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    10 Common Mastering Engineer Mistakes Most People Make And How To Fix Them



    Mastering Engineer Mistakes to Avoid

    Mastering might seem like the final polish on a track, but if you’ve ever tried your hand at it, you know it’s not just about loudness and EQ. It’s a delicate art—and when you’re new to the craft, there are plenty of ways to stumble. In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody break down 10 of the most common mastering engineer mistakes, and more importantly, how to avoid them.

    From over-EQ’ing to leaning too heavily on presets, Chris and Jody lay out real-world pitfalls that derail beginners and explain how to move past them. With humor, insight, and some nonsense sprinkled in for good measure, they map out a path that will help you develop better ears, smarter workflows, and a more professional approach to mastering.

    Here’s a sneak peek at some of the mistakes they tackle:

    • Overusing EQ or compression and squashing the life out of a mix.
    • Chasing loudness over clarity, falling into the trap of the “loudness wars.”
    • Ignoring monitoring environments—because if your room lies, your master lies.
    • Not understanding the role of reference tracks in calibrating your ears.
    • Skipping fundamentals, like proper gain staging and file prep.
    • Leaning too hard on gear or plugins instead of trusting your ears.
    • Failing to step back, losing perspective by mastering in a vacuum.

    Alongside these cautionary tales, Chris and Jody offer recording setup tips that apply whether you’re in a big studio or working with home studio gear. They also reveal a few hidden features in studio gear and plugins that can make mastering more efficient and accurate.

    The takeaway? Mastering isn’t about chasing perfection with endless tweaks. It’s about making intentional, transparent moves that translate across playback systems. And yes—it’s also about learning when not to touch the knobs.

    By the end of this episode, you’ll know the 10 mistakes to avoid, plus the mindsets and habits that set real mastering engineers apart. You’ll laugh, you’ll nod in recognition, and you’ll leave with fresh tools to refine your approach to mastering—whether you’re polishing your own tracks or prepping music for the world to hear.

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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

  • How to Handle Short Deadlines in the Studio Without Losing Quality



    How to Handle Short Deadlines Without Losing Your Mind

    If you’ve ever had a client drop the dreaded words “we need it by tomorrow”, you know the panic that can set in when time is tight and the pressure is high. In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody dig into the art (and chaos) of working under short deadlines—sharing real-world examples, best practices, and a healthy dose of humor to help you survive the crunch.

    From last-minute mix requests to sudden revisions that derail your carefully planned workflow, short deadlines are part of the music and audio world. But while they can feel like a nightmare, they don’t have to result in disaster. Chris and Jody explore strategies that keep you cool, creative, and productive when the clock is ticking.

    Topics covered include:

    • Prioritization tactics—how to separate what’s mission-critical from what can wait.
    • Streamlined workflows that save you hours (hint: proper recording setup tips and file organization go a long way).
    • Leveraging home studio gear efficiently so you can work fast without cutting corners.
    • Real-world stories of deadline disasters and how they pulled through.
    • The balance between speed and quality—when “good enough” really is good enough.
    • Tricks to avoid burnout when you’re asked to move at lightning speed.

    Chris and Jody also highlight hidden features in studio gear that can shave precious minutes off a session, as well as mindsets and habits that make fast turnarounds less stressful.

    And because this is Inside the Recording Studio, expect some nonsense and laughs sprinkled throughout—because sometimes humor is the best way to handle a looming deadline. Add in this week’s Friday Finds, and you’ll leave with not just survival tips, but also new tools to help you work smarter under pressure.

    By the end of the episode, you’ll have a toolkit of practical strategies and a renewed confidence that the next time a last-minute project lands in your lap, you’ll be ready to handle it like a pro.

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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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    Corrective EQ vs Sweetening EQ – The Difference You Need To Know



    Corrective EQ vs Sweetening EQ

    Every mix engineer knows EQ is essential, but not all EQ moves are created equal. Sometimes you’re cutting out problem frequencies, other times you’re adding shimmer, air, and character. In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody divide and conquer the worlds of corrective EQ vs sweetening EQ — breaking down definitions, approaches, and how each style shapes the sound of your mix.

    So what’s the difference? Corrective EQ is all about fixing issues. It’s the audio equivalent of cleaning up clutter in a room—removing mud, harshness, or resonances that distract from the performance. Think rolling off rumble on a vocal track, taming boxy guitar mids, or cleaning cymbal hash. Corrective EQ is practical, problem-solving, and sometimes downright necessary.

    Sweetening EQ, on the other hand, is about enhancing and flattering the sound. It’s where you add warmth, sparkle, or that extra something that takes a track from good to inspiring. Boosting low end on a bass guitar for weight, adding air to vocals for clarity, or giving acoustic guitars sheen are all examples of sweetening moves. Sweetening EQ is where you shift from “fixing” to “finessing.”

    Chris and Jody walk you through:

    • The definitions of corrective vs. sweetening EQ.
    • When to reach for each approach in your mix.
    • How context—genre, arrangement, even the artist—guides your decisions.
    • The process value of each style, and why knowing the difference keeps your workflow efficient.
    • Practical recording setup tips that can reduce the need for corrective EQ later.
    • Common pitfalls—like over-EQ’ing and chasing perfection instead of serving the song.

    And of course, because this is Inside the Recording Studio, the conversation isn’t just clinical. Expect humor, tangents, and a touch of nonsense to keep you entertained while you learn. Plus, don’t miss this week’s Friday Finds, where Chris and Jody share more tools, plugins, and creative sparks that can freshen up your studio routine.

    By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clearer understanding of when to put on your “fix-it” hat and when to grab your “flavor” hat. Whether you’re wrangling mud in a home setup or sweetening tracks in a pro mix room, you’ll walk away with a sharper EQ strategy—and mixes that sound better for it.

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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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