Unstoppable Recording Machine Podcast

Joel Wanasek is a co founder of URM Academy, Drumforge, as well as a mixing and mastering engineer who has worked with bands such as Machine Head and Attila. 

On this episode:

2:54 - Working in genres you don't like

12:16 - Marketing a band

27:44 - Being asked to work for free

33:52 - What’s the value of record labels?

49:36 - Building rapport with bands you can’t meet in person

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse Ray Ernster is a Grammy award winning mixer who has worked with Kanye West, Doja Cat, Burna Boi, and many others.

On this episode:

2:40 - Do techniques work across different genres?

17:17 - Niching down to pop and R&B

28:47 - Set up a retirement account… NOW

39:59 - Some paths are unproductive

53:49 - Getting introduced to Kanye West

Follow Jesse Ray Ernster on Instagram.

Check out Jesse's DIY Tube Trap guide.

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Bentley is a guitarist and mixer who has worked with Felix Martin, I Built the Sky, and his own band Arch Echo.

On this episode:

2:24 - A typical work day

10:36 - The good side of Berklee

21:28 - DAWs and working in-the-box

36:55 - Always needing to move forward

47:43 - Building a career as a mixer

1:12:02 - Working with bands that can help your band

1:24:32 - A good template keeps evolving

Follow Adam Bentley on Instagram.

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Yip is a producer, songwriter, entrepreneur, and label owner known for his work with bands such as Code Orange, Circa Survive, Turnstile and many more. 

On this episode:

4:14 - Having a strong work ethic

12:20 - When to follow your passions

28:46 - Teaching the next generation of producers

38:32 - Limited pie myths

51:37 - Setting boundaries and focusing on one task

1:00:22 - Avoiding burnout

1:10:48 - Determining compatibility with a band

Follow Will Yip on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out Will’s website.

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lasse Lammert is a producer who owns LSD-Studios in Germany. 

On this episode:

2:48 - Being a tone hunter

19:16 - Lead guitars aren’t a core element

29:28 - Not everyone can technically explain what they hear

41:44 - How references get brought into mixes

52:58 - Establishing a rapport with bands 

1:07:18 - Seeing sounds as colors

Check out Lasse’s website.

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anssi Kippo is a producer and the founder of Astia-studio in Finland.

On this episode:

10:58 - Analog vs digital

21:52 - Typical session length

35:06 - How to approach bands that resist analog workflow

47:11 - Crucial components when working with tape

1:01:18 - Why he stopped touring

1:13:20 - Working on the arrangements for Children of Bodom’s Hatebreeder

1:19:36 - Capturing the most authentic guitar sound

Check out Anssi’s blog. 

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam D is a producer as well as a guitarist in Killswitch Engage and Times of Grace. He’s worked with bands such as The Acacia Strain, All That Remains, Unearth, Underoath, and many others.

On this episode:

2:48 - Balancing the band and production work

13:22 - Why Adam got into production

23:21 - Music theory doesn’t have to play a role in songwriting

40:03 - What matters most for guitar tones

51:00 - The pre-production process

1:04:39 - Shaping a guitar’s sound

1:12:20 - Recording drums in a great room

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brandon Smith is a producer and a musician who creates electronic rock music under the name The Anix.

On this episode:

2:10 - Where his DIY attitude comes from

11:28 - Creating arrangements with guitars and electronics

22:20 - Building a world around marketing

29:19 - Getting playlisted on Spotify

45:36 - Using data to determine next steps

1:02:59 - Getting music into movies/trailers

1:22:08 - Working with FiXT

1:39:36 - You can’t put out something that everyone loves

Follow Brandon Smith on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jakob Herrmann is a producer and the owner of Top Floor Studios. He’s worked with DarkTranquility, Amaranthe, Evergrey, and many others. He joined Eyal Levi to answer some questions from the URM Discord community. 

On this episode:

3:42 - Capturing room mics on bass and guitar

8:02 - The line between something that’s technically good and the band’s message

19:00 - Finding the right tones with doubling and overdubbing

29:40 - How to record bedroom vocals

37:45 - Working with new mixers or producers

45:36 - Jakob’s preferred drum heads, cymbals, and bass and guitar strings

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Tägtgren is a prolific producer, mixer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who is known for his bands Hypocrisy and Pain, as well as countless productions for bands such as Immortal, Amon Amarth, Dimmu Borgir, Children of Bodom, Sabaton, and many more.

On this episode:

2:34 - How and why Peter got into production

12:24 - Approaching bands with new ideas

21:40 - Hypocrisy’s arrangements

36:29 - Deleting ideas that don’t work

46:29 - The distortion on the Virus record

1:02:12 - Blending guitars

1:17:03 - Using custom built amps

Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM.

When you sign up, you'll get access to:

Insanely detailed audio production tutorials

One-on-one feedback

Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal

Be sure to follow URM on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram.

Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices