Ep14 - If We Could Give One Piece of Advice to Our Younger Selves
Studio Stuff Podcast #14 | What We'd Tell Our Younger Selves About Mixing, Gear & Music Theory
If you could go back in time and give advice to the younger version of yourself—the one just starting out in music production—what would you say?
In this episode, we get honest about the lessons we learned the hard way. From arrangement mistakes to gear addiction, from music theory regrets to what “pro” really means, we’re unpacking the biggest takeaways we’d love to hand off to the past versions of ourselves.
Plus, a few laughs about beard sniffing, beef tallow, and the strange but beautiful journey of the modern home studio musician.
You’ll Learn:
🎯 Why a good arrangement is the real secret to a great mix 🎯 What music theory knowledge we wish we’d learned earlier 🎯 The misunderstood role of gear—and when it actually matters 🎯 How we define being a “professional” in audio (spoiler: it’s not about the Grammys) 🎯 Why mixing is just volume control (seriously)
Topics & Stories:
🔥 The beard-sniffing church guy and the magical beef tallow 🔥 Why both of us feel imposter syndrome as musicians and engineers 🔥 How renting gear helped shape our early careers 🔥 The myth of “the pro”—and why it's time to ignore it 🔥 What makes a mix “mix itself” and how arrangement drives every decision
Listener Q&A:
We tackle a comment from YouTube: “I love when a non-pro tells people what the pros do…” and unpack what it actually means to be a professional in the music industry.
Final Takeaway:
A great song, a smart arrangement, and a confident mix approach beat expensive gear and elusive titles any day. If it moves someone? You’re doing it right.
👉 Got a question for us?
📩 Submit your question here: Form LinkWe’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.
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Ep13 - The Buses Tricks That Could Change Your Mixing Game!
Studio Stuff Podcast #13 | Buses, Sends & Mix Flow: Inside Our Routing Workflow
If you’ve ever looked at your DAW session and thought, “Where is everything going?”—you’re not alone. In this episode, we’re untangling the spaghetti of buses, groups, sends, and routing strategies that make up our mix sessions.
We’re walking through how we use group channels, why we (sometimes) skip the drum bus entirely, and when it’s worth creating multiple subgroups for just one instrument family. Plus, we revisit the pitch correction debate with a question from the audience that hits close to home: should you ever slap Auto-Tune on a vocal before even listening?
You’ll Learn:
🎛 Why buses and subgroups are more than just "volume groups" 🎧 How to simplify complex mix templates with nested routing 🥁 Why Chris uses two drum buses—and what that unlocks 🎚 The difference between group channels, FX channels, and VCAs 🎤 When Auto-Tune is a helpful tool… and when it’s a crutch
Topics & Stories:
The breakfast place that finally shut down (we kinda saw it coming)
Why Steve stopped using VCAs completely
Chris’s stereo-only bus rule—and why it makes sense
How parallel effects routing keeps your mix flexible
The truth about vocal tuning and why every singer says “fix that”
Listener Q&A:
Shoutout to Rome! We dig into their comment about pitch correction, Billie Eilish, and the art of leaving vocals raw. It sparked a great convo on how (and when) we approach to tuning.
Final Takeaway:
Routing isn’t just about organizing your session—it’s about unlocking creative decisions. Whether you're a minimalist or a template wizard, the key is to make your workflow serve the music.
👉 Got a question for us?
📩 Submit your question here: Form LinkWe’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.
Studio Stuff Podcast #12 | Parallel Compression, Slapback & Secret Sends: Our Vocal FX Setup
We’ve talked recording, comping, editing… and now we’re wrapping up our vocal series with the good stuff—parallel compression, slap delays, long reverbs, throw delays, saturation, and all the FX that give your vocals that final polish.
In this episode, we break down how we set up our vocal FX chains—what plugins and routing we use, how we layer effects without cluttering the mix, and why sometimes less is more. Whether it’s slap mono or ping pong stereo, background vocal throws or a subtle vocal plate—this is the sauce that brings the whole thing to life.
We also dig into how we treat doubles, how we automate delay times, and the FX we put on a bus that nobody talks about… but should.
🎧 Plus, we answer a great listener question about how to stay objective when you’re mixing your own music—especially when the project drags on.
You’ll Learn:
How we use parallel compression and saturation without overcooking it
Our go-to delay chain: slap, long, ping-pong, and throws
Reverb choices that don’t get in the way (plate vs room vs ambient)
Where background vocals live in our mix—and why they get their own world
Smart delay automation tricks that bring life to a vocal phrase
Why we route vocals and instruments separately before the final mix bus
Topics & Stories:
The “parallel wine” joke Chris couldn’t resist
Steve’s go-to EchoBoy presets (and how he automates delay time)
The magic of combining plate and ambient reverb
Using lesser takes as doubles—and why it works
How we process background vocals with width, air, and even chorus
The mystery of the smiley-face EQ on the final vocal bus
Listener Q&A:
Huge thanks to S. Conway for the thoughtful question on mixing your own music. We share our personal struggles with staying objective—and what finally helped us get over the mental roadblocks of “over-listening.”
Final Takeaway:
Vocal FX are about feel. Use templates, sure—but know when to break the rules. Let the vocal lead, and let the FX serve the story.
👉 Got a question for us?
📩 Submit your question here: Form LinkWe’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.
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Ep11 - The Vocal Chain Deep Dive: From Raw Takes to Radio-Ready
Studio Stuff Podcast #11 | The Vocal Chain Deep Dive: From Raw Takes to Radio-Ready
We also dig into how we treat doubles, how we automate delay times, and the FX we put on a bus that nobody talks about… but should.
🎧 Plus, we answer a great listener question about how to stay objective when you’re mixing your own music—especially when the project drags on.
You’ll Learn:
How we use parallel compression and saturation without overcooking it
Our go-to delay chain: slap, long, ping-pong, and throws
Reverb choices that don’t get in the way (plate vs room vs ambient)
Where background vocals live in our mix—and why they get their own world
Smart delay automation tricks that bring life to a vocal phrase
Why we route vocals and instruments separately before the final mix bus
Topics & Stories:
Our favorite channel strip tools and vocal compressors
Chris’s take-your-pill alarm goes off mid-recording
Why Steve buckled a CL1B into the passenger seat of his car
The truth about "nonsense plugins" and when we finally let them go
Mixing vocals with your speakers turned way down
Listener Q&A:
Shoutout to Jim Kelly from Kilkenny, Ireland! We tackle his question about routing and processing MIDI drums—and how we decide whether to use the plugin processing or start from scratch.
Final Takeaway:
Vocal FX are about feel. Use templates, sure—but know when to break the rules. Let the vocal lead, and let the FX serve the story.
👉 Got a question for us?
📩 Submit your question here: Form LinkWe’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.
Studio Stuff Podcast #10 | The Art (and Chaos) of Recording Yourself at Home
This week, we’re turning the mic around—literally.
Chris and Steve explore what it’s really like to record vocals on your own, in a home studio setup where you’re the singer, engineer, and producer… all at once. From gear choices and room noise to workflow hacks and accidental plumbing victories, this episode is both practical and painfully relatable. If you’ve ever chased the perfect take while dodging noisy kids, furnace hums, or the neighbor’s lawnmower—this one’s for you.
Self-recording is equal parts freedom and frustration, but with the right mindset (and a bit of creativity), it can also be incredibly rewarding.
You'll Learn:
How to choose the right mic when recording yourself
Why committing effects while tracking can actually be freeing
Tips for building a self-recording workflow that won’t kill your vibe
How to control tone with mic distance and positioning
Ways to deal with room noise, family noise, and fan noise
Why using two different mics for lead and background vocals can help your mix
How to stay creative (and sane) while recording solo
Topics & Stories:
The reality of tracking vocals in a non-soundproofed house
What to do when your perfect take is ruined by kitchen chaos
Using mic position and off-axis techniques to tame harshness
The joy of experimenting when no one’s watching
How Chris’s plumbing failure turned into a vocal tracking lesson
Workflow hacks: wireless control, DAW shortcuts, and phone/tablet remotes
Using different mics—or even different mic angles—for variety in background vocals
Why your forehead might actually sound great (don’t ask)
Embracing late-night sessions and finding the quietest window to record
Dealing with the curveballs of self-engineering: distractions, delays, and duct-taped mic tricks
Listener Q&A:
Lyndon Aguilar from Manila asks: “Can you mix with closed-back headphones without using any of the AI sound-reference tools?” Chris and Steve unpack the pros and cons, when they’d use them, and why headphone EQ (with or without emulation) makes a big difference—especially outside of the studio.
Final Takeaway:
Recording yourself is a creative playground—messy, unpredictable, but full of freedom. Set up a workflow that inspires you, control what you can, and embrace the rest. Some of your best takes will come from the most unexpected moments.
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From setting up Cubase properly to recording vocals, drums, guitars, and more—this course gives you a clear, step-by-step workflow that saves you hours of frustration and makes your tracks easier to mix.
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📢 What’s your biggest struggle when recording yourself?
Let us know in the comments or tag us on socials—we’d love to hear from you!
🎙 Submit Your Question:
Got a question for a future episode?📩 Submit your question here: Form LinkWe’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.
The Studio Stuff Podcast is your go-to home studio hangout, where music production, mixing, recording, and mastering meet real talk, practical advice, and the occasional lousy jokes. Hosted by Chris Selim and Steve Dierkens, this isn’t a dry, technical lecture—it’s a laid-back, no-BS conversation about making great music with the gear you actually have.
Expect real-world insights, gear, and technique debates, plugin obsessions, and plenty of laughs along the way. Plus, we love hearing from you! Send in your questions, and let’s figure this whole studio stuff thing out together.
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