Master Your Mix Podcast

Ed Donnelly is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer, record producer, and activist from Pioneertown, CA. He has worked with Willie Nelson, Matchbox Twenty, The Cult, Gladys Knight, Willie Nelson, Smashing Pumpkins, Del McCoury, Nathan Jacques, OK Go, Exodus, Tom Morello, O.A.R., Madness, The Crystal Method, Deadmau5, Cole Gallagher, Zac Brown, Crowded House, Marc Cohn, CrysP Tyger, Bighead Todd and the Monsters, Jake Shimabukuro, Barenaked Ladies, Tsar, Killola and more. Donnelly regularly performs with Little Silver Hearts and records with GhostsDream. Little known fact: He previously held Top Secret Security Clearance with the Department of State and Q Clearance from the Department of Energy.
He currently runs The Barber’s Basement Recording Studio in Highland Park and the Electric Desperado Studio in Pioneertown, CA.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
The live-show habit that made him a calmer, more confident studio engineer
How Ed decides which mix decisions are worth agonizing over and which ones aren't
Why pre-production is the most important part of the production process
How thorough pre-production creates more room for spontaneous moments, not less
Why mistakes often make a record sound better
The volume trick he uses to tell whether a mix is actually balanced
Why he tells keyboard players to stop playing with their left hand
Why younger artists are asking for rougher, less polished production these days

To learn more about Ed Donnelly, visit: https://www.barbersbasement.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?
Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join: https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?
For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:

The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Get the latest plugins from Carve Audio:
Smashburger Compressor: https://carveaudio.com/smashburger/
Busboy: https://carveaudio.com/busboy/
Slapshot Delay: https://carveaudio.com/slapshot/
Gas Can Amp: https://carveaudio.com/gas-can-amp/

ALL PODCAST LISTENERS GET 25% OFF. USE PROMO CODE: PODCAST25

Subscribe to the show:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d like answered on the show?
Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com

Please leave a rating and review:
https://masteryourmix.com/review/

Thanks for listening!

Originally from Rochester, NY, producer/engineer Neal Cappellino is the owner of The Doghouse Studio in Nashville, TN. A lifelong musician, he completed his formal education with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (’87).
Neal is a 5-time Grammy® Award recipient with a discography that includes Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Robert Plant, Vince Gill, T Bone Burnett, Avicii, and Kygo. He is a member of The Recording Academy, the Audio Engineering Society, and Leadership Music Class of ’15.
He has served on the Advisory Board for the School of Arts & Sciences at WPI and was the 2022 recipient of their Robert H. Goddard Award for outstanding achievement in the professional field. He previously served on the board of directors for The Melodic Caring Project, a nonprofit organization that dedicates live-streamed music events to the hospital rooms of critically ill children.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
Why your monitors don't need to sound impressive; they just need to make you do the right thing
The listening check Neal runs on every mix before he calls it done, away from his main room
How he actually tracks down what's making a mix sound muddy, instead of guessing with EQ
How he knows when a mix has gone past the point where more tweaking is helping
The headphone setup he built specifically for Alison Krauss, and why it mattered
The difference between giving a vocalist real feedback and just telling them it sounds good
The one question he asks himself before making any move on a mix
How to record great vocals
The psychology of coaching a vocalist

To learn more about Neal Cappellino, visit https://www.nealcappellino.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?
Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:
https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?
For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:
The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Get the latest plugins from Carve Audio:
Smashburger Compressor: https://carveaudio.com/smashburger/
Busboy: https://carveaudio.com/busboy/
Slapshot: https://carveaudio.com/slapshot/
Gas Can Amp: https://carveaudio.com/gas-can-amp/

ALL PODCAST LISTENERS GET 25% OFF. USE PROMO CODE: PODCAST25

Check out our Sponsors:
Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d like answered on the show?
Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com

Please leave a rating and review:
https://masteryourmix.com/review/

Thanks for listening!

Damian Taylor is a Grammy-nominated producer, mixer, programmer and songwriter who spent six years as Björk's personal engineer and programmer, working on Volta and Biophilia and touring the world with her on stage. His credits include The Prodigy's Invaders Must Die, The Killers' Battle Born, Arcade Fire, The Temper Trap, Odette, Bomba Estéreo's Grammy-nominated Deja, and Dizzy's Juno-winning Baby Teeth. Known for a hand-built approach to editing and sound design that was years ahead of standard workflows, he now teaches producers through The Complete Producer Network and his Mix Accelerator Process.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
Why imposter syndrome is a sign you care
The legendary producer who still needed a pep talk before sessions
Feeling qualified enough to release music
Why done is better than perfect
His "Preset Roulette" approach to building creativity
Working with artists like Björk and The Prodigy
Having structure for the benefit of creativity
The signal Damian uses to know a song is finished

To learn more about Damian Taylor, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@HereIsDamian

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?
Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:
https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?
For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:
The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Get the latest plugins from Carve Audio:
Smashburger Compressor: https://carveaudio.com/smashburger/
Busboy: https://carveaudio.com/busboy/
Slapshot: https://carveaudio.com/slapshot/
Gas Can Amp: https://carveaudio.com/gas-can-amp/

ALL PODCAST LISTENERS GET 25% OFF. USE PROMO CODE: PODCAST25

Check out our Sponsors:
Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d like answered on the show?
Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com

Please leave a rating and review:
https://masteryourmix.com/review/

Thanks for listening!

Peter Craft is the owner and chief engineer of Boxer Lodge, a destination recording studio in the hills above Napa Valley. A former software engineer and patent-holding tech architect, Craft left that career to build records full time, first from a San Francisco garage and now from a purpose-built studio centered on a 32-channel API 1608 console. He's engineered and mixed for Noelle & The Deserters, New Earth Farmers, and Strange Cities, and in 2024 hosted a session for reunited trip-hop pioneers Halou. A lifelong drummer, Craft often plays on the records he's running the board for.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
Owning a destination studio
Leaving a successful job to follow your passions
Taking a chance on yourself to lean into your passions
The importance of connecting to your community
The pros and cons of niching down
The one question he asks before touching a single fader
Why copying a famous mixer's exact chain rarely works
What two mixers with completely opposite styles taught him about staying in his lane
The specific mistake that made his guitars sound thin for years
Feeling connected to analog gear
Knowing your genres before tracking
Having a North Star to follow
Creating contrast in a mix
Choosing reverbs for vibe versus filling space
Why piling on reverb can shrink your mix instead of opening it up
Being intentional with every decision
His parallel vocal chain

To learn more about Peter Craft, visit: boxerlodge.com

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?
Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:
https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?
For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:
The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Get the latest plugins from Carve Audio:
Smashburger Compressor: https://carveaudio.com/smashburger/
Busboy: https://carveaudio.com/busboy/
Slapshot: https://carveaudio.com/slapshot/
Gas Can Amp: https://carveaudio.com/gas-can-amp/

ALL PODCAST LISTENERS GET 25% OFF. USE PROMO CODE: PODCAST25

Check out our Sponsors:
Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d like answered on the show?
Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com

Please leave a rating and review:
https://masteryourmix.com/review/

Thanks for listening!

Chris Collier is a producer, mixer, mastering engineer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Las Vegas, operating as CMC21 Productions. Across nearly three decades in hard rock and metal, he's engineered and produced for Korn, earning a promotion to producer on 2022's Requiem after years behind the board on the band's records, plus Prong, Lynch Mob, KXM, and Whitesnake, whose classic catalog he's remixed. On Mick Mars' 2024 solo debut, The Other Side of Mars, he played bass on every track in addition to mixing and mastering it. He's currently mixing and producing new material for Nonpoint, Society1, and Gunshine.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
Why being a "button pusher" gets you replaced
The real line between an engineer's input and a producer's input
Keeping a band's identity intact while still pushing them forward
What changes in the room the moment a band actually trusts you
Why quad-tracking guitars usually backfires
The sidechain trick Chris uses instead of EQ to fix a fighting kick and bass
Why fewer tracks means fewer decisions later
Balancing speed vs quality
A simple pre-record exercise that gets two guitarists playing tight
How much editing is too much editing on a guitar take

To learn more about Chris Collier, visit: https://www.cmc21productions.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?
Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:
https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?
For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/
Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:
The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Get the latest plugins from Carve Audio:
Smashburger Compressor: https://carveaudio.com/smashburger/
Busboy: https://carveaudio.com/busboy/
Slapshot: https://carveaudio.com/slapshot/
Gas Can Amp: https://carveaudio.com/gas-can-amp/

ALL PODCAST LISTENERS GET 25% OFF. USE PROMO CODE: PODCAST25

Check out our Sponsors:
Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d like answered on the show?
Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com

Please leave a rating and review:
https://masteryourmix.com/review/

Thanks for listening!