Recording Studio Rockstars

What happens when you build a studio in an industrial zone…and still end up in court for making records? My guest today is Toby Suess , drummer, engineer, and owner of Tinroof Recording in Fallon, Nevada - a studio that started as nothing more than a rehearsal space and grew into a full hybrid recording room with a killer drum sound. Toby has recorded everything from punk bands to singer-songwrite...

What happens when you finally stop chasing every plugin and build a mix workflow that actually works? My guest today is Grammy-winning mixer, producer, and musician Jason Lehning , returning to the show after RSR074. If the name sounds familiar, it should - we’ve also had his brother Jordan (RSR104) and his dad Kyle (RSR094), the legendary producer behind Randy Travis. Jason grew up in studios and...

What happens when a Chicago multi-instrumentalist with power-pop roots, psychedelic instincts, and indie-folk sensitivity lands in Nashville with a home studio, a loop pedal, and a fearless creative streak? What happens when a Chicago multi-instrumentalist with power-pop roots, psychedelic instincts, and indie-folk sensitivity lands in Nashville with a home studio, a loop pedal, and a fearless cre...

Why do your deepest, most emotional songs come out better when you stop trying so hard? In this episode, I sit down with Nashville legend Bobby Bare Jr. - fearless songwriter, creative instigator, touring bassist for Guided By Voices, and the son of Country Music Hall of Famer Bobby Bare. This conversation is a masterclass in real creativity, free of pretension and full of joy, humor, wisdom, and...

What do you actually need to know BEFORE you press your vinyl record… and what mistakes will totally ruin it? In this episode, Piper Payne returns to take us way deeper into the real-world physics, workflows, and decisions behind vinyl mastering and pressing. We dig into how your mixes translate onto a lacquer, why the inside of a record behaves differently from the outside, and what you should ne...

What happens when your drumming videos blow up online… and suddenly you’re touring the world behind your own band? Hi Rockstars, it’s your host Lij Shaw. In this episode, I sat down with Nashville drummer and creator Kortney Grinwis , one half of the alt-pop duo Chapel, to talk about her journey from posting drum videos on the internet to building a full-time career on the road. Kortney shared how...

What happens when you stop chasing the band dream… and start writing songs that actually work in the real world? Hi Rockstars, it’s your host Lij Shaw. In this episode, I sat down with songwriter, producer, and sync-music mentor Mike Meiers to dig into how he went from traditional band life to building a sustainable career writing music for film, TV, ads, and beyond. We talked about how understand...

Why does the rough mix always feel like the real song - and how the hell do you get that magic back without ruining it? In this episode, Pat Sansone and I go deep into the lifelong puzzle of mixing: why the first tracking rough has all the energy, how chasing it can make you crazy, and why mixing is really more like photography than engineering. Pat walks through how his visual art - Polaroids, sl...

What happens when you sit down with a songwriter who’s done everything from early fan-funded records, to major-label pop, to K-pop, to sync, to teaching songwriting at Berklee - and ask him what really matters in the studio today? Bleu McAuley and I go deep into the intersection of creativity, workflow, sync licensing, AI, and staying inspired at a time when music creation is changing fast. We sta...

What happens when you rescue a forgotten studio that once shaped American music history - and bring it roaring back to life? This week, I sat down with Teresa Knox , the powerhouse entrepreneur and preservationist behind the rebirth of The Church Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma - the legendary home of Leon Russell, the early Shelter Records family, and the roots of what became known as the Tulsa Sound....

What happens when you finally get to mix Spinal Tap in Dubly Atmos? You turn it up to 11, of course! My guest today is Grammy-nominated engineer and mixer Steve Genewick, joining us from his Atmos room in Los Angeles to walk us through the wild, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt process of capturing and mixing the new "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" soundtrack and album. In this episode, St...

What if your mix engineer secretly backed up every session in triplicate just so your grandkids could remix your demo in 2085? In this episode, I’m joined by my brother from another podcast, Matt Boudreau - veteran mixer, Atmos trailblazer, and the host of Working Class Audio. Matt’s credits include immersive mixes for Green Day, Alanis Morissette, and the theme for Real Time with Bill Maher, plus...

What happens when a tree destroys your home and studio - and it leads you to a new creative life across two continents? In this episode, I talk with Ronan Chris Murphy, the world-traveling producer, engineer, and artist known for his work with King Crimson, Steve Morse, and Tony Levin, and for teaching hundreds of musicians how to finish their records through his Recording Bootcamp and RIPA Festiv...

What happens when you stop chasing shiny gear and start listening more carefully? In this episode, Locke Davis, founder and CEO of the Pickr Music app, shares how his deep dive into Nashville's studio culture and Blackbird Academy shaped his approach to building a platform that connects professionals and democratizes the recording industry. We explore the importance of community, the nuances of st...

In this episode, we dive deep into the art of staying creative - even when life gets messy. Tim and I talk about recording at home, the beauty of imperfection, Logic shortcuts, AI tools, Costa Rica inspiration, punk rock sound gigs, and songwriting prompts that dig into the soul. We also laugh a lot about “Spanish Inquisition Part 2,” fart algorithms, “The Wrong Burrito” in Nashville, and how to s...

Meghan Gohil is a producer, mixer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He runs Hollywood Recording Studio and GoHill Records, where he helps artists make professional-sounding records with smart workflows, hybrid mixing, and practical indie-release strategies. Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com In this episode, Meghan and I talk about the process of buil...

Have you ever wondered how embracing chaos and intuition can transform your creative process? Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com In this episode, Laura Crapo shares her journey through music, film, healing, and the importance of staying authentic to your unique voice. We explore the parallels between art forms, the influence of environments, and how trusting your in...

Ever wondered how seasoned producers handle low-end management, creative sampling, or guiding musicians without spooking them? Join me as I chat with Nashville's own Brad Jones to uncover practical studio techniques, legendary stories, and lessons learned over decades of making records. Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com In this episode, Brad shares insights from hi...

Ever wonder how the chaos of remote recording setups and complex signals can actually come together in a studio environment? Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com My guest today is Roger Alan Nichols, a Nashville-based producer, engineer, and songwriter with a résumé including Grammy-nominated projects, work with Hayley Williams, Steven Tyler, and the band Dreaming in...

What does it really take to make a record that feels authentic, timeless, and even fun to make, without getting caught up in hype or hype-y gear? Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com My guest today is Jon Estes, a Nashville-born multi-instrumentalist, producer, and engineer with a diverse background working with artists like Béla Fleck, Robyn Hitchcock, Kacey Musgrave...

What happens when you mix turntables with virtual reality to reach 4 million students and 20,000 educators worldwide? Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com My guests today are Ronnie and Tiffany Notch, the creative forces behind Breach, a company that blends music, technology, and education in groundbreaking ways. They share their journey from a chance meeting in a rec...

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com My guest today is Josh Frigo, a producer, mixer, multi-instrumentalist, and artist based in Nashville, Tennessee, who believes in putting artists and their ideas first. After several years as a touring utility player, Josh shifted his focus full-time to production and mixing, building a creative career shaped by self-learning, coll...

What actually makes a mix feel musical before you ever touch an EQ? Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com My guest today is Eric Sarafin, better known as Mixerman - a gold- and platinum-selling producer, mixer, and engineer with credits ranging from The Pharcyde and Tone-Lōc to Ben Harper, Lifehouse, Barenaked Ladies, Foreigner, and Pete Murray. He's also the author of...

What actually happens when you stop isolating everything and just let a band play together in the room? Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com My guest today is Travis Harrison, founder of Serious Business Music, a Brooklyn-based studio known for capturing raw, honest performances from real bands. Travis joined me to talk about how his studio and workflow evolved over t...

How do you turn your studio skills into a thriving artist career? Ryan Prewett shares how funk, collaboration, and sync licensing helped him shift from producer-for-hire to full-time artist - and why building assets is the new record deal. Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com My guest today is Ryan Prewett, a Nashville-based artist, producer, and mix engineer known fo...