesensky, who is currently conducting premiere orchestras around the world in fully restored film score performances. Among the shows that he’s conducted include Harry Potter: In Concert, Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage, Amadeus, as well as The Godfather: Live. John is also a freelance film composer, scoring short and feature-length films as well as trailer and source music for top production companies. Several of his short scores have made appearances and won awards at film festivals around the world. During graduate studies at NYU Film School where he studied privately with renowned film orchestrator Sonny Kompanek as well as prolific film composer Ira Newborn, John was awarded the prestigious Elmer Bernstein Award for Film Composition. During our interview John spoke about the hardest thing a conductor has to learn, the preservation of legendary scores, the differences between the many orchestras he’s conducted, tight film scoring budgets, augmenting scores with samples, and so much more.I spoke with John via zoom from his office in Los Angeles. On the intro I looked at how music streamers are losing millennials, and a new silk fabric sound isolation in development. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 102532990, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guests this week are Brianna Schwartz and Alexis Schreiber, the dynamic duo behind Schwartz & Schreiber, PLLC. Their innovative approach to entertainment law sets them apart, as they aim to provide a true end-to-end partnership with their clients, becoming a member of their team rather than just a passive or reactive attorney that is only involved when there's an issue.Brianna and Alexis first met on their first day at the University of Miami School of Law, where they were both pursuing a Juris Doctorate and a Master’s in Music Business and Entertainment. After years of success within the industry, they officially teamed up in 2020 to create Schwartz & Schreiber, PLLC, a modern law firm specializing in music, entertainment, technology, and new media.To date, their firm has supported over 70 clients, including GRAMMY-award winning and nominated artists, producers, songwriters, renowned labels, digital and tech platforms, national festivals, sync houses, and more. During our interview we spoke about how the new record deals have changed, how having too many writers on a song can inhibit sync opportunities, how AI is affecting copyright law, where the industry stands on TikTok right now, and so much more.I spoke with Brianna and Alexis via zoom from their offices in Miami. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 102197352, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week Lara Chapman, who’s an award winning singer/songwriter turned viral vocal coach and the Founder of VoxTape Studios.Born in Switzerland, her aspirations quickly took her to New York City, where she studied Musical Theatre and Acting for Film and Television. After that she moved to Boston to study Music Business, Songwriting and Vocal Performance at Berklee College of Music. While finishing her degree, she was signed to a major management deal and moved to Nashville to write and record her debut album. After many successful releases, hundreds of shows, and navigating the brutal realities of the music industry, she discovered her true passion: helping others transform from singers into artists.Lara’s coaching videos have reached millions of passionate singers from all over the world helping her build a reputation in the industry as the go-to coach for helping singers find their own voice as an artist.During our interview Lara we learn a lot about singing as she talked about transitioning from performer to vocal coach, how the “good enough” mentality doesn’t work with singing, how singing is more than just hitting the right notes, why traditional singing lessons don’t work anymore, and so much more.I spoke with Lara via zoom from their studio in Indianapolis. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 101933661, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guests this week are Matt Wallace and Will Kennedy, the Grammy-winning immersive mixing team that has done spatial mixes for Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, The B-52s, Kid Rock, Selena Gomez and many more.Before entering into the spatial mixing world, Matt’s work as a producer includes hits for Maroon 5, Faith No More, The Replacements, 3 Doors Down and O.A.R., while Will’s credits includes One Republic, O.A.R, U2, Michael Franti and Spearhead and others.Matt and Will set up their Dolby-certified mixing studio in the same complex as the legendary Sound City Studio in 2021 and haven’t looked back.During our interview Will and Matt talked about why analog recording experience is so valuable, the track that changed their perception of immersive audio, transitioning their studio to spatial mixing only, why rock is the hardest to mix in spatial audio, tag-team mixing, and so much more.I spoke with Matt and Will via zoom from their studio in Van Nuys, California.
My guest this week is Trevor McShane, the musical alter ego for high-power entertainment attorney Neville Johnson, who has won more than $350 million for actors, writers and musicians who were shortchanged their fair share of royalties from both major film studios and record labels.Called “one of the most feared litigators in Hollywood” by the Los Angeles Times and named a “Legal Legend” by The Hollywood Reporter, Neville began his career working for Yoko Ono on matters related to The Beatles' catalog.He’s gone on to represent many celebrities and/or their estates in a variety of contractual, accounting and intellectual property disputes, including John Lennon, Buddy Holly, Michelle Phillips, Richard Dreyfuss, Rick Nelson, Sylvester Stallone, members of Earth, Wind and Fire, Mitch Ryder, Lloyd Price and others.Neville has also written a number of books, including two about the legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, that are available from his Cool Titles publishing company.As Trevor McShane, Neville has released a number of well-regarded releases that have grown his Spotify followers to 100,000 and 150,000 on YouTube.During our interview Neville and I spoke about keeping his music life as Trevor separate from his legal practice, what he learned from the legendary John Wooden, transitioning to being a litigator, AI copyright, and so much more.I spoke with Neville via zoom from his office in Beverly Hills. On the intro I looked at UMG settling its dispute with TikTok, and how music gear retail is changing before our eyes. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 101025894, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Russ Hughes, who’s the founder of Production Expert, a group of blogs for music and post-production professionals. Over the last decade, Production Expert, Pro Tools Expert, Studio One Expert and Logic Pro Expert have become some of the leading industry websites with over 7 million visitors annually.Starting his career on the leading edge of music technology as a synthesizer programmer in the 1980s, Russ soon gravitated to Soho where he worked in commercial post, something that he still does. Eventually he became an expert in Pro Tools, which led him to create his popular blogs.On top of that, Russ is also the Managing Director of Sociatech, a global marketing agency for the audio technology sector, working with some of its biggest brands. During our interview we spoke about the unusual way that Pro Tools Expert started, the pros and cons of using AI, moving from London to Ireland, the two character traits you need for staying in business, the gear changing moments in his life, and so much more.I spoke with Russ via zoom from his studio in Ireland. On the intro I looked at song catalogue purchases, and how noice canceling headphones could trigger anxiety attacks.
My guest this week is Lisa Machac, who’s a music consultant with Little City Sounds and Director of the Omni Sound Project, which is an inclusive community for women and marginalized genders in audio engineering. Lisa’s writing has been featured in Tape Op magazine as well as a popular Substack newsletter. She’s also the creator and host of the Reference Tracks podcast, which features producers and engineers discussing the songs that shaped their careers.Lisa coaches independent musicians who are looking to grow their audiences and promote their music. She adds 20 years of community building and marketing experience to a natural enthusiasm for mentoring others.During our interview Lisa and I spoke about how the Omni Sound Project began, how there are more women audio engineers than generally realized, the vibrancy of the Austin music scene, artists not knowing what to do with their projects, and so much more.I spoke with Lisa via zoom from her studio in Austin. On the intro I looked at how songwriters will be making less even though Spotify’s prices are going up, and we may be at the end of the guitar amplifier era. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 99712449, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Stephen Schultz, who besides being an expert flautist specializing in Baroque flute, is an Associate Teaching Professor in Music History and Flute at Carnegie Mellon University and director of the Carnegie Mellon Baroque Orchestra.Stephen is also an advocate for hearing protection for all musicians as he’s learned to overcome his personal difficulties with hearing loss.Many people falsely identify hearing loss with rock musicians, but the fact is that 52% of classical musicians have some degree of permanent hearing damage, as opposed to only 30% of rock musicians.The latest generation of hearing aids are so sophisticated that musicians can now wear them without any impediments to their playing, and so many high profile musicians are now doing so that the stigma of wearing hearing aids has now greatly diminished.During our interview Stephen and I spoke about discovering he had a hearing problem, finding the right hearing aids for music, why more orchestral members suffer from hearing loss than even rock musicians, advice on looking for the right pair, and so much more.I spoke with Stephen via zoom from his home in Pittsburg. On the intro I looked at how Spotify may be introducing a new song speed feature soon, and whether we’ve reached Peak Music Gear as fewer new music and audio products are released. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 99250945, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Josh Young, who’s the founder and CEO of Atrium Music, as well as an Emmy-nominated supervising television and film editor. His credits include shows like Lego Masters, Big Brother, World of Dance, The Masked Singer, and many more.Atrium Music is a publishing and music library that licenses and places music in television, film, and commercial productions.The company allows “artists to be artists” while allowing the business structure of Atrium to handle their business needs. Over 550 artists and composers from over 30 countries have found a home with Atrium.When not producing, editing, or music supervising television shows, Josh speaks at conferences and educational institutions across the United States, and is a board member of the California Copyright Conference.During our interview we spoke about why communication skills are so important, the duties of a supervising television editor, the hectic pace of a hit TV show, learning a new workstation software package, what makes Atrium Music different from other libraries, and so much more.I spoke with Josh from his studio outside of Los Angeles. On the intro I looked at how UMG’s TikTok ban isn’t hurting its market share, and how lyrics have change in the last 40 years. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 98758766, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Shelly Palmer, who’s an award winning composer, inventor, author, educator and a leading voice in technology. He is also an expert in Ai and it’s integration into the workplace. Shelly began his career as a composer for television, working with hundreds of brands, agencies, broadcasters, publishers and tech platforms on advertising and marketing campaigns such as Meow Mix, Burger King and The City of Las Vegas. He was honored at ASCAP’s 13th Annual Film and Television Awards in the category of “Most Performed Television Themes.”He holds a patent for the underlying technology for Enhanced Television that’s used by programs such as ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and ESPN’s Monday Night Football, which led him to pivot his career into technology.He is currently a Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Shelly also covers tech and business for Fox 5 New York, and is a regular commentator for CNN and CNBC, and he offers a series of free technology courses via his Metacademy.During our interview we spoke about growing up in a music store, how a used synthesizer got him into the jingle business, how one of his patents took him from music into the world of technology, why AI is a skills amplifier, and so much more.By the way, I learned a lot about AI from Shelly's free Metacademy, which is something that you should check out.I spoke with Shelly from his studio in New York City. On the intro I looked at how the RIAA’s recent revenue numbers might be misleading. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 98586594, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Michael Walker, who’s the founder and energy behind the Modern Musician program. You can hear all about his journey on Episode 411 from March 2022, but this time our discussion centered around Ai and how it can help or hurt the music industry in the future.Modern Musician recently incorporated its own Ai-driven helper bot, so Michael has a lot of hands-on experience on the subject.During our interview we spoke about integrating ChatGPT into Modern Musician, his experiences with Apple’s new Vision Pro headset, what spatial music and spatial picture mean to each other, how sometimes Ai image generation is creating more what a dream might look like, what future AI technology might hold for us, and much more.I spoke with Michael from his studio in Florida. On the intro I looked at the ELVIS Act bans unauthorized voice use, and the best DAWs of 2024. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 98313823, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is engineer Alan Meyerson, who many believe is the top scoring mixer in film today.With more than 200 credits, Alan has worked with leading film score composers like James Newton Howard, John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, and Danny Elfman, and has a particularly long-standing working relationship with the great Hans Zimmer that continues to this day.Alan’s credits as a scoring mixer include blockbuster movies like Man of Steel, Iron Man, the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Inception, The Dark Knight, Kung-Fu Panda 1 & 2, Despicable Me 1 & 2, The Last Samurai, Gladiator, and Hannibal. In addition to this, he also has a number of music mixing credits that include Bryan Ferry, New Order, Etta James, and OMD.During our interview, Alan told me about being a part of the first wave of dance music, making the transition to film work, his approach to orchestral recording, why he isn’t into vintage microphones, how he tailors his reverbs, dealing with 750 tracks of orchestra, his adventures at Abbey Road, and much more.I spoke with Alan from his studio in Los Angeles. On the intro I looked at the possible TikTok ban in the United States, and the Caesar’s Palace console finds a new home with UA. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 97908956, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
This week I speak with Randall Michael Tobin in Part 2 of our conversation. Randall founded his Theta Sound Studio way back in 1977 and has worked on thousands of projects in various genres including Jazz, Pop, R&B, Classical, Hip Hop, Country, Ragtime, Gospel, Ballet, Alternative, Film Score and Spoken Word. Besides offering just about every audio service you can think of, he also offers art and graphics, online marketing and promotion, video production and editing, and website design and maintenance.As I said last week, there’s more to Randall’s story than just audio. His interest in artisan cooking led him to baking sourdough bread loafs that he gave to clients and friends as gifts. This eventually led to a side business called Random Acts of Breadness, where as an artisan baker, Randall sells sourdough bread along with raw farm butters, honey spreads, jams and organic extra virgin olive oils. And as I also said last week, I eat at least one piece of Randall’s most delicious sourdough just about every day.During Part 2 of our interview, we spoke about how some house concerts started his side-career in cooking and baking, the similarities between food and music, using guerrilla marketing to start his bakery, the importance of pivoting when opportunities present themselves, and much more.I spoke with Randall from his studio in Burbank, California. On the intro I looked at Warner Music looking to buy Tunecore parent company Believe Music, and the most popular hardware synthesizer by country. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 97658673, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Randall Michael Tobin, who founded his Theta Sound Studio way back in 1977. Since then he’s worked on thousands of projects in various genres including Jazz, Pop, R&B, Classical, Hip Hop, Country, Ragtime, Gospel, Ballet, Alternative, Film Score and Spoken Word. Besides offering just about every audio service you can think of, Randall also offers art and graphics, online marketing and promotion, video production and editing, and website design and maintenance.But there’s more more to Randall’s story. Along the way his interest in artisan cooking led him to begin baking sourdough bread loafs that he gave as gifts to clients and friends. This eventually led to a side business called Random Acts of Breadness, where as an artisan baker, Randall sells sourdough bread along with delicious compliments like raw farm butters, honey spreads, jams and organic extra virgin olive oils. In fact, I eat at least one piece of Randall’s most excellent sourdough just about every day.During part 1 of the interview, we spoke about how some gear never goes out of style, recording big band, his unique studio clientele, where he got his technical chops, and much more.I spoke with Randall from his Theta Sound studio in Burbank, California. On the intro I looked at some totally unique physical release formats that you won’t believe, and what we know about Western tuning and harmony just might be wrong. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 97378487, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is mixing and mastering engineer Nick Squids Squillante, who’s recent immersive mixes include “Rescue Me” by Dirty Heads, which went to Number 1 on the Billboard Alternative charts, and “Psycho” by Asking Alexandria, which also scored a spot at Number 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. He’s also done other immersive mixes for artists such as Tommy Lee, Papa Roach and Bad Wolves to name a few.Nick began his career working at Electric Lady Studios with 7-time Grammy-award-winning mixer Michael Brauer. During his time at the studio, Nick worked on records for Bon Jovi, Frank Ocean, Mumford & Sons, and Elle King, to name a few. Since then, Nick has been working with both major label and independent artists, amassing millions of streams on Spotify, Apple Music, and other major platforms. As a result, Nick has worked on records that have charted in the top 10 on iTunes and even more recently was considered for Grammy nomination.During the interview we spoke about his biggest learning moment with the great Michael Brauer, his favorite plugins, how he got into immersive mixing, creating memorable moments in a mix, and much more.I spoke with Nick from his studio in Brooklyn. On the intro I looked at how social media doesn’t monetize fans, and the new huge optical storage format. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 97068155, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is co-founder and CEO of Moises Ai Geraldo Ramos.Moises is an AI-driven application that enables musicians to separate their tracks into stems, identify chords, adjust tempo or pitch without affecting other musical elements, and refine their audio with professional mastering, among a host of other features.Another feature is Voice Studio, which serves as a marketplace for AI-powered voice modeling, allowing vocalists to monetize their own voice models to other music makers. Geraldo invented Moises when he was looking for a better way to practice his drums by playing the drums to songs he liked without hearing the original drummer.During the interview we spoke about interesting uses for source separation, how source separation Ai’s are trained, why some producers are developing private voice cloning models, the reason why Ai audio resolution isn’t higher, where Ai music is going, and much more.I spoke with Geraldo from his office in Los Angeles. On the intro I looked at how many videos are on YouTube, and the $40,000 guitar amplifier. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 96735718, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Grammy-nominated producer-engineer-scoring mixer Jason LaRocca, who has recorded and mixed music for major motion pictures, games and television.Known for mixing the score of "The Lord of The Rings: Rings of Power" series, Marvel's "Morbius" and more, Jason recently mixed the Grammy-nominated albums "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" and the "God of War: Ragnarok" soundtrack. He has also recorded and mixed for such top recording artists as Jay-Z, CeeLo Green, Fiona Apple, Schoolboy Q and Serj Tankian, of System of a Down.Jason was guest back on podcast #441 a couple of years ago, but I thought I’d have him back to give us an update about what’s going on in television, gaming and film mixing.During the interview we spoke about the enormous number of tracks required to record Sweeny Todd, the differences between mixing a Broadway record and a game soundtrack, whether automation or clip gain is faster, his approach to immersive mixing, mixing trends in film and TV, and much more.I spoke with Jason from his studio in Los Angeles. On the intro I looked at why the vinyl record backlog has decreased, and hit songs that almost didn’t make the album. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 96487487, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
This week's episode is dedicated to the memory of legendary guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and film and television composer Wayne Kramer, who passed away recently. Wayne was far more influential than many realize as his band MC5 basically invented punk rock a full decade before it even emerged as a genre. The band and its albums became a model for punk bands on both sides of the Atlantic. In fact, The Clash even wrote not one, but two songs about him! A formidable player, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Wayne as one of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.He also collaborated with a who’s who of rock’s most elite artists over the years, and his scoring work can be heard on films like Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, the HBO comedy series Eastbound & Down, ESPN’s 5-4-3-2-1, In My Own Words, and Under The Lights, and even for the “Unlabeled” Jim Beam commercial.Musical accolades are well and good, but I think what Wayne was most proud of was the fact that he was able to overcome his personal trials with drugs and jail time. He emerged from this darkness transformed, and then went on to save countless lives through his tireless acts of service.He was extremely passionate about his work with Jail Guitar Doors, a program that provides guitars and music lessons for inmates at more than 50 penal institutions throughout the United States. Through the years, he regularly played concerts with an all-star band at prisons around the country.During this interview from January 6th, 2022, we talked about why musicians from Detroit have a special edge to them, why the MC5 was banned from radio, how going to prison saved his life, getting into film scoring, and much more.This is a replay of an interview that I did with Wayne via Zoom from his studio in Los Angeles. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 96191804, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
In this episode I take a big overview of the recent Winter NAMM 2024. Among the things discussed include:A bit of NAMM historyAttendance was up but several exhibit halls were emptyBig manufacturers that were no-showsThe biggest surprisesInteresting new productsProducts that were just more of the sameIs a NAMM show (or AES for that matter) even needed?What is the future of NAMM?This is a short but to the point episode that will give you something to think about if you were there, and show you why your FOMO was unnecessary if you weren't. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 95500370, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is a partner at Integral Studios and CEO of SymphonyOS, Megh Vakharia. Since 2016, he’s spearheaded product and data strategy as CTO of Integral Studio, one of the music industry’s leading marketing agencies. At Integral, Megh has worked with every major label and alongside artists of all sizes, from independent creators to today’s superstars, including Travis Scott, SZA, and Future ~ helping them figure out how to most effectively roll out their music in the most creative, data-driven ways. To date, Integral has supported campaigns that have led to 4 Grammy-nominated albums and over a dozen platinum-selling records.SymphonyOS helps creators put their fanbase growth on autopilot with smart, automated marketing. Its suite of apps centralizes the digital marketing workflow, empowering creators with the tools to better understand their audience, engage their fanbase, and increase their revenues.During the interview we spoke about why we’re in a post TikTok era, why artists should consider advertising, how Ai can play into your marketing decisions, why a mailing list is more important than ever for marketing, and much more.I spoke with Megh from his office in Los Angeles. On the intro I looked at the best times during the year to release music, and how much producers make. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 95226015, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week the founder and CEO of Killphonic Rights, Caleb Shreve. Caleb began professional career in 1998 at Sony Music Studios in New York. As part of the Sony Music Special Projects team, he began working alongside artists such as Michael Jackson, Ricky Martin, Destiny’s Child and Marc Anthony. In early 2003, Caleb left Sony to work independently as a producer and engineer. He was quickly hired almost exclusively by music producer and executive, Sean “Puffy” Combs. Over the next decade and a half, Caleb wrote, produced and mixed countless records. He started Killphonic Rights in 2014 originally as a management company, but eventually pivoted to administrating publishing and neighboring rights for indie artists.During the interview we spoke about the importance of metadata in music publishing, why there are so many writers on some songs, collecting TikTok royalties, the idea of neighboring rights, and much more.I spoke with Caleb from his office in Los Angeles. On the intro I looked at what happens every minute on the internet, and who actually invented the microphone. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 94825541, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week specializes in helping musicians and songwriters get their music into film and television. Chris started off as an award-winning music producer who saw how lucrative the income could be for artists with just one good sync placement. Chris not only teaches indie songwriters how to get their music heard by top music supervisors in TV and film, he actually introduces them to the gatekeepers. During the interview we spoke about how the recent Hollywood strikes affected sync placements, how artists and songwriters can rise above the competition for placements, how to determine if your music is right for TV and film, his upcoming Music Supervisors Panel event, and much more.On the intro I looked at the real money behind the global music business, and the doom and gloom in the music instrument and pro audio side of the business is overstated.Click here to save your seat for the free Music Supervisors Panel. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 94552117, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
A look back at how my predictions for 2023 fared, as well as my predictions for 2024.Yep, I'm going out on a limb this year!Happy New Year, and lets make this one the safest and most prosperous ever! var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 94111126, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
It's been an eventful year in the music industry and that's what we'll review in the latest episode of my Inner Circle Podcast.We'll look at:The multiple streaming scams that popped upThe surprising outcome of the Ed Sheeran plagiarism lawsuitVenues suffering from not enough alcohol salesRecord labels losing influence because of data-analysisSpotify's new royalty structureAi's influence on the music and production businessHow hidden way that the Hollywood strikes affected composers and songwritersThe many companies that were sold and acquired last yearSome of the biggest and oldest Hollywood recording studios closedThe breakthrough on tonewood soundThe breakthrough on hearing lossAnd so much more.Listen to it at BobbyOInnerCircle.com, or on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Mixcloud, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, TunIn Radio, and RadioPublic.I hope you've had a great 2023 and I look forward to us both having a fruitful 2024.Enjoy the show! var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 93905174, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
When I first started this podcast way back in March of 2014, the first person I thought to call was Dennis Moody. Including the inaugural Episode #1, he's been part of every anniversary podcast since, from #50, 100, 151, 200, 300, 400 (actually 399), and now 500. We worked a lot together over the years, and he's has become a great friend and super source of information.Dennis is one of the few engineers who's as comfortable in a recording studio as he is in a live concert setting. Likewise, he's just as comfortable mixing a rock, R&B, or jazz band as he is doing a full orchestra, again either live or in the studio.I think a great distinction is that he's also the “Drummer’s Engineer,” as he's the one who all the A-list drummers call when it's time to do their solo album because they trust he'll make their drums sound great.During the interview we spoke about the some the exotic places around the world he’s visited recently, finding high-quality gear in out-of-the-way places, what the world looks like post-pandemic, the typical problems he has to fix in home recordings, some excellent travel tips, and much more.I spoke with Dennis from his studio in the Los Angeles.On the intro I’ll take a look at the new TikTok artist accounts, and Samsung and Google have teamed up for a new immersive audio format.Thank you all for listening and your support! I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for you!! var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 93271582, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest today is Biz Morris, a multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning mixing engineer with credits like Lecrae, Tori Kelly, Kirk Franklin, PJ Morton, and Andy Mineo. For the last decade, Biz has represented independent Atlanta hip-hop label Reach Records as a Vice President and Head of Studio Operations.Biz started recording when he was 14 years old with a small setup at his mom’s house, and incredibly, he was nominated for a Grammy for an album he engineered while he was still in school. Since then accolades have continued to flood in, including Grammy and Dove wins as well as gold and platinum albums.Recently he also launched "GetMxd," a cutting-edge company aimed at providing top-tier mixing and mastering services for independent artists at an affordable price. During the interview we spoke about why Biz loves editing vocals, making the transition to only mixing, how engineers can overthink a mix, his opinions on mastering, how GetMXD came about, and much more.I spoke with Biz from his studio in the Atlanta.On the intro I’ll take a look at a new Senate bill to reform live ticketing, and Rode acquires Mackie. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 92821647, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest today is Bosco Kante who’s a Grammy award-winning artist, producer, creator of the world's first Tubeless talk box, and co-founder of ElectroSpit. Bosco has performed on albums by Kanye West and Dua Lipa and wrote the theme to the show "In Living Color."You’ve heard the sound of a talkbox before on hits by Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, Zapp and Roger Troutman, and many more. The traditional talkbox is a horn driver attached to an amplifier on one end, with a plastic tube that goes into the players mouth on the other. They’re bulky and unsanitary.The idea for the tubeless talkbox came when Bosco was forced lip sync on stage with Kanye West at the American Music Awards because the traditional talkbox was not portable. This disappointment set Bosko on a mission to reinvent the talkbox and a few years later the Electrospit ESX-1 was born.During the interview we spoke about the unusual way he got into the music business, how adding a talkbox to a track makes it more interesting, the long road to the tubeless talkbox, why its phone app is so important, his HiiWave incubator, and much more.I spoke with Bosco from his office in the Bay area.On the intro I’ll take a look at the artists who make millions from Spotify, and Apples latest M3 processor isn’t as powerful as its older M1. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 92363457, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
I’ve had so many great guests over the 10 years and nearly 500 episodes of my inner circle podcast. I always enjoy revisiting them, as I hope you do as well. One of the best is from back in 2016 with hit mixer Josh Gudwin. Josh has mixed huge hits for Justin Bieber, Bad Bunny, and Dua Lipa, among many others, and has won 12 Grammy’s for his work. He’s also worked with Acoustica on the Magic Flow vocal plugin.During the interview we talked about starting out as a studio intern, the diplomatic aspects of dealing with superstars, recording on the road with Justin Bieber, his approach to mixing at the time of the interview, and much more. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 92201343, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest today is award-winning sound supervisor, sound designer, and mixer Scott Gershin, who’s audio work has enhanced a variety of different visual mediums in film, broadcast, streaming and games.Some of Scott’s vast credits include major films like Pacific Rim, Hellboy 2, Chronicles of Riddick, Team America: World Police, Shrek, Star Trek, and American Beauty, and best-selling games like the Gears of War series, Epic Mickey, and the Resident Evil and Fable series.Scott has a talent for creating personalities with his voice, which has been tapped for such memorable movie characters such as Flubber, Disney’s Herbie, Reapers in Blade II, The Dragon in Shrek, Kirchek in Tarzan, Leather Back in Pacific Rim, and Dog Fish in Pinocchio, to name just a few.During the interview we spoke about how much time it takes to generate deliverables for a movie, how he records sound effects like rocket launches and helicopters, what qualifies as great post-production, the difference in the mix between movies and television, how much gaming is different from other visual mediums, and much more.I spoke with Scott from studio in Burbank.On the intro I’ll take a look at YouTube copyright strikes, and Ai noise-canceling headphones. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 91447815, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest today is Bill Smith, who spent most of his career as a recording engineer and mixer before transitioning into audio archiving (you can hear him talk about recording and mix in Episode 160). Bill started at United Studios Archiving in 2020 until the company that owned the legendary studio decided to close it earlier this year. Since then Bill has started his own archiving business where he uses an unbelievably wide range of mostly obsolete machines over just about every format you can think of.During the interview we spoke about the preparation normally required before a tape can be transferred, his favorite type of clients, the thing about archiving that most people don’t realize, a surprising format that he gets calls to restore, and much more.I spoke with Bill from studio in Hollywood.On the intro I’ll take a look at modified streaming tracks, and how old is too old to be a hit artist. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 91302197, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest today is Nichole Barsalona, who’s the director of Everyday Rebellion Entertainment artist management and the president of the non-profit Women In Music organization. Nichole grew up around music as her father Frank was a pioneering agent later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His clients included The Who, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Tom Petty and U2, among many others. Her mother June was a journalist who traveled from the U.K. at the age of 18 to cover The Beatles’ first U.S. tour and later worked as a music publicist.Nichole started her career at Steven Van Zandt's multi-media company, Renegade Nation, where a week-long temp gig turned into the most formative years of her career. She eventually served as Chief of Staff and Director of Communications at Renegade Nation, and Road Manager to Van Zandt on tours with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.During the interview we spoke about how she observed her father’s influence on the music business as she was growing up, how we’re at a turning point for music promotion, the importance of meet and greets, the most sought-after person on a management team today, her role in Women In Music, and much more.I spoke with Nicole from her office in Boston.On the intro I’ll take a look at the status of claims that the Copyright Claims Board reviewed last month, and big changes in the executive suite of Guitar Center. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 90904524, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest today is country music singer and award winning professional songwriter Drew Ryder Smith, who’s also the owner of Gray Sound Recording in Nashville and Charlotte NC, working as a producer and senior mixing engineer. Drew is also the author of The Before You Record Course, which prepares new artists for their first recording session and walks them through what goes into making a record, imparting knowledge gleaned from 15 years in the business.During the interview we spoke about how songwriting has changed in Nashville, doing remote recording in India, prepping artists for going into the studio, the difference between NYC, LA and Nashville session players, opening for Merle Haggard at the Ryman Auditorium, and much more.I spoke with Drew from his hotel room in Charlotte.On the intro I’ll take a look at the competing bills for radio airplay royalties, and the Las Vegas Sphere’s ground-breaking sound system. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 89361801, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
Over the nearly 500 episodes of the Inner Circle I’ve had some incredible guests. One is the legendary engineer Elliott Scheiner, and this special replay is from way back on Episode 51 in April of 2015.You certainly have heard Elliot's work as he’s been instrumental in the sound of The Eagles, Steely Dan, Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne, Sting, Foo Fighters and too many others to mention. He’s received 27 Grammy award nominations winning 8, four Emmy nominations and winning two, and a host of other awards for excellence in the field of audio recording.During the interview we spoke about the various stages of his studio life, from his early days at A&R Studios in New York City, going from 4 track to 8 track, his mixing method, the difference between working with Steely Dan and The Eagles, and much more.Remember that this interview was done back in 2015 so some of his comments about digital audio workstations and plugins are no doubt different today. I spoke to Elliott via phone, so the quality is a little shaky, but not the content. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 89276221, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
I’ve had so many great guests on the Inner Circle Podcast, and it’s aways great to go back and revisit some of the best interviews. One is with Don Roeser, better known as Buck Dharma, lead guitarist and and one of the founders of the band Blue Oyster Cult, in an interview for podcast 227 back in 2018.Buck wrote and did the lead vocals on the band’s best known hits, including “Don’t Fear The Reaper,” “Godzilla,” and “Burnin’ for You.”During the interview we talked about the early days of the band when it was known as Soft White Underbelly, his best studio experiences, the evolution of his home studio, and much more.I originally spoke with Buck via Skype from his home in New York. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 89209830, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
Over the almost 500 episodes of the Inner Circle podcast I’ve had some excellent guests that are true legends in the music business. One is the late Al Schmitt, who unfortunately left us in 2021. Al won 20 Grammy awards over his long career, recorded and mixed over 150 gold and platinum albums, and even had his own star on Hollywood’s Walk Of Fame appropriately in front of his beloved studio home, Capitol Records Studios.In this replay from November 2018, we talked about his stint as a staff producer for RCA, working with Paul McCartney, his favorite instrument to record, some of his favorite gear and techniques, and much more.I originally spoke with all via phone from his home outside of Los Angeles. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 88753248, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest today is Jesper Skibsby, the CEO and founder of radio monitory service WARM - the first global radio monitoring service focusing on serving the artists and indie segment of the music industry. WARM track and identify music played on radio, globally and in real-time. The vision behind WARM is to make detailed music data available to everyone, especially the long tail segment of artist, producers, managers and record labels.Jesper has established companies like Fandango Music Management, We Make Noise and Kassiopeia Kollektive, has been a board member of DUP (association for independent record labels in Denmark), and has represented MusicDNA as the head of Scandinavia.During the interview we spoke about why radio metrics are overlooked by indie artists yet so important, why radio is still the biggest driver of music consumption worldwide, how the internet has actually boosted radio music listening, and much more.I spoke with Jesper via Zoom from his office in Copenhagen.On the intro I’ll take a look at what the Songtradr acquisition of Bandcamp means, and why super-long albums don't fit with today's music consumers.
My guest today is composer / plug-in developer Sam Fischmann from the plugin company Musik Hack. Musik Hack is the brainchild of both Sam and Grammy-nominated producer and engineer Stan Greene. Their first product is the innovative mastering plugin Master Plan.Sam is a seasoned software developer whose portfolio spans audio/DSP, Web development, and embedded systems. He’s obsessed with building creative, functional, major-label-quality products that don’t look like airplane cockpits.During the interview we spoke about getting the most from the Master Plan plugin, the different audio needs for different music genres, trends in plugins, how Ai will be used in plugins in the future, and much more.I spoke with Sam via Zoom from his office in Los Angeles.On the intro I’ll take a look at the latest RIAA mid-year report, and inMusic begins to lay off Moog Music employees. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 88607375, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guests today are Evan Dhillon and James Paston, two of the founders of the Ai voice cloning service Kits Ai. The company has launched tools for artists to safely create, license, and share their own voice models, opening new opportunities for fan engagement and monetization.Kits Ai has amassed over 100,000 users since launching, with their voice cloning technology training more than 80,000 custom voices based on the conversion of over a million audio files. They’re also backed by investments from a number of organizations and artists that include Steve Aoki, Lionel Richie and Wyclef Jean.During the interview we spoke about some unexpected uses for vocal cloning, new revenue opportunities from using the platform, why the user interface is so important, and much more.I spoke with Evan and James via Zoom.On the intro I’ll take a look at how playlist culture is affecting songwriting, and the unseen costs of analog recording. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 88464205, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest today is Los Angeles session guitarist Andrew Synowiec, ,who has recorded for or performed with artists ranging from music industry icons The Who and Alanis Morissette to contemporary trailblazers like Lil Nas X and Meghan Trainor. Other recent collaboration credits include Nick Jonas, Ariana Grande, Michael Bublé, Elton John, Seal, 98 Degrees, Josh Groban, Donna Summer, Bette Midler, and Carole King, among many others.
Andrew has performed on projects that have garnered more than 30 Emmy nominations, 25 Grammys, and 20 Oscar nominations. He also boasts a guitar collection of over 100 guitars.
Andrew’s latest album entitled FUN, is now available, and he’ll being touring the West Coast soon as well.
During the interview we spoke about changing gear to get into session work, the trials of building his home studio, doing online sessions where the client doesn’t attend, how he built his career, and much more.
I spoke with Andrew via Zoom from his studio in Hollywood.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how the Grammy’s won’t include a popular Ai song, and I’ll answer some common audio questions.
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My guest today is vinyl pressing expert Dustin Blocker, who founded Hand Drawn Records in 2011 and Hand Drawn vinyl pressing in 2014. He’s also been named the first president of the Vinyl Record Manufacturing Association, which is comprised of more than 30 companies from every level of vinyl production, including record labels, mastering, lacquer cutting, electroplating, record pressing, printmakers, equipment manufacturers, brokers, raw material suppliers, and even logistic service providers.
During the interview we spoke about the unseen steps in vinyl manufacturing, the latest in cutting-edge vinyl, developing quality standards for vinyl pressing, working towards sustainability, and much more.
I spoke with Dustin via Zoom from his office in Texas.
On the intro I’ll take a look at music videos losing their importance, and Gibson gets its archives back.
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My guest today is Bill McQuay, who’s an independent audio producer, NPR contributor, National Geographic Explorer and founder of Eco Location Sound.
Before starting Eco Location Sound, Bill was Supervising Audio Engineer for the Library of Natural Sound at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and an audio producer for the Lab's Multi-media group. Prior to joining the Lab of Ornithology, Bill was an NPR sound engineer and technical director for NPR programs including: Morning Edition, Weekend Saturday and Sunday, Performance Today and NPR's Radio Expeditions. Radio Expeditions is where he began his long time collaboration with NPR science correspondent Christopher Joyce, a creative relationship that continues today.
Bill led NPR's early surround-sound recording effort and was its first technical director. He was also the mastering engineer for NPR Classics CD’s. He has also worked on many other 360 degree interactive projects.
Along the way Bill has won the National Academy of Sciences award for the years best science reporting, a Grammy for the NPR recording of the Benjamin Britten War Requiem, The Alfred I Dupont-Columbia University Journalism award, and Individual Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council.
During the interview we spoke about telling stories with sound, going around the world to capture audio, helping scientists use sound to understand the world, his setup for recording spatial audio, how sound is determining if insects are disappearing or not, and much more.
I spoke with Bill via Zoom from his office in Ithaca New York.
On the intro I’ll take a look at BMI being acquired by a private equity fund, and a look at the glut of new musical instruments and audio gear on market today.
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My guest today is holistic artist coach Wendy Parr, who’s personal and professional experiences led her to become a coach that helps artists lose perfectionism, overcome resistances, follow their inner vision, and curate a life and career they love.
With over 20 years coaching top music artists like Melanie Martinez, Sara Bareilles, Marc Bassy, and taking A Great Big World from their very 1st vocal session to a Grammy award, The Parr Method has also the driving force behind Wendy co-writing “Dreams on Fire” for the soundtrack of Slum Dog MIllionaire, which also won a GRAMMY.
The Parr Method empowers recording artists to develop their authentic voice for their ar t, brand and life from the studio to the stage.
During the interview we spoke about doing gigs around Hollywood as a teenager, making music in India with some top Indian artists, how she's helped some of today's top artists overcome their personal roadblocks, developing her holistic approach to coaching, and much more.
I spoke with Wendy via Zoom from her office in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at Ai copyright as we know it so far, and also if wireless speakers will find a home in our studios soon.
My guest today is Sam Gribben, the CEO of the music learning platform Melodics. Melodics is a software platform that teaches you to play keyboards, pad controllers and electronic drums. Melodics uses gamification of practice to encourage you to keep working at getting better.
Prior to founding Melodics, Sam was CEO of the DJ software company Serato, where he joined as employee #4 and eventually helped to scale the company into an industry leader.
During the interview we spoke about how to keep the fun in learning music, why many DJs and producers want to learn how to play keyboards, how the term “musician” ruins music for many people, why music teachers have embraced Melodics, and much more.
I spoke with Sam via Zoom from his office in Auckland, New Zealand.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how gold and platinum records are determined, and Avid is acquired by the private equity company STG.
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My guest today is producer/engineer Ed Stasium, who was an essential element in the New York punk and alternative rock scene in the 70’s and 80’s, having worked on seminal albums by The Ramones, Talking Heads and Living Colour.
He has also worked with a wide range of artists such as Mick Jagger, Pretenders, Soul Asylum, The Smithereens, Motorhead, Joan Jett and many more.
Ed was one of my first guests way back in September of 2014 on Episode 23, and it’s always great to catch up with him to hear about what he’s doing.
While in Part 1 of this latest interview we spoke about some of Ed’s history, in Part 2 we traded some studio stories, talked about his home studio, mixing in Atmos, and much more.
I spoke with Ed via Zoom from his studio outside of San Diego.
On the intro I’ll take a look at superfans that aren’t so super, and the return of Sunn amplifiers.
My guest today is producer/engineer Ed Stasium, who was an essential element in the New York punk and alternative rock scene in the 70’s and 80’s, having worked on seminal albums by The Ramones, Talking Heads and Living Colour.
He has also worked with a wide range of artists such as Mick Jagger, Pretenders, Soul Asylum, The Smithereens, Motorhead, Joan Jett and many more.
Ed likes to say that, “I’ve seen rock and roll grow up, “ and indeed it’s true, having recorded and mixed his first gold single in 1972 with Gladys Knight & The Pips “Midnight Train To Georgia.” After spending time on the staff of New York’s well-known Mediasound getting his feet wet in the music business, Ed became the first staff engineer at the famous Power Station where he played an intricate part in the design of the room and choice of equipment.
In part 1 of our two-part interview we spoke about his early sessions as a musician with some recording legends, his first big studio break, working for Ampeg, and much more.
Ed was one of my first guests way back on Episode 23 in September of 2014, so it was good time for a catch up. I spoke with him via Zoom from his studio outside of San Diego.
On the intro I’ll take a look at some new data on current merch sales, and new findings on what makes a Stradivarius sound so special.
Also, all podcast now include full transcriptions if you’d like to read along or find a particular place to listen to.
My guest on this episode is artist manager Zack Zarrillo. Zack is co-founder of Alternate Side, a full-service music company that represents over 30 artists in the alternative/rock/pop/electronic/metal genres. He also co-founded Bad Timing Records, and he began writing his popular music blog "PropertyOfZack" when he was just 16 years old. The blog became a go-to source for music fans and industry insiders alike.
Zack’s Alternate Side management has a combined catalog of over 5 Billion streams, 10 gold records, and 4 platinum records. He’s also is a fierce advocate for artists’ rights, which is the ethos of his company, and offers mentorship and assistance in music ownership, career development, finances and mental health.
During the interview we spoke about how management has changed over the last few years, where he finds talent, how TikTok has benefited his artists, the reason why labels today aren't signing artists, the current trends in the business, and much more.
I spoke with Zack via Zoom from his office in Philadelphia.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how we’re all paying too much for concert tickets, and Spotify and YouTube Music are raising their subscription prices.
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My guest on this episode is engineer, producer and avid gear collector Pete Min. Pete is owner of Lucy’s Meat Market studio, and Colorfield Records, a label where he collaborates with some of LA's best musicians to create one-off LPs made entirely within his studio.
Pete’s worked with major artists, including Feist, Diana Ross, Strokes, Third Eye Blind, Orville Peck, Shawn Mendes, Ringo Starr, and many more. He also has a studio filled with not only vintage audio gear, but a fantastic guitar, bass, amp, drum, and keyboard collection that almost any musician would die for.
During the interview we talked about doing jingles, buying vintage gear, hot-rodding guitars in the 90’s, his favorite mics and plugins, and much more.
I spoke with Pete via Zoom from his studio in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the new Threads social platform, and how music gear retail is in trouble again.
My guest on this episode is Paul Sampson, who’s the founder and CEO of the music licensing service for creators, Lickd.
Paul started in the entertainment business working for a small television production company, where he encountered difficulties licensing music multiple times, which made him want to understand the nuances and problems of music licensing that needed solving. That led to a job with the stock music company Extreme Music, where he rose through the ranks to become head of its U.S. operation.
After a stint focusing more on commercial music and unsigned independent acts, Paul launched Lickd to help YouTube and Instagram creators legally license music for their videos.
Lickd currently works with over 10,000 labels and publishers to help pre-clear their music for social platforms, games, and even the various metaverses. It’s the only licensing platform in the world where you can get over 1 million chart tracks for your videos without fear of copyright claims.
During the interview we talked about the problem that creators can have with YouTube’s Content ID and music licenses, the nuances of music in the metaverse, how AI will affect production music, and much more.
I spoke with Paul via Zoom from his office in London.
On the intro I’ll take a look at Spotify DIY successes shrink, and famous guitar collectible prices soar.
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My guest on this episode is Vickie Nauman, who’s expertise crosses between music and technology, finance, gaming, and the digital business economy.
Vickie’s built one of the first DMCA-compliant services at taste-making station KEXP in Seattle, developed music tech work experience in licensing at MusicNet, which was one of the first legal digital services, ran strategic partnerships for connected device manufacturer Sonos, started and ran the US business for global music platform 7digital, and did digital business in Europe and China as a consultant. In a previous life, she also ran marketing programs and produced live broadcasts in traditional radio in the NPR network.
Vickie’s CrossBorderWorks music tech and consulting firm has worked with digital business and sync departments at Universal, Warner, Sony, Sony Publishing, UMPG, Warner Chappell, Merlin, Beggars, and many more labels, publishers, PROs, and distributors, as well as emerging sync platforms and rights administration services.
During the interview we got a brief look at the beginnings of digital music, insights into Web 3 and the opportunities for music, why the metaverse is going to be more than just gaming and social activities, how AI plays into the creator future, and much more.
I spoke with Vickie via Zoom from her office in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at carmakers leaning towards ditching radios altogether, and Tidal finally offers lossless streaming.
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My guest on this episode is Evan Price, who’s an artist manager, educator, branding specialist and CEO of Artist Collective. At age 14, Evan started his first promotion company, and eventually went on to managing rappers and 9-piece bands in Chicago.
He launched Artist Collective out of the dorm room of Columbia College Chicago while obtaining his Bachelors Degree in Music Business. Since then he has helped launch 100+ music brands, transforming artists and musicians into "artistpreneurs".
During the interview, we talked about thinking about marketing a release in advance, motivating artists to think more about business, getting artists to understand their branding, overcoming limiting beliefs, and much more.
I spoke with Evan via Zoom from his office in Chicago.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the power of a song placement in a TV show, and getting reimbursed to record in Iceland.
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My guest on this episode is Eric Boulanger, who’s the founder of The Bakery mastering studio as well as a professional studio violinist.
A protege of legendary mastering engineer Doug Sax, Eric has mastered GRAMMY-winning or nominated projects for a variety of popular and legendary artists.
Not only that, he’s a studio violinist with performances and recordings that range from orchestral and chamber music, Broadway musicals, contemporary pop music, and film/television scores.
In part 2 of my interview with Eric, we’ll talk about his unusual mastering studio, installing a familiar piece of equipment, the reason for the vinyl renaissance, why he chose the gear in his studio, and much more.
I spoke with Eric via Zoom from his home in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at a band that made 6 figures from their AI-generated album, and the Cakewalk Sonar DAW is being reintroduced.
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My guest on this episode is Eric Boulanger, who’s the founder of The Bakery mastering studio as well as a professional studio violinist.
A protege of legendary mastering engineer Doug Sax, Eric has mastered GRAMMY-winning or nominated projects for Green Day, Hozier, Selena Gomez, Colbie Caillat, OneRepublic, Imagine Dragons, Neil Young, The Plain White T’s, Chris Botti, and many more.
A classically trained violinist since the age of three with over two decades of professional experience, Eric has trained at such renowned institutions as The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music and Tanglewood. His performances and recordings range from orchestral and chamber music, Broadway musicals, contemporary pop music, and film/television scores.
In part 1 of the interview we spoke about playing in the string section on Family Guy sessions, working as an intern at Capitol Studios with Al Schmitt, rebuilding the vinyl cutting room at Mastering Lab, having the legendary Doug Sax as a mentor, and much more.
I spoke with Eric via Zoom from his home in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the class-action lawsuit filed against DistriKid over music takedown notices, and Sonible acquired by Audiotonix, and the Blue Microphone brand being sunsetted.
In the upcoming part 2 of my interview with Eric, we’ll talk about his unusual mastering studio, installing a familiar piece of equipment, the reason for the vinyl renaissance, why he chose the gear in his studio, and much more.
My guest this week is David Packouz, who may have the most interesting back story of just about any guest I’ve had on this podcast. David is the CEO of Singular Sound and creator of the innovative Beat Buddy drum machine pedal, which gives guitar players easy control of drum loops and songs when they play live.But there’s a lot more to his story. Prior to starting Singular Sound, David worked as an major weapons contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense, which is a story in itself. In fact, his journey into arms dealing was the subject of the 2016 film War Dogs where his character was played by Miles Teller.After that adventure filled with international intrigue, David pivoted back to music and started Singular Sound thanks to an extremely successful crowdfunding campaign . Besides the Beat Biddy, Singular also makes looper pedals and controllers, all with the performing musician in mind.During the interview we spoke about navigating the dark world of arms dealing and how international politics plays a part (it's a great story), the key behind his super-successful crowdfunding campaign, why Beat Buddy has become the ultimate drummer in a pedal, and much more.I spoke with David via Zoom from his office in Miami.On the intro I’ll take a look at how physical product might lead to the major label’s downfall, and why music producers fear being replaced by AI. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 86468070, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Ryan Schwabe who’s a two-time Grammy nominated, platinum certified mixing and mastering engineer. In 2020, he was nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album for Baauer’s "Planet’s Mad," and in 2023 he was nominated for Best Sound Engineered Album, Non-Classical for mixing and mastering Baynk’s "Adolescence." Ryan is a former professor of recording arts and music production at Drexel University's Music Industry Program. He’s also owner of the music production and engineering company Xcoustic Sound, the music technology company Schwabe Digital, and co-owner of the digital record label Rare MP3s. And he's also the developer of the new Gold Clip mixing and mastering plugin.During the interview we spoke about learning the art of mastering, his philosophy on mixing, not being tied to certain mixing techniques, developing his own plugin, and much more.I spoke with Ryan via Zoom from his studio in Philadelphia.On the intro I’ll take a look at how labels may become outdated due to localization, and Avid is reportedly up for sale. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 86404695, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Tony Simerman, who as a kid would go to work with his Dad, who was the manager of The Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington, D.C. There he’d hang out backstage where he was lucky enough to see every major hard rock and metal show in the 70s and 80s, and make many musical friends over the years.Fast forward to 2023, and Tony’s company KnuckleBonz has been recognized worldwide for the past two decades as the leading creators of high-end and hand-crafted collectibles that feature iconic moments in rock history as well as music legends. KnuckleBonz creates licensed memorabilia for Pink Floyd, Queen, Alice Cooper, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, KISS, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, and Guns N’ Roses – just to name a few. The company’s commitment to fine craftsmanship is showcased in the artistry and detail of each hand-crafted limited edition statue created for collectors of licensed properties. Think of it as rock meets art.During the interview we spoke about growing up backstage during rock concerts, his background in 3D animation, the problem with distributing custom beverages, 3D vinyl, and much more.I spoke with Tony via Zoom from his office in California.By the way, use the BOICpc8kbz coupon code for a 10% discount from Knucklebonz for the next 2 weeks!On the intro I’ll take a look at how payola is still with us and a look at software and plugin subscriptions. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 86345967, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Josh Rogosin, who stumbled into NPR headquarters in 1999 on his way to mixing shows at The Shakespeare Theatre in downtown DC. Since then, he has been at the controls for all of NPR's flagship newsmagazines and gathered sound in far flung places like Togo, Cambodia and Greece for the Radio Expeditions series. Josh has engineered at both NPR West and NPR NY, and spent two years as Technical Director at Marketplace Productions in Los Angeles. He’s also served as Senior Broadcast Engineer for New York Public Radio and Studio 360, and was an originating producer and sound designer for NPR's Ask Me Another.In his current role, Josh is the Technical Director for NPR Music and has recorded and mixed over 500 Tiny Desk Concerts.During the interview we spoke about learning audio for the theater, recording Congressional hearings, using audio to tell stories, behind the scenes at Tiny Desk Concerts, working with U2 and David Crosby, 3and much more.I spoke with Josh via Zoom from his office in Washington.On the intro I’ll take a look at labels with covert Spotify accounts, and bacteria that play drums. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 86290111, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Temima Shames, who’s the CEO of Next Step Talent, a full service talent management and digital brand agency that’s home to more than 20 music artists, influencers and actors.While in college, Temema worked for Atlantic Records, and Visionary Music Group before jumping into her own management company. Since then her clients have achieved 5B+ YouTube views, a #7 debut Spotify Album, highlights in Youtube’s Black Creator Class of 2023, TikTok’s biggest POV star, and one of NYFW’s creators with the highest brand return of 2023. Not only that, songs, records, and projects Temima has been a part of have garnered 25 million streams and viral campaigns with more than 2 million recreates on TikTok. Her company has also partnered with top brands including YouTube, Meta, Disney Music Group, BOSS, Neutrogena, HBO, Netflix, Target, Universal Music Group, and NYX Cosmetics. During the interview we spoke about how she got started managing social influencers, the strategy behind short form and long form content, branding as story-telling, artist mental health, experiential marketing, and much more.I spoke with Temima via Zoom from her office in Los Angeles.On the intro I’ll take a look at music platforms taking steps against AI-generated songs, and a study about vocal levels in different genres. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 86235468, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is composer and producer Dren McDonald who has done everything from experimental indie rock to video game music to string quartet chamber music to film and VR animation soundtracks. He has worked with game studios and publishers such as Valve Corporation, Ubisoft, Glu Mobile, DeNA/Hasbro, Romero Games, Zynga, Tapulous, and others, and he’s been nominated for awards for his soundtrack, music and sound design work 16 times and has won 5 times.Dren also created music and audio designs for AR and VR experiences at Facebook, and taught at University of California, Santa Cruz and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He has released several original game soundtrack releases on Nerdtracks Recordings, as well as instrumental recordings for Appearing Records.During the interview we spoke about how he got into video games, directing voice overs for games, how sound design is different for games than film, working on AR audio for Facebook, his new album built around hundreds of guitar tracks, and much more.Find out more about Dren and his new album at DrenMcDonald.com.I spoke with Dren via Zoom from his studio in the Bay area.On the intro I’ll take a look at the 5 things that musicians should know about the brain, and an AI for music primer.
My guest this week is musician Doug Legacy, who’s one of the founding members of the the Zydeco Party Band, which won an Emmy for being the house band for The Late Mr. Pete Show. The band also provide music for Gilmore Girls, How I Met Your Mother, and The Bucket List starring Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, and Sean Hayes.Doug has also worked as a steel drummer for Rod Stewart, played accordion for Paul McCartney, played piano for Delbert McClinton, and sang background vocals for Brian Wilson and Todd Rundgren.He has puppeteered background characters on Muppets Tonight and his band were featured as the house band for the show as well, and he’s played a pirate at Disneyland playing sea shanties on accordion and penny whistles.During the interview we spoke about who makes the best steel drums, the difference between German and Italian accordions, playing a pirate at Disneyland, playing with Paul McCartney and singing with Todd Rundgren, and much more.I spoke with Doug via Zoom from his studio in Los Angeles.On the intro I’ll take a look at the latest streaming scam, and vacuum tubes being manufactured in the US.
My guests this week are Ritch Esra and Eric Knight of Music Business Television. MUBU TV takes music business education out of the classroom using interviews with music heavyweights to help artists empower their careers.Ritch is a former A&R executive at Arista and co-founder of the Music Business Registry, the music industries leading contact directories for personnel in A&R, Music Publishing, Film/Television Music, Music Law and Artist Management.Erick Knight is a musician, teacher and entrepreneur who’s new venture Symbiotic Nation aims to reinvent the entertainment industry by becoming its version of Google.During the interview, we spoke about how labels struggle to break their own artists, the depth of knowledge that artists need to be effective today, the music business journey, the latest trends in the music business, the idea behind MUBU TV, and much more. I spoke with Ritch and Eric via Zoom.On the intro I’ll take a look at the Metaverse might be further away than we’ve been told, and Marshall Amplification has been sold to a longtime partner.
My guest this week is Dr. Martin Clancy, who’s a musician, academic, and events producer focusing on AI ethics. Martin completed his PhD on AI's financial and ethical implications in 2021 at Trinity College Dublin, and is the editor of Artificial Intelligence and The Music Ecosystem, a new book on trans-disciplinary AI ethics and human creativity.Martin is also a Certified Ableton Live 11 Trainer who founded the Irish rock group Tua Nua and, as a solo artist, had a series of top 40 hits in the US Billboard Dance Charts. His music is featured in the 2022 Sinead O'Conner Nothing Compares to You Documentary, and recent releases by his melodic techno group Valleraphon have appeared in Beatport Charts.During the interview, we spoke about having unexpected success as a solo artist, being a certified Ableton trainer, the practical use for AI in music, how AI affects copyright, how difficult it is to legislate AI, and much more. I spoke with Martin via Zoom from his studio in Ireland.On the intro I’ll take a look at how a TikTok ban might change the charts, and the most influential digital keyboard.
My guest this week is Jennifer Freed, who founded Trevanna Post in NY after working as a Production Accountant on major motion pictures on both coasts & internationally. Trevanna Post has been the gold standard for Post Production Accounting for more than 26 years, and has grown from a 2 person office in NYC’s historic Brill Building to a firm with offices in NY, Los Angeles and London, staffed by over 50 people. The company has worked with every major, mini-major and independent studio on over 800 film and television shows. Trevanna Tracks was born out of Jennifer’s unique perspective on the need for more efficient collaboration between those responsible for getting music licenses negotiated, paid and delivered. Jennifer’s access to veteran Film and TV industry experts enabled her to create this new software platform for researching, budgeting, tracking, paying and delivering music licenses.During the interview, we spoke about how she got into film accounting, how film and TV shows set their budget for music licensing, why music supervisors won’t use a track that doesn’t indicate the songwriting splits clearly, the many reasons why temp tracks don’t used, the need for standardized data when it comes to music licensing, and much more. I spoke with Jennifer via Zoom from her office in Los Angeles.On the intro I’ll take a look at the fight over copyrighting a rhythm, and drummers are smarter than the jokes about them.
My guest this week is Chris Dunnett, who’s helped artists like The Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan and Iron Maiden sell their merch products. Chris knows what sells, why it sells and what doesn’t, and he’s put together his Rock Your Merch bootcamp to make sure that artists and bands make their merch stand out and not make some common mistakes.During the interview, Chris and I spoke about working in Taylor Swift’s warehouse, what most artists don’t get about merch, how to market your merch, how merch has changed through the years, the most important thing you can do to sell merch, and much more. I spoke with Chris via Zoom from his studio in Nashville.On the intro I’ll take a look at how most songs online are never played, and a new life for a famous console.
My guest this week is the On-Demand songwriter and mastering engineer Mitchell Dyer, who’s on a mission to help other songwriters eliminate their mental blocks and turn their songwriting struggles into a revenue-generating career. With nearly two decades of songwriting and mastering experience, thousands of artists songs reviewed, and hundreds of songs personally recorded, Mitch has helped dozens of artists break out of their own mental jail. During the interview, we spoke about what causes songwriters to get stuck, how imposter syndrome can cause writers block, the importance of challenging the listener, learning how to master, and much more. I spoke with Mitch via Zoom from his studio in Utah.On the intro I’ll take a look at how AM/FM radio is changing, and what you need to know to set up your subwoofer. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 85284044, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is the Head of Partner Marketing & Strategy for Video & Sound Products at Sony Corporation of America Jordy Freed.A talented sax player who considered becoming a professional musician, the Philly native got his start as a music publicist for DL Media, held marketing and PR roles at Blue Note, and made a quick foray into advertising at the top firm Grey. Upon returning to Blue Note in 2016, he partnered with Sony on the creation of NYC’s Sony Hall, which was the first venue to feature Sony’s immersive music experience, 360RA. This led to an in-house position at Sony, where he became the first U.S. employee on their Brand & Business Development team. In this role, he’s overseen collaborations with Doja Cat, Pink, Lil Nas X, Pharrell Williams, and Alicia Keys, struck deals to reimagine the David Bowie catalog in 360RA, led the company’s partnership with Amazon Music, and much more. He now leads marketing and business development for 360RA, as well as global branding activities for a host of sound products. During the interview, we spoke about getting started in music PR, working at the famous Blue Note club, the latest on the Sony 360RA immersive format, and much more. I spoke with Jordy via Zoom from his office at Sony.On the intro I’ll take a look at who’s making money from Spotify, and how the LinnDrum became a big part of the sound of the 80s.
My guests this week are Robina Ritchie-Barker and Scott Barker, who’s TrackStage sync music management app is taking the sync world by storm.TrackStage not only helps you get your songs and cut-downs get organized in one place, but it helps you keep track of contracts, split sheets, licenses, reversion dates, pitches and deadlines. Plus it streamlines and manages all of your important metadata as well.The app lets you spend more time creating and less time administering the business side of your sync music career, while helping you do a better job of it at the same time.During the interview, we spoke about the frustrations with the many sync tasks that was the genesis for TrackStage, how difficult it is to keep on top of all the admin work involved with sync, targeting and pitching publishers, and much more. I spoke with Robina and Scott via Zoom from their office in Vancouver.On the intro I’ll take a look at Tidal’s new royalty program getting canceled, and the costs of studio furniture.
My guest this week again is legendary engineer/producer Ken Scott, who was one of the five engineers for The Beatles, producer/engineer for four of the most revered David Bowie albums, and engineered or produced seminal albums for Elton John, Supertramp, Duran Duran, America, Missing Persons and many more.Ken was also instrumental in giving the sound of progressive jazz a harder edge with his work with Jeff Beck, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Stanley Clarke, and Billy Cobham.As I said during the Part 1 last week, I was lucky enough to work with Ken on his memoir Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust, we even did a project in the studio together, so I didn’t want to cover old ground again during the interview.In Part 2 of the 2 part interview, we spoke about the acts he turned down that went on to become huge, the influence George Martin had on him, working with Bowie, watching Elton write "Rocket Man," how today is like the pre-Beatles era, and much more. I spoke with Ken via Zoom from his home studio in the UK.On the intro I’ll take a look at TikTok limited major label music in Australia, and Guitar Center in financial trouble again. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 85109398, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is legendary engineer/producer Ken Scott, who has a list of accomplishments and credits that are almost too long to list. After getting his start at Abbey Road Studios as a teenager, Ken went on to become one of the five engineers for The Beatles, as well as for solo projects for John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Ken was the producer/engineer for four of the most revered David Bowie albums, along with hit albums for Elton John, Supertramp, Duran Duran, America, Missing Persons and many more.He was also instrumental in giving the sound of progressive jazz a harder edge with his work with Jeff Beck, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Stanley Clarke, and Billy Cobham.I was lucky enough to work with Ken on his memoir Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust that outlined his illustrious career. We even did a project in the studio together so I got to know him pretty well.A lot of the typical questions that Ken would get we already covered in the book, so I tried to go in a slightly different direction during the interview. In Part 1 of the 2 part interview, we spoke about him going back to Abbey Road Studio 2 to record again, his views on immersive audio, finding Bowie outtakes, working in the box, his favorite plugins, his feeling about Autotune, and much more. I spoke with Ken via Zoom from his home studio in the UK.On the intro I’ll take a look at how Bandcamp has become a major music platform, and how Universal Audio disconnected its plugins from its hardware. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84986682, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Kelli Richards, who’s been a trusted Advisor to legendary musicians, tech executives, leaders and innovators. During her 25 years as a consultant she’s worked with artists like Paul McCartney, Todd Rundgren, Stewart Copeland, Prince, Michael Jackson and even Apple Computer founder Steve Jobs.While she was still in high school, Kelli approached Steve at a local cafe in Cupertino, and he accepted her request for him to be her mentor, which started a relationship that lasted over 30 years until his passing. She put herself through college by working at GPI Publications, (the home of Guitar Player, Keyboard & Bass Magazines), and then moved to Hollywood where she landed a job as an A&R exec at EMI Music.Kelli eventually headed back to Apple, and was in charge of the company’s early forays in music, as she was largely responsible for making Apple computers the go-to computer for creatives everywhere.Since Apple, she has worked with a range of disruptive, innovative start-ups, and Fortune 100 companies as an advisor, consultant, and sometimes as an acting VP of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships.During the interview spoke about getting Steve Jobs as her mentor as a teenager, laying the foundation for Apple in the music and film communities, helping Todd Rundgren build Patronet, working as a young A&R exec, moving into the roll of trusted advisor, the future of digital music, and much more. I spoke with Kelli via Zoom from her office in the heart of Silicon Valley.On the intro I’ll take a look at how we now live in a 32 hour day, and how to clean and disinfect a microphone. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84901026, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Steve Rosen, who’s an esteemed rock journalist who’s written for Guitar World, Guitar Player, Rolling Stone, Playboy, Classic Rock, among others, as well as books on Jeff Beck, Free/Bad Company, Black Sabbath, Bruce Springsteen, and Prince. His latest book is titled Tonechaser - Understanding Edward: My 26-Year Journey With Edward Van Halen, and looks at his long friendship with the guitar god from before he was famous until his death.Steve spent many hours with Edward at his own Hollywood Hills guesthouse, up at Van Halen’s 5150 studio, on airplanes, in cars, and even jamming with Ed on several occasions.During the interview we spoke about meeting Edward Van Halen before he was famous, jamming with the master, how he was misunderstood, his multiple personalities, going with him to NAMM shows, and much more.I spoke with Steve via Zoom from his home in Los Angeles.On the intro I’ll take a look at how cassettes are making a comeback again, and MI and audio manufacturing looking for a new home. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84857320, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Emily White, who’s a partner in the talent management company Collective Entertainment and the Founder of #iVoted Festival. She’s also the author of the Amazon #1 best-selling How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams and hosts the book’s accompanying podcast of the same name, which is the #1 Music Business podcast globally.Having early experiences at WBCN in Boston, MTV, and concert promoter Don Law, Emily became a core member of the Dresden Doll’s media team before getting into management. During the interview we spoke about being a tour manager, making yourself indispensable to your clients, how talent management has changed, getting caught up in the latest trends, and much more.I spoke with Emily via Zoom from her office.On the intro I’ll take a look at the country that has made music piracy legal, and the new Google music-creation AI called MusicLM. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84721298, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Kevin Paul, who started in the music business as a DJ, but then discovered sound engineering and immediately knew that was his true calling. Starting at Soho Studios in London, he later moved to the Kink’s own Konk Studios.At Konk, he worked alongside a bevy of successful producers and engineers, as well as bands such as The Kinks, Galliano, Terrorvision, UFO and Elastica.After working on archiving the Depeche Mode back catalogue in 1994, he was offered an engineering role at Mute Records’ in-house studio, which eventually lead to a position as Head Engineer.Since 2008, Kevin has been in charge of mixing and remixing the exclusive performances at the coveted iTunes Festival UK and Germany events. He has mixed over 100 artists to date including David Bowie, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Alicia Keys, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Calvin Harris, Foo Fighters, Jack White, Linkin Park, Florence & The Machine, Deadmau5, David Guetta, Norah Jones, Oasis, Mumford & Sons, Paul Weller and many more.During the interview we spoke about the producer that influenced him the most, why he worries about immersive audio being accepted, his views on audio education, where mixing and mastering will be in 10 years, and much more.Kevin has also contributed to the Audio Mastering For the Project Studio book, which you might want to check out. I spoke with Kevin via Zoom from his studio in the UK.On the intro I’ll take a look at Spotify skip rates, the one super-important metric that’s still a secret, and AI-driven ChatGPT codes up an Ibanez Tube Screamer plugin. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84638718, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Chris SD, who’s an award-winning music producer with 5 Juno awards and 7 nominations. He was also nominated as Engineer Of The Year in 2012. With his extensive industry contacts and experience Chris has helped artists land record deals, find management and booking agents, and license music to TV and film.He started Sync Songwriter to help musicians who live anywhere get their music licensed through one of the best music licensing courses in the business called “The Art Of The Song Pitch”. In the program, he teaches his 5 step process to get music synced successfully. Not only do his students learn the best ways to get their music heard by the gatekeepers, they also get to meet and pitch their music live online to top music supervisors in the course.During the interview we spoke about what’s changed in sync licensing, how to know if your music is ready for placement, if you need to master your songs for sync, if you can record at home and get your music into TV and film, the biggest mistakes people that people make trying to get sync placements, and much more.I spoke with Chris via Zoom from his sail boat somewhere in the Sea of Cortez.On the intro I’ll take a look at how shallow catalog is become a big part of the music business, and the different audio formats used today.You can find out more about Sync Songwriter and The Art Of The Song Pitch here. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84575889, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Max Goldberg, who’s a co-founder and CEO of the music discovery app HotDrop. HotDrop is a platform that connects undiscovered artists with superfans. Founded by a team of Gen-Z music addicts and artists, HotDrop addresses the current generational shift underway in music discovery and consumption. The service’s 30-second snippets enable rapid discovery, are easily shared with other music fans, thus yielding high virality for emerging artists.HotDrop allows users to swipe through various short form audio snippets with supplemental links and info provided by indie artists themselves. Within two days of its initial launch, the HotDrop app had more than 25,000 downloads and ranked 7th on the App Store.During the interview we spoke about the problems with music discovery on major music platforms, misconceptions about music on TikTok, how very short listens can still lead to recommendations to friends, the communal listening experience, and much more.I spoke with Max via Zoom from his office.On the intro I’ll take a look at vinyl albums setting a sales record, and mass marketers getting into the musical instrument business. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84513127, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Holly Knight, who’s songs made up a good part of the soundtrack to the MTV eighties with mega-hits for Tina Turner (“The Best”), Pat Benatar (“Love Is A Battlefield”), and Patty Smyth (“The Warrior”).Holly has also worked with legends like Rod Stewart, Kiss, Heart and Aerosmith, has thirteen ASCAP Awards, her songs have won several Grammys, and in 2013 she was inducted into the songwriters Hall of Fame.Her songs have appeared in almost two dozen films and theater productions, as well as television shows like The Simpsons, 30 Rock, South Park, The Tonight Show Staring Jimmy Fallon, Stranger Things, The Voice and Saturday Night Live, among many others.Holly just released a new memoir about her life in music called “I Am The Warrior.”During the interview we spoke about getting into songwriting, the secret to song demos, how to know when a song is well-written, her view on collaborations, and much more.I spoke with Holly from her home studio in Los Angeles via zoom.On the intro I’ll take a look electric vehicles are helping to kill AM radio, and how a simple jazz chord can be successfully used to treat nightmares. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84483155, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
In this episode, I’m going to make some predictions for 2023 in both the music business and the audio industry. These are based on trends that have happened this year that give us some insight on what may be in store for us in the coming year. These include:What happens with TikTok and social mediaThe "Lipstick Effect" and how it plays out with streamingChanges coming to Spotify next yearHow song forms will changeFake artists on streaming servicesChanges coming in sync licensingThe end of music genresThe new power brokers in the music businessAudio company acquisitionsAR and VR musicCopyright laws and how they affect AIImmersive audio outlook for 2023AI plugins and how they affect bedroom producersAnd more.Thank you for your support through the years! We have a lot of great guests lined up for 2023, and I hope to continue to earn your listenership. I know there are a lot of other things you can be doing other than listening to this podcast, so just know that I never take that for granted. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84453923, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
In this episode I take a look back at the events in the music business and music production during 2022, including:Songwriters get a raise in two placesTikTok trendsPlaylist influence waningStreaming scamsStreaming music trendsApple Music raising pricesClassical music gets a boostMajor labels wiping unrecoupted royaltiesTicketmaster troublesNew York State's new concert ticket lawMusic NFTs and Web3 trends and dealsSigning and dropping an AI artistArtists tire of social mediaThe hype of Dolby Atmos and the balloon burstingAI music generators and AI music onlineAI pluginsNew tech like Bluetooth LE and USB4The rise and fall of smart speakersEffects pedals selling for big moneyThe Anaheim NAMM show in JuneSlate Digital acquiredAnd much more! var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84422386, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Tom Trones, co-founder and chief product officer for Minuendo lossless earplugs. Minuendo earplugs can be manually adjusted from 7 to 25dB with no loss in sound quality.Besides being a musician and audio engineer, Tom has worked for a number of companies as an acoustics engineer. After working as a mixer at a number of festivals, he discovered the need for earplugs as he was asked to raise the level ever louder. Learning about the limitations of hearing protection that was on the market led to the development of an earplug that keeps the natural flat frequency response while the attenuation is easily adjustable.During the interview we spoke about playing an 8 string guitar, the difference between music and industrial earplugs, the different government standards for hearing protection, how your ear canal changes over time, and much more.I spoke with Tom from his home in Oslo via zoom.On the intro I’ll take a look at the reason why European radio royalty payments are not being paid, and how the job of assistant engineer is way different today. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84362563, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is songwriter Sam Hollander, who has written and produced for the likes of Panic! At The Disco, One Direction, Katy Perry, Weezer, Def Leppard, blink-182, Fitz and the Trantrums, Train, Ringo Starr, Carole King, Tyga, The O’Jays, and many others. To date, he’s achieved 22 US Top 40 Hits, as well as 10 Number 1's, 10 top fives, and 87 Top 10 chart positions globally. His songs have been streamed over 7 billion times, and in 2019, he held the #1 position on the Billboard Rock Songwriters Chart for nine weeks, a year-end record. Sam has also been chosen to be on Variety's Hitmakers list, as well as being named Rolling Stone's Hot List Producer of the Year.Sam has written a book entitled “21 Hit Wonder: Flopping My Way To The Top of the Charts” that looks more at his struggles, flops and bad luck in the business before he made it than his many successes.During the interview we spoke about sticking it out despite many years of failures, his collaboration technique, reading the body language of your co-writers, writing for different genres, his work in television, and much more.I spoke with Sam via zoom from his home in upstate NY.On the intro I’ll take a look at the songs on Spotify that have reached a billion streams, and the most dangerous and popular DAWs to search for.[Photo: Danny Clinch] var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 84313120, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };
My guest this week is Lenise Bent, who was one of a handful of women working in the Hollywood recording studio business in a technical role during the 1970s, and was the first woman to receive an RIAA Platinum album for her engineering of AutoAmerican by Blondie.
While working as an assistant at Village Recorder, Lenise worked on a number of classic albums, including Aja by Steely Dan, Breakfast In America by Supertramp, and Tusk by Fleetwood Mac. She then became chief engineer for producer Mike Chapman, working on albums by Blondie, The Knack and Suzi Quatro.
Lenise eventually moved over to post-production sound where she worked as a sound editor, sound supervisor and re-recording mixer on films like Shrek, Spirit and Shrek 2.
During the interview we spoke about her getting her start as an assistant at Village Recorders, working on Steely Dan’s Aja Album, being chief engineer for producer Mike Chapman, getting sick from the intense work schedule, starting back at the bottom in post, and much more.
I spoke with Lenise from her office in Los Angeles via zoom.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how Metal continues to thrive, and the death of the key change in modern music.
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My guest this week is Ramon Hervey II, who’s worked as a highly regarded entertainment manager, brand consultant, and public relations specialist with a diverse and impressive roster of entertainers that encompass a wide spectrum of contemporary music genres, ranging from pop/rock, rhythm & blues, hip-hop, jazz, and gospel.
The list includes Richard Pryor, Bette Midler, Little Richard Lenny Kravitz, Don Cornelius, Paul McCartney, Herb Alpert, Vanessa Williams, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Peter Frampton, Andrae Crouch, Nick Nolte, and James Caan, and many more.
He has also served as an Executive Producer for several films, television and live events, including the Peabody Award-winning documentary, "Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed," the anniversary album, "NBA AT 50," and was a Music Supervisor for the NAACP Award-winning film "Free Angela and All Political Prisoners.
Ramon recently wrote about his experiences in a book entitled “The Fame Game: An Insider’s Playbook For Earning Your 15 Minutes.”
During the interview we spoke about promoting the great Motown acts, managing Little Richard, working with Mohammed Ali, what it takes to be successful in the entertainment business, dealing with celebrity egos, and much more.
I spoke with Ramon from his office in New York via zoom.
On the intro I’ll take a look at why you can’t rely on social media as your online presence, and dancing more when there’s more very low frequencies.
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My guests this week are Mike Dickey and Russ Gavin, of JackTrip Labs. The JackTrip Foundation is a non-profit collaboration between Stanford University’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) and Silicon Valley software entrepreneurs. JackTrip Labs provides a low-latency collaboration tool that makes it easy for musicians to perform together online.
Mike Dickey, who’s the CEO of JackTrip Labs, founded his first company in high school, and dropped out of Carnegie Mellon to become a full-time entrepreneur. Since then, Mike has built and sold three startup companies. His latest venture was Cloudmeter, which Splunk acquired in 2013. Prior to co-founding JackTrip, Mike held various leadership roles at Splunk focusing on Engineering, Architecture, Infrastructure and Product Management.
Besides being the co-founder and COO of JackTrip Labs, Dr. Russ Gavin is also the Director of Bands at Stanford University. A lifelong advocate for accessible music education, Russ has taught music in K-12 and collegiate environments, continuously seeking and creating opportunities to utilize technology in the music classroom. His research publications have appeared in the Journal of Research in Music Education, the International Journal of Music Education, Psychology of Music, the Journal of Music Teacher Education, and the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis.
During the interview we spoke about how JackTrip Labs started, the things that contribute to latency in online collaboration, the musicians who are the most sensitive to latency, why zero latency can actually be disconcerting to some players, why conference calling apps won’t cut it for music, and much more.
I spoke with Russ and Mike via zoom.
On the intro I’ll take a look at what TikTok’s decreasing revenue target means, and Facebook’s new audio data compression codec.
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My guest this week is Joe Chiccarelli, who’s a ten-time Grammy-winning producer/engineer/mixer whose credits include Beck, U2, The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Killers, Elton John, Morrissey, Jason Mraz among many others.
Other projects through his twenty-year career have included music supervision of films such as Suicide Kings and Men with Guns, the TV series Cracker and Robert Altman’s The Gun. Joe is the studio designer for the state-of-the-art Royaltone Recording Studios (now Sphere) in Burbank, CA, and has served as an A&R consultant for several major and independent labels.
Leapwing has recently released his Signature plugin that captures his sounds on the most common mix elements.
During the interview we spoke about , and much more.
I spoke with Joe via zoom from his studio at Sunset Sound in Hollywood.
On the intro I’ll take a look at if it’s worth being an opening act on a tour, and the AES 2022 New York show.
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My guest this week is Darryl Hurs, who has a 25 year history in the music business including launching and running Indie Week Canada (Nov 8 - 12), one of Canada’s largest emerging artist showcase conferences. He has also launched Music Pro Summit, SCREENxSCREEN and the indie101 online music and tech conferences.
Darryl currently is also the director of market development in Canada for online distributor, CD Baby. Some of his past positions include graphic design and event branding for Live Nation, artist manager and venue booker.
During the interview we spoke about the advice that led him to change careers, getting a job with Live Nation, the biggest mistake indie artists make, trends in the indie world, and much more.
I spoke with Daryl via zoom from his office in Toronto.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how playlists control the music industry, and the way consumers listen to audio every day.
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My guest this week is Sean O’Malley who is the CEO of the boutique music publisher Regard Music.
Sean has more than 20 years of experience in music publishing and operations, including royalty collection and distribution, licensing, data processing and systems development.
He was also part of the the team that started GMR, the first new Performing Rights Organization in 75 years. Prior to that, Sean worked at ASCAP for 8 years where he supervised a large, multi-coast team to resolve issues on behalf of its members.
During the interview we spoke about working for ASCAP, the differences between GMR and other PROs, AI-generated songs, the era of derivative content, the future of music publishing, and much more.
I spoke with Sean via zoom from his office in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the rise and fall of music clubs, and the Global Music Vault.
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My guest this week is Chuck Kentis, who has worked as a touring and session player with artists like Nona Hendryx, Julian Lennon, Power Station, John Waite, Richard Marx, Paul Young, ABC, and Micheal Bolton. He has also been a collaborator and musical director for Rod Stewart for over 30 years.
Chuck has composed for many music production companies such as Killer Tracks, Mega Trax, Extreme Music and others and his music can also be heard in many commercials, promos for Showtime, television movies, and documentaries.
During the interview we spoke about playing sessions in New York City, getting the gig with Rod, writing production and game music, cutting basics with a band, Eurorack synthesis, and much more.
I spoke with Chuck via zoom from his studio in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at Spotify’s reported new tier, and some of the overlooked aspects of mastering.
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My guest this week is Josh Simons, CEO and co-founder of Vampr, the world’s largest and most active social-professional network for musicians.
Often dubbed the “LinkedIn for creatives”, Vampr is home to over one million users, and active in every country on the planet. The music startup has helped fledgling musicians broker over 7 million connections worldwide, and has made the Best Apps lists for both Apple and Google.
Prior to running Vampr, Josh spent the better part of a decade as a successful artist, songwriter and producer. His artist project Buchanan enjoyed multi-million streams & chart impressions worldwide. As a producer and songwriter, Josh has shared credits with Travis Scott, Troye Sivan and Kanye West to name a few. He was also named in The Music Network’s 30 Under 30 List in addition to being voted Reader’s Choice.
During the interview we spoke about touring expenses, using unseen collaborators, representing artists for sync placements, learning from bad publishing deals, and much more.
I spoke with Josh via zoom from his office in Australia.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the CD turning 40 after a rocky start, and the acquisition of Slate Digital.
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My guest this week is engineer Jason LaRocca, who has recorded and mixed music for major motion pictures, games and television. Jason not only engineers the scores, but often produces them as well, along with creating sound design and instrumentation.
Jason has worked on films like Marvel's "Morbius,"“Paddington,” “Aquaman,” “The Harder They Fall,” “Coming to America 2”, “Godzilla: King of Monsters,” and the 2018 Oscar-winning documentary “Icarus,” among many others.
He’s also mixed the music for the hit video games “Fortnite,” “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War,” “Assasin’s Creed Valhalla,” “CyberPunk 2077,” and Sony Playstation’s highly anticipated upcoming “God of War: Ragnarök.” among others.
His TV credits include ABC’s long-running hit fantasy series, “Once Upon A Time,” “Godfather of Harlem,” “American Crime Story,” “Handmade’s Tale,” the award-winning mini-series “Little Fires Everywhere,” FOX’ #1 drama “The Cleaning Lady,” and the Amazon epic series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”
In the music realm, Jason has recorded and mixed for such top recording artists as Jay-Z, CeeLo Green, Fiona Apple, Schoolboy Q and Serj Tankian of System of a Down.
During the interview we spoke about making the transition from musician to engineer, the differences between engineering music and post production, the complexity of mixing Lord of the Rings, the many plugins in his mixing template, and much more.
I spoke with Jason from his studio via zoom from his studio in Los Angeles, CA.
On the intro I’ll take a look at YouTube’s secret weapon, and the best-selling pedals ever.
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Photo: Mike Krstic
My guest this week is Cassie Petrey who’s been behind the social media marketing for some of the music’s most iconic artists including Backstreet Boys, Camila Cabello and Britney Spears.
Cassie is the co-founder of Crowd Surf, a leading marketing and music management firm. She started at age 12 creating a newsletter for the Backstreet Boys that reached fans worldwide — then years later she helped re-introduce the band to new generation of fans.
At age 17 as a college rep for Warner Music Group, Cassie was among the first in the music industry to recognize the vast marketing potential of nascent mid-2000s platforms Myspace and Facebook.
Today, her company Crowd Surf has worked with tech giants Apple and Google, and labels such as Universal, Disney, Sony, Warner and more.
Cassie is a Forbes 30 Under 30 and Billboard 30 Under 30 recipient, and she is a leading social media and artist management Hollywood powerhouse.
During the interview we spoke about convincing a major label about the value of social media, motivating artists to post, how artists may compromise their brand on TikTok, getting artists to establish their brand, and much more.
I spoke with Cassie via zoom from her office in Los Angeles, CA.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the new radio artist royalty bills before Congress, and Google’s new Project Caviar.
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My guest this week is Grammy-award nominated engineer/producer Justin Cortelyou. Justin started his career working with Chuck Ainlay at Soundstage Studios in Nashville before moving to Los Angeles to work with mix-master Mike Shipley. He eventually teamed up with artist/producer Tommy Henriksen, and in 2008 they moved their operation back to Nashville and began working with legendary producer Bob Ezrin.
Through the years Justin has worked with a wide variety of artists including Paul McCartney, Alice Cooper, Ke$ha, Taylor Swift, Phish, Vince Gill, Andrea Bocelli, U2, Randy Travis, KISS, Will I Am, Lady Gaga, and many others.
During the interview we spoke about personal studio dynamics, working with legendary producer Bob Ezrin, his hybrid mixing technique, the importance of a sonic signature, and much more.
I spoke with Justin via zoom from his studio in Nashville.
On the intro I’ll take a look at what the layoffs at Soundcloud might mean, and some unusual effects pedal packages.
My guest this week is Ryan Dusick, who was Maroon 5’s original drummer until he retired because of chronic nerve damage. After departing the band, Ryan struggled with anxiety and addiction for a decade before making a commitment to recovery.
Founding the group Kara’s Flowers in 1994 with fellow Brentwood High School students Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, and Mickey Madden, Ryan and his bandmates worked tirelessly for a decade before the group changed its name to Maroon 5 and finally had its first hit album Songs About Jane. Multiple hit songs, two Grammy Awards, and 20 million albums sold later, Ryan found himself suffering and without direction when his career as a performer came to an end just as it was taking off.
After years of struggling with physical and mental health challenges, Ryan finally overcame in 2016, when he began his journey of recovery, culminating in a new life path.
Ryan now works as a mental health professional at the Missing Peace Center for Anxiety where he now helps others with their personal struggles, and has released a new book outlining his amazing life story.
During the interview we spoke about the early days of Maroon 5, dealing with anxiety and a chronic injury, advice from U2, and much more.
I spoke with RYAN via zoom from his personal studio in Los Angeles, CA.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the parts of a song that are protectable, and the 9 constants of vocal recording.
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My guest this week is professional song doctor Molly Leikin, who’s coaching has helped 12 clients become Grammy winners and another 19 become Grammy nominees.
Molly has been as a staff writer at Almo Music, Interworld Music and Chappell Music, and she’s written songs for and with everyone from Katy Perry to Placido Domingo to, Cher, Tina Turner, Anne Murray, Billy Preston and many others. An Emmy nominee, she’s written themes and songs for dozens of TV shows and movies, including Violet, which won an Oscar.
She’s also the author of the books How to Write A Hit Song and How To Be A Hit Songwriter, and producer of the bestselling Master Class in Songwriting, which is a collection of the Master Classes she taught at UCLA. Her latest book is Insider Secrets To Hit Songwriting In The Digital Age.
During the interview we spoke about being a staff writer for a publisher, the most common song problems, writing for the current marketplace, the process of creative songwriting, and much more.
I spoke with Molly via zoom from her office in Santa Barbara, CA.
On the intro I’ll take a look at 2 song identifier codes every artist should know, and the bassline so powerful it crashed computers.
My guest this week is Kevin Kelly, who’s a producer, mixer and long-time audio educator with a host of major label, film score and jingle credits. These include projects by Blondie, Edgar Winter and Rick Wakeman, among many others that he worked on from his well-known studio called The Workshoppe.
For 14 years, Kevin was the producer/engineer for the WLIR-FM live concert series that featured Hall & Oates, Billy Joel, The Police, Charlie Daniels Band, Peter Tosh, Ziggy Marley, Pure Prairie League and many more, and also served as co-producer and chief engineer for a series of short-form radio shows for Sixty Second LP.
Kevin also taught studio recording technology for 22 years at Nassau Community College, and continues to teach one adjunct course per semester there.
During the interview we spoke about the importance of networking, the new generation of plugins, how mutlitasking has changed attention spans, analog summing during mixing, and much more.
I spoke with Kevin via zoom from his studio in Huntington, NY.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how being a Grammy nominee might be detrimental to your career, and a new kind of greener vinyl is on the horizon.
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My guest this week is Jason Kramer, who’s been working in radio in Los Angeles since 1992 and has hosted an influential weekly radio show on KCRW for the past 24 years.
Jason has also worked at Fox Sports TV as their full-time music supervisor for 6 years, which then led him to work as a show producer on Fox Sports Radio. He has also worked in various other aspects of music including management, publishing, creative consulting, music photography and continues to work presently as a commercial concept music supervisor for the prestigious music company, Elias Arts.
During the interview we spoke about the work of a music supervisor, how music supervision has changed over the years, dealing with temp tracks, what a sports radio producer does, the future of radio, and much more.
I spoke with Jason via zoom from his office in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at some interesting Shazam numbers, and 10 microphones that haven’t changed in a really long time.
Credit: Gaston McGary
My guest this week is Talya Elitzer, who along with her partner Nick Sylvester leads godmode, a company that offers label, management, publishing and creative direction services.
godmode has an unorthodox approach to artist management in that they specialize in managing artists that don’t quite fit pre-existing formats.
During the pandemic godmode was able to successfully stabilize their artists’ careers and help them achieve growth on streaming services andTikTok. They were even able to secure Four Apple TV ad spots in the last 12 months.
Before godmode Talya began her career at the giant WME looking after tours for Britney Spears, and M.I.A. She then left for a stint in A&R at Capitol Records, taking on projects for artists like Katy Perry, Beck, and Sky Ferreira.
During the interview we spoke about what it’s like to start in the mail room at William Morris, working with unique artists, the importance of the artist being involved with marketing themselves, her view on Web3, and much more.
I spoke with Talya via zoom from her office in the Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at why playlists might not be as important as you think, and the reason why proper metadata is essential for your songs.
My guest this week is Katie Zaccardi, who pivoted from being a wellness coach to a music career coach.
Since then she’s helped hundreds of musicians grow their careers, release music, launch Patreons, start coaching businesses, and double their incomes. She has a number of online courses and coaching programs, and is the host of her Out To Be podcast.
During the interview we talked about building an audience if you don’t have one, where to find your ideal fan, how to monetize your audience, some tips about putting your music on TikTok, and much more.
I spoke with Katie via zoom from her office in the Nashville.
On the intro I’ll take a look at why playlists might not be as important as you think, and the reason why proper metadata is essential for your songs.
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My guest this week is legendary acoustic designer Sam Berkow, who has designed and improved the acoustics for everything from concert halls, to recording studios, to amphitheaters, to worship spaces.
Sam is a founding member of SIA Acoustics and has been the acoustical designer of a wide variety of projects such as concert venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Pearl at the Palms, the renovation of the Hollywood Bowl, the Grand Ole Opry and The Jazz Standard nightclub, as well as studios for Airshow Mastering, the Polar Express remote truck, and the Dennis Riese Family Recording Studio at the Clive Davis School at NYU, and many more.
He is also a recent Parnelli Award winner (the most prestigious award in live events), and the creator of the SIA-SMAART measurement software, which is the industry standard tool for providing acoustical measurement and sound system optimization capabilities.
During the interview we talked about how the SMAART software came about, his brutal first business plan, what makes him different from other acoustic consultants, the major problems that most home studios have, and much more.
I spoke with Sam via zoom from his office in the New York.
On the intro I’ll take a look at why the UK government says that streaming services pay reasonable royalties, and a new vinyl manufacturing association.
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My guest this week is Nichole Slater, who specializes in helping artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs develop their marketing strategies. Since 2005, Nicole has been focused on helping creative people share their message with the world and make more money.
She’s helped artists and pro audio companies like Burl Audio, Barefoot Sound, and IK Multimedia, and studios like Sunset Sound, form roll out plans for new products and music releases, develop marketing materials, create email newsletters, optimize social media, launch marketing events, and develop online ad campaigns.
During the interview we talked about her career in radio and streaming, why posting consistency is so important, when to hire a PR person, how to become a podcast guest, and much more.
I spoke with Nichole via zoom from her office in the Hollywood Hills.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the new Soundcloud user-centric royalties, and the ways that songwriting has recently changed.
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If you ever wanted a vintage microphone but couldn't afford the super high price, a Heiserman Audio mic has become a top alternative. In fact, many "golden ears" of the audio business have liked them so much that they've sold their vintage mics in favor of a Heiserman version. Eric Heiserman is the man behind the microphone, and that's who's on my latest podcast.
During the interview we talked about how Eric discovered that the capsule is the most important part of a microphone, why he built his own CNC machine, why most classic mics sound different from one another, finding the ultimate tom mic, and much more.
I spoke with Eric via zoom from his facility in North Carolina.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the what may be the end of traditional music genres, and the new Bluetooth LE high-quality wireless audio standard.
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My guest this week is audio restoration and mastering engineer Michael Graves, who’s a four time Grammy award winner and 12 time nominee. Michael's main focus is saving historical audio that was recorded on deteriorating or obsolete grooved media, as well as more recent recordings where the sound is obscured for various reasons.
Michael uses a combination of physical and electronic specialty techniques designed to rescue rare, one of a kind recordings or deteriorating media. This includes old 78 rpm records clouded by surfaces noise and years of neglect, right up to digital recordings that were done on some of the earliest pioneering formats.
During the interview we talked about how his hobby became a career, why a high-end turntable is his secret weapon, the surprising styli that he uses to avoid record surface noise, why a stereo needle is preferred even for a mono record, and much more.
I spoke with Michael via zoom from his studio in Hollywood.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the latest Spotify scam using the "track linking" feature, and Netflix embraces Sennheiser’s AMBEO so you can hear spatial audio from a pair of stereo speakers.
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My guest this week is producer, songwriter and keyboardist CJ Vanston.
CJ Vanston started doing jingles in Chicago where he soon became a first call player, doing as many as six sessions a day.
After moving to Los Angeles, he worked with a wide variety of artist like Toto, Def Leppard, Prince, Joe Cocker, Tears For Fears, Spinal Tap Ringo Starr, Bob Seger BB King, Celine Dion Barbra Streisand, Dolly Parton among many others.
He’s also worked on films like Waiting For Guffman, Best In Show, Sweet Home Alabama, A Mighty Wind, Mascots and more.
CJ has also written and performed pieces for the Dalai Lama and Muhammad Ali, and most recently y co-wrote, co-produced and performed on Jeff “Skunk” Baxter’s 2022 solo release called Speed of Heat.
During the interview we talked about how he got the nickname CJ, getting started in the studio scene, learning to engineer and mix, and much more.
I spoke with CJ via zoom from his home in the Hollywood Hills.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the ruling that finally gives songwriters a retroactive raise, and the camera that can see vibrations and record multiple instruments separately.
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My guest this week is Jules Standon, who worked as an engineer with groups like The Lemonheads, The Smiths, and Siouxsie and the Banshees before starting an online forum for engineers in 2002.
That hobby eventually grew into Gearspace.com, a place for all things audio, from gear forums and classifieds to gear databases and reviews, Q&A sessions with famous producers and engineers, and a worldwide audio community. Gearspace is now celebrating its 20th year serving online audio geeks everywhere, with over one million discussion threads, 13 million posts and 400,000 members.
During the interview we talked about Jules engineering secret, how Gearspace got started, the questions most often asked on the forum, the most popular topic right now, and much more.
I spoke with Jules via zoom from his office in the U.K.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how some music genres that streaming favors more than others, and a new physical music distribution format that’s way better than vinyl but you may never see.
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My guest this week is Bob Pomann, who discovered his unique ability to tell a story through sound while doing sound effects for the original Saturday Night Live. He went on to create Pomann Sound, a full-service audio-post and sound design house located in midtown Manhattan on the Penthouse floor, now in its 38th year, going strong since 1984.
Bob went on to design sound for Disney’s long-form animated series, Doug, and his specialized sound can be heard on series including Little Einsteins, Kids Next Door for over 800 animated episodes.
He’s also worked with all the major ad agencies on campaigns for major brands like Subway, Nicorette, and Verizon Fios, and in 2010 was the Gold Winner in the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival for his work on the Dos Equis “The Most Interesting Man In The World” campaign.
During the interview we talked about having a studio in Manhattan, getting client approvals for Atmos mixes, getting started in the business as a high-school intern, some great stories about the early days of the business in New York, and much more.
I spoke with Bob via zoom from his home studio in the New Jersey.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the possible end of California’s 7 Year Rule and what that means for artists, and how songwriting is evolving.
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My guest this week is Andrew Scheps, who’s won 3 Grammy awards and mixed huge hits for Adele, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Beyonce, Jay-Z, U2 and many more. Andrew has also spent quite a lot of time mixing in Dolby Atmos lately, and his tutorials on the subject are some of the best available.
He’s also spent a lot of time working on audio apps and plugs, creating his Scheps 73EQ and Parallel Particles in collaboration with Waves, and most recently, his own Bounce Factory.
Bounce Factory is an extension to Pro Tools that allows you to automate every aspect of the bouncing process in order to escape the drudgery of exporting alternate mixes and stems.
During the interview we talked about consumer adoption of Atmos, the origins of Bounce Factory, how his mixing has evolved, using less parallel compression, and much more.
I spoke with Andrew via zoom from his studio in the UK.
On the intro I’ll take a look at trying to change the name of a music genre, and the end of Las Vegas Elvis weddings thanks to copyright infringement.
My guest this week is Jim Hustwitt, who quit his marketing job in 2011 to work as a music producer and composer.
Since them Jim has produced music for Universal, EMI, BMG WestOne & NinjaTune and has been commissioned to write music for the BBC, Sky 1 and Channel 4.
He’s also walked the boards of the National Theatre and London’s West End.
During the interview we talked about shifting from being a singer-songwriter to composer, the approach to writing trailer music, battling the temp score, how many composers get fired and no one ever hears about it, and much more.
I spoke with Jim via zoom from his studio in the UK.
On the intro I’ll take a look at a new approach to artist videos, and the plan to preserve digital music for 10,000 years in the Global Music Vault.
If you're a drummer or regularly work with drums, you're really going to like my guest on the podcast this week since it's filled with things you probably never knew about the instrument. It's Daniel Glass, who’s an award-winning drummer, author, historian and educator based in New York City. He previously appeared on Episode 305.
Daniel is widely recognized as an authority on classic American drumming and the evolution of American Popular Music. He's recorded and performed all over the world with a diverse roster of top artists, including Brian Setzer, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Jose Feliciano, the Budapest Jazz Orchestra, and even KISS front man Gene Simmons. Since 2011, he has been the house drummer every Monday night at New York’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club.
As an educator, Daniel has published five books and three DVDs, created a curriculum that’s used by hundreds of music educators in schools across the U.S. and Canada, and is a regular contributor to publications like Modern Drummer, DRUM and Classic Drummer.
During the interview we talked about what caused the drum kit to evolve from marching band, how one of the original duties for a drummer was to provide sound effects, how the high hat got its name, programs for home school students, what it’s like to put out a record in today’s business climate, and much more.
Find out more about his latest album BAM here.
I spoke with Daniel from his home in Manhattan.
On the intro I’ll take a look at Sony Music’s latest expanded unrecoupment program, Gibson winning its trademark infringement case against Dean Guitars.
My guests this week are director of marketing Nate Baglyos and director of acoustics Charles Sprinkle of the speaker manufacturer Kali Audio. Both held executive positions at JBL before joining forces to start the company.
Kali studio monitors are built to offer the best possible value to its customers, while providing high-performance products that fit any budget.
During the interview we talked about why opera singers aren’t fun to be around, why designing professional speakers is more rewarding than consumer speakers, the theory behind Kali’s coaxial speaker configuration, why the science of loudspeaker design is so important, fine-tuning loudspeaker DSP, and much more.
I spoke with Nate and Charles via zoom from their offices in Burbank.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how the social media manager job has evolved, and why Gibson Guitars are now equated to “Dad rock.”
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Peter Sinclair, the CEO of BeatBread. BeatBread enables artists and songwriters to get advances from 1k to 2mil based on strength of the catalogs.
Unlike other services, the company allows artist to keep 100% ownership of their masters, publishing, touring, merch and synch.
You can design the agreement that works for you after the service gathers your data, which only takes a few minutes. It’s a way to stay independent without having to sign a bad deal just to get some working capital.
During the interview we spoke about how he accidentally entered the music business, why many artists don’t want label services, how an artist can get access to working capital, and much more.
I spoke with Peter via zoom from his office near Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at why there aren’t many hit songs this year, and how vibrations influence our lives in strange ways.
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If you've ever tried to get an approval on a mix from someone, you know how hard that can get. You want them to hear it in all its glory, yet you don't want to send the high-res file without getting paid first. Plus, getting notes that make sense can be a real chore.
That's what my guest on the podcast this week, James Dickerson, has solved with his new service called HitSend.
HitSend allows you to share a project with a client, receive timecoded feedback so you know exactly where to make changes, receive final approval and even get paid before the files are released to clients.
HitSend works with files of any audio resolution, and with multiple payment vendors like Stripe, Paypal, Venmo and ApplePay, as well as a number of bookkeeping and invoicing solutions like Freshbooks, Quickbooks and Wave. It even works internationally allowing you to create invoice s with 97 different currencies and accept payment from over 135 countries around the world.
During the interview we talked about the difficulty about asking to get paid, the importance of integrating different payment solutions, making revision notes easier, and much more.
I spoke with James via zoom from his office in Salt Lake City.
On the intro I’ll take a look at songwriters getting a royalty raise, and a new kind of paper-thin loudspeaker.
Jason Tonioli has managed to do something that everyone thought was impossible these days, and that’s crack 7 figures of income with only sheet music sales.
He’s recorded 8 albums and created more than a dozen piano solo books as well as dozens of individual pieces of sheet music that he’s self-published. One of Jason’s secrets is that he creates music that’s simple and fun to play, yet sounds more complicated and advanced than it really is.
When Jason isn’t playing piano he’s also a well known thought leader in the banking industry, runs a record label, and is one of the founders of the tour company Amazing Vacations Costa Rica and the travel agency Amazing Vacations USA.
During the interview we talked about the how your dream can come later in life, how his sheet music business started, how important playability is, how piano education can be improved, how a great song transcends genres, and much more.
I spoke with Jason via zoom from his office in Utah.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the real number of songs uploaded daily to Spotify, and a reality check on streaming audio loudness.
My guest on the podcast this week is Vinny Ribas, who’s the founder and CEO of both Indie Direct and Cartne.
Vinny has worked as both an agent and an artist manager, but is also an executive coach and strategic business consultant. He’s also branched out online in creating Indie Connect and his latest venture Cartne.
Cartne takes the mystery and guesswork out of being an indie artist by providing the answers to over 250 of the most pressing questions and challenges that artists have. It also exposes over 60 of the scams and rip-offs that plague the industry, and also details hundreds of careers in the industry that go way beyond just artist, musician, engineer and producer.
During the interview we talked about the different kinds of agents available, working with the parents of young artists, some current music scams, and much more.
I spoke with Vinny via Zoom from his office in Nashville.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the truth behind artists and social media, and the difference between a one hit wonder and a consistent hitmaker.
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My guest this week is Elisa Di Napoli, who’s a holistic life coach, hypnotherapist, author and performer.
Elisa specializes in helping professionals and artists overcome creative blocks and beat stage fright so they can better share their gifts with their audience.
She’s been a holistic clinical hypnotherapist as well as Neuro-Linguistic Programming practitioner for two decades, where her approach combines Positive Psychology, Eastern Philosophy, Esoteric Western Practices with Hypnosis (when needed) and Transformational Creative Coaching to provide a Holistic path to better living.
Elisa is also a singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist performing under the name Elyssa Vulpes, and she is the best-selling author of “Dare to Be Seen.”
During the interview we talked about the reasons people get performance anxiety, performance anxiety over social media, the different symptoms that can arise, ways to overcome it, and much more.
I spoke with Elisa via Zoom from her studio in New Zealand.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the number of professional artists are on Spotify, and vinyl record pressing plants finally upping capacity.
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My guest this week is Ron Jones, who’s had a long career writing for some of the biggest hit television shows of our time.
Ron has worked a variety of popular prime-time shows like The A-Team, Magnum P.I., Hardcastle and McCormick, Hunter, and Star Trek Next Generation, but he may be better known for his work on animated shows.
These include The Smurfs, Scooby-Doo, Disney’s Duck Tales, Fairly Odd Parents, and the ever popular Family Guy and American Dad.
During the interview we talked about why working on animation can be liberating for a composer, why the days before MIDI was actually easier for composers, his battle with categorizing his music on CD Baby, and much more.
As you’ll hear, Ron’s a really funny guy with a wealth of knowledge, so we’ll probably come back for a Part 2 to the conversation soon.
I spoke with Ron via Zoom from his studio in Washington State.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the decline of fandom, and are we on the cusp of a new trend in recording?
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My guest this week is journalist Larry Jaffee, who’s going to take us behind the scenes of the biggest vinyl selling day of the year, Record Store Day.
Larry has been editor in chief of several magazines and websites covering the media and marketing businesses, including Medialine, which specialized in physical music product. His writing has been published in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Adweek, and numerous other publications.
He also currently teaches media studies at St. Joseph’s College and New York Institute of Technology, and has been the program director for the Making Vinyl and Replitech conferences, among others.
Larry’s latest book Record Store Day: The Most Improbable Comeback of the 21st Century is the inside story on how independent record store owners and musicians managed to revive the vinyl format from oblivion. It’s being published by Rare Bird Books to coincide with Record Store Day’s 15th Anniversary.
During the interview we talked about how Record Store Day started, how the resurgence of vinyl caught the music industry by surprise, how custom releases pushed sales, and much more.
I spoke with Larry via Zoom from his home in New York City.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how women are missing from popular music creation, and at digital drugs delivered by sound.
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My guest this week is Gary Lux, who is one of Hollywood’s premier music mixers with literally thousands of projects to his credit.
Before stepping out on his own, Gary was the head music mixer for Universal Studios, where he earned two Emmy Award nominations for his work with The Jacksons, and Frank Sinatra.
He has a wide range of music mixing credits including Usher, Sting, Rob Thomas, Britney Spears, Norah Jones, No Doubt, and many more. Gary was also one of the first to delve into 5.1 surround mixing, and has now mixed hundreds of titles in Dolby Atmos.
During the interview we spoke about dealing with stereo stems in immersive mixing, mixing for the headphone experience, mixing Van Halen in Atmos, his approach to mastering immersive material, and much more.
I spoke with Gary and his studio partner Dominic via Zoom from his studio near Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how the promise of NFTs and web3 might not be what artists want, and how the latest revolution in the musical instrument business is not what you think.
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She Rocks Awards - 01212016
My guest this week is Laura Whitmore, who started her career in the direct marketing department of CBS Records before a 20 year stint as the marketing director for Korg USA. There she was instrumental in marketing, PR and artist relations for the Korg, Marshall, and VOX brands as well as editor of Korg’s ProView Magazine.
Laura then started her own PR and marketing company called Mad Sun Marketing, with clients like Acoustic Amplification, Peavy, Sterling Audio, SIR, Korg, and many more, before signing on as VP of marketing for Positive Grid.
In 2012 she founded the Women’s International Music Network™ to create a hub to connect women in all facets of the music industry, and to expose them to role models, events and educational opportunities that focus on women in music.
During the interview we spoke about the difficulties of doing PR in today’s social media world, the idea behind the Women’s International Music Network, musicians as entrepreneurs, and much more.
I spoke with Laura via Zoom from her home office.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how the RIAA’s latest stellar revenue numbers are deceiving, and, are we looking at the end of the guitar effects pedal?
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My guest this week is Hayden Maringer, who has performed countless shows and tours all over the world working with artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato, The Band Perry, Carrie Underwood, and many more.
Hayden established himself as a music director and guitarist, but also as an actor, working as the lead guitar player on the Fox hit TV show Glee. He has also worked as a composer, with credits such as “The Scorpion King: Quest For Power,” commercials for Ford, and shows on NBC and BBC.
During the interview we spoke about his audition with Lady Gaga, the importance of reading music, a pressure-packed session with Jennifer Lopez, learning how to become a tour music director, and much more.
I spoke with Hayden from his studio in Hollywood.
On the intro I’ll take a look at TikTok becoming a music distributor, as well as the upcoming vacuum tube shortage.
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My guest this week is Michael Walker, who went from being a living-out-of-his-car touring musician to reaching #2 on the iTunes Alternative Charts in 6 months by using some simple grass-roots marketing techniques.
After touring professionally for eight years, Michael decided to set up Modern Musician to teach other artists and bands the skills that he learned to have a profitable music career. Michael now takes clients through a 3 tier system of discovering an artist’s identity, developing a passionate fan base, and then multiplying their revenue.
During the interview we spoke about how tour hacking started, how artists can better target their audience, how older artists can have an outlet for their music, and much more.
I spoke with Michael via Zoom from his studio in Florida.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the real culprit behind low songwriter royalties on Spotify, and if people can really tell the sonic difference between CD and vinyl.
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My guest this week is Daniel Rowland, who’s an audio engineer, producer, educator, Head of Strategy and Partnerships at Montreal’s LANDR Audio, and longtime professor at MTSU in Nashville.
Daniel has been part of numerous international tours; produced the music for an Oscar-winning Pixar film; and mastered multiplatinum/Grammy-nominated albums, while working on projects for artists as varied as Nine Inch Nails, Seal, Meek Mill, Phillip Glass, and Gwen Stefani, along with dozens of Disney properties such as Star Wars and Marvel.
Daniel has worked with online mastering service LANDR to refine its AI mastering engine and develop numerous virtual instruments, plugins, and other products, while crafting acquisition and partnerships deals with a wide range of startups and iconic brands/artists.
During the interview we spoke about distance audio learning, the unexpected uses for LANDR, his take on the newest music tech, and much more.
I spoke with Daniel from his studio in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the copyright office rejecting a claim for AI art, and the real world reasons for using a high recording resolution.
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My guest this week is Steve Genewick, who’s worked at Capitol Studios in Hollywood for 25 years. Steve was one of the very first mixers to get into Atmos music mixing and now has more experience than just about anyone.
Among the artists that Steve has mixed in Atmos includes Aerosmith, Miles Davis, Bon Jovi, Carrie Underwood, REM, Maroon 5 and many more.
During the interview we spoke about setting up a home Atmos studio, getting thrown into the Atmos learning curve, how he uses objects and beds, the tools he regularly uses, his custom reverb setup, and much more.
I spoke with Steve from his home studio in Hollywood. You can find out more about him either here or on Episode 276.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the people who don’t like crypto and NFTs and why, and the $200 Kanye Stem Music Player.
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My guest this week is Paul Kopf who’s the product manager for the go-to orchestral sample library for most film composers - the Vienna Symphonic Library. A composer, producer, musician and singer, Paul has been a staff member of VSL since the year 2000 when the company was founded, and is an expert for the world’s largest orchestral database with several million recorded samples.
As a Product Manager, he’s responsible for product design, beta-testing, presentation and documentation and is closely involved with customer support. Paul also does many of VSL’s numerous video tutorials, and travels around the world holding clinics and presenting the latest products at music events.
During the interview we spoke about the secret behind what makes VSL so popular, the process of recording the samples for the library, virtually placing the players on the stage, the piano robot, and much more.
I spoke with Paul from his office in Liechtenstein.
On the intro I’ll take a look at a new short run vinyl presser, and an update on the AKM audio chip fire.
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Also, how TikTok royalties works, and what will happen to musical instrument sales after the boom during Covid.
My guest this week is Ceri Thomas, who’s responsible for content and studio enablement for Dolby Music. He works with engineers, studios and record labels to ensure that they can create music using Dolby’s Atmos Technology.
After 15 years in the film and television industry at companies like Danetracks, Todd-Soundelux and Twenty Four Seven Sound, Ceri started as an applications engineer in virtual reality at Dolby. He then made the jump to working with Atmos in 2015, so he has vast experience on the subject.
During the interview we spoke about how to get into Atmos mixing, the vast number of devices that are Atmos capable, Dolby room tuning, what makes a great immersive mix, and much more.
I spoke with Ceri from his office in Burbank.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how TikTok royalties work, and what happens to musical instrument sales after the pandemic.
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PLUS: why the CD sales increase was just a mirage, and the end of the smart speaker era.
My guest this week is engineer Lij Shaw, who’s the owner of the Toy Box Studio in Nashville and host of the great podcast Recording Studio Rockstars. Lij has also been battling with the Nashville Metro Council since 2015 on behalf of home studio and home business owners in the city to keep their businesses open.
The city of Nashville, which ironically has the moniker of “Music City,” had a zoning ordinance on its books claiming that a home studio or business is in violation if a customer comes to the house.
In July 2020 Nashville finally made home studios and other home businesses legal, but the win also included a sunset clause that would cause the bill to expire three years later unless they vote to keep the law active in January 2023.
In 2017, Lij and other Nashville home business owners filed a lawsuit in an effort to provide the right to work from home, which has now made it all the way to the Tennessee Supreme Court.
During the interview we spoke about his legal battle with the city of Nashville, installing his new studio, auditioning the Phantom Focus system, selling his iconic console, and much more.
I spoke with Lij from his studio via zoom in Nashville.
On the intro I’ll take a look at why the CD sales increase was just a mirage, and the end of the smart speaker era.
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Plus, why the prices of streaming audio should be increased, and the world's fastest cybernetic drummer.
My guest this week is Martins Popelis, who’s one of the founders of Sonarworks. The company was one of the first to provide room and headphone calibration software that’s within the reach of the average home studio owner.
During the interview we spoke about measurement mics why they’re all different, the company’s consumer offerings, how to get the best results with Sonarworks, the difference between Sonarworks and room modeling, and much more.
I spoke with Martins from a studio in Los Angeles that he was visiting.
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Also, the top music moneymakers last year, and some plugins that can do more harm than good.
My guest this week is the legendary guitarist Wayne Kramer, who may be one of the most unappreciated but exceptionally influential guitarists in rock. He was a co-founder of the seminal MC5, a band that many would argue started the punk rock movement almost a decade before it became popular. In fact, The Clash even wrote not one, but two songs about him!
Wayne has collaborated with a who’s who of rock’s most elite artists over the years. As a matter of fact, the list is so long that you can read about it here. His scoring work can be heard on Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, the HBO comedy series Eastbound & Down, ESPN’s 5-4-3-2-1, In My Own Words, and Under The Lights, and even for the “Unlabeled” Jim Beam commercial.
Wayne is extremely passionate about his work with Jail Guitar Doors, a program that provides guitars and music lessons for inmates at more than 50 penal institutions throughout the United States. He regularly plays concerts with an all-star band at prisons around the country.
During the interview we spoke about .
I spoke with Wayne from his studio in Los Angeles.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how the top music earners compare to youtube earners, and some plugins that can get you into trouble.
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Plus on the intro, a look at how CDs increased for the first time in 17 years, and how voiceovers are being disrupted by AI.
My guest this week is Avid Solutions Specialist Jeff Komar. Jeff grew up around music and recording so he naturally gravitated towards the tech world. He joined Digidesign in 2000 before it was bought by Avid, and he’s specialized in helping creators solve problems ever since.
Since there have been so many questions lately about immersive audio, I thought I’d get the info from someone directly connected to the technology.
During the interview we spoke about what’s required to get started in immersive audio, where to find sessions to practice with, the difference between bed and object tracks, the different mixing approaches, how it’s affected production, and much more.
I spoke with Jeff via Zoom from his home studio.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how CDs actually increased in sales last year, and how voiceovers are being disrupted by AI.
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My guest this week is Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Michael Romanowski, who’s the owner and chief mastering engineer at Coast Mastering in Berkley, CA.
Michael has over 30 years of experience mastering in stereo, but he’s been a pioneer in mastering for immersive audio, complete with a new purpose-built 9.1.6 room.
Michael’s immersive credits include the original motion picture soundtrack for Dune, Hans Zimmer, three albums by Alicia Keys, Eagles “Live From The Form”, and quite a few others.
During the interview we spoke about what people expect from immersive mastering, how the loudness wars are creeping in again, the tools he uses and the tools he'd still like to have, what makes a great immersive mix, and much more.
I spoke with Michael via Zoom from his studio just in the Bay area.
On the intro I’ll take a look at Apple Music finally converting its full catalog to lossless, and the top 20 computer audio interfaces.
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It's that time of year again to take a look back at the influential music business stories from 2021, see how the predictions from last year fared, and have a look forward to the trends and predictions for 2022. Among the things I'll discuss in Podcast 401 include:
Music centers shifting to new places on the globe
The $9.99 streaming price
Spotify getting into video
TikTok peaking
The future of immersive audio
The move towards hi-res audio
Artists and their streaming numbers
The next big trend in music
Music NFTs
As always you'll hear not only my outlook on these topics but what I'm seeing that makes me think that way.
Here's to the last podcast of 2021. Once again, thank you for your support.
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Yes, it's an old picture, but I thought Edward Colver did a great job taking it
We've hit a milestone today with Episode 400 so I'm going to change things up a little.
There's new theme music (I'm not sure if I like it - if you have something better please send it), and the upcoming episodes this year will be more theme-based. First up will be a deep-dive into immersive audio as soon as the new year rolls around.
By popular demand, this episode is dedicated to a few of my personal studio horror stories, although some are actually about some good experiences (like the Frank Zappa stories) too.
During the episode I covered some early sessions that did not go well (and how I handled them badly too), dipping my toe into commercials and jingles, fun times with Frank Zappa, having some songs on a hit TV show (but paying the price), a true Hollywood TV star moment (not), not getting paid and not getting credit, celebrity tapes exploding, and much more.
Thank you kindly for all your support and for listening all these years. I hope to see you back for the next 400!
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My guest this week is my good friend for many years Dennis Moody, who also appeared on the very first episode of the Inner Circle Podcast as well as number 100, 200 and 300. This is episode #399 and I’m going to be changing things up starting on episode 400 so I wanted to bring Dennis back on to close out an era.
Dennis is known as the “drummer's engineer” having worked on projects by master drummers Dave Weckl, Steve Gadd, and Michael White among many others.
He’s also one of the few studio engineers that also excels as a live concert engineer, having mixed at most of the major U.S. venues from Carnegie Hall to Madison Square Garden to The L.A. Forum, as well as most of the major concert venues throughout Europe including Wembly Arena, Royal Albert Hall, and other venues for shows having up to 250,000 in attendance. He has also mixed thousands of Broadway style musicals, large and small orchestral shows, plays, and live broadcasts worldwide.
During the interview we spoke about working during Covid, some of his recent interesting gear finds, working with Missy Elliot, the future of recording studios, and much more.
I spoke with Dennis via Zoom from his studio just outside of Hollywood
On the intro I’ll take a look at the genres not on this years Billboard year-end charts, and the state of sampling and how that affects the hits we listen to today.
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My guest this week is Kati Eismann, who’s the global marketing director for the Adam Hall Group. The Adam Hall Group brands include sound reinforcement company LD Systems, stage lighting company Cameo, stand company Gravity, cable protectors by Defender, and Adam Hall hardware and flight cases. It’s also the distributor to brands like Hofner, EBS, Maiton and Mad Professor Amplification.
Before joining Adam Hall Kati spent 10 years with labels such as Warner, Universal and Virgin, and then moved into the fashion sector at brands such as Eastpak and Endemol, before returning to music business with her position with Adam Hall.
During the interview we spoke about being one of the few females in live sound, how the music business prepared Katie for the fashion industry, the difference between the US and European audio markets, and much more.
I spoke with Katie via Zoom.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the minimum wage for working musicians, and some vocal recording tips.
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My guest this week is mastering engineer Pete Doell, who worked as a staff engineer at the legendary Wally Heider Studios before moving to Capitol Records studio and then to Sony Pictures, where he worked for 15 years. While at Capitol, he worked on a wide range of artists from Miles Davis to Dwight Yokum to the Beach Boys and many more.
In the early 2000’s Pete transitioned into mastering engineer first at Universal Mastering Studios, then to AfterMaster Audio Labs, where he currently works. His mastering credits include Ray Charles, James Brown, Puddle of Mudd, Toto, and many more.
I wanted to catch up with Pete since his last appearance on the Podcast was in Episode 165 more than 4 years ago. During the interview we talked about the things that have changed in mastering, how streaming has actually been beneficial to music audio, the level of the mixes he asks clients to send him, mastering for The Voice, and much more.
I spoke with Pete from his studio in Hollywood.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the pros and cons of a record deal, as well as the legal implications of deepfake music.
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John Krivit is an audio educator and founder of the extremely popular Facebook group "Hey Audio Student."
He's a past president of the Audio Engineering Society, and served as Chair of the 2018 AES Conference on Audio Archiving, Preservation & Restoration at the US Library of Congress and was Chair of the 2018 and 2019 AES High School Audio Educators Conferences.
John is also a senior affiliated faculty at Emerson College, where he’s been the recipient of the Inabeth Miller Award for excellence in teaching and the Norm Prescott Award for outstanding faculty member.
During the interview we talked about not so obvious audio jobs, John’s “Hey Audio Student” community, conducting audio manufacturer factory tours, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how much streaming platforms are paying in 2021, and new uses for spatial audio.
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NEWS
How the music industry jobs have changed The ultimate song according to science
GUEST
Earthworks Audio CEO Gareth Krausser
Gareth Krausser, who’s the CEO of Earthworks Audio, one of the premier microphone manufacturers that keeps a relatively low profile.
Earthworks was founded by audio pioneer David Blackmer, who also founded dbx, and it was originally set up as a speaker manufacturer. David found the test gear needed in loudspeaker design was lacking so he built a measurement microphone as his first project. It was so well regarded for its sound quality that before long, the focus of the company shifted entirely to microphones.
During the interview we spoke about Gareth’s long association behind the scenes with Earthworks, what makes Earthworks mics different, specialty microphones, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how jobs have changed in the music business, and the ultimate song according to science.
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NEWS
Vinyl is doing better than ever, and that's why it's in crises Will the latest guitar sales boom collapse?
GUEST
Music life coach Ariane Paras
My guest this week is music life coach Ariane Paras, who started in the business working for record labels and booking acts into large venues before she found that her real calling was helping people. Now through her Olympia Coaching she helps musicians, artists, and industry professionals how to be happy and thrive in their careers.
A certified life coach, Ariane uses a variety of self-development tools from fields such as NLP, neuroscience, mindfulness, and positive psychology in her sessions to help her clients create a life they love, and love the life they have.
During the interview we spoke about connecting to your creativity, using breath work to overcome a negative emotion, working with artists who feel stuck in their careers, getting beyond the typical artist mindset blocks, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at vinyl doing so well that it’s in crisis, and the new guitar sales boom.
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NEWS
According to it's own insider data, Facebook has lost young users Metallica has an online band course, but are bands passe?
GUEST
L-Acoustic's managing director Guillaume LeNost talks L-ISA Studio
Guillaume LeNost started in the R&D department at L-Acoustics in 2009 and has risen to Managing Direct in the UK. He’s also in charge of the company’s Creative Technologies division, which includes development of the L-ISA immersive audio system. Prior to that Guillaume researched industrial environmental noise and binaural synthesis (in which he received his PhD), and spent time in audio for gaming space. During the interview we spoke about the L-ISA Studio spatial audio package, how artists are thinking of immersive audio right from the beginning of a project, spatial audio translation from headphones to a playback system, L-Acoustic’s Blue Space, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at Facebook losing new users, and the Metallica online band course and the future of bands.
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NEWS
Spotify's Marquee promotion tool makes you pay to reach your own fans How smart apps and plugins are changing music
GUEST
Vocal coach Adreana Gonzalez
Vocal coach Adreana Gonzalez is the founder of HVS Conservatory, a post-secondary school for aspiring professional vocalists. HVS is led by some of the most prominent vocal coaches and artist development professionals that give their students practical and actionable advice that goes beyond just technique.
During the interview, we spoke about tension can affect our voice, singer’s bad habits, the mental aspects of singing, how your lifestyle influences your throat health, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the possible new Spotify’s Marquee promotion tool, and how smart apps and plugins are changing music.
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NEWS
My guest this week is Andreas Wagner, who’s the head of software development for Rebeat Innovation. Andreas is the main developer for the company’s Perfect Groove software, which allows mastering engineers to emulate a fully cut vinyl lacquer.
Songwriter streaming royalties about to be set again, and the streaming services want it to decrease Guitar Center's credit rating actually increases
GUEST
Andreas Wagner, head developer of the Perfect Groove virtual lacquer software
This allows mastering studios to optimize and prep audio files for the master disc cutting process, and disc cutters to detect any issues in the cutting process before the lacquer is actually cut.
During the interview, we spoke about the physics of what happens when a stick hits a drum, why a virtual lathe is needed today, how Perfect Groove fits with HD Vinyl, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the possible new streaming royalty rate for songwriters, and Guitar Center's latest financial picture.
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NEWS
What it takes to make a living through streaming
Recording hits on an iPhone
GUEST
Founder and CEO of the collaboration platform Sessionwire, Robin Leboe
My guest this week is Robin Leboe, founder and CEO of the production collaboration platform Sessionwire.
Sessionwire solves the challenges associated with remote collaboration of having to cobble together different audio, video and file transfer services to re-create a realistic virtual recording environment.
The platform's all-in-one seamless integration of high quality audio and video enables artists to focus on the music and creative process, not technology connections and communications coordination.
Sessionwire's core components include the stand-alone Mac and Windows app, online community, a suite of cross-platform plug-ins, and the unique Sessionview, a browser-based production environment that allows anyone with a link to participate in a remote session with live high-quality audio and video.
During the interview, we spoke about the reality of latency, the unpredictability of wifi, how Sessionwire works, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at what it takes to make a living through streaming, and recording hits with an iPhone.
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NEWS
NFTs are the hot new thing, but you have to be aware of these legal issues A new bill will make music production costs deductible
GUESTS
Erik Blicker and Glann Schloss, founders of Flavorlab
My guests this week are Erik Blicker and Glenn Schloss, founders and of Flavorlab, an award-winning audio production company that composes, records, mixes and masters music and sound for the biggest brands in the world.
Flavorlab offers a complete set of audio solutions through its three divisions. Flavorlab Score is dedicated to composing original music and scores; Flavorlab Sound specializes in audio services for feature films, scripted and unscripted television; and commercials, trailers and video games, and Flavorlab Toolbox offers an exclusive boutique music catalog with over 5,000 songs by 300 different composers.
Flavorlab’s past projects include the original score, editing, and mix for the NBA Official 2020 Season Restart Announcement, the mix for documentary Do Not Split, the original score for HBO’s documentary Wildcard: Death of a Radio Loudmouth, and the original score, music licensing, and mix for KSV’s American Forest Foundation.
Flavorlab also composed the theme song for ABC’s iconic talk show, The View, the recent Olympics spot for Polo Ralph Lauren, and the HBO series VICE utilizes their exclusive Producer’s Toolbox and licensing services for their show music, among many others.
During the interview, we spoke about the unique circumstances for that led to the formation of the company, why they’d prefer not to do commercials, tuning drums and percussion to the key of the song, how persistence led to getting tracks on ESPN. and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the some of the legal issues with NFTs, and passage of a congressional bill can make all music production costs fully deductible.
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NEWS
New data shows that music spreads just like an infectious disease
With Apple release their own processors, the end of the Hackentosh is near
GUEST
Saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Jamie Anderson
My guest this week is sax and woodwind player Jamie Anderson, who’s played with artists like Chaka Khan, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Frankie Valli, Incognito, Robbie Williams, Rick Astley, and many more.
Jamie is also heavily involved with West End Musicals where he played on the smash hit Jersey Boys for its full nine year run, as well as 42nd Street, Motown The Musical, Dreamgirls, Kinky Boots, and The Book Of Mormon, among others.
He now offers some great instructional videos on his YouTube channel as well as a full list of courses on his Get Your Sax Together website.
During the interview, we spoke about learning to excel in different genres, backing up some music legends, the ins and outs of playing in a theater pit orchestra, the many factors involving saxophone tone, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the viral transmission rates of songs, and the upcoming end of the Hackintosh.
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NEWS
An overview of how YouTube's video recommendation works The warehouse storing the history of analog electronic music no one knows about
GUEST
Byta.com founder and CEO Marc Brown Also check out HowWeListen.org
My guest this week is Marc Brown, founder and CEO of Byta.com, a site that enables sending and receiving digital audio in a clean, simple and secure way.
Marc has an extensive music business background and considerable digital audio knowledge which has helped him deliver unique insights to audiences from Tallinn to Toronto. He got his start at Murderecords, Canada’s premier artist owned label, during the mid 90s.
After working in A&R at the legendary London indie Creation Records, then at Alan McGee’s Poptones, Marc started his own boutique UK radio promotion company off the back of his success with The Hives.
For over 10 years Marc worked with an impressive list of indie rock luminaries including Wilco, Bloc Party, Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes, Spoon and Refused as well as legends such as Tom Waits, Yoko Ono, Booker T and Mavis Staples.
During the interview, we spoke about why radio might still be important to an artist, the downside of sending files via email, the challenges of getting music to industry execs and radio, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at YouTube’s video recommendation engine, and the fantastic analog electronic music museum that no one knows about.
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NEWS
Canadian study shows how the digital streaming dollar is split Winter NAMM 2022 is postponed to June
GUEST
Songwriter / Producer Kris Bradley Find out more at producerlikeaboss.com and boomfoxproductions.com
My guest this week is Kris Bradley, who’s a songwriter/producer with credits including Sony BMG, Warner Chappell, Rolling Stone, Fox, Lincoln, and Miramax. She heads Boomfox Productions, producing for various sync projects, artists and songwriters.
Kris is also the founder of Produce Like a Boss, which is an online coaching program geared towards the songwriter/producer, rather than the engineer. Her “non-techy” and simplified style of teaching is helping tons of artists learn how to produce their own music.
During the interview, we spoke about playing in a cover band in Asia, rebranding herself for production, her approach to communicating with artists, trends in production, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how the streaming dollar breaks down, and Winter NAMM 2022 gets postponed.
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Inside The M&B Remote Audio Truck
NEWS
Amazon is getting into live programming
How loudspeaker DSP has changed the audio world
GUEST
3 time Grammy-winning engineer Mark Linett Find out more about Mark and the Horizon remote audio truck at MandBaudio.com Mark previously appeared on Podcast #135
My guest this week is 3 time Grammy-winning engineer Mark Linett. Mark and his partner Bob Wartinbee have operated their remote audio truck as the West Coast branch of Music Mix Mobil, but will now continue as a new independent company, M&B Audio.
For the last 11 years, M&B’s 40' state of the art mobile audio truck 'Horizon' has recorded numerous iconic events, including the Grammy Awards, The Oscars, MTV’s VMA's, ten years at the CMA's, the iHeartRadio Music Awards and Festivals. They've also done projects for a wide range of artists including Coldplay, The Eagles, Stevie Wonder, U2, Motley Crew, Linkin Park, Miley Cyrus, and Sean Mendez, to name a few.
During the interview, we spoke about how live recording has changed over the years, the workflow of award shows, his conversion to digital audio, and much more.
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NEWS
TikTok is testing increased video lengths to compete with YouTube Using MID from your browser with Web MIDI
GUESTS
Chris Bragg and Travis Michaud from trailer music company Ghostwriter Music
Ghostwriter is the go-to source for trailers for feature films, as well as television programming. The company’s clients include Marvel, Disney, Sony, Paramount, 20th Century Studios, LEGO, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Amazon, Apple, FX, HBO, Hulu and Netflix, among others. Chris has worked as a mastering engineer, producer, music supervisor and sound designer before starting Ghostwriter. Travis, who’s the company’s COO, worked as a sound editor, sound designer, music supervisor and music producer before partnering up with Chris in 2017. During the interview, we spoke about how trailer music is different from film music, the mindset needed for creating trailer music, how a trailer gets put together, the fast turnaround time required, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at TikTok testing increased video times, and the new online version of MIDI from your browser called Web MIDI.
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NEWS
More people are streaming music than you might have thought The legendary synth developer Tom Oberheim gets his worldwide trademark back and will start making synths again
GUEST
Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Drummer Matt Sorum
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Matt Sorum held the drum chair for Guns N’ Roses for 7 years, as well as stints with The Cult and Velvet Revolver.
Matt’s reputation as a musician’s musician has placed him squarely at the center of Hollywood’s A-list community of artists, working on projects with legends like Alice Cooper, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Billy F Gibbons (ZZ Top), Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) and Brian May (Queen).
Quite the entrepreneur as a founder of 6 startup companies, Matt sits on the Global Blockchain Business Council at UCLA, and has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He’s even created his own beer line, appropriately named The Drummer.
Matt’s autobiography, Double Talkin’ Jive: True Rock ‘n’ Roll Stories from the Drummer of Guns N’ Roses, The Cult, and Velvet Revolver, is available soon wherever books are sold.
During the interview, we spoke about Matt’s contribution to the Buddy Rich tribute album, getting his first big break, Lemmy and Motorhead stories, his entrepreneurship and charitable causes, his new autobiography, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the streaming marketshare, and Tom Oberheim gets his worldwide trademark back.
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NEWS
The most influential artists and how much they make from streaming The latest "Stolen Feel" lawsuit that could turn music on its head
GUESTS
Founder/CEO Nicholas Laroche and lead designer Yohan Antoine-Édouard from BeatConnect
My guests this week are founder and CEO Nick Laroche and lead designer Yohan Antoine-Édouard from the online collaboration platform BeatConnect.
BeatConnect offers a low-cost, easy way for producers and musicians to collaborate either using the stand-alone online app or via a plugin on their favorite DAW.
The platform arose from Nick’s frustration with the problems and time involved in trying to get together with other musicians in person. BeatConnect incorporates a shared sequencer, cloud storage and video chat all within the app, making distance writing and recording a snap.
During the interview, we spoke about how BeatConnect was conceived, how it works, dealing with latency, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the most influential artists and how much they’ve made from streaming, and the latest copyright lawsuit that could turn music on its ear.
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NEWS
Big stars that have huge fake Instagram and Twitter followings Will the big change at Sweetwater affect the way they do business?
GUEST
Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota
My guest this week is the CEO of Merlin, Jeremy Sirota. Merlin is a digital rights partner for independent labels and distributors all over the world. It’s powerful enough that some now refer to it as the 4rth major label.
Jeremy previously held a number of senior positions at Warner Music Group and Facebook, where he led the company’s efforts to license and acquire music rights from labels and distributors around the world.
During the interview, we spoke about Merlin’s mission and how it helps indie labels and artists, the mindset of music tech, the essentials of negotiating a deal, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the big stars who have huge fake followings on Twitter and Instagram, and the big change happening at Sweetwater.
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NEWS
More than 13,000 make $50k or more on Spotify, but that's not the bad news Answering questions about master mix levels for mastering
GUEST
Some good stories from 18 time Grammy winning engineer Benny Faccone
18 time Grammy-winning engineer Benny Faccone started working at the famous A&M Studios back in 1980 where he worked on records by Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Supertramp, Michael Jackson and many more. After Benny went free-lance, he quickly became the go-to engineer for Latin stars like Mana, Jose Jose, Luis Miguel, Ricky Martin, Santana, among many others. Benny is used to working in the best studios in the world, but has been working in his own custom room in different locations since 2006. He recently decided to build a first-class room in his garage and describes how it wasn't as difficult as he expected. Yes, he’s still an analog guy and mixes on a console. During the interview, we spoke about how to build a great sounding room cheaply, template mixing in analog, the sound of vintage reverbs, and some really good stories. On the intro I’ll take a look at the people that make $50k per year on Spotify, and how to think about mix levels before sending to mastering.
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NEWS
How TikTok influences streaming numbers The scientific reason behind why people love drumming
GUEST
Engineer and tech writer Barry Rudolph
Barry Rudolph has probably done more magazine gear reviews that anyone on the planet by a factor of 10. As an engineer, Barry’s worked on 15 gold or platinum records by artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall and Oats, Rod Stewart, Mick Jagger and many more.
Barry has also written more than 250 reviews of audio gear for Mix Magazine, and over 2,000 for Music Connection, where he continues to this day. He was first featured here on podcast #31 way back in November of 2014.
During the interview, we spoke about the latest at summer NAMM, the state of conferences, trends in audio production, mixing in Atmos, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how TikTok helps promote streaming, and the scientific reason people like drumming.
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NEWS
The latest streaming numbers tells us a lot about the current music business A new simple and cheap sound isolation tool may make a big difference in all kinds of construction
GUEST
Keyboardist, composer and producer Jeff Lorber
Grammy Award-nominated keyboardist, composer, and record producer Jeff Lorber has released more than 25 albums during his career and he’s considered one of the pioneers of the modern jazz genre.
Many of his songs are featured on The Weather Channel’s “Local On The 8s” segments, and he’s contributed tracks for the critically acclaimed PlayStation game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Jeff has done extensive production and session work for other artists including Dave Koz, Eric Benet, and Herb Alpert, and he’s excelled working as a remixer. He also owns the state of the art JHL Sound Studios.
During the interview, we spoke about the brilliant strategy he used to gain visibility for an early album, the event that got him into engineering, his little-known career in remixer (including a song for U2), and much more.
I spoke with the Jeff via zoom from his studio in Pacific Palisades, CA.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the latest streaming numbers, and a new sound isolation tool that should make a big impact.
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NEWS
A look at the best-selling streaming songwriters shows some interesting and unseen trends The Rhodes electric piano may be back in production soon
GUESTS
President and founder Paul Hubert, COO Jim Rondinelli, and chief scientist JJ Johnston from the 3D mixing platform Immersion Networks
Guests this week include President and founder Paul Hubert, COO Jim Rondinelli, and chief scientist JJ Johnston from the 3D mixing platform Immersion Networks. The company’s innovative Mix3 (pronounced “mix cubed”) software allows anyone to upload a tracks and mix them in a three-dimensional environment. These mixes can be appreciated without special hardware and distributed through streaming services.
The credentials of my guests are indeed impressive. Paul worked alongside Steve Jobs at Apple, installing the first Macs at Prince’s Paisley Park Studios and creating audio formats that liberated the potential of satellite radio. Jim has recorded and produced more than 100 album projects and received gold and platinum awards for his work with Matthew Sweet, Wilco, Weezer and Everclear, but has a long history in music tech with Warner/Chappell Music, Slacker, and Rdio, among others. JJ is an authority on human perception and audio signal processing, having worked for 25 years at Bell Labs, where he helped develop the MP3 and AAC codecs.
During the interview, we spoke about the most important speaker in a multi-speaker setup, the limitations of modern LP-style production, developing a streaming service way before one existed commercially, how perceptual codecs were created, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at unseen trends in streaming, and the Rhodes electric piano making a comeback.
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NEWS
You can easily buy Instagram followers but is it wise? Single chord progression songs have been around longer than rap, hip hop and EDM
GUEST
Musician, composer, sound engineer, sound designer and producer Jurij Gianluca Ricotti
Musician, composer, sound engineer, sound designer and producer Jurij Gianluca Ricotti has worked with a wide range of artists that include Brittney Spears, Rita Ora, Casey Musgraves, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, Yngwie Malmsteen and even the Pope.
Since 2015 Jurij’s worked on several #1 records as a sound engineer and synth programmer for the acclaimed tenor Andrea Bocelli, where he also received 4 Grammy nominations. Plus he’s also written for a number of magazines over the years.
During the interview, we spoke about recording Bocelli, working in Taiwan, playing the Vatican as a musician, working with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road, riding the mic preamp trim control, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the upside and downside buying Instagram followers, and the history of single chord progression songs.
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NEWS
Tours are having a tough time finding road crews that are vaccinated Manufacturers like Avid are having great years despite the pandemic
GUEST
Singer, songwriter, politician, environmentalist and community activist John Hall
Singer, songwriter, politician, environmentalist and community activist John Hall is one of the founders of the group Orleans and a co-writer of their two huge hits that you still hear all the time - “Dance With Me” and “Still The One.”
He has written songs for Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, and James Taylor, and he's also played guitar on tours and records for Little Feat, Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne, and Seals and Crofts.
John took a break from music to enter politics, where he was elected to the legislature of Ulster County, NY, the Saugerties Board of Education, and finally to the U.S. House of Representatives representing the 19th congressional district of New York., where he served from 2007 to 2011.
He continues to play with Orleans as well as release solo material, including his latest album titled Reclaiming My Time.
During the interview, we spoke about some of the recording and mixing background of “Still The One,” why serving in political office is much harder than running, the difficulties of cutting an album during covid, and much more.
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NEWS
The creator economy has created a lot of competition The reason why songs are getting simpler
GUEST
Keyboardist, conductor, composer and arranger Bob Luna
Keyboardist, conductor, composer and arranger Bob Luna has worked with everyone from Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Dionne Warwick, Alanis Morissette, Reba McEntire and many more. Bob has also created music for film, television, commercials and video games, as well as composing the trailer music for dozens of films. He’s also served as the music director for the “Simply Shakespeare” concert put on annually by Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks. Bob and I briefly played together in ex-Rolling Stone Mick Taylor’s touring band back in the early 1990s. During the interview, we spoke about learning conducting, writing trailer music, working with Paul McCartney, studying with some classical masters, covering multiple keyboard parts on stage, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at the creator economy, and why songs are getting simpler.
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NEWS
Hit records have a shorter and shorter shelf life The problems with mixing on headphones and possible solutions
GUEST
Mixer Nacho Molino
5 time Grammy winning mixer Nacho Molino has worked with Ruben Blades, Carlos Vives, CJ Ramone, Gente d Zona, Joan Manuel Serrat and many more.
Even though he comes from a rock background, Nacho has been awarded Latin Grammy’s for Best Salsa Album and Album of the Year, as well as Recording of the Year, and Best Tropical Latin Album.
During the interview, we spoke about bringing a rock sensibility to mixing salsa, the strict rhythms of salsa, using audiophile speakers for mixing, common mixing problems he sees, and much more.
On the intro, I’ll take a look at music's short shelf life, and the problems with mixing on headphones and possible solutions.
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NEWS
YouTube payed a massive amount of royalty's to the music industry over the last 12 months Is microtime audio the next audio horizon?
GUEST
Producer / engineer / educator Mark Rubel
Mark Rubel has produced thousands of recordings from his Pogo Studio for clients like Alison Krauss, Rascal Flatts, Fall Out Boy, Ludacris, Adrian Belew, Luther Allison, and many more.
Mark also works as a consultant and legal expert witness in the fields of audio and copyright. He has taught audio, music technology, music business, and the history of rock to thousands of students since 1985 at various colleges and universities before becoming the Director of Education for The Blackbird Academy in Nashville.
During the interview, we spoke about how to make the most with the least amount of gear, the learning experience of working with acoustic music, the affect of being around excellence, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at YouTube’s massive royalty payout, and microtime audio.
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NEWS
The latest trends in film scores is good news for indie artists Environmental issues and guitar tonewoods
GUEST
Music PR maven Ariel Hyatt
Music PR maven Ariel Hyatt's CyberPR agency just celebrated 25 years in business. Ariel and her company specialize in digital media campaigns for the music industry. She has spoken in 12 countries to over 100,000 creative entrepreneurs and is the author of five bestselling books on social media, marketing, and crowdfunding including Cyber PR for Musicians, Music Success in 9 Weeks, and Crowdstart. Her newest Book The Ultimate Guide to Music Publicity describes everything you need to know about hiring or being a music publicist and is the very best book of its kind. During the interview, we spoke about how much music PR has changed through the years, matching up with the right publicist, using the hero’s journey in your bio, why physical press kits are still relevant, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at the latest trends in film licensing, and the environmental issues in building guitars.
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NEWS
German copyright is changing and artists hate that TikTok won't be paying Pro Sound News and Mix Magazine are merging
GUEST
Production manager for Boston House of Blues and the Xfinity Center Tim McKenna
My guest this week again is Tim McKenna, who started his career as a stagehand/lighting tech at the legendary Paradise Rock Club in 1980 and now oversees production at the Boston House of Blues and the Xfinity Center.
He has advanced well over 5000 shows in his career in venues ranging from 60 to 60,000 in capacity that include Orpheum Theater, Avalon Ballroom, Foxboro Stadium and Great Woods as well as many other venues throughout New England.
Tim also produced special events for various radio stations, the Democratic National Convention and ESPN.
During the interview, we spoke about learning club lighting without any direction, making the jump from lighting director to production manager, the current brain drain in the industry, predictions for the live music business after covid, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the fight over German copyright laws, and more mergers in the music business.
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NEWS
TikTok blowing up with Gen-Z What makes music so universal?
GUEST
Producer/engineer/photographer Terry Manning - Part 2
My guest on the podcast this week is part 2 with the legendary Terry Manning, who’s had successful careers as a record producer, audio engineer, photographer, composer, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist.
Over his career, Terry has worked on some huge hits with Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Otis Redding, Joe Walsh, Shania Twain, Al Green, Lenny Kravitz and many more.
He’s also worked as a photojournalist for New Musical Express and has photographed Chuck Berry, Procol Harum, Jimi Hendrix, Dusty Springfield, as well as capturing Martin Luther King Jr on film the day before his assassination.
In part 2 of our interview, we spoke about the inside story on the making of ZZ Top's biggest hits, his time at the legendary Compass Point Studio, his photography career, being an audio gear manufacturer, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at TikTok blowing up with Gen-Z, and what makes music universal.
Enjoy the show!
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NEWS
Trends in the hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart The best song tempo to study to
GUEST
Producer/engineer/photographer Terry Manning - Part 1
Terry Manning has had successful careers as a photographer, composer, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, audio engineer, and visual artist. Over his career, Terry has worked with Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Otis Redding, Joe Walsh, Shania Twain, Al Green, Lenny Kravitz and many more. He’s also worked as a photojournalist for New Musical Express and has photographed Chuck Berry, Procol Harum, Jimi Hendrix, Dusty Springfield, as well as capturing Martin Luther King Jr on film the day before his assassination. During Part 1 of the interview we spoke about being hired at Stax Records by Steve Cropper, the difference between American and English engineers, working with Otis Redding, his relationship with Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin, and much more. Part 2 comes next week.
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NEWS
The new trend of making different versions of the same song Focurite Group acquires legendary synth manufacture Sequential Circuits
GUEST
Composer and music licensing expert Michael Elsner Master Music Licensing
Michael Elsner started playing sessions for a multitude of television, album and film projects, which eventually led to his own music appearing on TV and film as well.
As a songwriter and composer, his songs have been placed in over 180 individual television series, accounting for over 800 individual episodes. Some of these include American Idol, The Voice, Amish Mafia, Cold Case, EXTRA, The Sing-Off, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Hannah Montana, and High School Musical 2. He’s also composed music for commercials for Audi, Mazda, Skechers and Verizon, as well as trailers for Cinderella (Disney), Ocean's 8, Narcos, Sneaky Pete, and Better Call Saul.
Michael has taken his knowledge and experience of music licensing and created the Master Music Licensing Program, which provides a first-hand look on how to obtain sync placements in film and television.
During the interview we spoke about growing up in Woodstock, making the jump to writing for television, the 4 step process to licensing, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at singles that won’t die, and Focusrite acquiring Sequential Circuits.
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NEWS
The music industry is drowning in data and it's getting worse The 10 most expensive albums ever made
GUEST
Producer/engineer and mixer Brian Malouf Check out the Djooky Music Awards
Brian Malouf is a multi-platinum American producer, engineer, and mixer who has worked with Michael Jackson, Queen, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Stevie Wonder and other world-known artists. Also serving as an executive at several major record labels over the years, his work has amassed a total of 53 gold, platinum, and double platinum records to date. Brian is a true veteran of the global music industry; he has enjoyed a 30+ year career on the production and executive side of the music business. In 1994-2005 he was Senior Vice President of A&R for RCA Records in New York, and later Vice President and Head of A&R at Walt Disney Records where he worked with artists such as Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, and the Jonas Brothers. Brian now owns Cookie Jar Recording in Sherman Oaks, California and works as an independent producer and mixer. He’s also the co-founder of Djooky, an emerging startup that hosts the Djooky Music Awards — a contest open to artists and songwriters that started last summer and runs four times a year. During the interview we spoke about working for Michael Jackson, engineering for a recording legend, why drummers and bass players make the best engineers, transitioning into the world of A&R, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at the music industry drowning in data, and the 10 most expensive albums ever made.
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NEWS
Streaming music recommendations may be poor depending on the music genre The world's quietest room is not where you expect it
GUEST
Music producer Richard "Younglord" Frierson
My guest this week is Richard “Younglord” Frierson, who’s a Grammy-nominated hip hop and R&B producer and a founder of Truth Licensing, a major provider of music for films, TV shows and commercials. Rich started producing for Puff Daddy’s Hitmen production team at the tender age of 16. His production credits include Puff Daddy, Notorious B.I.G., Fat Joe, Faith Evans, LL Cool J, New Edition and many more. In 2014 he founded Truth Music Licensing, which now has a catalog of over 5,000 songs and has placed music on the Star and Empire television shows, and commercials for Gatorade, Pepsi, and AT&T among others. During the interview we spoke about the value of asking people how they do things, how much the business aspect has changed since he started, his favorite techniques for vocal production, transitioning into music licensing, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at poor streaming recommendations depending on genre, and the quietest room in the world.
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NEWS
The latest trends in social media according to Pew Research Shure recommendations for cleaning microphones
GUEST
Meddling CEO Travis Rosenblatt
Travis Rosenblatt used his experience in A&R for Warner Bros and 300 Entertainment to create Medding, a subscription-based service which offers real time data on global music markets, as well as track capabilities, analytics and communications tools.
Meddling is used by record labels, music publishers, artist management, law firms, talent agencies and concert promoters to spot new musical talent and trends. Some of his clients include Republic, Columbia, Capitol, Disney and Island records, and Universal Music Publishing, among many others.
During the interview we spoke about how label A&R has changed over the years, what indicates an artist is hot, shrinking radio promo departments, the hype around virtual concerts, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the latest trends in social media, and the best way to clean your microphones.
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NEWS
Is reduced royalty rates for playlist placements actually payola? New technologies for super-large hard drive capacity
GUEST
Guitarist Jennifer Batten Guitar Cloud Symposium
Jennifer Batten played lead and rhythm guitar on Michael Jackson’s Bad, Dangerous and HIStory world tours. She’s also appeared on 2 Jeff Beck albums and was a member of his touring band for 3 years. Jennifer continues to give clinics and master classes all over the world, and most recently created the Guitar Cloud Symposium, an online guitar workshop that feature contributions from her favorite guitar players. During the interview we spoke about her audition with Michael Jackson, playing the Super Bowl, playing with her hero Jeff Beck, developing guitar synth techniques, some insider tips about tapping, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at payola for streaming, and supercharged hard drives.
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NEWS
The latest on streaming royalty rates from various services A look at why bands are disappearing
GUEST
Mastering engineer Scott Hull
Scott Hull started his illustrious career in mastering at New York’s famed Master Disk studios.
Rising from an assistant to chief engineer, Scott then took a series of jobs at some of New York’s other excellent mastering facilities including Classic Sound and the Hit Factory before striking out on his own.
He returned to Master Disk in 2008, this time as the owner, where he continues to cut both digital and vinyl masters for a wide variety of artists.
Scott has mastered records for Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Steely Dan, John Mayer, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, and hundreds more.
During the interview we spoke about Scott’s experience assisting the legendary Bob Ludwig, interpreting what a client means when describing what they hear, why the tools of mastering don’t always work as well, getting used to different rooms, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the current streaming rates, and why bands are disappearing.
NEWS
Last year's livestreaming sales numbers were surprising Native Instruments and iZotope merge
GUEST
Audionamix general manager Ellie McNeil
Ellie McNeil is the general manager of the audio software company Audionamix, a company that uses advanced signal processing and artificial intelligence technology to extract specific elements from an audio file, including speech, vocals, drums and bass. Their top-of-the-line audio separation tech is reserved for major film studios, television networks, and music labels via their new Audionamix Professional Services division.
Ellieâs background includes working as working as an engineer, product manager, and an instructor at Musicians Institute in Hollywood.
During the interview we spoke about how the Audionamix algorithm works, the legal ramifications of part extraction, some overlooked applications for the software, why so much cutting edge audio technology comes from Paris, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at last yearâs livestream revenue numbers and the Native Instruments/iZotope merger.
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NEWS
The 8 best social networks to promote your music Behringer loses trademark battle over Oberheim
GUEST
Viberate co-founder Vasja Veber
Vasja Veber co-founded Viberate, a platform that gives artists important analytics about musical trends, events, venues and festivals. It makes performing acts life easier by giving them a better version of an EPK or even a traditional website. Viberate features over a million profiles of musicians, venues, events and festivals and employs over 100 people all over the world,
Vasja is also the manager of techno artist UMEK. In his spare time he consults with the government of Slovenia in the field of sharing economy legislation.
During the interview we spoke about the importance of clean data, the latest way for artists to get to their fans, pitching his idea to Silicon Valley, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the 8 best social networks to promote your music, and the trademark battle between Behringer and Oberheim.
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NEWS
The UK's roadmap for opening up live music
The most hated rock bands of all time
GUEST
Music attorney Kamal Moo Check out his book The Straightforward Guide To The Music Biz
Music attorney Kamal Moo has represented artists from various genres of music as both personal manager and attorney. He has negotiated several types of entertainment contracts, including recording, music publishing, and producer agreements, with clients include legendary recording artist Janet Jackson, The Hallmark Channel, indie artist Lil B, and several record labels, music publishers, songwriters, and producers.
Kamalâs also the author of The Straightforward Guide To The Music Biz, which is a necessary read for anyone in the music business that needs a basic understanding of how it works. Heâs also the voice behind the 6 Questions about the Music Biz podcast.
During the interview we spoke about working as a manager, the one thing that most people get wrong about the music business, label 360 deals, the difference between dealing with a major and indie label, being a contestant on Jeopardy, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the UK roadmap for live music, and the most hated rock bands of all time.
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NEWS
MLC collects almost $500 million in unclaimed funds Random, probable and generative music
GUEST
Composer-mixer Lars Deutsch
Two time Emmy winner Lars Deutsch was born into a non-musical family and was astounded when he discovered that a guitar needs tuning. From those humble beginnings he went from heavy metal guitarist, to singer, to songwriter, to a Masters in classical composition, to international performances of his classical works, to lecturing in composition and audio production. Heâs also become an in-demand mixer as well. Lars has scored over two hundred thirty films that have collected over one hundred awards, and his songs are also in high demand. As an audio branding expert, he has created audio logos for a range of companies including Adidas, Mercedes Formula One, Contac, Epson and many more. During the interview we spoke about the process of creating an audio brand logo, the reasons why he began mixing, his method for organizing samples, mixing on headphones, and much more. On the intro Iâll take a look at the MLC collecting unclaimed funds, and randomization, probability, and generative music. Â
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NEWS
The audio legend Rupert Neve passes away Record labels de-emphasizing radio promo as music consumption drops
GUEST
Producer/multi-instrumentalist and educator David Franz Check out Underground Sun
Producer/multi-instrumentalist and educator David Franz wrote the very first book on Pro Tools as well as creating online courses for both Berklee Online and Lynda.com.
Besides running his label Underground Sun and EDM artist development and even production company Underground Sol, David is also the content manager for Lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning, where he works with creative professionals to create courses (including yours truly) to create courses on the platform.
During the interview we spoke about writing the first book on Pro Tools, doing a deep analysis of John Coltrane, his Airstream trailer-based studio, the technique of melding electronic and live musicians together, recording an album remotely, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the passing of the great Rupert Neve, and how labels are changing their emphasis away from radio promotion.
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NEWS
SoundCloud may pay institute artist-centric royalties Immersive audio easy with wallpaper speakers
GUEST
Console designer and "father of British EQ" John Oram
John Oram started his career in the music business as the drummer for Mariann Faithful and a fill-in for the Yardbirds. On the side he began working at Vox during its heyday, contributing his expertise to the development of the wha-wha pedal, the fuzz box, the Continental organ, and the Super Beatle amplifier.
From there he joined the legendary Trident Studios as design consultant and Chief of Design creating many consoles including the Fleximix, the TSM, and the iconic Series 80.
He then founded Reflex Music Technology, inventing electro-acoustic preamps and pickups and supplying OEM products to guitar-makers Martin, Washburn, Charvel, Jackson, Lowden and many more famous guitar names. He then established Oram Pro Audio, where he continues to design and sell analog consoles and rack modules.
During the interview we spoke about growing up in the music scene in the UK, working at Vox, the real story behind Trident, the secret to the sound of his EQ, having Covid twice, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at Soundcloud going to an artist-centric payment model, and wallpaper loudspeakers.
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NEWS
Spotify's latest patents have it listening to you to suggest music Native Instruments the latest MI company to be acquired
GUEST
Engineer/podcast Matt Boudreau Listen to Working Class Audio
My guest this week is Matt Boudreau, who started as a drummer experiencing 6 figure record deals to eventually settling in behind the glass as a mixer and mastering engineer. Matt has since gone on to launch the hugely popular Working Class Audio podcast with more than 300 episodes under his belt.
During our interview we talked about the burden of owning a commercial studio, rebounding from a business loss, template mixing, starting the Working Class Audio podcast, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at Spotify monitoring your speech to suggest music, and Native Instruments being acquired.
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NEWS
How the MLC will collect streaming royalties for songwriters, if you're signed up An overview of LUFS and why it doesn't matter much for music
GUEST
Producer, mixer and mastering engineer Mike Cave Find out about The Loft Mastering
Mike Cave is a multi-Platinum award-winning record producer, mixer and mastering engineer.
Over the course of his career, Mike has worked with artists as diverse as Elvis Costello, KRS-One, Lewis Capaldi, Fatboy Slim, Bob Dylan, Gil Scott-Heron, Rufus Wainwright, The Charlatans, Echo & The Bunnymen and many more on a variety of award-winning and record breaking releases.
Heâs also the owner of Loft Mastering, a high-end mastering facility based in Liverpool.
During our interview we talked about getting into mastering, mastering while mixing, becoming a project finisher, his plugin strategy, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at how the MLC will affect songwriters, and a LUFS overview.
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SONY DSC
NEWS
Our musical attention span is getting short and what will happen by 2030Taylor Guitars gives the company to its employees
GUEST
Elton John guitar player and musical director Davey Johnstone
Davey Johnstone has played guitar and been the musical director for the Elton John Band since 1972. During that time, Davey has played on all of Eltonâs albums and tours. In fact, he recently celebrated his 3,000th show with Elton in 2019.
Daveyâs also played and recorded with a wide range of artists including Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Meat Loaf and Alice Cooper among many others,
During our interview we talked about the making of Eltonâs early albums, what itâs like to play the hits 3,000 times, how his gear has changed through the years, making a pilgrimage to Muscle Shoals, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the average attention span of music listeners and Taylor Guitar being given to its employees.
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My guests this week are Alexandra Bartles and Rick Snoman of Pro Audio Ears and Altar Recording Studios, the worldâs 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, whoâs 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 producerâs success.
During our interview we talked about the intricacies of our hearing and ears, some facts about tinnitus that might surprise you, the importance of the kick drum in electronic music and some tricks on how to get the best sound, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the most listened to genres of music, and Gibsonâs purchase of Mesa/Boogie.
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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 Iâll take a look at rating your musical taste, and the rise of interactive sheet music.
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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.
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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!
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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 âenergy manager,â dealing with a low budget projects, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the 3 different types of media artists need, and the top 1o pieces of audio hardware this year from GearNews.
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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 doesnât matter as much as you might think, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at Apple Music Prices around the world, and the HITS bill in Congress designed to help music creators.
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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 Policeâs âRoxanneâ 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 Iâll take a look at how how artificial intelligence is used in A&R, and deep fake vocals.
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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 IRS Records, hearing The Policeâs âRoxanneâ for the first time, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at how YouTube will now include ads on all videos, and the latest Thunderbolt 4 interface.
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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 Zappaâs 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, âAmerican Soul Man,â and composed the music for the television shows Cybill, Baywatch, Martial Law, and three seasons of Lifetime Televisionâs 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 Zappa stories, talked about playing on the famed Philadelphia International records, Hammond organs, working with Wilson Pickett, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at how gamers have avoided paying royalties, and a device where we can hear without using headphones.
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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 Moneyâs first band, transitioned to mixing monitors for Stevie Wonder, and eventually became chief engineer at San Franciscoâs famed Hyde Street Studios.
It was there John engineered a long line of seminal records for Bay artists like Joe Satriani and the Dead Kennedyâs, 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 heâs done award-winning projects for Tracy Chapman, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Thomas Dolby, Aaron Neville, Jesse Colin Young, the Grateful Dead, and many more. Heâs 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.
During the interview we talked about recording during the days of San Francisco punk, making the transition into mastering, coming up with the reamp box, his OneMic series recording a band with just one microphone, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at how Spotifyâs controversial new Discovery Mode tool, and provide a quick overview of Drive-In Concert audio.
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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 heâs able to mix extremely fast thanks to his templates that outline all the basic parameters of each instrument.
To that end, Billy isnât shy about how he does it and has recently released a book called Template Mixing And Mastering that explains his method. Heâs 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 elements, his plugins and drum samples, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the RIAA clamping down on ripper sites, and the coming parts shortage as a result of the big AKM audio semiconductor factory fire.
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NEWS
The company that monopolizes ice cream truck music The 100th anniversary of the theremin
GUEST
World Maestro Colin O'Donohoe
Colin OâDonohoe 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 âWorld Maestro.â 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 âWorld Maestro,â and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the how ice cream truck music is controlled by a single company, and the 100th anniversary of the theremin.
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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, whoâs 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 Foxxâs seminal album Metamatic, he realized that an artist could truly define his sound with electronics. Then, as the co-producer of many of Depeche Modeâs 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 1980âs 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 the bleeding edge of technology, the appeal Logic Pro, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the rise of fake artists, and why even die-hard analog engineers are okay mixing in the box today.
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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 clientâs 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 beginnings of Phantom Focus, the little known Allison Effect, some practical room tips for setting up a subwoofer and your monitors, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at how the album may be taking a new shape, and the reintroduction of the Prophet 5 synthesizer.
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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 80âs. In 1991 he began a ten-year association with minimalist composer Philip Glassâ New York City recording complex, The Looking Glass. There he produced, engineered, mixed, or performed on albums by Bowie, The Cure, Hooverphonic, Alishaâs Attic, Duncan Sheik, Dave Navarro, as well as Glass himself.
In 1996 Mark co-produced David Bowieâs Earthling album, which marked the beginning of a period where he produced, recorded, mixed, or performed on most of Bowieâs musical output until 2003, even serving a 3 year stint as Davidâs musical director on tour.
Since then heâs been working with a number of artists in Paris as well as becoming involved in musical theater.
During the interview we talked about working with Prince and Bowie, music for theater, following up on opportunities, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the amount of data that flows on the Internet in a single minute in 2020, and using recycled plastic bottles as an acoustic material.
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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 donât always work, the link between musicians and autoimmune issues, how musicians can better handle stress, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the mysterious royalty stream known as neighboring rights, and Gibsonâs new guitar aging technology.
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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. Heâs 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.â
J.J. is one of the most talented engineers that Iâve personally worked with, able to hear things that most people miss. Heâs 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 favorite microphones, a great Johnny Cash story, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at how music piracy has evolved, and how Sony is de-emphasizing itâs electronics business.
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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. Sheâs also worked as a staff writer for EMI, Almo-Irving, and Universal Music Publishing.
Andrea teaches songwriting at the University of Californiaâs Thornton School of Music, and is the author and instructor of Berklee College of Musicâs online course âCommercial Songwriting Techniques.â
Her book, Popular Lyric Writing: 10 Steps to Effective Storytelling, offers songwriters a practical approach to lyric writing according to each writerâs 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 more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the social media universe in 2020 and guitar sales peaking during the pandemic.
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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, but with a lot more versatility.
During the interview we talked about initially getting into DIY gear, the idea behind Danâs plugins, using a console for mixing, having a studio dog, his favorite mixing and production tricks, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at itâs about to get expensive for foreign musicians to tour the States, and the the new immersive audio format war.
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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 Exchange, a look at the virtual realm of the music business, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at musicians in the UK thinking about calling it quits, and the perils of being a horn and wind player during the pandemic.
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NEWS
2 unique plagiarism cases about copying yourself, and freedom to experimentWinter NAMM 2021 has been cancelled, but that might not be so bad
GUEST
Producer/engineer/entrepreneur Sean Giovanni
Sean Giovanni is a producer, engineer and owner of The Record Shop Studio in Nashville. He has worked with clients in the studio ranging from Tim McGraw, Big and Rich, Zakk Wylde, The Wallflowers, Juicy J, and Lil Jon.
Sean is also passionate about helping creatives build a sustainable business around their art and achieving their goals. Beyond his work at The Record Shop, he is also the co-founder of Mind Map, an online training course designed to help artists find their own unique intersection of art and commerce to fuel longevity in their career.
During the interview we talked about working through your problems when the worst happens, developing a client base, taking advantage of opportunities, how mentors are more accessible than you think, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at a couple of new plagiarism lawsuits that you wonât believe, and the winter NAMM Show has been cancelled.
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NEWS
The "Stairway To Heaven" plagiarism lawsuit is going to the Supreme CourtRickenbacker dumps Guitar Center and Musician's Friend
GUEST
AmplifyX founder Adam Cowherd
Adam Cowherd is the founder of AmplifyX, a company that bridges the financial gap between musicians and fans by letting supporters invest in artists like startups.
When his work with Ernst & Young in the financial sector landed Adam in Los Angeles, it wasnât long before he started seeing gaps in the music industry landscape. Chief among them was the need for a new approach to royalties, one that could keep up with the rapid pace of innovation in the music business as a whole â and let an increasingly conscious public connect with the artists they love through direct investments.
The AmplifyX model allows upcoming and established artists to retain control of their own intellectual property and career decisions while collecting up to 90% of royalties â as opposed to the current industry standard cuts, often totaling less than 20%.
During the interview we talked about how the company takes advantage of new investment rules, the financial literacy of Gen-Z, how music is similar to real estate, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the Stairway To Heaven plagiarism suit going to the Supreme Court, and Rickenbacker no longer accepting orders from Guitar Center.
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NEWS
Bipartisan Congressional support for not paying artists for radio airplaySeveral new acoustic advances to be aware of
GUEST
America co-founder Dewey Bunnell
Dewey Bunnell, is a founding member and half of the band with a lot of big hits that you probably know well - America.
Deweyâs best known compositions include âHorse With No Name,â âVentura Highway,â âTin Manâ and âThe Border,â among many others.
During this long interview we talked about the origins of the band, keeping a touring band together for a long period of time, working with members of the Wrecking Crew, working with George Martin, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at how musicians will continue not being paid for radio play, and some new advancements in acoustics.
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NEWS
Official music videos coming to Facebook with the industry's blessingDPA gear is going to Mars on the latest Rover
GUEST
Singer/songwriter, mentor and entrepreneur Adam McInnis
Adam McInnis is a singer/songwriter most known for his work on tv and film as well as for collaborating with the top DJâs of EDM.
He has interests in 3 publishing companies, a recording studio in Austin, a skin care line, and a yearly songwriter camp in Costa Rica called Neverland Retreats. Adam's online platform called The Billboard 500 Club, where he gives out mentoring information and advice regarding the music industry, has also gained a vast following.
During the interview we talked about how social media can bring an artist a false sense of worth, how to land an investor and how much money to ask for, why hip hop artists understand the new music business better than almost anyone else, the âoooh â factor, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at how official music videos are finally on Facebook, and capturing the sound of the red planet.
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NEWS
Gen-Z's taste in music is different and it's influencing other generationsThe 5 Mix Element Rule
GUEST
Musical theater composer/arranger and musical director David O
David O's work as a composer is enhanced by his unique skills as a multi-faceted music-theatre artist, pianist, conductor, arranger, vocal coach, and sometimes actor. He has received numerous awards and accolades over the years for his work, including Ovation Awards, LA Weekly and LA Drama Critics Circle Awards, Backstage West Garland Awards, and was the 2012 recipient of the LA Drama Critics Circle Joel Hirschhorn Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre.
Davidâs musical compositions span a broad range of styles and genres, and have been featured in the theatre, in concert halls, and in film and television. He is also committed to the education of young people, continuing the traditions of music and music-theatre for the next generations. In addition to his work in the classroom, the rehearsal room, and on stage, David is a well-respected vocal and performance coach, specializing in working with actor/singers of all ages and all skill levels on musical theatre performance, including audition preparation, vocal technique, and unlocking the emotional truth of songs in order to create cathartic musical theatre performances.
During the interview we talked about how being an actor helps in theater music direction, working as a musician on a cruise ship, whether or not the character knows if they are singing, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the ways Gen-Z is changing our listening habits, and the 5 mix elements that every musician should know.
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NEWS
The UK Government passed an aid package for venues and cultural institutionsRed Bull has closed it's 11 studios around the world
GUEST
Austrian Audio CEO Martin Seidl
Martin Seidl spearheaded the drive to start Austrian Audio from the ashes of AKG after Harmon decided to close the company 3 years ago. In what might be an unprecedented move, Martin managed to keep the core of AKG together to start the new company and keep it operating for several years even before its first products were released.
Those new products include microphones and headphones that are getting rave reviews both for their vintage sound and forward-thinking innovations.
During the interview we talked about the path to releasing new products, developing a new microphone capsule, the ability to pan frequencies with a feature of the new OC818 microphone, selling the companyâs experience to other companies, the famous AKG anechoic chamber, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the unprecedented aid that the UK government will provide live venues in Britain, and Red Bull closing its music studios worldwide.
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NEWS
Nielsen's mid-year recorded music report has some interesting data pointsKorg and Roland get big fines in the UK
GUEST
Sweetwater Sound's founder and CEO Chuck Surack
Chuck Surack supplemented his playing career as a sax and keyboard player with a makeshift recording studio in the back of a his Volkswagen bus. That mobile studio was the departure point for what was to become the largest online music retailer in the world - Sweetwater Sound. The company now ships over 3,300 guitars, 830 keyboards, 460 drum kits, and 5,300 microphones every week from its facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
As successful as Sweetwater is, what you probably donât know is that Chuck also owns a dozen other business in the area, including a luxury car dealership SweetCars, private charter business companies Sweet Aviation and Sweet Helicopters, and optical retailer Longe Optical, in many cases rescuing the business from bankruptcy to save local jobs.
During the interview we talked about the surprising history of Sweetwater, the musical instrument business before and after the coronavirus, how the company finds high quality employees, the big difference between buying from Sweetwater or Amazon, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take the latest look at recorded music sales in Nielsenâs half-year report, and why both Korg and Roland got slapped with huge fines in the UK for their business practices.
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NEWS
Streaming service Deezer making movesMy top 10 DAWs
GUEST
Tour manager Felicity Hall
Felicity Hall has been a tour manager for the last 10 years in a male dominated world. During that time sheâs worked with Snarky Puppy, Bokante, Delain, Public Service Broadcasting, and a whole lot more.
Felicity has also been running an online series about managing life on the road on Crowdcast called Tour Management 101.
During the interview we talked about dealing with sexism on the road, working through supposedly impossible scenarios, the difficulties in keeping people happy on tour, the differences between rock and jazz tours, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at some of the latest moves from the Deezer music streaming service, and my top 10 DAWs.On the intro Iâll take a look at some breakthroughs in online concerts, and some things we donât miss about the studios of old.
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GUEST:
Lij ShawSign the petition at SaveHomeStudios.comIf you live in Nashville, send an email directly to the city council at balancenashville.org
Imagine that it was illegal for you to record anyone except yourself in your home studio. Imagine that you werenât allowed to have students over to your house for lessons. Image that it was illegal to go to the home of the hairstylist down the street to get your hair cut.
There actually is a pace where thatâs really happening and believe it or not that place is Nashville. Yes, the Music City isnât being being to kind to music made in home studios these days thanks to a 10 year old ordinance that forbids anyone from operating a business from their homes.
Leading the charge to change this law is Lij Shaw, who not only operates a home studio where he makes his living from, but is also the host of the popular Recording Studio Rockstars podcast.
Along the way Lij has recorded Grammy Award-winning performers such as John Oates, Jack White, Wilco, Adele, and the Zac Brown Band, and the Grammy-winner for Best Roots album in 2015 was mixed in his Toy Box studio.
Lij told me the story of what heâs being going through for the past 5 years battling with the city.
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NEWS
Yes, online concerts can pay off big-timeThe reasons why we don't miss the studios of old
GUEST
Studio designer John Brandt
John Brandt has owned studios and built custom audio equipment in both the UK and Nashville before delving deeper into the world of studio design.
Johnâs company JHBrandt Acoustic Designs now provides design and consulting services to music studios, commercial video and cinema facilities, home recording studios, home theaters, presentation and conference rooms, performance and entertainment spaces, educational facilities, and industrial acoustic applications all over the world.
John also freely shares advice on most of the popular online audio forums and has numerous helpful articles on his website.
During the interview we talked about how much the science of acoustics has changed, his approach to different types of design jobs, the pros and cons of mass loaded vinyl, the latest in acoustic treatment, and much more.
John also took me through a model of the ideal studio design, which was a real eye opener.
On the intro Iâll take a look at some breakthroughs in online concerts, and some things we donât miss about the studios of old.
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NEWS
The Recording Academy has released a new rule book for the GrammysOrchestras try to make a comeback after COVID
GUEST
Producer Kyle HunterFind out more at RhythmCouture.com
Kyle Hunter started producing music for artists, but soon learned about the world of sync licensing and custom music.
He also co-founded RhythmCouture, which now counts Forever 21, Vans, Calvin Klein, The NY Times and many more major brands among their clients. The company also has a large music library representing a wide range of genres and styles featuring affordable prices for content creators in almost any situation.
During the interview we talked about making the transition from producing artists to custom production, balancing being creative while overseeing a business, dealing with fast turnaround times, the latest music trends, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the new Grammy rule book, and how orchestras are dealing with social distancing.
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NEWS
Kids are watching TikTok almost as much as YouTubeTelefunken has opened a mic custom shopGibson sells iconic manufacturer Stanton to InMusic
GUEST
Mixer and producer David Cole - find out more at themixguy.com
David Cole started his career as a staff engineer at the famous Capitol Studios in Hollywood, learned the lost art of vinyl disk mastering there, and worked his way up to staff producer at Capitol and MCA Records before going freelance.
Davidâs had a lot of great studio experiences including engineering and co-producing for Bob Segerâs huge hit Like A Rock as well as most of the albums heâs made afterwards. His long credit list also includes albums with Melissa Etheridge, Steve Miller, Richard Marx, NSYNC, Poco, Kenny Rodgers Josh Groban and Michael Bolton, as well as movies including A Mighty Wind, Best In Show, Waiting for Guffman, among others.
During the interview we talked about recording with Bob Seger, Davidâs philosophy on mastering, working on music for movies, plugin overload, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at the rise of TikTok among kids, Telfunkenâs custom mic shop, and Gibson selling Stanton.
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NEWS
Why the charts and what people actually listen to don't always matchA look at the Recording Academy P&E Wing recommendations for reopening studios.
GUEST
CD Baby VP of Marketing Kevin Breuner
My guest on the podcast this week is Kevin Breuner, whoâs the SVP of Marketing for CD Baby, the host of their DIY Musician Podcast, and author of a host of helpful articles on the companyâs DIY Musician blog.
Kevin has spent over 20 years working in the music business, both as an artist and an industry professional. After college, he joined the Atlanta-based band Smalltown Poets who later signed a recording contract with a major label under the EMI umbrella. Their self-titled debut album sold over 200,000 copies, landing a Grammy nomination plus multiple Dove Award nominations.
He's also been with CD Baby for 14 years, and knows the company and the state of music distribution extremely well.
During the interview we talked about the value of thinking about marketing early in the recording process, closing down the CD Baby store, helping artists reach more fans, the value of releasing albums, the streaming music experience, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at why the charts and real listening doesnât always line up, and the Record Academy P&E Wing studio reopening recommendations.
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Stu Hamm is one of the worldâs premier bass players and clinicians. His unique and innovative two-handed tapping technique proves that even the bass can be a solo instrument in the hands of a virtuoso player.
Stu has recorded and toured with a whoâs who of guitar heros, including Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Frank Gambale, Carl Verheyen and Michael Schenker. Heâs appeared on a slew of magazine covers, released 8 solo albums, has a number of signature basses, and has a number of instructional videos.
During the interview we traded Frank Zappa stories, spoke about how Stu adapted his style from traditional walking bass, how he incorporated tapping into his technique, pain management from playing, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at a company trying to game Spotify, and some new touch-enabled features that might come to the MacBook Pro.
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Zack O’Malley Greenburg is a senior editor of media & entertainment at Forbes and author of four excellent music oriented business books.
His latest, A-List Angels, is how a band of actors, artists and athletes cashed in on the latest tech boom and changed the face of Silicon Valley. His previous books include 3 Kings, about Diddy, Dr. Dre and Jay-Z and hip-hop’s multibillion dollar rise, Michael Jackson Inc., and the Jay-Z biography Empire State Of Mind.
Zack’s work has also appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Vibe, Billboard,Sports Illustrated, McSweeney's and the Library of Congress, and he's been a source for BBC, NPR, MTV and 60 Minutes, and a speaker at SXSW, CES, TEDx, Princeton and Harvard.
During the interview we spoke about the similarities between media business moguls, how certain entertainment celebrities got involved with tech, Zack’s approach to interviewing famous people, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the first socially distant concert, and how those quarantine band videos are created.
Jack Forman is a senior vice-president at BiCoastal Productions, the New York City-based concerts and theatrical booking agency.
Originally spearheading the agency’s coverage of the Western United States, Jack now oversees the core agency staff and global touring strategy.
Jack provides an agent’s perspective of working with an artist, as well as recommendations for touring artists and bands during this time of uncertainty.
During the interview we spoke about marketing a tour, online concerts, the inner workings of an agency, some of the problems facing venues post-COVID, and much more
On the intro I’ll try to demystify streaming royalties, and give some perspective on gear reviews and what to look for.
Camille Barbone has done just about every behind-the-scenes job in the music business you can think of.
From working as a label executive for Columbia and EMI, to managing Madonna, to owning the famous Longview Farm and Gotham Sound studios, to producing major concerts and tours and more, Camille has a wide range of experience that has served her well in every position.
She has also provided marketing consultation to major record labels and publishers, and handled music events and promotions for companies such as Dunkin Donuts, Jaguar Motor Cars, Boys & Girls Club of American, BASF and others.
Camille holds both a degree in psychology and an MBA, which coupled with her extensive entertainment industry experience became the foundation for her current coaching and consulting business.
During the interview we spoke about her favorite label job, what’s it’s like to own a world-class studio, how a degree in psychology help her deal with people in the music business, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at YouTube music video views and what it means, and at how music and audio gear sales are soaring.
My guest on this episode is Joe Renzetti, who started in the studio band of the Cameo Parkway label in Philadelphia playing on hits like “Let’s Twist Again,” “South Street,” Palisades Park,” and “Limbo Rock.”
He then moved to New York where he worked as an arranger on huge hits like “Sunny” by Bobby Hebb and Barry Manilow’s breakout hit “Mandy.”
After a move West, Joe immediately found success in Hollywood, winning an Academy Award for The Buddy Holly Story, and scoring a wide variety of films and television shows. He won accolades for his scores on horror films like Dead & Buried, Poltergeist III, and Child’s Play, and many others.
During the interview we spoke about being in the Wrecking Crew of Philadelphia, recording in mono, arrangers as mixers, making the transition from session musician to composer, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at new government funding to help musicians and artists, and Fender no longer using ash in its guitars.
My guest today is Katie Zaccardi who’s a songwriter, artist, music industry professional, and certified yoga instructor. Through her work in both music and wellness along with her own experience with a generalized anxiety disorder, Katie discovered the urgent need for conversation surrounding mental health and self care within the music industry.
Through her Out To Be Coaching platform, Katie supports artists and professionals with a personalized approach centered on cultivating positive actions and attitudes. Her Out To Be Podcast invites listeners to engage with insightful dialogue on all things wellness and their relation to working in music.
During the interview we spoke about how imbalances in the body can contribute to anxiety, foods that cause inflammation, dealing with burnout when there’s no end in sight, some signs of depression and anxiety that you might be missing, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the 5 ways to make money from YouTube, and the latest recordings entered into the National Registry.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the 5 ways to make money from YouTube, and the latest recordings entered into the National Registry.
Brett Porter is one of the lead engineers in the development of the MIDI 2.0 spec. Brett has a big background in electronic music, but he’s also developed software products for the pro audio, broadcast, and musical instrument industries as part of the Art+Logic development team.
Musicians have been connecting electronic music gear together using MIDI since 1983, and but it hasn’t been updated since then. The new MIDI 2.0 spec brings everything into the 21st century, making MIDI faster and more expressive, but also adding new concepts and acronyms that we'll all need to learn.
As a member of the group that developed MIDI 2.0, Brett is one of the first people to start building MIDI 2.0 software. As a composer who's used MIDI since the 80s, Brett is also well-suited to show musicians what they'll need to know about it as new gear starts entering the market.
During the interview we spoke about how Brett got into coding, why it took 35 years to get to MIDI 2.0, the advantages of MIDI 2.0, a look at future MI technologies, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at if creativity declines with age, and how artificial intelligence might someday make our studio creativity better.
This week's guest is Kurt Dahl, who's not only a successful entertainment attorney but is a busy drummer as well. His band One Bad Son has toured North America with Def Leopard, Judas Priest and even opened for the Rolling Stones.
While working as a musician, Kurt decided that he could help his band more by getting educated in the music business, and that became a law degree and a second career.
Kurt has also written articles for a host of magazines like Canadian Musician, Canadian Lawyer, DRUM Magazine, SOCAN Magazine and dozens of other industry publications, as well as made TV appearances, an interview on NPR, and lectured at universities and conferences across the country.
During the interview we spoke about how Kurt can still do his attorney job while being on tour, what it’s like to represent yourself in a negotiation, his article on the legalities of tribute bands, the worst mistakes an artist can make, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the new release schedule, and a new string technology to keep basses in tune.
My guest today is Ira Ingber, who’s a long time Los Angeles studio musician, composer and producer.
Through the years Ira has had multiple major label record deals and toured and recorded with top Southern California singer/songwriters like J.D. Souther, Jennifer Warnes and Bonnie Riatt.
Ira was also asked to form a band for Bob Dylan that led him to record two Dylan albums and tour with the legend. He’s also composed and performed on numerous original scores and songs for film, television and commercials.
During the interview we spoke about growing up in the heart of the Hollywood music scene, some excellent stories about playing with Bob Dylan, studio guitar rigs through the decades, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at what's behind the lawsuit against the Musician’s Union pension fund, and protecting your home studio with a UPS backup.
This week's guest is Matt Black who's the co-founder of the leading indie record label Ninja Tune and electronic music pioneer duo Coldcut. Coldcut has remixed and created productions for the likes of James Brown, Queen Latifah, Eurythmics, INXS, Blondie, and many others, while Ninja Tune has been visionary with it’s selection of artists emphasizing interactive technology and innovative uses of software.
Matt is also one of the creators of the VJamm software used in Coldcut live shows. This led to designing the widely acclaimed app Ninja Jamm, and now the new Jamm Pro, which features multitrack recording, inter-app audio, built-in sub-bass module, smart pitch bends, and much more.
During the interview we spoke about the Ninja Tune philosophy, the string of DJ products that Matt has developed, the 25 year evolution of Jamm Pro and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the downturn in streaming numbers, and the future of smart monitor speakers.
[photo: Oz Owen]
This week's guest is Laura Bull, who spent ten years with Sony Music Entertainment where she became one of the company's youngest executives at the age of twenty-eight. During her tenure, she spearheaded development and marketing for globally recognized artists including Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, and Johnny Cash among hundreds of other artists from Arista, RCA, Columbia, Epic, and Monument records.
Laura is an expert who specializes in transforming people into viable brands by by teaching what it takes to become a powerful “influencer." Her book “From Individual To Empire” is a guide to building an authentic and powerful brand.
During the interview we spoke about artist branding, the differences between marketing and branding, the “it factor” of an artist, working through a regime change at a label, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at taking advantage of imposed downtown we’re facing, and the musical instrument industry shaking off the trade war.
My guest this week is Tony Braunagel, who's been the drummer for a wide variety of artists including Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, Rickie Lee Jones, and Taj Mahal, among others.
It was with Taj that Tony gained a named for himself as a producer, working on the Grammy-award winning “Shoutin’ in Key” album that also won a prestigious W. C. Handy award. Since then he’s become a respected producer in the blues genre besides being a much in-demand drummer and clinician.
During the interview we spoke about Tony growing up in Texas but getting his break in the UK, discovering blues early in life, producing from behind the drum kit, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at what streaming networks are currently paying, and the distortion pedal who’s sound is based on the type of liquid you pour inside it.
This week's guest is Jay Warsinske has been in music marketing, promotion and artist development for over 40 years.
In that time he's helped launch the music for celebrated artists like U2, NWA, AC/DC, Dr. Dre, Metallica, 2Pac, Guns 'n Roses, Eminem, Madonna, Ramones, VanHalen, The Black Eyed Peas, Lil Wayne, Green Day, Snoop Dogg, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Police, Ice Cube, Janet Jackson, and many more.
Jay’s company Indie Power works with artists on all levels with distribution, marketing and promotion. He’s also the founder of the Indie Entertainment Summit that happens every year in the NOHO arts district of North Hollywood.
During the interview we spoke about the difference between music promotion now and in the 80s, the ups and downs of playlist promotion, what makes a successful artist, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how artificial intelligence is become a big part of label A&R, and how subwoofers in your shoes might actually be useful.
My guest on this episode is Leslie Gaston-Bird, who is a post-production engineer, governor-at-large for the Audio Engineering Society, and a former Associate Professor of Recording Arts at the University of Colorado Denver.
Leslie's first gig was at National Public Radio headquarters in Washington, D.C. where she worked on shows like âMorning Edition.â âAll Things Consideredâ, âTalk of the Nationâ and âPerformance Today,â She then moved to Colorado Public Radio where she earned the Radio and Television Digital News Associationâs Edward R. Murrow Award for Large Market Documentary.
It was in Denver where she started her career in post-production at the Post Modern Company restoring soundtracks for classic Sony / Columbia films dating as early as the 1930âs. In 2011 she was granted a Fulbright award to research Blu-Ray audio at the University of York in York, England, which led to ongoing research with Dolby Labs. Sheâs also the author of the book Women In Audio.
During the interview we spoke about working at NPR in the days of tape, cleaning up movie soundtracks before noise reduction plugins, tracking down women audio pioneers to interview, and much more.
On the intro Iâll take a look at Spotify accounts being hacked, and how the music and audio gear business lives comfortably with technology.
This week's guest is drummer Daniel Glass, who has worked with a wide variety of artists that range from Brian Setzer to Bette Midler, to the Budapest Jazz Orchestra, to KISS front man Gene Simmons.
Daniel has been voted one of the top five R&B drummers in the world by readers of Modern Drummer and DRUM magazine for two consecutive years, and since 2011 he’s been the house drummer every Monday night at New York City’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club.
He's also published 5 books, is a regular contributor to Modern Drummer, DRUM and Classic Drummer magazines, and is widely recognized as an authority on classic American drumming and the evolution of American popular music.
During the interview we spoke about studying with a drum legend, the evolution of the drum set, how drum history and social history are tied together, playing in the house band at the legendary Birdland Jazz Club, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at what the numbers say about the health of the major streaming services, and the 6F’s of taking a gig.
Legendary producer John Boylan started in the business as a member of the burgeoning folk scene in the Village in New York City that set the tone for the explosion in the music business to unimagined heights.
John has a long list of stellar production credits that include Rick Nelson, the Association, Linda Ronstadt, Boston, Charlie Daniels, the Little River Band, and many more.
He's also seen the music business from the label side as a VP of A&R for Epic for 11 years, then worked extensively in children’s music and television, where he won a Grammy for his work on the ABC prime time special The Muppets Elmopalooza.
During the interview we spoke about growing up in the original folk scene in New York City, putting together the band that would later become The Eagles, seldom-heard facts about recording the band Boston, a discussion about 5G and Bluetooth LE audio, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the best practices for submission to Spotify playlists, and the untold reasons for the USB-C interface.
My guest this week is Jay Gilbert, who turned his love of taking concert photographs into being on the cutting edge of digital sales and marketing as an executive with Universal, Sony and Warner Music Groups.
Jay has created and executed unique online marketing plans for a wide variety of artists, including Elton John, KISS, Nirvana, Styx, Rob Zombie, The Police, Bob Marley, Peter Frampton, Amy Grant and many more. He also led the Fox International Digital team on the Avatar, The Simpsons, and Family Guy, among many others.
Jay is also the force behind the excellent Your Morning Coffee newsletter and the Music Biz Weekly Podcast, as well as a partner in the artist and label services company Label Logic.
During the interview we spoke about the one thing that artists get wrong with digital strategy, the importance of fundamental artist marketing, the reason why pseudo and unwrapping videos can be so powerful, the importance of radio, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at albums and songs being ghosted on streaming networks, and why tribute bands may be illegal.
After working at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Dwight Heckelman felt that music higher education needed to be held to a higher standard and would be a lot better if it were apprenticeship-based and relationship-driven.
He called on his experience as a graduate of Belmont University, at major and independent record labels, recording studios, music publishing, music journalism, as well as other college music industry programs and took a leap of faith to create GROOVE U.
The school offers a highly creative and cutting edge two year music industry career program based on entrepreneurship and not one, but two apprenticeships. Groove U features 6 music industry specializations that include audio production, music business, live sound, video, interactive and independent.
During the interview we spoke about what it took to get a label job, starting a school from scratch, the real clients of a school, internships, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the strategy of adding extra tracks to albums, and a look at a new study about the diversity of music business.
This week on the podcast I take a quick look at the recent Winter NAMM 2020 exhibition that just finished in Anaheim.
NAMM was certainly different this year as it felt renewed and actually had its first buzz-worthy product in a long time.
During this week's episode I'll take a look at:
the mood of the show and how it was different from previous yearsthe product mix and how audio now leans towards sound reinforcementsome noteworthy new products, especially Universal Audio's LUNA recording systemthe very cool AES Academy that went on in conjunction with the showsome of the cool programs I was part ofand much more
It's short but to the point and I think will give you a perspective on Winter NAMM 2020 that you won't get anywhere else.
My guest today on Episode #300 is Dennis Moody who’s the engineer of choice for some of the worlds top drummers, including Dave Weckl, Steve Gadd, Vinnie Colaiuta, Gregg Bissonette, and many more. He’s also one of the few studio engineers that also tours the world as a front of house engineer as well.
Dennis was my first guest on my very first podcast back almost 6 years ago. Since then he’s been the only guest to return more than twice, appearing on podcasts 50, 100, 150 and 200 to bring us updates in the world of audio from various parts of the globe.
During the interview we spoke about the trends in audio (especially live sound), the economics of the touring business, using subwoofers, the search for the mic that works better than an SM58, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how streaming hit over 1 trillion streams last year but is actually slowing, and how music can evoke up to 13 emotions.
My guest today is Radial Engineering product manager Jay Porter, who worked as both a live and studio engineer before entering the world of audio manufacturing.
Over the past 10 years while working with Primacoustic, Jay has assisted with acoustic treatment layouts for every type of venue from the home recording studio to the mega church including rooms for such artists as Jacquire King, Tommy Lee, John Rzeznik, David Bottrill and David Rideau. Now at Radial Jay is one of the voices for the company’s many cool new products.
During the interview we spoke about acoustic treatment systems, working with music celebrities on their studios, new direct box designs and products, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at Hasbro buying into the music business, Universal Music selling 10% of itself, and company acquisitions by Focusrite and the parent company of SSL.
No guest on the podcast this week as I take a look at what might be in store for us 2020. It's short and sweet and will get you thinking.
Some of the things I'll look at include:
The plugin evolution that's comingUSB 4Artificial intelligence-based productsImmersive audioDigital patchbaysPro Tools' dominanceGear getting more expensiveA breakthrough in soundproofing
And that's just the audio production portion! There's a lot more on what to look for in the music business next year too.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Check out the annual look back at the year, and the decade, in music, audio and the music industry.
You'll be surprised at just how much has changed over the last year, and even more surprised at where we started in 2010 and now end the decade.
Over the course of his 50 years in the business John Storyk has designed more than 3,500 audio and video production facilities, recording studios, radio stations, corporate media and conference rooms, educational and, entertainment facilities, clubs, stadiums and theaters around the world.
John and his company Walters-Storyk Design Group have designed everything from private studios for Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z and Aerosmith to broadcast facilities for CBS, WNET, ESPN, and Food Network, but perhaps his most famous creation is his first - Jimi Hendrix’s famous Electric Lady Studio in New York City.
During the interview we spoke about designing Electric Lady, the types of studios being built today, creating the right studio vibe, the differences in studio construction over time, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look back at how may streams it takes to make both a dollar and minimum wage, and the new Pultizer Prize for audio.
Ari Herstand parlayed his experiences as an indie artist into a secondary career as a music industry blogger and author.
Ari’s music business blog Ari’s Take has been a staple for helping musicians build a career without the help of a record label, and his book How To Make It In The New Music Business is a recommended text book in many college music programs.
Ari’s also written for many of the top musician trade magazines and websites including Music Connection Magazine, American Songwriter, Digital Music News, Playback Magazine, CD Baby, Tunecore, Reverbnation, Roland, Discmakers, ASCAP, Hypebot and others. He has been a featured speaker at SXSW, BBC One's Amplify, ASCAP Music Expo, SF MusicTech, CD Baby's DIY Musician Conference and Berklee College of Music.
During the interview we spoke about some of the common misconceptions about the music business, the importance of setting goals, the big thing that most artists get wrong, finding an audience for your music, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at vinyl’s big sales week, and Dolby and Warner Music’s deal for immersive music.
Kevin Killen is a multi-Grammy award winning engineer who’s worked with luminaries like David Bowie, U2, Peter Gabriel, Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, Sugarland, Shakira and so many more.
Besides working on what many consider seminal albums like Peter Gabriel’s So and U2’s Unforgettable Fire, Kevin has also worked on Broadway cast albums and movie soundtracks as well. He’s also been a longtime proponent of in-the-box mixing and an all-digital workflow, taking up the cause before it became popular.
During the interview we spoke about working with Peter Gabriel, getting arrangement tips from Burt Bacharach, working on David Bowie’s last album, his unique mixing template, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at what might happen to your inactive social accounts, and how plugins are evolving before our eyes.
Yoni Zlotkin turned some ambisonics and binaural college projects into a job as product manager for what has now become Waves NX.
He is now also a product manager for Waves revolutionary Abbey Road Studio 3 plugin.
During the interview we spoke about the development of Studio 3, how the impulses of the room were taken, the evolution of real time psychoacoustics, headphones in an immersive audio environment, and much more.
On the intro we'll look at the upcoming Bytedance music streaming service and what it might tell where streaming is going in 2020 and beyond, and archiving digital files on glass
My guest this week is Jonathan Wyner is the chief mastering engineer and president of M Works Mastering in Cambridge, MA.
Jonathan began his career as a mastering engineer in 1985 as the compact disc was becoming a reality, and he studied digital mastering with one of the pioneers in the field for 5 years prior to establishing M Works Mastering.
Like most mastering engineers, he has thousands of credits over a wide range of genres, including James Taylor, David Bowie, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk just to name a few, and he has mastered what is believed to be the longest CD ever at 80 minutes and 32 seconds. He is currently also serving as president of the Audio Engineering Society and as Education Director at iZotope, as well as a professor at Berklee College Of Music.
During the interview we spoke about the time it takes to develop mastering engineer ears, identifying audio and musical trends, his mission as president of AES, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at the latest twist on concert ticketing known as rush seating, and at how the music industry managed to get the restrictions on rosewood relaxed.
This episode features guest Jason Brennan, who's a re-recording mixer, supervising sound editor and sound designer with numerous feature film and television credits for Warner Bros.
His 10 years of experience in music production and engineering gives him a unique outlook on television audio.
Jason has always been on the cutting edge of the latest technology. He uses his experiences to develop workflows that deliver the best sound experience and goes beyond the standard sound FX library for the “right sound”, even if it means traveling to record it.
During the interview we spoke about what’s change in audio post in the last five years, the biggest problem that dialog editors face, aligning phase on boom and lav tracks, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at a return of the compilation album in a different from, and the gear that I use to create my podcast.
This week's guest is Dino Monoxelus, who is currently a senior product specialist and product planning manager for Ampeg Amplifiers.
He’s affectionally known as “The Ampeg Guy” for his extensive knowledge about the company and its products, which he’s used as a working bass player for over 30 years.
Dino spends a lot of time training salesman, conducting clinics and demoing Ampeg products all over the world. He also the author on four books on playing bass, and recently authored a column in Bass Player Magazine.
During the interview we spoke about past Ampeg guitar amps, the speaker setup of the SVT cabinet, the most preferred vintages of bass amps, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how the FTC is getting tough on social media fakers, and how free plugins might not be worth the effort.
Michelle Moog-Koussa is the daughter of the man who’s name is almost synonymous with the word synthesizer - Bob Moog.
Michelle has been the executive director of the Bob Moog Foundation for the 12 years since its inception. She has guided the organization through the creation and growth of its hallmark educational project, Dr. Bob's SoundSchool, which inspires thousands of teachers and young children every year through a 10-week experiential science of sound curriculum.
Michelle has also maintained her vision for a Moogseum, a historical and educational center that houses all of the Foundation's projects and is home to Bob Moog’s archives. It’s mission is to encourage people of all ages to embrace the process of scientific and creative discovery.
During the interview we spoke about growing up with a famous father, her father’s early days pursuing a concert piano career, his relationship with Leon Theremin, the mission of the Bob Moog Foundation, and much more. Check out her excellent TED talk here.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how labels are now able to place ads for songs on Spotify, and how Gibson lost its trademarks on two iconic instruments.
This episode's featured guest is Michael Romanowski, a Grammy nominated mastering engineer who’s the owner and chief mastering engineer at San Francisco’s Coast Mastering.
He’s also the co-owner and founder of the analog tape label The Tape Project, and a Trustee of the The Recording Academy San Francisco Chapter (NARAS).
Michael has worked with a long list of clients that includes America, Third Eye Blind, G-Love, Train, and Pentatonix, among many many others. He’s also become one of the first mastering engineers to work in the immersive audio world with projects for Media Hyperium Surround and Kenny Wayne Shepard.
During the interview we spoke about making the transition from engineering to mastering, the difference between polishing a mix and real mastering, the quest for dynamic range, working in immersive audio, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at what record labels are doing with back catalog, and new gear shown at AES NYC.
My guest this week is Yoad Nevo, who has credits that include over thirty #1 singles, more than fifty Top 10 albums and over sixty Top 10 singles worldwide as a producer, mixer and mastering engineer.
Among the artists he’s worked with include Sia, Bryan Adams, Pet Shop boys, Sugababies, The Dandy Warhols, Moby, Morcheeba and many more.
Yoad has also been inventing and developing plug-ins for Waves since 1997, and his registered patents, his book Hit Record – An Inside Track To Music Production and his popular webinars have paved the way for other producers and engineers.
During the interview we spoke about the magic number of mixes before you get learn how to do it, getting into mastering, developing plugins for Waves, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at CD Baby and TuneCore doing a deal with Tencent Music, the largest streaming service in China, and take a brief look at digital patchbays.
This episode features guest Bruce Houghton, who started his boutique Skyline Artists Agency more than 25 year ago.
The agency now has offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, New England, Virginia, Florida and St.Louis, and serves 60 diverse artists that include Roger McGuinn, Poco, Atlanta Rhythm Section, The Motels, Freddie McGregor Zoe Keating, Darlingside, Gangstagrass and more..
Bruce is also the founder and editor of the influential music blog Hypebot, which was recently acquired by the gig recommendation service Bandsintown, where he serves as a senior advisor.
During the interview we spoke about what an agent looks for when taking on an artist, the strategy behind booking talent, the best place online to build an audience quickly, the Bandsintown Artist Toolkit, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at Spotify’s market value dropping, and at how many producers and engineers are working for free.
Scott Sugden started as a live systems engineer for bands like Van Halen and Steve Miller Band to theater productions like Spamalot and The Producers before specializing in large format sound system design for festivals.
He initially came to L-Acoustics as application support and education engineer, which led into a product role with the company.
Scott is now a product manager for L-Acoustic’s fantastic L-ISA immersive audio system, and I was so lucky to get a first-hand listen to a system in the company’s demo room after we recorded this interview. I strongly believe that this is going to become a revolution that will change how we enjoy a concert experience, and Scott is the evangelist that teaches FOH mixers how to use it.
During the interview we spoke about the role of the systems engineer, the idea behind immersive audio in a live environment, improving the concert experience for the audience, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how audio and video content online is getting both shorter and longer, and how sold state drives will soon get larger and cheaper.
My guest this week is engineer Craig Burbidge, who gained multi-platinum status having worked with hundreds of artists including Barry White, Steve Perry, Natalie Cole, Take 6, Teddy Pendergrass, Paul Jackson Jr., Vanessa Williams, Brian McKnight, Kirk Franklin and many more.
Craig was also one of the first American engineers to take his talents to Asia, working with Taiwanese superstar David Tao. He was also one of the first to utilize remote audio connections for mixing his Asian clients while still in Los Angeles.
During the interview we spoke about mixing while recording, getting engineering work through session musicians, owning the Air L.A. studio complex, working with Chinese clients, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how CDs seem to be making a comeback, and why cheap USB hubs can be detrimental to your computer setup.
My guest this week is engineer, mixer and composer Jesse Ray Ernster, who grew up in a musical family with both his parents playing in bands and making records.
Jesse’s entrance in the music business began at age of 16 touring with several artists as a lead guitarist/vocalist, but he then realized his true calling was being in the studio, creating music from the ground up.
Jesse originally paid the bills by scoring for TV shows like Ripley’s Believe It Or Not and indie films, but his big break came working for Kanye West. That lead to working on two of Nigerian star Burna Boy’s albums, including the huge global hit African Giant.
During the interview we spoke about learning Pro Tools and engineering from his dad, working in Uganda with Kanye West, the unique workflow for mixing the African Giant album in different countries, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at how Deezer might change streaming royalties for the better of indie artists, and some interesting facts about the Shure SM58.
This week's guest is Vince Wilburn Jr., who has both toured and recorded with his uncle Miles Davis on many legendary recordings from 1984 through 1987. He is also a producer on the Grammy-winning “Miles Ahead” soundtrack for “Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media, and is co-executor of Miles Davis Properties. Vince has played with a wide variety of bands including AL7, The Dells and Cameo, among others. More recently he has been running the Miles Electric Band, and was also Executive Producer of the Don Cheadle film about his uncle Miles Ahead as well as the most recent documentary called Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool. During the interview we spoke about touring and recording with Miles, being a studio musician in Chicago, pushing the limits of jazz, the responsibility for overseeing the Miles estate, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at the latest music sales figures from the RIAA, and some history about the influential Sony Walkman.
Terri Winston is the executive director of Women’s Audio Mission, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization that uses music and media to attract over 2,000 underserved women and girls every year to STEM and creative technology studies. WAM’s award-winning curriculum weaves art and music with science, technology and computer programming and works to close the critical gender gap in creative technology careers. During Terri’s long career as a recording artist, songwriter, composer, recording engineer, and producer she noticed that less than 5% of the people creating music and media were woman. That led her to create WAM in 2003 while she was a tenured Professor and Director of the Sound Recording Arts Program at City College of San Francisco. Along the way Terri has composed and produced theme music for KRON-TV's "First Cut" series, Banana Republic and films that have shown on BRAVO's Independent Film Channel, French Television's Cine Cinemas and major festivals all over the world. She has received an ASCAP songwriting award, Boston Music Award and Bay Area Music Award, is currently serving on the Recording Academy's (Grammy's) National Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion and The Academy of Country Music's Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. During the interview we spoke about playing in a punk band and working with producer Lenny Kaye, how Women’s Audio Mission came about, women’s lack of exposure to audio, the perception of women in the studio, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at the ways streaming numbers are manipulated, and Steinway Piano’s secret underground vault.
6 time Grammy Award-winner Fred Vogler is the principal sound designer and FOH mixer for the Hollywood Bowl and Walt Disney Concert Hall. Throughout the year, he also records the Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Opera, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for commercial and broadcast release. Fred is also one of the first live mixers to work in immersive audio using the L-Acoustics L-ISA system on high profile events for Deadmau5 and the LA Phil 100th anniversary tour show in Seoul, S. Korea. During the interview we spoke about mixing in an immersive environment, what it’s like to mix at the Hollywood Bowl, what happens if a visiting mixer gets too loud, the punishing schedule during the summer, and much more. You can learn more about Fred at Sonitus Consulting. On the intro I take a look at how music is expected to disappear from the radio in 10 years, and tips on how to hydrate your voice properly.
My guest this week is Diego Farias, who's a digital music and tech expert with experience from some of the world’s most successful tech companies. He now serves as the CEO and co-founder of record label and music distributor Amuse. Amuse has a unique business model in that it provides free distribution to all the streaming services. The company then analyzes music consumption and listening habits in order to find promising songs and rising talent. It then signs the artists to licensing deals rather than traditional recording contracts. Amuse recently introduced a new product called Fast Forward that uses machine learning to predict and pay independent artists future royalties. With Fast Forward, independent artists can collect to up to six months of their future royalties while also retaining the rights to their music During the interview we spoke about what transformed the Swedish music scene to digital, the record label of the future, using machine learning to determine future royalty payouts, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at the RIAA claim that 25% of CDs bought on Amazon are counterfeit, and the phenomena of mixing with your eyes.
Joe Solo turned a chance meeting with Macy Gray into a 17 year journey that culminated in a Grammy win, a double platinum album, and a hit MTV video.
Soon afterward Joe transitioned into the world of music publishing as the head staff writer/producer for Paramount’s Famous Music Publishing division and has since had hundreds of professional collaborations and over 2,000 song placements in films, tv shows, video games, and commercials.
Joe is now CEO of Joe Solo Music+Entertainment, Inc., his multi-media, record label, publishing, artist development, and record production company, and is coaching and inspiring rising music and songwriting talent worldwide through his Music Success Workshop division.
During the interview we spoke about what makes a great demo, Joe’s approach to production, blending opposite song elements, his music success workshop, and much more.
On the intro I’ll take a look at why Taylor Swift might not find it so easy to re-record her old songs, and how our DAW world will soon transition to 64 bit.
Kristen Agee is a classically trained violinist and started playing multiple instruments at the age of 7. She opened a studio in Silver Lake, California where she recorded punk bands and wrote music for various artists, all while touring as bassist after learning the instrument from Rolling Stone’s bass player Daryl Jones. Her writing led to work with a number of publishers and in 2012 she started 411 Music Group and launched a 200 song catalog just two years later. 411 is a one-stop shop music house that provides synchronization licensing, custom score and publishing administration. Kristen secures global partnerships for 411 and oversees the creative and strategic business. One of the most impressive things about her is that not only did she start as an artist/writer/composer, but she continues to make music and executive produces a number of the scores and custom work the company does for their clients in the film, television, and visual media space. During the interview we spoke about getting into music publishing, sonic branding, how up to date clients are with current music, how streaming has changed the publishing business, the latest music trends, and much more.
This week's guest is Steve Genewick, who's worked at Capitol Studios in Hollywood for 25 years. During that time he’s had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of legendary artists including Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Queen, George Harrison, Michael Jackson and many more. Steve has also been able to work closely with some of the greatest engineers ever, including Al Schmitt and Geoff Emerick, among many others. He has also worked on the music for the Academy Awards for the last 20 years, including some huge setups that probably couldn’t be done anywhere else. After working on a number of high-profile 5.1 surround mixes in the past, Steve is now focusing much of his attention on Dolby Atmos immersive audio mixing with some spectacular results. During the interview we spoke about the wide variety of clients at Capitol Studios, what goes on behind-the-scenes while recording the music for the Academy Awards, lessons learned from legendary engineers, making the transition to immersive audio mixing, and much more. On the intro I’ll also take a look at the musician's labor relations and a possible producer’s union, and the latest acquisition by the Focusrite Group.
Dave Audé is a producer and remixer with an astounding 133 #1’s on Billboard’s Dance Club chart. That’s more than any other producer, and what makes it even more impressive is that 14 are his own singles as an artist. He’s also won a Grammy for his remix of "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars. Dave has produced for superstar artists such as U2, KoЯn, Coldplay, One Direction, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Britney Spears, Beyoncé and many more. Most recently, Dave produced 6 songs on Sting’s latest album. During the interview we spoke about how remixing has changed over the years, the elements he receives for a remix, producing Sting, how his personal studio has evolved, his favorite plugins, and much more. On the intro I’ll also take a look at how streaming is about to change the DJ world, and at how summer NAMM is turning into a powerhouse conference.
My guest this week is at the forefront of mixing music in Dolby Atmos. Greg Penny has produced hits with k.d. lang, Cher, and Paul Young, among others, but a meeting with Elton John while Greg was in his teens turned into an award-winning mixing journey with the legend many years down the road. Besides producing and mixing Elton’s many albums in surround, Greg is now mixing them in the latest immersive audio format, and he’ll tell us more about how it all works in just a bit. During the interview we spoke about sitting in on Elton’s Yellow Brick Road sessions, the differences between mixing in Atmos and 5.1, recording the Vatican Choir in surround, and much more. The intro takes a look at how Amazon Music is coming on strong with new subscribers, and at Aerosmith’s immersive audio Las Vegas residence.
My guest today is the CEO of Primphonic, Thomas Steffens. Primephonic is a music streaming service dedicated to keeping classical music alive and accessible through the tech revolution Most streaming networks are geared towards modern pop music and don’t serve classical well. It’s difficult to find what you want, and labels, conductors and orchestras aren’t paid much since their piece run far longer than the average pop or rock song. Primephonic uses a pay-per-second model instead of the per stream way that Spotify and most other streaming networks use. During the interview we spoke about the 3 types of classical music fans, how a recommendation algorithm doesn’t work for the classical genre, differentiating between different versions of a work, Primephonic’s unique royalty structure, and much more. The intro takes a look at how music might change in 10 years, the new Rolling Stone music charts, a new look at what causes tinnitus, and the computers that people use for Pro Tools.
Jim Dunne is the founder and senior acoustic consultant of the ground-breaking Smart Studio, which completely disrupts how recording studios and dubbing theaters have been built. Smart Studio supplies a modular system that provides not only isolation but excellent acoustic design.
Jim has over 30 years experience in the acoustics and noise control industry, as well as on-site construction activities, recording studio design, electro-acoustic equipment supply and install, and company management.
He has also worked for a number of years in the world famous Windmill Lane Studios, one of the premier recording studio facility in Ireland which catered to clients like U2, the Waterboys, and Kate Bush.
In the interview we talk about the the technical aspects of Smart Studio, the typical build time, what a deconstruction is like, speaker calibration, and much more.
On the intro I'll look at the brand new Billboard charts, and how speaker cabinets are being used for smuggling.
My guest on the podcast this week is Bree Noble, who is a champion for women in music thanks to her Female Entrepreneur Musician Podcast and Female Musician Academy.
Bree quit her corporate job as a Director of Finance at a top opera company to pursue a successful run as a touring singer/songwriter where she won several songwriting and artist awards and even sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium.
During her time as a musician, she founded an online radio station called Women of Substance Radio, to promote quality female artists in all genres. That eventually led to her current Female Entrepreneur Musician Podcast, where she teaches marketing and business strategies for musicians and conducts interviews with successful Indie female artists and industry professionals.
Bree has also created several online courses to help musicians learn to make a living from their music. Her most popular offering is an online training and mentoring community exclusively for female musicians called the "Female Musician Academy".
In the interview we talked about why women musicians are treated differently from men, the progress that women have made in the industry, the one thing that every artist is looking for, and much more.
The intro takes a look at the music publishing industry’s revenue increase that’s not trickling down to songwriters, and the Universal vault fire and how it affects record label’s archives.
Jonathan Stone has had a long career as a director of creative services in music publishing at heavyweight companies like ATV Music, MCA Music, Quincy Jones Qwest Music Publishing, and Windswept. He now runs the disruptive music service Rocketsongs, that not only helps artists to find and license songs, but supplies the tracks as well. In the interview we talk about the new song structure and how that affects music publishers, a day in a song pluggers life, the value of publishers, disrupting the publishing business, and more. On the intro I take a look at the big differences between Spotify and music radio, and how playlists are replacing the album.
Zubin Gadhoke is a co-founder and producer for Olympus Projects, which is a management and consulting agency that provides artists with help in the day-to-day operations and development of their businesses. In the interview we talked about artist branding, building social authority, creating a new industry sound, the power of SoundCloud, and much more. The intro takes a look at the YouTube’s frequent copyright mistakes, and a formerly huge social network that lost 50 million songs.
Rick Goetz has been a a major label A&R representative, a music supervisor, an artist manager, a bass player, and record label owner. He has worked for Lava/Atlantic, Elektra, and EMI, with projects by artists that include Kid Rock, Matchbox 20 and Sarah Brightman, and on television shows including Sesame Street and Psychic Detectives. Since leaving the major labels in 2007, he has handled music clearances and major marketing campaigns for a range of artists, from young, local, and aspiring bands, to multi-platinum, international superstars. In recent years he’s also been a guest speaker at SXSW, The Recording Academy, CMJ and The New Music Seminar. In the interview we talked about the transition from being in a band to working to a record label, if radio is an effective promotional tool anymore, marketing to playlists, how physical products fit in for an artist, and much moreThe 50 Stat. On the intro I'll take a look at the results of the 50 States of Music, and look into a repair tech who went on an acid trip while repair a vintage synthesizer.
David Kalt launched the super popular gear site Reverb.com in 2013 after growing frustrated with the process of buying and selling guitars on eBay. To get it started, David raised more than $47 million in funding from investors ranging from Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen and country star Brad Paisley to tech leaders like Eric Ries and Max Levchin. Since then, Reverb has sold more than $1 billion worth of new and used instruments on the platform. In that time David has worked with artists ranging from the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl to Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong to get gear into the hands of fans. In the interview we talked about how he made a pivot from being a studio engineer to the business world, integrating with local music stores, an overview of Reverb’s customers and gear, and much more. On the intro I'll take a look at the hottest new platform for tween and teens Tik Tok and its battle with the major labels, and some tips for singing better while playing guitar or bass.
My guest today is Robert Siciliano, who started as a music recording engineer, but by almost a quirk of fate got a temp job at NBC that turned into a career. In the interview we talked about making the transition to postproduction, the turnaround time for an audio job, dealing with audio that isn’t well-recorded. On the intro I'll take a look at Google and YouTube’s streaming numbers, and the major labels getting back into hi-res.
After years as a touring pedal steel guitarist with everyone from Dan Fogelberg and Phil Everly to Pat Boone and Bobby Womack, Dave Pearlman opened his Rotund Rascal Studio in North Hollywood in 1979. To save money on outside techs, Dave began to do repairs and modifications on classic mics like the U47, 67 and AKG C12. His side business became so successful that Dave closed the studio after 25 years and started Pearlman Microphones. He now hand-builds a full line of excellent vintage-style tube mics, including the mostly overlooked Church MGM microphone from the 50s, Telefunken 250, and the U 47, among others. In the interview we talked about how he started building mics, the history of the famous Church microphone, finding vintage tubes, the magic of older parts, and much more. On the intro I'll take a look at payola and how it’s making a legal comeback, and a new well-intentioned law that might end up hurting musicians in Pennsylvania.
David Frangioni started his music career as a drummer, but soon became a pioneer in MIDI technology. This lead him into the studio as an engineer and producer for dozens of top artists including The Stones, Ringo Starr, Aerosmith, Elton John, Sting, Carl Palmer, Journey, Styx, KISS, Phil Collins, Shakira, Ozzy Osbourne, and more. David is also the founder of Audio One, one of the most successful and awarded A/V firms in the U.S, as well as multimedia design, installation and content company Frangioni Media. Audio One specializes in the super sophisticated home automation, and the company has built hundreds of technology, sound, and automation installations to date. He’s also an author with 3 books to his credit, and he’s extremely active in a variety of charitable foundations. In the interview we talked about David getting his start in the studio with Aerosmith, why credits are so important, the challenges of high-end home automation, writing books about Clint Eastwood and vintage drums, and much more. I spoke with David via skype from his home in Florida. On the intro I'll take a look at the most musical cities in the world today, and Netflix upping the audio ante to hi-res.
My guest today is Michael Abbott, who started in television audio doing front-of-house sound for projects like the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics and the Academy awards, to working for the major television networks as a staff mixer on a variety of shows. Michael now heads the sound design, engineering and consulting company All Ears, where he not only co-ordinates the audio for the Grammy Awards show, but shows like The Voice and Shark Tank, presidential debates and awards shows like the ESPYs, the Country Music Awards, and the Oscars. In the interview we talked about the massiveness of the Grammy audio setup, keeping the performers happy, the super-fast sound checks involved, some of the last minute problems he’s presented with, and much more. On the intro I'll take a look at Black Box money that songwriters aren’t receiving and the fight over it, and how a new study determined that background music doesn’t really help your concentration.
Ritch Esra is the former promotion coordinator for A&M Records and director of A&R for Arista Records, where he worked extensively with the publishing and songwriting communities for material for Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Melissa Manchester, Tanya Tucker, Jennifer Warnes and Jermaine Jackson, and various major motion pictures. Since 1992, Ritch has been running the Music Business Registry service, which includes The A&R Registry, The Publisher Registry, The Music Business Attorney Registry, The Artist Managers Registry and The Film and Television Music Guide. He also co-founded MUBUTV, which is an online video channel dedicated to educating recording artists, bands, and musicians on the realities of developing a career in music today. Ritch has also taught various classes on the music business at Musicians Institute, SAE and the UCLA Extension. In the interview we talked about the state of A&R over the years, the most difficult challenge that an artist has today, why fewer American hits go global, the biggest misconception about label A&R, and much more. On the intro I'll take a look at how streaming seems to be worse for the environment than CDs or vinyl, and how an orchestral viola player’s suit against the Royal Opera House for hearing damage has played out.
My guest today is producer/engineer Jack Miele, who’s won a Grammy, Emmy, 4 Telly awards and 2 Global Music awards. Based in New Orleans, Jack has a wide range of studio credits that include Rod Stewart, The Roots, Beyonce, Aloe Blacc and the Zac Brown Band, among many others. As a composer, Jack’s work has been featured TV shows like American Horror Story, Anthony Bourdain’s “The Layover,” and Toddlers and Tiaras, and commercials for Mercedes, IBT Clothing, Mountain Dew, also among many others. In the interview we talked about the state of recording in New Orleans, how musicians learn on the job there, the unique ways that musicians get paid, recording to tape and staying analog, and much more. I spoke with jack via phone from his studio in Los Angeles. On the intro I'll take a look at how streaming services are keeping more money than they did before, and beamforming audio in the new MSG Sphere Arena in Las Vegas.
My guest today is mastering engineer Kevin Gray who specializes in vinyl disc cutting. Kevin has mastered music at his Cohearant Mastering studio for every major label in every genre, including pop, rock, jazz, classical, adult contemporary, alternative, punk, heavy metal, new age, gothic, world ethnic, disco, dance, soul, blues, and hip-hop / rap. His credits include more than a hundred top ten and Grammy award-winning records, and dozens of gold and platinum albums and singles In the interview we talked about why he doesn’t take super-compressed projects, the custom-designed analog gear he uses, direct-to-disc recording, half-speed mastering, and much more. On the intro I'll take a look at the new 3 inch vinyl single that Jack White's Third Man Records label is releasing, and the future of music education with violinists being trained by artificial intelligence.
Michael Beinhorn has produced a wide range of artists including Herbie Hancock, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith and Soundgarden, among many others. He is the author of Unlocking Creativity, and an outspoken advocate of the importance of artist development and pre-production within the creative process. To that end, Michael has begun consulting with artists specifically about their pre-production, and we had a lively discussion that delved deep into the subject. In the interview we talked about why pre-production is so important, how it can be done remotely, the psychology of production, and much more. On the intro I look at CD Baby's sale to Downtown Music, and the latest survey on audio interfaces.
Recently I had a conversation with engineer Bill Smith about the late engineer Geoff Emerick and realized that there was a lot that we didn’t know about this audio giant even though he was responsible for some huge records that shaped the lives and careers of so many people. Although he’s most famous for recording The Beatles, Geoff recorded songs that we hear every day by The Zombies, Stealer’s Wheel, Supertramp, America, Jeff Beck, Kate Bush, Oasis, Cheap Trick and so many more. Bill Smith was his assistant and best friend for many years and knows about as much about Geoff as anybody, so I asked him to come on the show and to give us some insight to this great man. In the interview you’ll hear some interesting facts about how Geoff miked Paul McCartney’s bass, how he needed to get EMI’s written permission to be able to experiment with some of his miking ideas that are since become the standard way we do things today, why his bass and drum techniques are so influential to today’s music, and much more. In the intro I'll look at how an artificial intelligence algorithm got a record deal, and counterfeit gear that's more prevalent than you think.
Bob is a founding member of The Surfaris, and every guitar player since 1963 has learned to play the band’s big hit “Wipeout” sometime early in their career.
The song, which Bob recorded when he was 15, sold over a million copies and rose to #2 on the Billboard charts when it was released, and has re-entered the charts a number of times since thanks to being used in various movies and television shows.
The band went on to record other surf hits like "Surfer Joe,"Point Panic," and "Similou" as well. Bob and the band still perform at concerts around the country.
In the interview we talked about how "Wipeout" came about (and you won’t believe the story) and its continual life, the gear he used, his relationship with Leo Fender, the difference between old and new gear, life in the early music business, and much more.
On the intro I'll take a what social media and streaming networks people are using most in the United States (you'll be surprised), and how songs and albums are being changed because of the skip rate metric.
Composer, producer and music supervisor Doug DeAngelis is my guest on the podcast today. Doug hit paydirt early in his career when he recorded the Nine Inch Nails hit “Head Like A Hole.” In 1989, he embarked on a world tour with the Detroit Techno crossover dance artist Inner City, but after that he moved on to studio work in New York City, where he amassed over 300 album and remix credits, including 31 #1 Billboard Chart singles. Doug’s album credits include New Order, Michael Jackson, Queen Latifa, Chaka Khan, Love and Rockets, Alicia Keys, and No Doubt, among others. Doug’s career then shifted to Los Angeles where his music was embraced by Hollywood producer Michael Mann as the scorer for his CBS crime drama series Robbery Homicide Division. His music has since appeared in over 100 television shows including CSI, Bones, CSI Miami, and ER, as well as dozens of reality and late night television programs. Doug is also the Conference Chair and Co-Founder of A3E, The Advanced Audio & Applications Exchange, a leading industry resource dedicated to the future of new music technologies. He’s also involved in an interesting interactive music app called Stylus, In the interview we talked about the early days synthesizer programming, becoming a mixer in New York City, composing for television, his newly developed Stylus app, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at the latest numbers on music sales from the RIAA, and take an overview at the new USB 3.2 computer ports (and a look at all the other USB ports too).
My guest on the podcast today is CD Baby’s VP of international development, Heli Del Moral. Before coming to the company Heli worked in television as the international director of marketing for ESPN and Univision where he won 3 Emmy awards, and numerous Telly, Promax and other honors for his creative efforts. In the interview we talked about the strength of CDs worldwide, promotional tools for artists that CD Baby has available, the difference in markets outside the US, albums versus singles, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at radio wanting to pass a law against performance royalties, and the improved health of the musical instrument business.
Amphion loudspeakers have become a favorite of award-winning mixing engineers the world over, and founder and CEO Anssi Hyvonen is my guest on the podcast today. Anssi spent most of his life as a hi-fi enthusiast, but he got into building speakers sort of by accident. His speakers are very well respected by that community, but acceptance by the pros was a total surprise. Today the company provides speakers to mixers and composers just about everywhere, even though they're passive and buck the current trend in monitors. In the interview we talked about the difference between speakers made for hi-fi and pro audio, why passive speakers can provide higher quality reproduction, the use of passive radiators, the Finnish speaker building tradition, and much more. This interview was recorded live from the speaker evaluation room at Vintage King in Los Angeles. On the intro I'll take a look at Facebook launching Lasso to counter Gen-Z favorite TikTok, and a look at the person and event that started the modern recording industry.
Ben Mendoza created UK-based Beatchain along with co-founder and musician Steve Jones to accelerate artist growth by using data science and automation. Ben has spent almost 25 years using software to improve decision making and automate time-consuming processes with leading expense management company MDSL, which Beatchain now brings to the music industry. He leads a team that includes behavioral economists, Ph.D. data scientists, artificial intelligence and machine learning experts and senior music industry professionals that helps artists and bands to build up their fan bases across social media, improve fan engagement, identify the most engaged fans, and promote only to those most likely to respond. The platform offers a version for artists, and also a B2B version for major and independent record labels, artist managers, and promoters. In the interview we talked about the real-world background of the company, new data possibilities for artists, how analytics works in the new music business, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at Apple buying a company that does a lot of the work of a record label, and the tempos and keys or recent hit songs.
Paul Edwards is a Montreal-based engineer who has worked on projects by Smashing Pumpkins, Flaming Lips, Ben Harper, Arctic Monkeys, Interpol, Bloc Party, Seal and many more. For 3 years Paul was also the lead audio engineer for the online mastering service LANDR. In the interview we talked about getting into mastering, some insights into LANDR, artificial intelligence in audio, and much more. On the intro I’ll take a look at why songwriters are getting a 44% raise for streams, and provide a high sample rate overview.
Bill Reynolds is a Grammy-nominated producer, engineer, mixer, songwriter and former bass player with Band of Horses. Billâs credits include the Avett Brothers, Band of Horses, Truth and Salvage Co, Tim, Chaisson, Lissie, among others, and his songs have appeared on TV shows like House, Justified and Army Wives. He currently works out of his personal Fleetwood Shack studio in Nashville. In the interview we talked about vocal mix levels, being in a band and being their producer, the difference between the Asheville and Nashville music scenes, the amazing Nashville session players, using a tape machine again, and much more. A special thank you to Universal Audio who introduced me to Bill Reynolds. On the intro I'll look at how Spotify was hacked and fake artists are now showing up on playlists, and Apple switching processors soon and what that could mean.
Robert Marshall is a sound designer, mixer and partner of Chicago audio post house SUM1. Robert has spent the last 15 years doing sound design, mixes, and ADR for film, television and radio, including several Superbowl spots. He’s also a founding partner of Source Elements, a company that provides a number of excellent IP-based replacements for the ISDN services that have long been used by the voice-over industry for long-distance recording. In the interview we talked about getting into post-production from music, the idea behind Source Elements and the different products offered, post production in the Chicago commercial scene, the ideal amount of compression on a voice over, and much more. On the intro I’ll provide a wrap-up of Winter NAMM, including some insights that you might not find anywhere else.
NEWS
Spotify will release hardware for the car this year Researchers have found a way to ease the effects of Tinnitus
GUEST
Voice-over artist Andrew Peters
My guest today is Andrew Peters, who started as popular radio personality and eventually transitioned to television as the host of Australian music shows like Rock Arena, Trax, Simulrock, the Live Aid broadcast, and interviewer for the MTV special Australian Made. After 20 years on radio and television he’s become one of the top voice actors in SouthEast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. His voice is heard by millions every day as the current network voice for Channel News Asia, Dubai Eye 103.8, Radio M classic rock, and on numerous television, radio, and corporate spots. In the interview we talked about Andrew losing his North London accent to get into radio, making the transition to television, the learning curve required for voice-over work, some cool voice-over tricks, the difference between Australian and American home studios, and much more. Andrew and I spoke via Source Connect Now from his home in Australia, where it was truly a pleasure to listen to his big booming voice.
NEWS
A quick look at how to copyright your songs for 2019 The history of vocal tuning
GUEST
Session drummer Denny Seiwell
Denny Seiwell went from being one of the top session drummers in New York City, to become a founding member of Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles band Wings, to playing on television and film scores in Los Angeles.
Besides McCartney, Denny has worked with artists like Billy Joel, Joe Cocker, James Brown, and Denice Williams, among many others. He has a wide range of film credits that include Waterworld, Grease II, and Vertical Limit, and on TV shows like Happy Days and Knots Landing.
In the interview we talked about getting started in session work in New York, that famous first university tour in England with Paul McCartney, leaving the biggest band in the world, making a painful transition to the Los Angeles studio scene, working on the first Billy Joel record, and much more.
On the intro I’ll provide an overview on copyrighting your songs in 2019, and a quick history on vocal tuning.
NEWS
Ed Sheeran gets sued for plagiarism by the Marvin Gaye estate Pioneer Electronics is sold
GUEST
Session guitarist Tim Pierce
Tim Pierce, who’s one of the most widely used and respected session guitar players in Los Angeles today.
Tim has a client list a mile long that includes superstars like Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Don Henley, Faith Hill, Dave Mathews Band, Mylie Cyrus, and many more. Simply put, he’s the go-to guy in town if you want great guitar on your tracks.
Tim also has an excellent online Guitar Master Class that includes over 100 hours and 1000 videos, with new content added every month.
In the interview we talked about the thing that has kept Tim busy even during down years in the business, the best benefit of having a home studio, the sound of amp simulators, his favorite instruments, and much more.
On the intro I’ll look at how the latest lawsuit from the Marvin Gaye estate (this time against Ed Sheeran) has the potential to totally depress the music publishing business, and Pioneer Electronics being acquired by a private equity company.
A look ahead at what to expect in 2019 in:
the music business the musical instrument business the pro audio business
2018 Year End Overview
A look back at my predictions for the year What happened in the music business in the last year What happened in music production business in the last year What happened in the MI business in the last year
NEWS
The "Blurred Lines" lawsuit has finally been settled, and not to the benefit of songwriters A look at isolating home studio windows
GUEST
Guitar virtuoso Laurence Juber
NEWS
Universal Music Group is being put up for sale and already has a potential buyer A look at what mastering is, and what it isn't
GUEST
Vocalist and educator Darlene Koldenhoven Check out Darlene's Tune Your Voice course
NEWS
The IFPI disputes the amount of money YouTube says it's paid to artists The strict importation restrictions on rosewood that affects stringed instruments may be eased
GUEST
Music and film producer Frank Fitzpatrick
NEWS
What is Article 13 and the effect it will have on your videos The Top 20 DAWs according to Music Radar
GUEST
Conan trumpet player and vocalist Mark Pender
NEWS
An overview of Spotify users in the United States How to care for your voice during the Winter
GUEST
Postproduction engineer Paul Hollman
NEWS
Apple Music now has 3 tiers for distributors Top 10 Synths of all time according to Music Radar
GUEST
Engineering legend Al Schmitt Find his new book Al Schmitt On The Record here
NEWS
Common social media mistakes The best selling headphones will surprise you
GUEST
Los Angeles studio bass player Paul ILL
Everything you wanted to know about the Inner Circle Podcast including:
Origin Guests, news, branding, and commercial-free Tech (signal path, studio, plugins, posts, editing) Distribution And more
NEWS
Some Spotify payouts are rising while others are falling Nano-membrane technology could turn almost anything into a mic or speakers
GUEST
Televison composer Michael Raphael
NEWS
The top worldwide music genres The 5 hardware effects that changed music
GUEST
United Studios Archiving audio preservation engineer Dan Johson
NEWS
Outside money is pouring into the music business, and there's a reason why The creative and recorded legacy of the legendary Geoff Emerick
GUEST
Westlake Studios co-owner and CEO Al Machera
NEWS
The most stressful job in the music industry might surprise you The used guitar market may be growing too fast
GUEST
Bassist, Bollywood composer and NASA aerospace engineer Mike Paul Hughes
NEWS
How the Music Modernization Act passed the Senate and what happens next Pretty soon you'll probably have to pay sales tax for all online gear purchases
GUEST
Author, musician and music technologist Craig Anderton
NEWS
Sony Music's payouts to artists larger than expected after selling Spotify shares The RIAA is considering the first changes to the vinyl record standard since 1978. Could it be about HD Vinyl?
GUEST
Veva Sound VP Drew Waters
NEWS
There's a big war brewing between labels, publishers and Spotify over music videos There are five logo badge colors on Neumann microphones. Do you know what they mean?
GUEST
Sweetwater editorial director Mitch Gallagher
NEWS
U.S. radio continues to decline while it's on the upswing in the rest of the world A new Gloom Index algorithm rates the 5 saddest songs
GUEST
Taxi Music founder and CEO Michael Laskow
NEWS
Spotify uses fake artists on its ambient channels, but labels fight back with Apple Music Musical instrument and pro audio imports are down, and that's before tariffs kick in
GUEST
Mastering engineer and legendary vinyl cutter Ron McMaster
Photo: Cheryl Peterson
NEWS
Stream fraud is running rampant by artists, labels, platforms and even consumers Audio consoles and mixers are getting cheaper but better, according to a new study
GUEST
Blue Oyster Cult singer, songwriter and lead guitarist Buck Dharma
NEWS
The 10 most expensive auctions for vinyl records will surprise you Cable manufacturer Monster tries crypto-currency with Monster Money
GUEST
Recording Academy's government relations officer brings us up to speed on the Music Modernization Act
NEWS
Nielsen's latest report provides lots of data on radio and smart speaker usage Logitech buys Blue Microphones
GUEST
Guitarist and film/TV composer Lyle Workman
NEWS
9 things to think about before release a vinyl album An overview of Audio over Ethernet
GUEST
Wall Street piano man Niko Kotoulas
NEWS
The popularity of radio's top music formats is changing Musical instruments are selling again and here's where we're buying them from
GUEST
Creator of the Distressor and Empirical Labs founder Dave Derr
NEWS
All Spotify playlists won't provide the same streaming results Private equity group buys Martin Audio
GUEST
President of Outerloop Records Shan Dan Horan
NEWS
Vinyl sales rose again in the first half of the year Fender's Jazzmaster is becoming this generation's Strat
GUEST
Nashville engineer Ed Seay talks about giving an Elvis album new life
NEWS
There are some changes coming to the Grammys, but will they have the intended effect? There may be big changes coming to JBL Pro soon
GUEST
Engineer and Emmy winner Clark Germain
NEWS
How Spotify's direct deals with artists can change the balance of power in the industry The effect of a possible trade war with China on music and audio gear
GUEST
Mobile and location recording engineer Steve Remote
NEWS
The record labels made money from Spotify. Where's it going? We trace the surprising origin of looping
GUESTS
Publisher Eric Bettelli and Editor Mark Nardone of Music Connection Magazine
NEWS
Why Apple created a new music publishing division A new study confirms #1 pops songs all sound similar
GUEST
Longtime music marketing exec Ted Joseph
NEWS
Facebook is no longer the top social site for U.S. teens The Creative Cycle explained
GUEST
Producer/mixer Andrew Maury
NEWS
YouTube's new charts are competing with Billboard's Despite what you read, the guitar isn't dying
GUEST
EveAnna Manley, CEO of Manley Labs
NEWS
Why Universal Music may be going public Shure exists the phono cartridge business after 86 years
GUEST
Post mixer and podcast host Mike Rodriquez Check out the AudioNowcast
NEWS
The music industry is growing worldwide, and the reason is surprising An overview of the different audio interface formats
GUEST
Engineer/mixer Gary Lux
NEWS
Finding new revenue from YouTube 7 keys to keeping your band together
GUEST
Disney audio director Nick Peck
NEWS
Virtual radio looks to be the next big thing in broadcast The ins and outs of instrument insurance
GUEST
Film composer Chris Boardman Chris Boardman Master Classes In Film Scoring
NEWS
SoundCloud's losses mount Songwriting via machine is getting popular
GUEST
Producer and composer David Campos Find out more about Advanced Music Production here
NEWS
Spotify is killing song titles 25 classic recordings added to the National Recording Registry
GUEST
Producer/engineer Warren Huart More info about Produce Like A Pro
NEWS
A vinyl hit doesn't really mean a lot of sales A Pro Tools version is getting a new name
GUEST
Film scoring mixer Bobby Fernandez
NEWS
The strategic reason why Apple Music is adding music videos Here's why Fender is doing better than Gibson
GUEST
Blues Hall Of Fame saxophonist Joe Sublett
NEWS
Record labels are hiring college campus reps again The Musical Instrument industry is doing better than expected, but there are some surprises
GUEST
Producer, composer and songwriter Clarence Jey
NEWS
Tower Records founder Russ Soloman passes, and why the record seller was so important to the industry Bose has $50 million for startups in audio augmented reality
GUEST
KEF Content Creation Manager Jack Sharkey (read his Masters of Sound post that I'm featured in here)
NEWS
Spotify finally filed to go public and revealed a lot about its operation in the process Gibson laid off worked Custom Shop employees and had its credit downgraded yet again
GUEST
Musician, engineer and owner of The Bridge Record Studio Greg Curtis
NEWS
This legal Spotify scam made over a $1 million in royalties Amplifier simulator tips
GUEST
Engineer and Recording Studio Rockstars host Lij Shaw describes his lawsuit against the city of Nashville for having a studio in his house
NEWS
A year later, has the BOT act actually helped concert ticketing? LUFS levels mixing guidelines
GUESTS
Dr. Steven Marcone and David Philp talk about their book Managing Your Band 6th edition
NEWS
This is show #200. Thanks for your support! Hip-hop banned in China Gibson in financial hot water again
GUEST
Live sound engineer and studio engineer to the drumming stars (and annual anniversary episode guest) Dennis Moody
NEWS
YouTube music reaction videos are really a thing Latest products from Winter NAMM 2018
GUEST
Producer, engineer and creator of the music licensing course “The Art Of The Song Pitch” Chris SD
NEWS
Royalties from streaming networks have changed but how accurate is the information? Would you buy a custom guitar made from Jimi Hendrix' boyhood home?
GUEST
Video distribution platform Vydia founder and CEO Roy LaManna
NEWS
YouTube has raised the criteria needed to monetize your channel and videos An AES conference runs concurrently with NAMM this year
GUEST
Nashville mixer Billy Decker talks about mixing from a template
NEWS
More and more A list artists are releasing 2 singles at once Here's what the all the top 5 songs of last year looked like
GUESTS
John Mathiason and Andrew Bland of Candyshop Management
NEWS
Spotify filed to go public in an unusual way Gibson is skipping NAMM, and the 60th Anniversary of the Flying V
GUEST
Mastering engineer, author and Soundworks CEO Gebre Waddell
NEWS
Bandcamp has some interesting stats on cassette releases, band names and album titles SSL is sold, and what it means for large format consoles
GUEST
Producer/engineer/musician Joel Hamilton
NEWS
A look back at the music, audio and music business events of 2017 A look ahead to what might happen next year
NEWS
What the latest net neutrality ruling means for music Gibson sold its Memphis factory
GUEST
Producer, educator and musicologist Eric Copeland
NEWS
The problem with songs with a featured artist What exactly is hi-res audio?
GUEST
Music Business Toolbox creator Bryan Calhoun
NEWS
Gimme Radio is an online station dedicated to metal The worst songs and albums of all time
GUEST
Engineer, producer, mixer, educator Bob Power
NEWS
We might have hit "peak vinyl" as the future isn't looking terribly bright The history of Autotune is fascinating
GUEST
Broadcast audio engineer Jeri Palumbo
NEWS
Buying Spotify streams Does music really help you concentrate?
GUEST
Artist manager Nicholas Mishko
NEWS
Attention economics is the last thing to be aware of What music do psychopaths like?
GUEST
Mastering engineer John Greenham
NEWS
YouTube is only placing ads on 35 to 45% of music videos There's a worldwide shortage of cassette tape
GUEST
Musicpreneuer Hub's Tommy Darker
NEWS
With iHeartRadio headed for bankruptcy, it looks like radio may be changing in the near future A look at the low-tech but much needed microphone stand
GUESTS
From the ashes of AKG comes Austrian Audio and guests CEO Martin Seidl, CTO Thomas Gmeiner, and head of marketing and PR Kent Iverson
NEWS
A new bill proposes a small claims court for just for copyrights Mixed reality audio is closer than you think
GUEST
Recording Academy chief government and member relations officer Daryl Friedman
NEWS
The Robin Thicke "Blurred Lines" verdict has changed songwriting credits Gibson guitars now in Walmart
GUEST
TV composer and author Rich Tozzoli
NEWS
Film studios and networks are asking composers for a piece of their royalties Software control of 500 series rack modules is here
GUEST
Composer/orchestrator Dennis Dreith
NEWS
Apple Music reaches 30 million paid subscribers Light can now be stored as sound on a chip
GUEST
Grammy-winning producer/engineer J.J. Blair
NEWS
An suppressed EU report on entertainment piracy has some interesting findings Harman to lay off 650 across its pro audio brands
GUEST
Former Audio Media and Pro Sound News editor, and current Marketing, Content and Technology Consultant, Frank Wells
NEWS
Radio falling behind streaming in all demographics The Odis personal studio assistant built on Amazon's Alexa
GUEST
Ian Kagey - director of operations at Powerstation at Berklee NYC on the Avatar acquisition
NEWS
Believe it or not, CDs are still selling well in 2 very large markets The major labels are pushing hi-res audio again
GUESTS
Brian Stewart and Shari Hoffman from the AFM SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund
NEWS
Taylor Swift and Ticketmaster team up for "Verified User," but with a catch Gibson Brands has a financial problem that may blow up in 2018
GUEST
Live sound engineer Mark Frink
NEWS
The top brands in Top 20 songs over the last 3 years Fender has two very unusual new product lines
GUEST
Harrison Console's Ben Loftis talks about console history and Mixbus
NEWS
YouTube music update from Director of Global Music Lyor Cohen Music in Cuba
GUEST
DIY Recording Equipment founder Peterson Goodwyn
NEWS
How to sell more physical product Do you need to remaster for streaming?
GUEST
Loudr CEO Chris Crawford
NEWS
Google Play Music and YouTube Red to consolidate Steps for setting up a subwoofer
GUEST
Studio technical facilities manager Gary Myerberg-Lauter
NEWS
What's the ideal video length for social media? New developments for hearing loss
GUEST
Live sound expert and AES president-elect David Scheirman
NEWS
Publishers want sue Spotify and now want equity The Russian government is threatening to take Mike Mathews tube factory away
GUEST
17 time Grammy winner Benny Faccone talks about building his new home studio around his analog console
NEWS
Whiz Kalifa passes Psy for most YouTube views ever Gibson buys consumer audio company Onkyo and adds to its brands lists
GUEST
Engineer/producer Michael Bishop
NEWS
YouTube is losing ground as streaming has big gains in first half of year Fender goes mobile to cater to its new customers
GUEST
President of Mojave Audio Dusty Wakeman
NEWS
Sony's going back to in-house vinyl cutting and pressing 6 Vocal Recording Mistakes
GUEST
Grammy-winning engineer Gary Noble
NEWS
This simple new strategy might be the key to keeping clubs from closing Music lessons can help with hearing loss
GUEST
Live From Daryl's House musical director and guitarist Shane Theriot
NEWS
The album is now being called by other names, and hip hop leads the way Guitar players and demographics are changing before our very eyes
GUEST
Producer/engineer Vance Powell
NEWS
The 10 Principles of doing business in today's music business Apple's new hardware brings back the creatives
GUEST
Mastering engineer Pete Doell talks about his new room at Aftermaster
NEWS
There's a new category of music companies as the mini-majors appear Police are using sound canons for riot control
GUEST
Singer/songwriter and tech maven Beatie Wolfe
NEWS
Spotify settles a lawsuit with David Lowery for non-payment of royalties Do we really need a bluetooth salt shaker?
GUEST
Eric Gaskell talks about GKL Audio kits and graphene loudspeakers
NEWS
YouTube's latest study riles up the music industry How music affects your brain chemistry
GUEST
Engineer/producer Eric "Mixerman" Sarafin
NEWS
SoundExchange payout to artists and sideman Has VR flamed out? Look out for "Mixed Reality"
GUEST
Producer/engineer Sylvia Massy
NEWS
Warner Music has 20 of the top 50 albums, but does it matter much if no on listens? Lyrebird uses artificial intelligence to imitate any voice
GUEST
Engineer Bill Smith
NEWS
Kickstarter funds 25,000th music project A look at multiband compression
GUEST
EastWest Studio manager Candace Stewart
NEWS
There's a new royalty stream for non-featured musicians Big changes coming for wireless audio gear
GUEST
Founder of the Audio Builders Workshop engineer Owen Curtin
NEWS
Who's the biggest streaming service? The answer might surprise you. A look at the global loudspeaker market and the latest trends
GUEST
Legendary audio producer designer Paul Wolff
NEWS
YouTube won't pay on less than 10,000 plays, but is this much ado about nothing? Apple teases a new Mac Pro, but you'll have to wait
GUEST
Mastering engineer Gavin Lurssen from Lurssen Mastering
NEWS
The revenue numbers for 2016 are in and the music industry is very happy 10 tips for assistant engineers (and studio owners)
GUEST
Shawn Milke from the band Alesana and founder of Revival Recordings
NEWS
Some surprising Internet stats, trends and facts Musician physicality and music, the latest Jymmin trend, and the Band Effect
GUEST
Dane Myers from Custom Tracks
NEWS
You won't believe the top selling of vinyl records of 2016 Pre-session checklist for studio owner and producer
GUEST
Engineer Drew Drucker
NEWS
Pandora and SoundCloud both facing financial difficulties Hearing loss in adults is rising
GUEST
Other World Computing (OWC) founder and CEO Larry O'Connor
NEWS
Spotify looks like it will release a CD quality lossless audio tier soon Some wonderful and historic old recording consoles are on the market
GUEST
Kicking off our 4th year with engineer and previous guest Dennis Moody
NEWS
MQA might be part of hi-res streaming in the future but will anyone care? Some new advances may stop hearing loss, plus easy hearing protection
GUEST
Film composer Richard Gibbs talks about his totally unique studio Woodshed Recording
NEWS
Michael Jackson goes 33x platinum, and the 10 best selling albums of all time in the US My top 10 favorite compressors and why they're on the list
GUEST
Composer, producer, songwriter, session guitarist Michael Carey
NEWS
Are the Grammy's out of touch with a younger audience? 50th anniversary for both SIR and Clair Brothers this year
GUEST
Microphone man and founder of Soundelux Microphones and Bock Audio David Bock
NEWS
Outside financing is coming back to the music industry in but in new ways An overview of DIY microphone and audio electronics kits
GUEST
Film composer Richard Gibbs - Part 1
NEWS
32 music streaming services have died in the last 5 years The hall with the most perfect acoustics ever
GUEST
Dubai-based engineer/producer Joshua F Williams
NEWS
There's a brain drain happening in the music industry
The 440Hz vs 432Hz tuning standard debate
GUEST
iZotope Neutron product manager Matt Hines
NEWS
Streaming passes 100 million paid subscribers People who suffer from a medical condition where they don't like music
GUEST
String player Stevie Blacke, who plays "all things strings"
NEWS
Mozart beat everyone in sales last year, or did he? Music Tech Report Card for 2016
GUEST
Engineer and mixer Tim Latham
NEWS
A look back at the music business news of 2016 Some music business predictions for 2017
GUEST
Not this time
NEWS
How streaming is affecting the Long Tail for artists Where we get our musical tastes from
GUEST
Producer, songwriter, musician Mike Elizondo
NEWS
Virtual Reality and live music - venues big and small are checking it out Beware a security breach as your headphones may be turned into mics without you knowing
GUEST
Chris Townsend, developer of the Sphere L22 modeling microphone Find out more at TownsendLabs.com
NEWS
Instagram users love music and artists should take notice How much longer will Pro Tools be the top DAW?
GUEST
Producer/Engineer Josh Gudwin
NEWS
The big streaming music services are in a price war The Shure SM58 is 50 years old
GUEST
Engineer Jordan "DJ Swivel" Young
Click here for Headliner Magazine and skiomusic.com
NEWS
Pirate busted in Germany with 2 million records, CDs and DVDs What.CD shut down THX trying to enter tour sound business
GUEST
EarPeace hearing protection founder Jay Clark
NEWS
Buy-on a Motley Crue tour for $1 million, sue them for $30 million Samsung buys Harmon International, and Avid in trouble with investors
GUEST
Grammy winning engineer Mark Linett
NEWS
Downloads are the lowest they've been in 10 years. We'll be living in a quieter world soon as new acoustic materials come to market
GUEST
Conductor, musical director, singer, songwriter and ProMusicDB founder Christy Crowl
NEWS
Warner Music takes Avenged Sevenfold to court thanks to California's arcane 7 Year Rule Some thoughts on evaluating monitor speakers
GUEST
Oasis Mastering chief engineer Gene Grimaldi
NEWS
Happy Days! The music business worldwide has seen revenue grow this year. DTS and THX are acquired.
GUEST
Brainworx and Plugin Alliance founder Dirk Ulrich
NEWS
Amazon launched it's Music Unlimited streaming service and it's cheap - but there's a catch. Let's think out of the box by putting the sound system in the ceiling instead of the sides of the stage.
GUEST
Ultimate Ears sales director Mike Dias tells us everything to know about in-ear monitors
NEWS
Are the streaming wars over? Spotify and Apple Music have 2/3rds of the business. Is using the latest generation of plugins cheating when it comes to mixing?
GUEST
PR and crowdfunding expert Ariel Hyatt. Click here to find out more about her new book Crowdstart
NEWS
Will Spotify buy Soundcloud? Why it might be a good idea. Reports from GameSoundCon and AES 2016 in Los Angeles
GUEST
Music publisher Greig Watts from DWB Songs talks about writing and publishing in Asia and songwriting camps
NEWS
Radio is dying right before our eyes, as it chooses to live in the past Pro Tools version 12.6 brings some new features that we should have had years ago
GUEST
Pamplamoose and Patreon founder Jack Conte
NEWS
The major labels don't like streaming exclusives so they may be going away Headphone freakout solutions, some common sense, and some you might not be aware of
GUEST
Game audio composer and sound designer Brian Schmidt More info on GameSoundCon (Get $100 off by using the coupon code INCIRCLE16)
NEWS
Will today's music be played 10 years from now? Catalog music doing just as well as current hits. The console that recorded The Beatles in Abbey Road Studio 1 is for sale
GUEST
Engineer and owner of Studio City Sound Tom Weir
NEWS
Spotify is making it's own records, and dominating some playlists as a result The microphones on mobile phones are a big business and getting bigger
GUEST
Berklee Online and New Artist Model creator Dave Kusek
NEWS
It's not often that an artist puts one over on a major label, but Frank Ocean did it to Universal Music One of the greatest engineers ever, Rudy Van Gelder, passed away
GUEST
Pro Tools Expert founder Russ Hughes talks Avid and workstations
NEWS
The music business in Japan is like the U.S. in the old days Guess what type of music helps you concentrate best
GUEST
Mastering engineer Colin Leonard describes his new online analog mastering process Aria
NEWS
Who buys vinyl in the UK? They're a different demo than in the U.S.
Fix it before you mix it. What to do to keep the mixer from hating you.
GUEST
Game audio specialist Alex Benyon
NEWS
Do you really need a record label? 5 Ways Record Production Has Changed
GUEST
Television dialog editor Don Murrey talks about his job
NEWS
CD sales falling faster than expected, and streaming makes more money Our musical preferences are learned and not biological, unlike what many researchers previously thought
GUEST
Engineer Ed Cherney talks about starting out, his light-bulb moment with Ry Cooder, his breakthrough with Bonnie Raitt, and working with Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and The Stones
NEWS
Deezer finally launches in the United States Fairlight is going out of business
GUEST
Taishi Fukuyama - chief marketing officer of Qrates,com, analog on demand
NEWS
Apple proposes an increase in the songwriter royalty rate for on-demand streaming Other World Computing introduces a new 256 Gig USB 3.0 flash drive that 16 X faster than what's available
GUEST
Engineer, producer and composer Bobby Summerfield
Check out Bobby's website and hear him (and me) on the AudioNowcast audio podcast
NEWS
More people now listen to music streams that watch YouTube music videos Rane purchased by inMusic
GUEST
Engineer and audio gear manufacturer Steven Slate
Go to slatedigital.com or slatemt.com for more info on Slate products
NEWS
How Brexit might affect the music business The Undertone Audio Vari-cap cable - too many tonal choices?
GUEST
Engineer/producer Tony Shepperd
NEWS
What's the DMCA and why are superstar artists protesting about it? Manhattan Sound Recording in NYC is about to close
GUEST
Sound designer and composer Diego Stocco Check out Diego's new album
NEWS
We spend less time on social media Two new online services - Jukedeck video music via artificial intelligence, and Fender's Mod Shop
GUEST
Auratone's Alex Jacobson
NEWS
The Worldwide Independent Network releases a study outline the typical indie label A look at The High End Audio Show in Newport, CA
GUEST
Songwriter/artist Martin Page
NEWS
85% of Facebook Videos are watched without audio Facebook 360 Spatial Workstation virtual reality audio plugin available for free
GUEST
Mastering engineer Ian Shepherd
News
Pirate radio is back Basic tracks checklist
Guest
Creator of the modern digital drum machine (and much more) Roger Linn
Find out more about the the Linnstrument at RogerLinnDesign.com
NEWS
Universal Music Group makes $4 million a day from streaming Yamaha's revolutionary TransAcoustic guitar
GUEST
Flipagram head of music John Bolton
News
Amazon launches Amazon Video Direct, its competitor to YouTube The "When All Else Fails" Recording Checklist
Guest
Producer/Engineer and Plugin Developer Joey Sturgis
Find out more about Joey Sturgis Tones plugins here.
News
Apple Music is getting a facelift and price cut Virtual reality concerts to be broadcast this summer Behringer moving Tannoy manufacturing to China Avid restructures to please Wall Street
Interview
Rerecording mixer, musician and screenwriter Michael Perricone
News
iTunes, Spotify and other services are removing your cover songs A new study outlines how the music you like reflects your personality
Interview
Rapper/rock artist/entrepreneur Manafest (Chris Greenwood). Find out more about Chris's online courses at smartmusicbusiness.com