Incremental progress leads to significant achievements! Join Lij Shaw as he interviews audio veteran Alex Ohana, who shares stories from a 35-year career. Alex reveals the power of embracing risk and reinvention, along with the importance of community in the audio world. He discusses his journey, from recording techniques to the evolution of technology, and offers insights into finding success in the music industry. This inspiring conversation delves into innovation, personal growth, and staying true to your creative vision.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Alex Oana, an engineer, producer, and innovator originally from Minneapolis and now based in Los Angeles. Over a 30-year career, Alex has produced hundreds of records and earned 11 Minnesota Music Awards. In 1994, he purchased the former home of Twin/Tone Records to launch his own studio, City Cabin, in Minneapolis. In the early 2000s, Alex relocated to Los Angeles, where he focused on mixing and worked as a front-of-house engineer for Pharrell Williams and NER*D on global tours.

Alex has also held roles such as Global Sales Manager at Apogee Electronics and consultant for Vintage King Audio. As Vice President at Slate Digital, he co-created the groundbreaking Raven multitouch DAW controller. Later, he founded Audio Test Kitchen, an innovative online platform offering detailed comparisons of over 300 microphones and other audio gear. He is currently the Vice President of Marketing for Sound Vision Works.

Alex first joined us on episode RSR226, where he shared his full backstory. Today, we’ll dive into the latest in studio tech and production.

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Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2TVkAtP1rYpJlRRLKuDXZH?si=8736850b2fef4376

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"You can do whatever you want." In this engaging interview, Lij Shaw sits down with Jason Livermore, co-owner of the Blasting Room studio, to explore Jason's transformative journey from aspiring musician to Grammy-winning producer. They discuss the studio's evolution, the significance of high-quality equipment, and the invaluable experience gained from working with interns. Jason delves into the intricacies of modern mixing techniques, the transition to digital, and the essentials of drum recording and mixing, highlighting the impact of acoustics, MIDI, and automation. Their conversation also covers the joys of learning new instruments and offers practical advice for aspiring engineers looking to thrive in the competitive world of music production.

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My guest today is Jason Livermore who got his first snare drum at just three years old and eventually picked up guitar and bass but found his way back to drums, which he loved most. In junior high, he discovered punk rock, with Milo Goes to College as his first vinyl purchase. Jason played in bands throughout high school and college, even recording some of them himself. After college, he realized that recording would be a better path than selling beer for Miller. When ALL opened the Blasting Room in Fort Collins in 1994, Jason jumped at the opportunity and has been a key part of the studio ever since. In 2015, he became co-owner alongside Bill Stevenson, working on about 95% of the albums from the studio, including producing the Latin GRAMMY-winning record Solo D’Lira in 2023. Jason has also played drums for bands like Wretch Like Me, Drag the River, Bill The Welder, Soul City Missionaries, and The Virginia Sisters.

Special thanks to Brian Murphree for the introduction!

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Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5URoEkxCrLa3ESYMgxyR18?si=f386ffda39b14207

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"It's all about intention." In this episode of the podcast, Lij Shaw sits down with seasoned artist, songwriter, and producer Ryan Ordway, who shares insights from his two-decade journey through the music industry. They discuss various nuances of music production, covering topics from remote recording challenges to the importance of acoustics and effective studio management. Ryan emphasizes the need for adaptability, personal interaction, and practical tips to ensure high-quality sound and a smooth creative process. Aspiring producers will gain valuable strategies for optimizing their craft and navigating the evolving landscape of music recording.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Ryan Ordway, a multifaceted artist, songwriter, producer, and audio engineer, proficient in analog and digital recording, mixing, music licensing, session playing, and commercial studio management. With over two decades of experience in the music business, he has recorded and produced nearly 1,000 songs across musical genres. Ordway has designed, built, and operated three commercial recording studios throughout his career. In 2020, he partnered with The Studio Portland in Portland, ME, where he undertook an ambitious remodel completed in 2024. Under Ordway’s direction, The Studio became home to 98.9 WCLZ’s Studio Z series, through which he has recorded an impressive roster of international recording artists, including: Noah Kahan, Grace Potter, Lake Street Dive, Joy Oladokun, The Heavy Heavy, Gregory Alan Isakov, Josh Ritter, Hiss Golden Messenger, Talk, SMYL, Lucius, Cecilia Castleman, Joseph, and Charlie Crockett, among others.

Ordway’s songwriting talents earned him an invitation to the renowned Blackbird Studios in Nashville, where he recorded with famed producer Ken Scott (whose client list includes The Beatles, Elton John, and David Bowie). His song "Easy Street," produced by Scott, was featured in Robert Willey's Getting Started with Music Production, published by Hal Leonard in 2015.

Recognized for his ability to create transformative experiences for clients throughout New England, Ordway was nominated for Producer of the Year at the New England Music Awards in 2023. His song "Back Again" was nominated for Song of the Year in 2022.

Ordway’s original music is licensed in over 13 countries and featured on major platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Hulu. His music has appeared in popular TV shows such as NBC's The Office, ABC's Happy Endings, and FOX's Raising Hope. In 2023, his cover of Rusted Root’s “Send Me on My Way” won him a multi-year contract for Nature Valley's Life Happens Out There national TV spot He has worked with other national clients, including Klondike, Polo Ralph Lauren, and John Deere.

In addition to his technical expertise and commercial success, Ryan is a passionate educator and mentor. At The Studio Portland, he leads professional audio production training programs and recording camps, sharing his knowledge and inspiring the next generation of audio engineers and producers. Beyond music production, Ryan produces podcasts and provides voiceover (VO) and automated dialogue replacement (ADR) post-production services for elite clients such as Lucas Films, Netflix, HBO Productions, and Penguin Random House Audio Books division.

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Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5URoEkxCrLa3ESYMgxyR18?si=f386ffda39b14207

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

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Taking care of oneself enhances professional interactions! Will discussed his journey from a small town to the music industry, emphasizing the importance of mental health and self-care within the field. He addressed the balance between technology and artistry and explored adapting to evolving production landscapes, such as Atmos mixing. Will also shared his insights on career transitions, the impact of music budgets, and recording techniques.

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My guest today is Will Kennedy, a platinum-selling producer, mixer, and recording engineer whose credits include U2 on Songs of Experience and Songs of Innocence, O.A.R. on Live From Madison Square Garden, and OneRepublic’s Oh My My. He’s also known for his work on The 88’s “At Least It Was Here,” the theme from the hit TV series Community. In 2021, Will teamed up with longtime collaborator Matt Wallace to create Studio Delux Immersive, a cutting-edge mixing studio at the legendary Sound City Center in Los Angeles. Together, they’ve mixed over 200 songs in Dolby Atmos and other immersive formats, bringing new depth to classics by Jason Mraz, Black Sabbath, The B-52s, and Selena Gomez, as well as enhancing new releases from Dave Matthews Band, Tank and the Bangas, Ondara, and Grouplove. Will’s expertise in immersive audio and multi-genre mixing has established him as a pioneer in the field, and he continues to inspire a new generation of engineers with his innovative approach and technical skill.

His personal studio in Los Angeles (Studio P) features an incredible array of modern digital equipment (Avid, Universal Audio, Waves, Soundtoys, Arturia, Korg), custom-built analog processing by JCF Audio, and vintage analog gear including a 1963 Vox AC 30 guitar amplifier, and restored 1973 Ampex 440-B reel-to-reel tape machine available for all mixing projects.

Will was also one of the originators of the popular “Mix Notes From Hell” podcast, and was the music producer for the East African singing contest show “Maisha Superstar.”

Thanks to Matt Boudreau at Working Class Audio for making our introduction!

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Listen to this guest's discography on Apple Music and Spotify: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/immersive-mixes-by-matt-and-will/pl.u-Z6ppTR0zgV https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Gf5jNX58nyRQADahlZzOe?si=ef7c3bf4611e4707

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

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Daily planning is crucial for managing a busy studio schedule! Duncan explored the importance of mastering, the impact of technology and AI, and the intricacies of creating a professional sound environment. He shared insights into his workflow, including his unique 'flight plan' approach to daily planning, while also discussing the challenges and rewards of mastering music for vinyl records.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Duncan Ferguson, a mastering engineer based in East Nashville with a true passion for critical listening and collecting all kinds of recordings. Duncan got into mastering naturally and has earned the nickname “the music librarian” from his close friends. Over the years, he’s honed his skills to bring music to life across all listening applications.

Duncan’s mastering studio, The Voltage Exchange, is all about solving problems for clients. After seeing the shifts in the music industry over the past decade, he’s focused on offering solutions for artists, producers, and mixing engineers while making the process as seamless as possible. Duncan believes in collaboration and transparent relationships — he loves having clients present during sessions and sharing his techniques, equipment, and choices to ensure their true vision shines through.

As someone who also collects vinyl, Duncan offers full-service in-house vinyl mastering and disk cutting with a new Sillitoe lathe. Duncan's mastering studio is right nearby me in East Nashville.

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Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4oZdXUCxUBz4sGLa5i1tWp?si=fbd381f435314baf

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

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"The Distressor is an iconic piece of gear." Dave talked about his journey from musician to audio engineer, creating the iconic Distressor compressor, the role of distortion, harmonics, and thoughtful gear selection in achieving masterful audio mixing and production, and offered practical advice for aspiring recording engineers.

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My guest today is Dave Derr, a musician raised in a family of engineers destined to rock and make his mark on the recording industry. Dave started with studying classical piano, composition, and theory as a Music Major in college but still loved ripping solos on his '67 Gibson SG Special. This passion for music led him to a 12-year journey with the band Jack of Diamonds, touring the Philadelphia, Delaware, and Maryland areas.

But Dave wasn’t just rocking the stage—he was also the guy fixing the band's guitars, keyboard rigs, and PA systems. This hands-on experience sparked his path to becoming an Electronics Technician and eventually a studio engineer.

Dave landed a gig at Eventide and worked alongside industry giants, contributing to the design of iconic gear like the H3000, H3500, and DSP4000. And after hours? He ran his own recording studio at home, refining his craft night and day.

In 1994, Dave’s talents culminated in the creation of the Distressor—a modern classic that’s now a staple in major studios worldwide. Empirical Labs now has over 42,000 Distressors sold and an entire line of analog processors and digital plugins and their latest creation, the PUMP, a powerful 500 Series compressor based on the Distressor is breaking new ground for getting killer sounds in the studio or out in the field.

I am super excited to have Dave Derr joining us on the podcast today. This is a big day for me, the show, and definitely a bucket list interview!

PS Go to empiricallabs.com to find the Arousor and BIG FrEQ plugins where you can use the coupon code RSR10 for 10% off.

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If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/489

"Listen to what the session musicians say during lunch!" Joe talked about how to be a great studio assistant, orchestral sessions, choosing the perfect vocal mic and DAW, Harrison Mixbus 32, the SSL UF8 and UC-1, and being a servant to the song!

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Joe Carrell, a Nashville-based producer, mixer, and recording engineer. Over his 20+ year career, Joe has mixed and recorded 12 Grammy-nominated albums, worked on Dove Award-winning songs, and contributed to over 38 charting number-one hits, with Billboard top tens in multiple categories, all the while producing pop artists and mixing everything from rock, country, jazz, gospel, bluegrass, etc. He currently works from the historic Treasure Isle Recorders in Nashville TN.

Joe Carrell began his journey in the professional music world as an assistant engineer for a member of Nashville's legendary Bradley family. With a strong background as a musician and a deep love for recording, Joe quickly became a sought-after expert in the industry. Today, he shares his passion and expertise on his YouTube channel, In The Mix with Joe Carrell, and in collaboration with platforms like Produce Like A Pro, Warm Audio, and SSL. Joe produces hands-on tutorials for both beginners and seasoned engineers, covering essential mixing and production techniques such as vocal mixing, managing multiple vocal tracks, adding depth to mixes, and insights into his hybrid workflow. He also offers tips on using EQ, stereo widening, automation, subgroups, balancing low-end frequencies, mixing orchestral elements, and crafting commercial-ready tracks across a variety of genres.

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Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0eq797VHiwEZkHpkPT2my7?si=70f85ca0cc324b3b

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Conductor or conductor? Andrei talked about creating a studio in an old abandoned train carriage down under, composing in Ableton Live, saving drums for last, how to get your bass right, the best cassette plugins, and why you need a MIDI controller.

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My guest today is Andrei Eremin, a music producer, recording, mixing and mastering engineer whose work is Grammy-nominated, ARIA award-winning and has amassed over 8 billion streams to date. Since getting his start at Deluxe Mastering in Melbourne, Andrei has worked on releases by Hiatus Kaiyote, Tash Sultana, G Flip, Sampa the Great, Chet Faker and others, quickly developing a reputation as one of the most in-demand engineers in Australia.

Since then, Andrei has diversified his craft, producing an eponymous EP, a pseudonymous mixtape, records for other artists including Closure in Moscow’s third album “Soft Hell”, as well as mastering Tones and I’s runaway hit “Dance Monkey” and mixing Baker Boy’s debut album “Gela”, which personally earned him an ARIA award in 2022 for Best Mixed Album. Thank you to Mark Allen at Vitalic Noise Management in Los Angeles for the introduction!

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Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/506jX8KQxbW5RWcWHmfFe8?si=83af4cb7d0fc4bd0

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/487

Metal band in a gas station? Dont worry. Be happy! Brok talked about working with Steve Albini and Greg Norman at Electrical Audio, DIY rebuilding his Calrec console, custom Pro Tools headphone mixes, overdubing to cassette tape, and mixing in Atmos.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Brok Mende, owner of Friends of Friends Recording, a loft-style studio in Chicago specializing in analog & digital, vintage & modern recording processes, also offering Dolby Atmos mixing and mastering! With over a decade of professional experience alongside some of the largest names in the music industry (Electrical Audio, Audiotree, etc) and within studios all over the US, Brok’s work includes KAINA, Sen Morimoto, NNAMDÏ, serpentwithfeet, Madison McFerrin, and Tasha to name a few and in collaboration with designer/community builder (and partner), DeAnna Doersch. 

In his own words, Brok is a listener by trade who likes to focus on creating something intentional and honest for the artist. He can take apart most anything involving capacitors and/or transformers and is usually able to put it back together correctly, too.

In the show notes, we have a playlist of Brok’s stereo and Atmos mixes. Please check those out. Thank you to Stephen Shirk and Shirk Studio for introducing us!

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!

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Listen to this guest's discography on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/brok-mende/pl.u-e98lGaDHzjAADpb

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

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Why press many buttons when you can press one? Raphael talked about quick keys, Soundflow, Stream Decks, and iPads for creating macros to automate your studio processes, figuring out where you are wasting your energy, & staying in the creative flow.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Raphael Sepulveda, an alt-rock producer and composer based in Nashville, TN. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Raphael found his way to the US in 2010 to pursue a college degree in Music. After graduating in 2013, he obtained an internship at StadiumRed Studios in NYC, where he learned the ropes and quickly climbed the industry ladder. Raphael worked as an in-house engineer at several other studios in the city, most notably SweetSounds Studios, before setting out on his own and becoming a freelance producer/engineer focusing on alt-rock.

In 2018, Raphael relocated to Music City in search of new beginnings. After the pandemic hit in 2020, Raphael partnered with Howling Music, a music-for-advertising company, as a composer. His work has earned the music house a 2023 Nashville American Advertising Awards Gold Addy award (best ad music in Nashville) and a 2024 Clio award for Use of Music in Film & Video.

Having a strong passion for music tech, he has become a third-party app developer for the software automation platform SoundFlow, creating productivity and workflow tools for Pro Tools.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!

http://UltimateMixingMasterclass.com

https://www.adam-audio.com

https://www.native-instruments.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://www.izotope.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!

https://www.empiricallabs.com/ Use code RSR10 to get 10% off the Arousor and BIG FrEQ plugins!

https://traceaudio.com/ Use code RSR15 to get 15% off your custom printed labels!

https://www.soundporter.com/ Get a free mix review and mastering demo!

https://www.makebelievestudio.com/mbsi Get your MBSI plugin here!

https://RecordingStudioRockstars.com/Academy 

https://www.thetoyboxstudio.com/

Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05XkCfQeuO2tvFgJXj31Jb?si=2786ee821ef443c1

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/485