Production Expert Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The Evolution of Studio Roles Dec 13, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s edition Julian and Ashea are joined by Ary Maudit, where they discuss studio roles, terminology and definitions, are they changing, if so how?
Talking Points

As an engineer at Strongroom, what is your role, and what are the main things you get asked to do? Have you witnessed people’s role changing/morphing over time, if so how?
Producer, beatmaker, songwriter let’s discuss our interpretations of those roles and how they have developed/changed.
Stems,multitracks. Any definitions that are commonly confused?
Our thoughts on Russ’ article. https://www.production-expert.com/production-expert-1/its-none-of-your-business-how-people-choose-to-make-music

Finds of the week:
Julian: PSP Auralcomp
Ashea: Nutribullet Blender
Ary: Amedeo Modigliani

Gear We Can't Live Without Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

In this week's episode Julian and Ashea are joined by Graham Kirkman, where they discuss the gear and software that they wouldn't want to live without.
Talking Points:

Let’s discuss some of the gear/software that we find ourselves relying on and why that is.
Open Back Headphones,
Sit Stand Desk,
Macbook Pro,
VisLM,
Celemony Melodyne.
Neve 1073 Mic Pre,
Neumann U87.
Logic Pro

Finds of the week:

Julian: Caldigit TS3 Plus -

Ashea: Waves Silk Vocal

Graham: Supperware Bridgehead

'Sounds Like A Record' What Does That Actually Mean? Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s edition Julian & Ashea are joined by Eli Krantzberg, where they dissect the meaning of the commonly used term 'Sounds Like A Record'.
Talking Points:

We hear the terms ‘radio ready’ and ‘sounds like a record’ used a lot in this industry, so let’s break down the elements that make a song worthy of that statement, and why do some songs fail to sound like this?
Music is constantly changing, and so the definition of a ‘record’ surely has too. Let's compare some hits of yesteryear and how they match up to those of today.
Can a great production/mix make an average song sound like a record?
Gear and tools used on many of the great records.
Eli, as we have you on, let’s discuss the new Logic Pro updates.

Finds Of The Week:
Julian: Sonos Era 300
Ashea: Witness For The Prosecution Play
Eli: Model N Channel

The Future Of Music Production Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s edition Julian & Ashea are joined by Steve DeMott, where they discuss the future of music production and emerging trends in the world of audio.
Talking Points:

Let’s discuss some of the new trends and practices we are seeing pop up in the industry in general.
Steve, you mentioned a few days ago that you’ve noticed a trend in audio plugins, how they seem to be geared towards improving subpar recording techniques- Let’s discuss this point.
Are there any areas that need more attention in terms of technological development?
Are there areas that we feel would be best left to traditional practices and can’t/shouldn’t be solved by a plugin?

Finds of the week:

Julian: McDSP SA3
Ashea: Miloco Gear's Pro Audio Showcase Returns
Steve: KiiveAudio Complexx

How To Revive Unfinished Material Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s edition Julian and Ashea are joined by Luke Steven Ramsay, where they discuss how to revive and make use of old material, that’s currently collecting dust on our hard drives.

Talking Points

Do you have a lot of unfinished material sitting around on your hard drive? If so, why do you think that is?
Let’s discuss some useful ways as producers we can make use of the old unfinished material.
Are there some good tools you know of to speed up & help the process of finishing songs?
Platforms that allow us to put our work to good use, e.g beatstars, sample libraries etc

Finds of the week:
Julian: Live From Daryl’s House Glenn Tilbrook
Ashea: New Logic Pro Updates
Luke: Middle Kids Dramamine

Can Your DAW Do This? Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s edition Julian is joined by Ashea & Siobhan Anderson. Where they compare 3 of the most well known DAWs and ask, ´Does your DAW do this?´
Talking Points:

What first attracted you to your DAW of choice?
Let’s briefly discuss platform compatibility for Logic X, Pro Tools & Ableton
What do you like about your DAWs user interface? Have you tried other DAWs, what didn’t you like about them?
MIDI, Virtual Instruments and samplers: What is this like with the DAW you use, is there room for improvement?
Audio Recording and Editing.
How does your DAW of choice fit into your workflow?
Finds Of The Week:
Julian - 32 Classic Mixing Console
Ashea-LANDR Mastering Plugin
Siobhan - Natural Symphony

Solving Room Acoustics With Marcel Schechter From Genelec Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s edition Julian is joined by Ashea & Marcel Schechter from Genelec , where they discuss ‘Solving Room Acoustics For Better Mixes ’

Talking Points

What are some common acoustic problems in recording studios, and how can they be solved?
How can room size and shape impact the acoustics of a recording space?
Are there specific materials or treatments that are essential for improving room acoustics in a studio?
.What role does speaker placement play in achieving optimal room acoustics for mixing and monitoring?
What advice do you have for home studio owners on a budget who want to improve their room acoustics for better audio quality?
Are there any myths or misconceptions about room acoustics that you'd like to debunk?
What are some common mistakes that recording engineers make when dealing with room acoustics, and how can they be avoided?
Let's Talk SAM, GLM, GRADE Reporting etc
How can the UNIO Audio Monitoring Platform help with the points we’ve just discussed?

Finds Of The Week:

Julian - Lola Young Conceited
Ashea- UAD Free Plugin LA 2A
Marcel - Jacob Collier Little Blue

Degrees & Audio Courses. Are They Worth It? Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s edition Julian is joined by Ashea, Paul Maunder and Roger Guerin, where they discuss the pros and cons of an education in audio.

Talking Points:

How has education helped you in terms of knowledge and your career?
There’s a plethora of free material online, on Youtube etc, how valuable is learning via this method?
The value of structured courses. ‘You don’t know what you don’t know’
Should we learn from the very beginning? Can learning backwards be a thing?
Online vs attended courses.
How important is studying audio engineering in the era of A.I & assisted mixing etc. Can you still be a good producer/engineer without this knowledge?

Finds Of The Week:

Perpetual Licences vs Subscription Models. Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s edition Julian is joined by Ashea and James Richmond, where they discuss Perpetual Licences vs Subscription Models.
Talking Points

Pro Tools Perpetual Licences are now available for sale exclusively through authorised Avid resellers, they will not be sold via the Avid Web Store, thoughts on this?

Pros and cons of perpetual licences vs subscription-based models from both the consumer and companies perspective.

Compatibility issues- Operating Systems- Backwards forwards compatibility- legacy versions.

What considerations should audio professionals keep in mind when deciding between perpetual licenses and subscription-based access for their software tools?

How do perpetual licenses affect software updates and support? Are there potential drawbacks in terms of staying up-to-date with technology? (Avids announcement re updates).

Are there specific scenarios or types of users for whom perpetual licenses make more sense, and conversely, situations where subscription models might be preferable?

In the ever-evolving world of audio technology, how do perpetual licenses impact the long-term sustainability and compatibility of software tools?

With the rise of cloud-based services and remote collaboration, how do perpetual licenses fit into the changing landscape of audio production and software accessibility?

What advice would you give to audio professionals looking to make informed decisions about licensing models and software access in today's market?

How do licensing models impact the relationship between software developers and users? Are there community and support differences between perpetual and subscription models?

Finds of the week:
Julian - Blue Cat Audio Axiom
Ashea- Slate Digital- Infinity Bass
James- Razer Basilisk V3 Pro mouse and SteerMouse

How A.I Is Changing The Audio Industry Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s edition Ashea is joined by Russ Hughes & Vincent Hervy, where they discuss, how A.I and new technology is changing the audio industry.

Ways in which A.I/ new technology has changed the way we work in music up until now
How will our jobs need to evolve with the ever improving advances in technology?
How can we make A.I work to our advantage?

Finds of the week:
Toy Box Audio- Thump One
The Godfather Of Harlem - TV Series