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

September 23, 2022

Workflow

How To Use Music Theory To Become A Better Producer (And Mix Engineer)
Do You Really Need to Know Music Theory?

Music theory. Just saying the phrase can spark strong opinions. For some, it’s the foundation of all great songwriting and performance. For others, it’s a straightjacket that limits creativity. So where does the truth lie? In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody roll up their sleeves and dive into the sometimes murky, sometimes hilarious debate: should producers, musicians, or mix engineers know music theory?

They start with the basics: what does “knowing theory” really mean? Is it understanding chord progressions and scales? Recognizing harmonic movement? Or just knowing enough to keep from getting lost in a jam session? From there, they explore how music theory can affect the writing process, the studio workflow, and collaboration between artists and engineers.

On the pro side, music theory can:
- Help producers communicate clearly with musicians.
- Speed up writing sessions by offering ready-made solutions.
- Provide a framework for mixing decisions, especially when arranging complex tracks.
On the con side, too much reliance on theory can:
- Intimidate or frustrate artists who prefer instinct over intellect.
- Create “paralysis by analysis” where creativity gets stuck in the rules.
- Cause unnecessary tension between collaborators who speak different musical languages.
Chris and Jody also weigh in on how much theory knowledge actually matters for a mix engineer. Does understanding harmony help you EQ a vocal or compress a drum bus? Maybe not directly—but knowing the musical context can definitely inform smarter choices in balancing and dynamics.

And, because this is Inside the Recording Studio, the conversation isn’t just technical—it’s fun. Expect anecdotes, humor, and some nonsense along the way (because even when talking about scales and chords, Chris and Jody keep things lively).

To wrap it all up, they consider the practical reality: you don’t need to be a music theory professor to make great tracks, but knowing the basics could save you time, reduce friction, and help you get the best out of your home studio gear and collaborations.

So, should you brush up on circle-of-fifths flashcards? Or just trust your ears and instincts? Hit play and find out where Chris and Jody land on the great music theory debate.

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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
September 16, 2022

Interview

Inside the World of ‘Bad’ TV, Composer Mike Greene

Mike Greene Talks Bad TV, Realitone, and Bowie

If you’ve ever yelled at your DAW because a virtual instrument just wasn’t cutting it, there’s a good chance you’ve wished for someone like Mike Greene to swoop in and save your session. Songwriter, producer, and the brain behind Realitone, Mike has spent years building sample libraries that are as fun as they are functional. But before he became the VI wizard we know today, he was busy writing songs, producing records, and even sneaking his work into some (let’s be honest) questionable TV shows.

In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody sit down with Mike for a conversation that’s part gear talk, part career confessional, and part comedy show. If you thought virtual instruments were all dry tech talk, think again.

From Bad TV to Realitone Genius

Mike openly admits it: you’ve probably heard his music in TV shows you wouldn’t exactly brag about watching. (Think guilty-pleasure reality shows, not award-winning prestige dramas.) But those projects helped shape his perspective, teaching him how to deliver quickly, creatively, and—most importantly—on budget. That hustle eventually led him into the world of virtual instruments, where he figured if nobody else was going to make the tools he wanted, he’d just make them himself. Thus, Realitone was born.

Making VIs That Don’t Suck

Let’s face it: some sample libraries feel like they were designed by robots with zero sense of humor. Not Mike’s. Realitone has a personality—equal parts playful and powerful. Chris and Jody dig into Mike’s approach to design, talking about how he balances making tools that sound professional with making them actually enjoyable to use. Spoiler: he’s got strong opinions on both.

The Bowie Bombshell

And then there’s the wild card: somewhere in Mike’s journey, he ends up with an unexpected connection to David Bowie. We won’t spoil the details here, but trust us—it’s not every day you go from making TV cues to brushing shoulders (figuratively or literally) with one of music’s greatest icons. Chris and Jody press for the story, and Mike delivers.

Gear Talk Without the Snore

Sure, there’s plenty of talk about workflow, home studio gear, and how to avoid overthinking your recording setup tips, but this isn’t some dry lecture on “optimizing metadata” (thankfully). Instead, you get stories, laughs, and a peek behind the curtain of how Mike balances songwriting, producing, and building instruments for the rest of us. Plus, you’ll walk away with a few nuggets of wisdom that might just help you stop fighting your plugins and start making music faster.

Why You’ll Want to Listen

This episode has it all: laughs, Bowie, a dash of nonsense (because, let’s be real, it’s Chris and Jody), and enough gear insights to keep your inner audio nerd happy. Whether you’re into writing, mixing, or just discovering the hidden features in studio gear, you’ll leave with a smile—and probably a new respect for the guy behind Realitone.

So grab your coffee, put your DAW in save mode, and hit play. Mike Greene’s story is proof that the path to making great music (and great tools) doesn’t have to be boring.

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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
September 9, 2022

Compressors

How to Hear Compression: Tricks and Techniques for Better Mixes
Learning to Hear What Compression Is Really Doing

Compression: it’s one of the most powerful tools in audio, but for many engineers, it’s also one of the most confusing. Is it doing something? Is it too much? Too little? In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody dig into the methods they’ve used to train their ears to hear compression at work—from subtle smoothing to extreme squashing.

They start with the basics: the controls of a typical compressor. Threshold, ratio, attack, release, make-up gain—these aren’t just knobs, they’re the keys to understanding how dynamics are shaped. Chris and Jody explain what each control does and how it affects the sound in real-world situations.

Then, they show you how to make compression obvious. By cranking extreme settings, you’ll hear the compressor’s fingerprint on a signal, whether it’s vocals, drums, or guitars. Once your ears can recognize the exaggerated effect, it becomes easier to hear the subtler moves that make a mix come alive.

Along the way, you’ll learn:
- Why compression is as much about feel as it is about volume control.
- Tricks Chris and Jody used when first learning how to identify compression in action.
- How recording setup tips can help you avoid over-compressing at the source.
- When compression adds warmth, punch, or glue—and when it simply crushes life out of a performance.
- How to make compressors your ally, not your enemy.
Of course, this wouldn’t be Inside the Recording Studio without humor, some lighthearted tangents, and this week’s Friday Finds to round things out.

By the end of the episode, you’ll walk away with new strategies for recognizing compression, making more intentional decisions in your mixes, and actually hearing what those knobs are doing. Whether you’re deep into professional sessions or experimenting with home studio gear, this episode will help you finally unlock the mystery of compression.

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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