The Studio Experience Podcast

"Will anyone work with me if I charge this much?" "How much is my work really worth?" "What if I lose all my clients when I raise my rate?" We're all familiar with these questions, and many more like them. Knowing how and where to set or raise your rates can sometimes be painfully difficult. Doing so with confidence is an even bigger challenge. That's why we've made this podcast episode. In it, we discuss lots of ways to go about identifying what rate is right for you and your clients, and knowing when and how it can change. These things apply whether you're just starting out in audio, or have been doing it for years. Enjoy!

No one wants boring music... maybe unless it's meant to put people to sleep. In that case, you can skip this episode :) Otherwise, it's great to have an engaging musical experience so your listeners are leaning in and really enjoying your work. In this episode, we discuss some methods to inject additional - or even new - life into your music at any stage of the production process so that it's interesting and engaging.

Burnout can hit us all, sooner or later. It can knock us down, or maybe even knock us out. Without an awareness of it creeping in, or a gauge of our own level of mental and physical health, it's bound to happen eventually.  In this episode, we talk about ways to avoid both short term and long term burnout so that we can enjoy our work and live a sustainable life.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could turn on your creativity as easily as flipping a light switch on? Unfortunately, it's not quite that easy, but there might be some habits or methods to practice that will help you get "in the zone" more easily and consistently. In this episode, we discuss the benefits of both preparation and inspiration so that you can work effectively, efficiently, and creatively.

Few topics in the audio world have as much confusing and conflicting information surrounding them as Loudness does. "How do I get my tracks loud?" "Should I master to -14 LUFS?" "Will streaming services change the way my song sounds?" Questions like these are incredibly common in our world today, so in this episode, we address many of them, sharing our own experiences and knowledge to help address the confusion.

We've all felt the sting of someone being unhappy with our work. Maybe you've even lost a gig because of it. It can be tough to receive critical feedback - especially when it comes from someone that isn't the best at empathetic communication. Sometimes, feedback may feel like a personal attack. In this episode, we talk about the feedback and revision process so that you can wrap projects faster, happier and with less stress.

There are few topics that can make some audio engineers more uncomfortable than money. It can be awkward and tough for some of us to deal with or talk about money, but it's absolutely critical to have a handle on if you want your work to be self-sustaining, let alone be your full-time income. In this episode, we discuss ideas to have a better grip on your financial situation, and ways you can turn the awkward money conversation into a productive, natural one.

Today's music making process is more diverse than it's ever been. Some artists go to massive, multi-million dollar facilities with huge gear selections to make their music, while others do so in their apartment bedroom on a cell phone. Is one approach better than the other?

Many of us have had experiences with nightmare clients. You know, the ones that have 89 revision requests, expect responses from you within 5 minutes day or night, and drag out projects for an eternity? Or maybe you're needing to build your client list from nothing to something so that you have stead work coming through. In this episode, we discuss how to manage these situations and maybe even come out of them with a happier life!

Standing out as an audio engineer can be tough, now more than ever. In this episode, we pose the question "Why should someone hire you?" and discuss a few ideas that will give you a lot of food for thought.