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

June 23, 2023

Plugins

Plugin Folder Management: The Simple Guide to Keeping Your DAW Organized

Plugins. They’re the modern producer’s candy store—and also the source of endless clutter if left unchecked. In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody crack open their plugin folders and share the realities of keeping things under control.

From the moment you install your first compressor or virtual synth, your plugin library begins to grow. Fast forward a few months (or years) and suddenly your DAW is loading hundreds of plugins across multiple folders, formats, and drive locations. Sound familiar? Chris and Jody break down the best practices for plugin organization: when to prune the excess, how to prevent bloat, and how to structure folders so you can actually find what you need mid-session.

They’ll discuss the quirks of different DAWs—Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase, Ableton, Studio One—and which organization strategies work best in each. You’ll hear about the pitfalls of plugins installed across multiple locations, why some manufacturers still insist on their own folders, and whether there’s a “right” way to keep everything streamlined.

But this isn’t just a housekeeping lecture. Expect practical recording setup tips you can apply today—whether you’re creating custom plugin categories, uninstalling the 12 reverbs you never use, or discovering hidden features in studio gear that make workflow smoother. And of course, in classic Chris and Jody style, there’s humor and banter—because who hasn’t accidentally left that “freebie” distortion plugin installed since 2009?

If your plugin folder feels more like a junk drawer than a toolbox, this episode will help you reclaim control and focus on making music—not hunting for that one EQ you swear you downloaded last year.

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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
June 16, 2023

Workflow

Uncovering the Secrets of Clipping Audio – A Noisy Adventure

Clipping: the word alone can make engineers break into a sweat. But is it always bad? In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody dive into the art of clipping audio—where it comes from, why it sometimes works, and when it can absolutely ruin your mix.

They start with the origins: how analog gear and early digital systems introduced us to clipping, and why those “mistakes” sometimes turned into creative tools. Then they dig into the different types of clipping—hard clipping, soft clipping, analog saturation—and explain how each one shapes sound differently.

Clipping isn’t just an error; it can be a weapon. Chris and Jody share when they intentionally use clipping to add aggression, density, or perceived loudness to drums, guitars, or even a mix bus. At the same time, they cover the dangers: digital clipping that destroys transients, leaves tracks brittle, and makes mastering engineers cry.

Expect real-world recording setup tips, plugin and hardware examples, and honest insight into how they personally use clipping in their own sessions. And of course, it wouldn’t be an Inside the Recording Studio episode without humor—so yes, there will be some nonsense about how clipping is like hot sauce: a little makes things exciting, too much ruins dinner.

Whether you’re working with home studio gear or high-end mastering chains, this episode gives you the tools to understand clipping, control it, and use it creatively without wrecking your mixes.

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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
June 9, 2023

Compressors

Compression vs Limiting: Which One Reigns Supreme? Find Out Now!

Compression and limiting—two tools that every engineer touches, but not everyone fully understands. In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody cut through the confusion and deliver a clear, practical breakdown of compression vs limiting. What’s the difference? When should you reach for one over the other? And how do the pros put them to work in real-world mixes?

They’ll start with the basics, defining what compression is: a tool for managing dynamics, smoothing peaks, and shaping the feel of performances. Then they’ll contrast that with limiting, which functions as compression’s stricter cousin, slamming down on peaks with almost brick-wall precision. You’ll hear how both tools affect transients, tone, and headroom, and why the line between them is both subtle and crucial.

Chris and Jody also share their own workflow secrets, from the compressors and limiters they use most often to specific scenarios—vocals, drums, bass, and mix buses—where each shines. They’ll explain why one compressor might give a vocal warmth and intimacy, while a limiter keeps a final master polished and radio-ready.

But it’s not just theory. Expect plenty of recording setup tips, practical examples, and even a few stories of misusing compression in ways that taught them lessons the hard way. And because this is Inside the Recording Studio, you’ll also get humor, banter, and maybe even some nonsense about what happens when compressors are pushed past their limits (literally).

Whether you’re working with home studio gear or high-end racks, this episode will give you a sharper ear for compression, a clearer understanding of limiting, and the confidence to decide which tool is right for the job.

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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