• From Overwhelm to Outstanding: Mastering the Madness of Endless Music Tools!



    In the modern recording landscape, we’re spoiled for choice. Plugins, hardware, virtual instruments, sample libraries, mixing suites—the list is endless. But is more always better? In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody take a thoughtful look at the overload of music tools available to today’s producers, engineers, and musicians.

    They ask the questions many of us avoid: Do we really need all these options? Does having too many choices help creativity—or paralyze it? And more importantly, how do you strike a healthy balance between embracing new technology and relying on tried-and-true methods that keep you productive?

    From the perspective of seasoned pros, Chris and Jody break down how they personally navigate the sea of plugins and gear. They talk about curating their toolkits, knowing when to add something new, and knowing when to stop chasing the latest shiny thing. Along the way, they’ll share recording setup tips, highlight some hidden features in studio gear that are often overlooked, and reflect on how restraint can actually sharpen creativity.

    This isn’t about gear shaming—it’s about workflow clarity. You’ll hear about the role of home studio gear in modern production, when too many plugin folders become a burden instead of a benefit, and why mastering engineers sometimes succeed by keeping their toolchains minimal. And, as always, you’ll get a dose of humor, banter, and a little nonsense as Chris and Jody wrestle with their own gear temptations.

    If your DAW looks like a candy store but you still find yourself stuck, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the best music comes not from having everything—but from knowing how to use what you already have.

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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

  • Sample Libraries Uncovered: How to Manage Like a Pro for Efficiently Organizing and Future-Proofing Your Collections



    Sample libraries are both a blessing and a curse. They’re the lifeblood of modern production—massive collections of meticulously recorded instruments at your fingertips. But when those libraries start eating up terabytes of drive space, clogging file paths, and slowing down your workflow, they quickly become a headache. In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody tackle the practical (and sometimes painful) subject of managing and storing sample libraries.

    This isn’t a “here are our favorite sample packs” kind of chat. Instead, the duo breaks down best practices for keeping your libraries tidy, clean, and future-proofed. You’ll hear about external vs internal drives, SSD vs HDD for different use cases, and strategies for spreading libraries across multiple disks without breaking your DAW’s ability to find them.

    Chris and Jody also share tips on folder structures, naming conventions, and why simply dumping everything into “Samples” is a recipe for chaos. They’ll cover backup strategies, how to prepare for inevitable drive failures, and ways to migrate your collection if you upgrade your computer system.

    And because this is Inside the Recording Studio, you’ll also get humor, war stories, and some playful jabs at the sheer absurdity of libraries so big they could rival NASA’s data servers. It’s practical, relatable, and entertaining—perfect for anyone whose home studio gear is groaning under the weight of too many gigabytes.

    By the end, you’ll have actionable recording setup tips to make your sample libraries faster to access, safer from disaster, and easier to navigate—so you can spend less time scrolling through endless folders and more time making music.

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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

  • Unleashing the Power of the AMEK Console: A Deep Dive into the Unique Audio Experience



    The AMEK consoles have long been revered for their pristine sound, engineering brilliance, and unmistakable vibe. In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody dig deep into the history, technology, and emulation of this iconic piece of studio gear—specifically the Plugin Alliance AMEK 9099.

    They’ll start with the console’s origin story: designed by legendary engineer Rupert Neve, the AMEK line hit studios with precision EQs, wide dynamic range, and a sound that became synonymous with clean, high-fidelity mixing in the late ’80s and ’90s. Then, they’ll turn to today: how faithfully does Plugin Alliance’s AMEK 9099 capture that heritage? Is it a perfect mirror of the original desk, or did the developers take liberties to modernize and extend its capabilities?

    Chris and Jody compare hardware versus software—sharing their thoughts on what Plugin Alliance nailed, what feels different, and where the emulation shines (or stumbles). They’ll explore workflow, tone shaping, quirks that made the AMEK legendary, and even the little annoyances that come with translating a massive analog console into a plugin window.

    As always, it’s not just gear worship—it’s real-world perspective. They discuss how the AMEK 9099 fits into home studio gear setups, how to apply its features in practical mixing scenarios, and when it might outshine your go-to channel strips. Along the way, you’ll pick up recording setup tips, insider commentary, and a few laughs at the quirks of both the original console and its modern software counterpart.

    Whether you’re a die-hard analog purist, a plugin enthusiast, or someone curious about what makes AMEK so special, this episode is your backstage pass into one of recording history’s most respected consoles—and its digital reincarnation.

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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.

    ******************************

    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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