• Saturation vs. Distortion: How to Enhance Your Mix With Grit



    Who says distortion is just for shredders in leather pants? This week, Chris & Jody are here to spill the beans on how creative distortion in mixing can spice up any track. Think of it like hot sauce: a little goes a long way, but sometimes you just want to drench everything.

    They start by serving up the obvious—guitar tones that roar and scream—but then they ladle distortion all over the mix. Bass that rattles, vocals that snarl, even drums that sound like they’re trying to escape the speakers. It’s chaos, but the good kind.

    Along the way, you’ll get recording setup tips for pulling this off with your home studio gear without blowing up your interface (unless you want to). They’ll also expose a few hidden features in studio gear that can surprise you when you push them past polite levels.

    And of course, no episode is complete without their signature nonsense, wisecracks, and a Friday Find that will have you itching to experiment the moment you hit stop.

    This isn’t “Distortion 101.” This is distortion with swagger.

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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

  • Life Behind the Kit: Christopher Allis on Being a Career Drummer



    What’s it really like to make a living behind a drum kit? Chris & Jody corner Christopher Allis and get the dirt—from his first bash at the skins to rubbing shoulders (and sticks) with big-name acts. Expect road stories, studio quirks, and a few laughs about the less glamorous side of the music grind. This is Part One of the chat, and it’s loaded with tasty fills, candid confessions, and enough inspiration to make you dust off that snare you’ve been ignoring. Spoiler: yes, we talk about home studio gear and the weird things drummers pack on tour.

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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

  • 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

  • Do You Really Need Music Theory to Succeed in Music Production?



    Music Theory in the Studio: Must-Have Skill or Creative Buzzkill?

    Should every musician or producer know music theory? Is it a necessary tool or an outdated gatekeeper? In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody tackle one of the most debated questions in modern production: does knowing music theory actually help in the studio—or can it sometimes get in the way?

    From beatmakers who can’t read a note to session players who know every scale in every mode, the creative spectrum is wide—and this conversation explores all sides of it.

     In this episode:

    • Should producers, musicians, and engineers be fluent in music theory?
    • Does music theory speed up the writing and recording process—or complicate it?
    • Can theory knowledge hinder spontaneity and vibe in a creative session?
    • What happens when you’re collaborating with someone who doesn’t know theory?
    • And: how to find the sweet spot between structure and instinct in your workflow

    Whether you’re a self-taught genius or a classically trained perfectionist, this episode will give you a fresh take on where music theory fits into today’s studio landscape.

    And of course, there’s this week’s Friday Finds—plus a bit of good-natured nonsense for balance.

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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

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