Inside The Recording Studio – Unlock remarkable tips and tricks for improved recordings in your studio. Unusually great for beginners and professionals.

July 18, 2025

Psychological, Workflow

From Muddy to Magic: Fix These Mastering Mistakes Now
10 Common Mastering Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mastering isn’t just about loudness — it’s about finesse, clarity, and translating your mix to every playback system. In this enlightening (and slightly irreverent) episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody walk you through 10 of the most common mistakes made by beginner and intermediate mastering engineers — and how to steer clear of them.

🎛️ From over-compressing to EQing blindly, this episode covers the critical pitfalls that sabotage sonic balance and coherence in the mastering stage. Chris and Jody don’t just list the issues — they give you real-world solutions and share stories from sessions gone sideways.

💡 Whether you’re new to mastering or just looking to tighten your workflow, you’ll get practical strategies you can use right away. Expect to hear tips on:
- When to use multiband compression (and when to run away)
- Why reference tracks are your best friend
- How to stop chasing loudness and start chasing results
- Plus a healthy dose of humor to remind you that we’re all learning
If you’re serious about elevating your mastering chops — or just want to laugh at a few horror stories from the studio — this episode is for you. Come on inside and take another step toward mastering bliss.

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Gear we used:
Jody’s Mic & Voice Chain: Telefunken C12 – Groove Tubes Vipre – Apollo – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA Studer A800
Jody’s Channel Strip: iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

Chris’ Mic & Voice Chain: Slate ML1 – Apollo – UA – Slate VMR (FG12, FG73, API Eq, SSL 4kE) – iZotope RX Voice – DeNoise
Chris’ Channel Strip: Eventide Precision Time Align – iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

Master: Oek Sound Soothe 2 – iZotope Ozone Imager – iZotope Ozone Maximize.

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If you want to collaborate, sponsor a podcast, donate, or want us to review your product – contact us at: collaborate@insidetherecordingstudio.com
July 11, 2025

Workflow

Short on Time? Here’s How to Stay Productive in the Studio

Deadlines don’t care how creative you’re feeling—so Chris and Jody are jumping into the fast lane with an episode all about navigating tight studio deadlines. Whether it’s last-minute sessions, surprise client changes, or an unexpected “we need it yesterday” scenario, the guys share their real-world strategies for staying productive under pressure.

From prioritizing tasks in your DAW to smart time-saving workflows, they’ll give you the battle-tested tactics that have helped them hit the mark—even when time’s running out. Hear about clever plugin choices, effective template setups, and how to keep creative focus without sacrificing quality.

And yes, there’s still room for a little nonsense and the latest edition of Friday Finds, because no crunch is complete without some fun.

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Gear we used:
Jody’s Mic & Voice Chain: Telefunken C12 – Groove Tubes Vipre – Apollo – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA Studer A800
Jody’s Channel Strip: iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

Chris’ Mic & Voice Chain: Slate ML1 – Apollo – UA – Slate VMR (FG12, FG73, API Eq, SSL 4kE) – iZotope RX Voice – DeNoise
Chris’ Channel Strip: Eventide Precision Time Align – iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

Master: Oek Sound Soothe 2 – iZotope Ozone Imager – iZotope Ozone Maximize.

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If you want to collaborate, sponsor a podcast, donate, or want us to review your product – contact us at: collaborate@insidetherecordingstudio.com
July 4, 2025

EQ

How to Use EQ Like a Pro: Fix Problems and Add Polish

Corrective EQ vs Sweetening EQ: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody dive headfirst into the often-blurred line between corrective EQ and sweetening EQ — and why understanding the difference can elevate your mixes from passable to polished.

Corrective EQ: What exactly qualifies as “fixing” a sound? From removing muddiness and taming resonances to addressing harsh frequencies, the duo breaks down when and why to use EQ as a surgical tool during the early mix stages.

Sweetening EQ: Once the mix is clean, how do you take it from good to great? Chris and Jody walk through subtle boosts, tonal shaping, and the “sprinkle of fairy dust” approach that sweetening EQ can offer — all while staying musical.

Whether you’re battling room problems, poor mic placement, or just trying to add shimmer to your overheads or glue to your mix bus, this episode explores the process value and decision-making behind each type of EQ move.

Plus, the latest Friday Finds may change your plugin folder for good — and yes, there’s the usual side of light-hearted nonsense along the way.

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Gear we used:
Jody’s Mic & Voice Chain: Telefunken C12 – Groove Tubes Vipre – Apollo – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA Studer A800
Jody’s Channel Strip: iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

Chris’ Mic & Voice Chain: Slate ML1 – Apollo – UA – Slate VMR (FG12, FG73, API Eq, SSL 4kE) – iZotope RX Voice – DeNoise
Chris’ Channel Strip: Eventide Precision Time Align – iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

Master: Oek Sound Soothe 2 – iZotope Ozone Imager – iZotope Ozone Maximize.

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If you want to collaborate, sponsor a podcast, donate, or want us to review your product – contact us at: collaborate@insidetherecordingstudio.com