• Studio Gear Choices: When Too Much Slows You Down



    You absolutely need another compressor plugin. The other six are probably lonely.

    At least, that is the kind of logic Chris & Jody put under the microscope in this episode of Inside the Recording Studio. Because somewhere along the way, building a studio can quietly turn into collecting home studio gear like you are preparing for a recording emergency that may never happen.

    One guitar needs a backup.

    Naturally, the backup needs a backup.

    And apparently that guitar needs another backup because… reasons.

    Plugins are even easier. There is always another compressor, EQ, effect, or shiny new tool waiting to convince you that this one will finally make everything sound better. Meanwhile, buried somewhere in your existing collection are hidden features in studio gear you have never touched.

    Possibly because you forgot you owned the gear in the first place.

    Chris & Jody dig into that wonderfully ridiculous cycle of collecting more stuff while barely scratching the surface of what is already available. It is part gear obsession, part studio reality check, and part admission that musicians and engineers can be very good at finding reasons to acquire another toy.

    But there is a serious question underneath the jokes.

    Does having more gear actually make your mixes better?

    Sometimes it might. Having the right tool matters. But having twenty versions of the same basic tool does not automatically give you twenty times the ability. At some point, another choice is simply another choice.

    And choices add up.

    Instead of working on the music, you can end up searching through plugins. Instead of learning one tool deeply, you bounce between ten. Instead of discovering what your current recording setup can do, you start wondering what you should add to it.

    That is where Chris & Jody flip the question around.

    What if the next great addition to your studio is something you already own?

    Open that plugin you ignored. Look through the features on the gear sitting beside you. Find the tool you bought because it looked amazing and then somehow never learned. There may be more hiding inside your current setup than you remember.

    And yes, your wallet will probably appreciate the experiment.

    This is not an anti-gear episode. Gear is fun. Plugins are fun. Guitars are fun. The absurdity starts when collecting all of it gets in the way of the reason you wanted a studio in the first place.

    Making music.

    So before you buy compressor number seven, spend some time with compressors one through six. One of them might already do exactly what you need.

    Subscribe to Inside the Recording Studio for more recording setup tips, studio truths, gear talk, and occasional nonsense from Chris & Jody.

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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

  • Creative Distortion: Dirty Up Guitars, Bass and Drums



    Apparently guitars have been hogging the distortion for far too long, so Chris & Jody have decided it’s time to redistribute the dirt.

    Welcome to another episode of Inside the Recording Studio, where clean audio is perfectly acceptable right up until somebody decides it needs hot sauce.

    This time, Chris & Jody are talking distortion. Yes, guitar distortion is invited. Obviously. But stopping there would be far too sensible. Bass gets distortion. Drums get distortion. And distortion on vocals? Absolutely. Why should guitar players have all the fun?

    The idea is simple: distortion does not have to belong to one instrument or one style of music. You can use it as another creative tool when shaping sounds in your studio. Sometimes a little dirt is exactly what a track needs.

    Or maybe a lot of dirt.

    We’re not judging.

    Chris & Jody take the hot sauce approach to the subject. Sprinkle some on and see what happens. The goal is not to turn every recording into a fuzzy mess. It’s to stop assuming that distortion has only one job. When you start trying it on guitars, bass, vocals, and drums, you give yourself more ways to change the character of the sounds already sitting in your session.

    That’s where creative distortion becomes interesting.

    If you’re working with home studio gear, experimentation is part of the fun. You already have tracks in front of you. Why not find out what happens when something that normally stays clean gets a little less polite?

    Vocals can get dirty. Bass can get nasty. Drums can apparently be fried too.

    Somewhere, a perfectly clean waveform is becoming nervous.

    Along the way, Chris & Jody keep the conversation practical while providing the expected amount of nonsense. Because if you’re going to talk about intentionally adding distortion to perfectly usable audio, you might as well enjoy yourself while doing it.

    And after all that sonic abuse, Friday Finds returns.

    That means once Chris & Jody have encouraged you to start throwing distortion around your mix, they’ll also give you some new toys to investigate afterward. Responsible? Maybe not. Fun? That’s another matter.

    The takeaway is not that everything needs distortion. It’s that distortion deserves a wider job description. If you’ve automatically associated it with guitars and metal, there are bass tracks, vocal tracks, and drum tracks waiting to challenge that idea.

    So open a session, find something suspiciously clean, and consider adding a little dirt.

    Subscribe to Inside the Recording Studio for more studio tricks, home studio gear talk, Friday Finds, and the occasional questionable decision that somehow makes the mix more interesting.

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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

  • Reference Tracks That Make Every Mix Better



    Think your latest mix is perfect?

    Cool.

    Now compare it to a commercial release.

    That’s exactly what Chris and Jody tackle in this week’s episode of Inside the Recording Studio, where they explain why reference mixes are one of the best reality checks available to anyone making music. Spoiler alert: using reference tracks isn’t cheating. It’s something professionals do every day because ears get tired, perspective disappears, and confidence has a funny way of turning into overconfidence.

    During the episode, Chris and Jody break down how to pick reference tracks that actually help instead of sending you down endless rabbit holes. The goal isn’t to clone someone else’s sound. It’s to understand how your own mix stacks up in the areas that matter most.

    They explain what you should actually be listening for when making comparisons. Sure, EQ matters, but that’s only part of the picture. Balance, dynamics, clarity, depth, and overall presentation all deserve attention if you want mixes that translate outside your studio.

    The discussion also covers recording setup tips for building reference listening into your workflow without turning every session into an endless cycle of second-guessing. A few smart habits can help you make faster decisions while keeping your creativity intact.

    Chris and Jody also highlight plugins that make reference monitoring simpler and more efficient. Having dedicated tools can remove unnecessary friction so you spend less time wondering whether your mix is headed in the right direction and more time actually finishing it.

    Whether your home studio gear consists of a bedroom setup or something considerably larger, these ideas apply to every mixing environment. Better decisions don’t come from buying more equipment. They come from listening with purpose.

    Naturally, the technical discussion comes with the usual Chris and Jody personality, complete with a little nonsense to keep things entertaining before this week’s Friday Finds make another appearance.

    If you’ve been wondering why your mixes sometimes sound amazing in your room but different everywhere else, this conversation may be exactly the perspective you’ve been missing.

    Hit subscribe, keep your favorite reference tracks nearby, and come back next week for more practical recording setup tips that help you mix with greater confidence.

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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

  • Studio Myths Busted Fact From Fiction for Better Recording Decisions



    Question:
    What if everything you’ve believed about studio gear isn’t actually true?

    Answer:
    That’s exactly what Chris and Jody explore this week.

    Question:
    What’s getting examined?

    Answer:

    • Studio myths.

    • Oxygen-free cables.

    • Premium USB cable claims.

    • The never-ending DAW debate.

    • The difference between audio fact from fiction.

    Now for the fun part.

    Every recording community has stories that get repeated so often they begin to sound like universal truth. Sometimes they’re harmless. Sometimes they convince people to spend money they didn’t need to spend. Other times they start arguments that last longer than the recording session itself.

    Chris and Jody take those familiar stories apart one by one, looking beyond marketing claims and internet opinions to focus on practical studio thinking. Rather than telling listeners what they should believe, they encourage everyone to ask better questions before accepting popular advice.

    The discussion stays grounded with simple explanations that make complicated topics easy to understand. At the same time, their trademark dry humor keeps the episode from becoming a lecture. One myth gets challenged, another joke sneaks in, and before long listeners realize they’re learning without feeling like they’re sitting through a technical seminar.

    Whether you’re building a home studio, upgrading your equipment, or simply trying to make smarter purchasing decisions, the episode delivers recording setup tips that emphasize common sense over hype. Instead of chasing every new promise of better sound, you’ll gain a framework for deciding what really deserves your attention.

    Along the way, Chris and Jody also stop for another edition of Friday Finds, adding a few more enjoyable discoveries before wrapping up another entertaining conversation.

    By the end, you’ll probably hear future gear conversations a little differently. You’ll know which claims deserve closer examination, which debates are mostly personal preference, and why practical experience usually beats internet mythology.

    So ask questions. Stay curious. Laugh at the myths that deserve it. Most importantly, keep making music instead of getting distracted by arguments that don’t improve your recordings.

    Subscribe to Inside the Recording Studio and join Chris and Jody next week for another practical conversation designed to help you build confidence, make smarter studio choices, and enjoy the recording process even more.

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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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