Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek

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://itl.ink/APodcastGeek