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

May 26, 2023

Guitars

Introducing the Hyperswitch from Seymour Duncan

Imagine this: you grab your trusty guitar, flip your 5-way switch, and get… the same five tones you’ve had since forever. Useful, sure. Exciting? Not really. Now imagine if that same switch suddenly had superpowers—like a Marvel character but with fewer capes and more coil-splits. That’s the Seymour Duncan Hyperswitch, and Chris and Jody are here to spill the beans on this new toy that might make you rethink everything you know about guitar wiring.

First off, let’s be clear: this thing is not your granddad’s pickup selector. Nope. The Hyperswitch uses Bluetooth and an app, which means you can rewire your humbuckers without touching a soldering iron. That’s right—no more burning your fingers or pretending you know how to read wiring diagrams. With the Hyperswitch, you can sit on your couch, phone in hand, and turn your guitar into a Franken-beast of tonal options. Series? Done. Parallel? Easy. Coil-split? Obviously. Want to invent a configuration that would make even a veteran guitar tech weep? Go for it.

Chris and Jody break down what it actually is, how it works, and (most importantly for us mortals) how hard it is to install. Spoiler alert: it’s surprisingly painless. If you can handle a screwdriver and not lose a screw under your couch, you’re probably halfway there. They’ll also share their own thoughts on how this thing changes the game for players with multiple humbuckers—because let’s face it, once you’ve got the Hyperswitch, your guitar stops being “just a guitar” and becomes a sonic buffet.

But don’t worry, this isn’t a dry tech manual. Expect plenty of gear-nerd jokes and some playful digs at the “old-school” solder-or-die crowd. (You know the ones—folks who say “if you didn’t melt at least one fingertip installing it, did you even earn your tone?”). Chris and Jody are here to tell you: yes, you did. The Hyperswitch lets you have all the fun without the scars.

And then there’s the bigger picture: this little piece of tech is destined for greatness. Seriously. Imagine walking into a studio session and saying, “Yeah, I’ll just Bluetooth my wiring real quick.” Your bandmates will either think you’re a wizard or they’ll immediately start plotting to steal your guitar. Either way, you win.

In this episode, you’ll get the full rig rundown: what the Hyperswitch can do, how to get it set up, and why it might just ruin you for every boring old 5-way switch from now on. Plus, Chris and Jody toss in their trademark banter and nonsense—because if you can’t laugh about turning your guitar into a Bluetooth-enabled spaceship, what’s even the point?

So if you’ve ever looked at your guitar and thought, “Man, I wish you could do more,” this is your episode. The Seymour Duncan Hyperswitch doesn’t just answer that wish—it cranks it to 11 and asks, “What else ya got?”

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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
May 19, 2023

DAW

Switching DAWs: A Great Guide to Choosing the Right One!

Digital Audio Workstations—DAWs—are the center of every modern studio. But should you stick with the one you know or jump ship for something new? In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody tackle the big question: is it worth switching DAWs?

They break down the pros and cons of making the move. On the plus side, a new DAW might offer workflow improvements, better MIDI editing, unique plugins, or that one hidden feature that makes your life easier. On the downside? Steep learning curves, compatibility headaches, and the ever-present risk of spending more time learning software than making music.

Chris and Jody also explore the considerations you need to weigh: What kind of music do you make? What’s your workflow? Are you collaborating with others who expect files in a certain format? They’ll even cover the differences between major DAWs—Pro Tools, Logic, LUNA, Cubase, Studio One, Ableton Live, Reaper, and others—so you can see which platform matches your goals.

And, of course, they share their own experiences. What DAWs do they use? Why did they choose them? And would they ever consider switching? Spoiler: it’s not just about features, it’s about how the DAW feels when you’re in the creative zone.

Whether you’re new to music production with home studio gear or a seasoned pro weighing a big decision, this episode gives you the recording setup tips and perspective you need. And yes, expect some laughs along the way—because talking about DAW wars without humor would just feel too much like a forum flame thread.

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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
May 12, 2023

Audio Gear

Time to Level Up Your Sound: How to Know When it’s Time for an Audio Interface Upgrade!

Your audio interface is the beating heart of your recording setup. It’s the bridge between your ideas and the outside world. But how do you know when it’s time to move on from your trusty box of converters and preamps? In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody dive deep into the dos and don’ts of upgrading your audio interface.

They start with the practical signs: crackling noises, limited input options, driver instability, or simply realizing your current interface is holding back the potential of your mixes. From there, they expand into the creative benefits of upgrading—better converters, more reliable latency, improved headphone amps, and the kind of clarity that makes vocals and instruments sit more naturally in the mix.

But upgrading isn’t just about throwing money at shiny new gear. Chris and Jody stress the importance of identifying what you actually need. Do you need more channels for recording a live band? Higher sample rates for orchestral work? Or just a cleaner, simpler workflow for podcasting and production? They’ll also cover the common traps—when upgrading is unnecessary, when it’s better to optimize your workflow first, and when the problem isn’t the interface but your room acoustics, gain staging, or even user error.

Along the way, you’ll hear practical recording setup tips and even some audio interface troubleshooting tricks that might save you from upgrading too soon. And, true to form, there’s humor and storytelling sprinkled throughout, because no Inside the Recording Studio episode is complete without a bit of nonsense.

Whether you’re working with budget home studio gear or eyeing a flagship unit, this episode gives you clarity on when to make the leap—and when to hold tight to what you’ve got.

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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