Creative momentum is built on steady habits—but real breakthroughs often require intentional space. In this episode of Inside The Mix , the show takes a purposeful pause to reassess what truly helps music producers grow. The mission remains the same: help producers make better music, finish more tracks, and build skills that compound over time. The format, however, is being refined for greater clarity, momentum, and measurable results. This episode explores why constant output doesn’t always equ...
Feb 24, 2026•6 min•Season 6Ep. 8
How to prevent overmixing and finish tracks faster is one of the biggest challenges facing independent producers. In this episode of Inside The Mix , Marc Matthews sits down with producer and Recording Studio Rockstars host Lij Shaw to unpack a powerful truth: the fix for overmixing isn’t another plugin, it’s a process. Why do producers overmix in the first place? What makes a song feel complete? And how do you know when to stop mixing music? Marc and Lij break down the psychology behind endless...
Feb 17, 2026•44 min•Season 6Ep. 7
What is mastering in music, and what does mastering a song really mean for independent producers? In this episode of Inside The Mix , host Marc Matthews sits down with mastering engineer Ben Holmes to break down what mastering is, how it differs from mixing and mastering as a combined process, and why it’s the final step that makes a track translate everywhere—from phones and cars to clubs, streaming platforms, and CDs. Marc and Ben explain what mastering a song actually involves, starting with ...
Feb 10, 2026•42 min•Season 6Ep. 6
Clearer mixes don’t come from buying more plugins, they come from making better decisions. In this episode of Inside The Mix , Marc Matthews sits down with returning guest Tim Benson (Aisle9) to show beginner and intermediate producers how to get clearer mixes using arrangement, sound selection, and simple processing choices that actually translate. This episode is for independent producers struggling with muddy, crowded mixes that fall apart on headphones, Bluetooth speakers, or in the car. Mar...
Feb 03, 2026•33 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Free synth plugins can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re staring at an empty patch and just want results. In this episode of Inside The Mix , Marc Matthews walks beginner and intermediate producers through a practical Surge XT tutorial , showing how to design mix-ready high strings from an init patch using this powerful free synth plugin . Surge XT is a free, open-source synthesizer packed with features, but more options don’t always mean better results. Marc focuses on what actually mat...
Jan 27, 2026•15 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Null testing is one of the fastest ways to prove what actually changes in a mix. In this episode of Inside The Mix , Marc Matthews sits down with mastering engineer Eric Mitchell to explain what a null test is, how phase cancellation works, and how producers can use null testing to stop guessing and start making confident decisions. Built for beginner to intermediate music producers, this conversation answers common questions like: What is a null test in audio? Do similar plugins really sound di...
Jan 20, 2026•36 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Logic Pro workflow tips can dramatically speed up music production, and in this episode of Inside The Mix , Marc Matthews breaks down seven practical Logic Pro tweaks that remove friction and help producers finish more music, faster. Designed for beginner to intermediate Logic Pro users , this episode tackles a common frustration: slow sessions that kill creativity. Marc explains why workflow, not plugins, CPU power, or inspiration, is usually the real bottleneck in Logic Pro music production. L...
Jan 13, 2026•16 min•Season 6Ep. 2
A single Spotify comment sparked a bigger question: Does networking actually help musicians, or are you on your own? In this episode, Marc breaks down networking tips for beginners who want real results without feeling fake, awkward, or salesy. If you’ve ever wondered how to network as a beginner, or asked yourself “what is not an example of professional networking?” , this conversation offers a clear, no-cringe reset you can use immediately. We start by reframing what professional networking re...
Jan 06, 2026•13 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Year-end victory laps are more fun when they belong to all of us. We gathered standout wins from the Inside the Mix community and stitched them into a guided tour of what real progress looks like in music: narrative albums released one single at a time, a premiere on a tastemaking YouTube channel, the first vinyl in decades, live shows rebooted, and a charity compilation that rallied more than 56 artists and topped Bandcamp charts. We kick off with Year of the Fall’s Love on a Dying Planet, a st...
Dec 30, 2025•13 min•Season 5Ep. 52
A single take can now become a gospel run, a country croon, or even a convincing female lead, and it happens in seconds. Justin and Rich of the Face Your Ears podcast unpack how AI jumped from pitch correction to “auto-sing,” the cost breakthroughs behind engines like DeepSeek, and what tools such as ACE Studio mean when 80-plus virtual singers sit inside your DAW. It’s a fascinating leap for producers and a gut-check for vocalists whose instrument is their body. They talk through real use cases...
Dec 23, 2025•34 min•Season 5Ep. 51
If your mixes keep fighting you, the problem likely started before the DAW ever opened. In this podcast takeover, Mike Indovina (Master Your Mix) digs into a source‑first mindset with London engineer and mixer Will Purton (RAK Studios), unpacking the practical decisions that make recording faster, mixing smoother, and translation far more reliable. From choosing the right instrument and tuning it properly to mic selection, placement, and preamp saturation, they explore how each link in the signa...
Dec 16, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Season 5Ep. 50
What if the best mix isn’t the cleanest, but the truest? In this podcast takeover, Lij Shaw (Recording Studio Rockstars) dives into a standout conversation with engineer, songwriter, and producer-in-the-making Abby Griffin to explore how “being the weird girl” can be a creative superpower, and why the moments you capture now may matter more than perfection later. From choir training and vocal anatomy to tape love and AI stems, Abby brings a sharp, generous lens to making music that feels alive. ...
Dec 09, 2025•2 hr 15 min•Season 5Ep. 49
What does it really take to go from invisible intern to trusted, Grammy-winning mastering engineer? The Sound Discussion Podcast sit down with Dan Millice to unpack the habits, choices, and honest work that shaped his journey, from cleaning bathrooms and taking cheques to the bank at MasterDisc, to building a client list one late-night venue at a time, to mastering records for artists across genres and continents. Dan explains why he chose to specialise in mastering and why he ultimately moved f...
Dec 02, 2025•1 hr 35 min•Season 5Ep. 48
What if the fastest way to a better mix is caring more about the human, the song, and the signal path than the plugin chain? We pulled seven moments from our 2025 conversations that changed how we write, record, mix, and master, and stitched them into one practical, heart-first guide you can use on your next session. We start where great records begin: with the singer. Rich Bozic, a professional vocal coach, shares why physical comfort is essential for sound design, encompassing layers, a calm s...
Nov 25, 2025•17 min•Season 5Ep. 47
Ready to trade plugin FOMO and meter anxiety for moves that actually make your tracks better? Marc pulls seven stand-out moments from a huge year of conversations with producers, engineers and artists to help you finish faster, mix with confidence and stay creatively sharp. We kick off with a surprising angle on depth: shaping contrast with bit depth instead of defaulting to saturation. You’ll hear how assigning different resolutions to drums, pads, and leads can create three-dimensional mixes t...
Nov 18, 2025•17 min•Season 5Ep. 46
Stop counting playlist streams and start building momentum where it matters. Marc Matthews and Tim Benson unpack a year of wins and lessons that took monthly listeners from modest to meaningful, and the theme is simple. When you optimise for saves, repeats and fast post-release engagement, Spotify’s algorithm does the heavy lifting. That means Radio, Discover Weekly, and personalised mixes begin to surface your music beyond your immediate circle—and the compounding effect beats a single playlist...
Nov 11, 2025•40 min•Season 5Ep. 45
Ever twist a saturation knob and wonder if you’re hearing compression, distortion, or something in between? In this episode of Inside The Mix , Marc Matthews puts that question to the test with a clean, scientific setup, a 440 Hz sine wave, the Softube Saturation Knob, and Wave Observer, a free oscilloscope plugin by Press Play. By placing Wave Observer last in the signal chain, Marc visually shows how your waveform changes as you dial in saturation, how rounded peaks flatten, harmonics stack up...
Nov 04, 2025•9 min•Season 5Ep. 44
Tired of guessing what kind of podcast content actually helps you make better music and grow as a producer or artist? In this special listener-driven episode of Inside The Mix, host Marc Matthews flips the script — and puts you in charge of shaping the show’s next chapter. Marc is designing the 2026 Inside The Mix editorial calendar, and your feedback will decide what the podcast covers next: from mixing workflows, DAW productivity systems, and plugin deep dives, to music marketing strategies th...
Oct 28, 2025•5 min•Season 5Ep. 43
Staring at a blank DAW is exhausting; staring at a mapped-out arrangement from a reference track is energising. Marc walks through a clear, repeatable reference track arrangement blueprint workflow that turns a single reference track into a full song structure, so you can stop looping and start finishing. From matching tempo and key to placing eight-bar markers, Marc shows how to label intros, verses, breakdowns, builds, and drops, then use that structure to guide creative choices without feelin...
Oct 21, 2025•16 min•Season 5Ep. 42
What if a better‑translating mix starts before you touch a single channel plugin? I put top‑down mixing under the microscope and share a candid, first‑hand evaluation: what worked, what didn’t, and how a few smart moves on the mix bus reshaped the entire project in less time and with fewer plugins. Rather than a tutorial, this is a field report packed with practical takeaways you can try on your next session. I begin by setting a clear vision using references—one in the same key for tonal and en...
Oct 14, 2025•18 min•Season 5Ep. 41
What does a true wall of sound feel like when the vocal still breathes? We sit down with vocalist‑producer Jay Cali (DRUMxWAVE) and mixer‑producer Brian Skeel to unpack the craft behind Severed, big drums, widescreen synths, supportive guitars, and why clarity starts with a shared vision before a single plug‑in loads. We trace the journey from demo to master, beginning with an hour of alignment on emotion, references, and the “mountaintop” vocal image that sets every downstream choice. Brian bre...
Oct 07, 2025•47 min•Season 5Ep. 40
Free plugins often get overlooked in the endless pursuit of premium software, but professional producers know that some of the most powerful tools cost absolutely nothing. In this illuminating conversation, Marc Matthews and Tim Benson (Aisle9) unpack their go-to free plugins that consistently deliver exceptional results across various production scenarios. The discussion begins with TAL Chorus LX, Tim's top recommendation for achieving that classic Juno-style chorus effect. While many producers...
Sep 30, 2025•42 min•Season 5Ep. 39
Have you ever felt stuck in an endless cycle of tweaking, adjusting, and second-guessing your music production decisions? Producer John Kunkel (aka John Grand) reveals the counterintuitive truth that many of us miss: working smarter, not harder, is often the key to finishing more tracks and creating better music. John shares his game-changing approach to using reference tracks as structural blueprints rather than just mixing guides. By importing a track you love and mapping out its arrangement, ...
Sep 23, 2025•37 min•Season 5Ep. 38
Frustrated by endless email chains, confusing file links, and clients commenting on the wrong version of a mix? In this episode of Inside the Mix , Marc Matthews explores how Mixup.audio is transforming the mix revision process for producers, mixers, and collaborators. Marc breaks down the platform’s most powerful features, including timestamped comments, version comparison, and normalised level matching, which eliminates loudness bias when reviewing mixes. Listeners will discover how Mixup’s in...
Sep 16, 2025•14 min•Season 5Ep. 37
Ever wondered how singers record vocals remotely and make them sound professional? In this episode of Inside The Mix , Marc Matthews is joined by New Zealand synthwave vocalist INDIGO to explore the art of remote vocal collaboration and the songwriting process behind her unique sound. From her unexpected start in the synthwave scene to collaborations with artists like Wolf Club and Turbo Knight, INDIGO shares how she records vocals from home while working with producers across the world. We dive...
Sep 09, 2025•35 min•Season 5Ep. 36
Should you record vocals with compression or save it for mixing? It’s one of the most debated questions in music production, and in this episode of Inside The Mix , we break it down with practical advice for producers at every level. Guest Tim Benson shares why he often tracked vocals with hardware compressors in the studio, not just for sound quality, but because hearing compressed vocals in headphones helped singers perform with more confidence and precision. We discuss how compression during ...
Sep 02, 2025•29 min•Season 5Ep. 35
Curious what happens when a producer opens Vital Spectral Warping Wavetable synth for the very first time? In this episode, I explore the free wavetable synthesizer from scratch, answering common questions like: Is Vital really free? Is the free version powerful enough for professional music production? With zero prior experience in the plugin, I start from an initialised preset and build a 90s-inspired trance bass step by step. You’ll hear my genuine reactions as I learn the interface, experime...
Aug 26, 2025•23 min•Season 5Ep. 34
Are you feeling drained from endless hours in the studio? Wondering how music producers can avoid burnout or what strategies actually work to recover from creative exhaustion ? You’re not alone; burnout is one of the biggest creativity killers for producers and indie artists today. In this episode of Inside The Mix , Marc Matthews dives into proven techniques that helped him rebuild his workflow and rediscover his passion for making music. You’ll learn: How to avoid burnout in music production w...
Aug 19, 2025•15 min•Season 5Ep. 33
Have you ever abandoned a promising track because it suddenly "didn't feel right" the next day? Why does your track feel wrong the next day? Is Overthinking Killing Your Songwriting Process? In this eye-opening episode of Inside the Mix , synth-pop artist Michael Oakley unpacks the creative psychology behind overthinking songwriting and how our emotional state can sabotage musical momentum. Inspired by advice from Max Martin - “Don’t overthink a song until its third rewrite” - Michael reveals ho...
Aug 12, 2025•53 min•Season 5Ep. 32
Struggling with too many vocal takes? You nailed the perfect take, then recorded five more “just in case.” Now you’re lost in a sea of options, wondering how to create the perfect comp without losing your mind. In this episode of Inside the Mix , Marc Matthews and Tim Benson (Aisle9) reveal their proven strategies for organising takes and building seamless vocal comps. Learn how to avoid over-recording, why comping during the editing phase keeps your mixing sessions stress-free, and the ideal nu...
Aug 05, 2025•33 min•Season 5Ep. 31
