Hanging Out With Chops

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Some sounds you can listen to your entire life and still not fully understand until you’re standing in the room with them.

In this first installment of the Musical Bucket List, Chops explores the experience of being surrounded by a large group of people creating one sound together—from symphony orchestras, choirs and wind ensembles to a room full of people praying together or fifty voices singing Happy Birthday.

Along the way, we dig into the science behind why these experiences feel so different in person: vibrating wood, harmonics and overtones, room acoustics, extreme dynamics, tuning, human synchronization, and the strange moment when dozens of individual sounds seem to become one.

There are stories too—from riding bicycles around an orchestra in the park, to watching a conductor tune an ensemble until new sounds seemed to appear in the air, to possibly the greatest orchestra-pit nap ever taken.

You don’t have to be a musician to understand this episode. You don’t have to know anything about orchestras, acoustics, or music theory.

You just have to appreciate music, good stories, and those rare moments in life when you realize you’re experiencing something bigger than yourself.

Some experiences you can go looking for.

Others, you just have to hope life is kind enough to give you.

And when it does...

notice.

Musical Bucket List #1: Get in the Room.

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🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e

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What happens when the lights come on, the song gets counted off, and you’re not at your best?

In the Season 2 premiere of Hanging Out With Chops, Chops explores an idea learned through decades of playing, recording, and producing music: you perform at your average—and that’s not a bad thing. The goal is to make your average incredibly high.

After an emotional performance in Dallas reminded him how valuable musical “autopilot” can be, Chops looks back at his college years studying jazz saxophone, where a teacher had one uncompromising rule: no wrong notes. If a 250 BPM bebop tune had to be played at 70 BPM to play it correctly, then 70 BPM was where the work began.

From Charlie Parker licks finally “fitting your hands” to raising your floor instead of constantly chasing your ceiling, this episode is about consistency, muscle memory, practicing correctly, recovering from mistakes, and learning music deeply enough that your hands know what to do—even when your mind is somewhere else.

Because great performances aren’t built when the lights come on.

You built them at 70 BPM.

Support the show

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e

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After some time away from the podcast, I’m finally ready to talk about why.

On June 10th, I lost my wife. I’ve tried several times to sit down and record this episode, but I just couldn’t get through it.

This isn’t an episode about death. It isn’t really an episode about grief, either. It’s about my wife - who she was, the life we shared, the little things I miss, and what it means to figure out how to keep moving forward when someone who was such a huge part of your life is suddenly gone.

Before I could come back and talk about music, records, studios, and everything else we normally talk about here, there was something I needed to do first.

I needed to tell you about Martha.

Support the show

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e

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You finished the album.

Months… maybe years of work… and now it’s finally done.

And this is where most artists get it wrong.

They treat the release like the finish line…
 when in reality…

this is where the real work begins.

This episode kicks off a 3-part series on how to take a single album and turn it into 2 years of real momentum, growth, and opportunity.

But before we get into strategy, content, and rollout plans… we have to start with something deeper:

your mindset.

Because the truth is…
 most artists don’t fail because of a lack of talent.

They fail because they never make the shift from creator… to builder.

In Part 1, we’re talking about:

•  The mindset shift required after finishing a record 
•  Why the work ethic has to change the moment the album is done 
•  The dangerous belief that “the music will speak for itself” 
•  What it really means to treat your music like a career 
•  Why most bands disappear right after their biggest opportunity 

This is the foundation.

Because if the mindset isn’t right…
 none of the strategies in Part 2 and Part 3 will matter.

If you’re serious about building something that lasts longer than release week…

this is where it starts.

Support the show

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e

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Most people think becoming a music producer is about gear, plugins, or making beats.

That’s not what this is about.

In this episode, I break down why my goal for you isn’t just to make music…
 it’s to learn how to produce it — because that’s how you take control of everything.

Control over:

•  your sound 
•  your sessions 
•  your time 
•  your money 
•  and ultimately, your future as an artist 

I’ve seen what happens when bands don’t have that control:

•  sessions turn into chaos 
•  money gets wasted 
•  decisions don’t get made 
•  and eventually… the band falls apart 

We get into:

•  what a producer actually does inside a real studio 
•  why indecision is the most expensive thing in music 
•  the difference between prepared artists and unprepared ones 
•  why hiring a producer is like paying for another album 
•  and what real growth looks like from one record to the next 

This isn’t about becoming a producer as a job…

It’s about learning how to think like the person who runs the room.

Because if you don’t learn how to create direction for yourself…
 you’ll always be waiting for someone else to give it to you.

Support the show

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e

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I remember the first time I figured out MIDI… I thought I had it all solved.

Not long after that, I walked into a producer’s room and saw 15–20 keyboards lined up against the wall… and nobody playing them. Every sound was being triggered.

That moment stuck with me.

In this episode, I’m thinking out loud about how we got from playing music… to controlling it… to building it piece by piece—and what we might’ve lost along the way.

We can make everything perfect now. Timing, pitch, performance… all of it.

But at what point does perfect stop meaning something?

This one’s a little more reflective… but if you’ve ever felt like music today sounds incredible but something’s missing—you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

Support the show

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e

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In this episode of Hanging Out With Chops, we’re talking about something that shapes all of us—whether we realize it or not: mentorship.

The mentors you recognize…
 the ones you don’t…
 the ones who help you…
 and even the ones who push you the wrong way.

Chops shares real stories from his life in and out of the studio—from learning hard lessons early on, to being guided by people who saw further down the road, to becoming a mentor himself without even realizing it.

This episode dives into:

•  Why a smart person learns from their mistakes—but a wise one learns from others 
•  The advice we hear but don’t always follow 
•  How struggle can build confidence you can’t fake 
•  The difference between people who want it and people who work for it
•  Why mentorship isn’t always comfortable—but it’s always teaching you something 
•  And how helping others actually makes you better 

Whether you’re just starting out or years into your journey, this episode will make you think about who’s pouring into you…

…and who you’re pouring into next.

🎧 Press play, and don’t wait to learn the hard way.

Support the show

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e

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After you finish a record, it feels like the job is done… but that’s actually where most bands lose everything.

In this episode, I break down the biggest mistakes I’ve seen bands make right after releasing a record—mistakes that quietly kill momentum, waste great music, and leave projects dead before they ever had a chance.

From disappearing after release, to having no rollout plan, to playing the entire new album live before fans even know the songs… this is the stuff nobody talks about.

I also get into something a lot of bands overlook—capturing the process. Recording footage, documenting sessions, and creating vlogs isn’t optional anymore. It’s one of the most powerful ways to connect with fans. Even I find myself watching band vlogs all the time—it pulls you into their world in a way the music alone can’t.

And we talk about the part nobody wants to admit… sometimes the process of making that first record is too much. Lineups change, session players step in, songs get cut, and emotions run high. I’ve seen bands fall apart right as they’re getting started—right when they should be building.

If you’re making music, about to release, or wondering why your last project didn’t go nowhere… this episode is for you.

Support the show

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e

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In Part 5 of the So You Wanna Make a Record? series, we step outside the studio and into the real world of what happens after the album is finished.

Because making the record is only part of the journey.

In this episode, we break down everything that surrounds a release—from choosing the album name and building a visual identity, to designing a tour, creating merch, and preparing backing tracks for live shows. We also talk about distribution, vinyl releases, and how music actually reaches listeners today.

Beyond the creative side, we get into the realities most bands overlook: archiving your sessions, handling finances, tracking expenses, and understanding that once money is involved, the band becomes a business.

We also touch on real-world experiences from the studio, including why some bands actually perform better when they’re exhausted after a show, and how overthinking can sometimes get in the way of great performances.

And most importantly, we close with a mindset shift—successful artists never leave the recording cycle. They finish one record and start the next.

Because in the end, you’re not just making songs…

You’re building something that can last.

This is the final part of the series.

Support the show

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e

Send us Fan Mail

In Part 4 of the So You Wanna Make a Record? series, we move into the stage where a collection of tracks finally becomes a finished record: mixing and mastering.

This episode walks through the real-world process of building a mix from the ground up — starting with session organization and routing, shaping the relationship between kick and bass, and creating space for instruments across the stereo field. We talk about why the vocal is always present while mixing the rhythm section, how EQ and compression decisions happen throughout the process, and how automation and arrangement choices help a mix breathe.

We also dive into the philosophy behind respecting an artist’s established sound, why a mix is never truly “finished,” and how mastering ties the entire album together into one cohesive listening experience.

From subtle low-end tricks to final loudness and album balance, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how records are shaped after the red light turns off.

Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t just to make a song sound good — it’s to create a record that stands on its own and holds up for years to come.

This is Part 4 of the series. In the next episode we’ll look at everything that happens around the music: artwork, visuals, legal details, and the final steps that bring a record into the world.

Support the show

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to this episode—raw, random, and real.
 🔔 Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
 💬 Got thoughts, stories, or wild theories? Hit me up on socials or email [[email protected]].
 📡 Music in this episode created using Suno AI and my own twisted imagination.

Appreciate you being here. More chaos and conversation soon. 

buymeacoffee.com/choppiechops                

https://hanging-out-with-chops.kit.com/497c631a7e