Riff to Radio

In my gain mistake video, I showed you how using less amp gain and a Tube Screamer with the drive at zero produces a tighter metal guitar tone. But what if a simple EQ plugin could do it even better? In this video, I test using a stock Reaper EQ (ReaEQ) before a high-gain amp sim to shape the DI signal with more control than a Tube Screamer, and compare all three approaches in the context of a ful...

I've used Slate Trigger 2 since 2014 and I just discovered it has a built-in drum gate I never knew about. In this video, I put it head-to-head against Black Salt Audio Silencer on real metal drum tracks to find out which one actually wins for metal drum mixing. If you're like me, you've probably been using Trigger 2 purely for MIDI capture and sample replacement, blending in kick and snare sample...

If your guitars aren't sitting right in the mix, it's not your tone... it's your compression. Here are 4 fixes that actually work. Whether you're mixing metal guitars that feel disconnected from the snare, low-end chug that sounds flubby and undefined, quad layers that shift instead of punch, or a lead guitar that won't stop fighting your rhythm tone, this video covers the exact compression techni...

The #1 mistake with metal vocals is NOT compressing them enough. Here's the exact 2-step vocal compression chain I use on every session... CLA-76 crush followed by CLA-2A for life and punch.  Want to watch these videos early? Join the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5d5LAcG0ga-rBlWPEGIqeA/join 🔥 Hire me to mix your next track: https://liquidstudiosli.com/offer-video-2 📥 Free Voca...

I never went to school for audio. I didn't intern at a famous studio. I was actually a physical therapist first. From the moment I seriously committed to learning audio production until I was finally able to quit my day job and mix metal bands full-time… it took almost 10 years. This is the full story... the Tascam 4-track at 13, the "terrible mixes" era, the mobile studio years, the reset move to...

The reason your home-recorded metal drums never sound right has nothing to do with your mixing. The problem happens before you ever open your DAW. In this episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of a real metal drum recording session for the band Cytokine... tracked in a less-than-ideal basement, and walking you through every mic choice, every placement decision, and every bleed-management techn...

After mixing hundreds of metal tracks for self-recording bands, the bass is often sent wrong. In this video I break down the 3 most common bass mistakes I find in client sessions, and exactly how to fix them before you ever open a mix session. Timestamps: 00:00 Three Bass Killers 00:17 Mistake 1 - The Tone Knob 01:04 DI Comparison Demo 02:48 Amp Sim Proof 03:54 Why EQ Can’t Fix It 05:59 Mistake 2...

Your metal mix sounds solid in solo, but something dies when you play it back together. The culprit is almost always your mix bus compressor's attack and release settings. In this video I break down four specific attack/release combinations using the Warm Audio Bus Compressor (SSL G-Bus circuit), and show you exactly how each one impacts the punch, aggression, and glue of your metal mix. Whether y...

A lot of metal mixers are using reference tracks completely wrong. In this video I break down the three ways I've used reference tracks throughout my mixing journey, from beginner to where I am today, and show you exactly how to use reference tracks the right way so your metal mixes translate on every system. 🎁 FREE Mix Prep Guide → https://liquidstudiosli.com/mix-prep-guide 🔥 Hire me to mix you...

Your metal guitar tone is shaped by two things: your amp sim and your IR. But which one has the bigger impact? I ran a controlled experiment using the Bogren Digital Ampknob series, testing the 5169, Rev C, and Trivium Rhythm through the same IR, then flipping it and running the Trivium Rhythm through three different IRs. The results might change how you build your whole recording rig. 🎸 Free Gui...

My last video on programmed drums vs real drums for metal divided the community, so I'm pulling up your comments and addressing the best arguments one by one. This isn't about real vs fake. It's about what serves your music best. 🥁 FREE Drum Recording Guide: https://liquidstudiosli.com/drum-recording-guide 📥 Free Resources For Metal Bands: https://liquidstudiosli.com/resources 🔥 Hire me to mix...

Real drums sound amazing, but for self-recording metal bands, the variables are stacked against you. In this episode I break down the 5 reasons why programmed drums are the smarter choice when you're recording at home, and why tools like Superior Drummer 3 make it a no-brainer. 🎁 FREE Mix Prep Guide for Metal Bands: https://liquidstudiosli.com/mix-prep-guide 🎛️ Mixing Services: https://liquidstud...

I've mixed over 200 metal bands, and these are the 3 biggest mistakes I see when bands self-record and send me tracks to mix. From live drum tracking issues to bad arrangements to sloppy guitar takes, these problems are costing you time, money, and a better sounding mix. 🎯 TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro 0:41 - Mistake #1: Not Tracking Drums Properly 02:06 - Mistake #2: Bad Arrangements (The Big One) 03:...

Most guitar mixing tutorials show you one plugin. One move. One preset. This is the full chain, from raw DI signal to reamped tone to completely finished heavy guitars inside a real mix. Every plugin, every setting, and every decision explained. This is the exact process I use on every heavy mix... the small, intentional decisions that stack until your guitars are heavy AND clear. 🎁 FREE GUIDE —...

I mixed these metal drums from raw tracks to a polished final mix, and I'm showing you every single step. Watch the complete drum mixing process: EQ, compression, bus processing, and the full before & after. FREE DRUM RECORDING GUIDE: https://liquidstudiosli.com/drum-recording-guide ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Drum Mix Overview 00:32 Session Setup 01:24 Kick Mic Balance 02:50 Kick Bus Processing 04:5...

Are you EQing your guitars WRONG? In this video, I'll show you 3 common EQ mistakes that are killing your guitar tone, and how to fix them. We'll cover: 🔴 Why sweeping EQ cuts are doing more harm than good 🔴 Why you should NEVER EQ in solo 🔴 How to use high pass and low pass filters to clean up your mix Whether you're mixing metal guitar at home or in a professional studio, these EQ tips will h...

If your metal choruses aren’t hitting like they should, the problem usually isn’t your plugins, it’s contrast. Most mixes don’t have a “chorus lift” because the verse is already too big, so when the chorus arrives… nothing feels different. In this video, I’ll show you 4 simple techniques to make your metal choruses sound HUGE (without adding more plugins) by creating size, width, level, and energy...

25 metal production tips in 5 minutes. ⚡️ In this speed run, I’m blasting through practical, real-world mixing and recording tips for modern metal, so you can get tighter performances, clearer guitars, punchier drums, and a cleaner low end fast. ✅ In this video you’ll learn quick wins for: -Tracking & session prep (tuning, gain staging, clean takes) -Editing tight metal performances (crossfa...

If your metal mix sounds muddy, small, or chaotic… it’s probably fighting itself. Turning everything up doesn’t make your mix massive. It makes it crowded. In this video, I’ll show you the exact sidechain workflows I use in modern metal mixes to create space, clarity, and punch... without killing energy. No EDM-style pumping. Just transparent, pro-level control that lets every element hit harder....

If you’re hiring a mixing engineer, don’t send your session like this. In this episode, I break down the biggest session prep mistakes DIY bands make when exporting tracks for mixing, including not consolidating audio files, bad track labeling, messy edits, clicks, pops, and poor timing. If your files aren’t prepped properly, your mix will suffer (and it may cost you more). Download my free Mix Pr...

Do your programmed metal drums sound fake and robotic? The #1 reason is static MIDI velocity and over-quantization. In this video, I break down the exact drum programming mistake that causes the “machine gun” effect and show you three simple fixes to make programmed drums sound human, dynamic, and record-ready. This applies to metal, metalcore, death metal, and modern heavy production, whether you...

Do you actually need a dedicated mastering engineer… or is mastering just an extra expense for DIY bands? It’s a fair question. Budgets are tight. Everyone’s wearing multiple hats. And mastering is one of the most misunderstood parts of the production process. A lot of bands think: “If the mix sounds good, we’re done.” But skipping proper mastering is one of the fastest ways to make a great mix fe...

Struggling to get your lead guitar to cut through the mix without just turning it up? In this video, I break down 3 proven mixing techniques pro engineers use to make lead guitars stand out in dense rock and metal mixes. You’ll learn how to: -Create contrast between lead and rhythm guitars -Use surgical EQ to add clarity and presence -Apply dynamic separation so your lead cuts through automaticall...

Let me ask you a question I’ve been getting constantly lately… “Is AI going to replace mixing engineers?” Between AI mastering tools, mix assistants, and plugins promising a “pro mix in one click,” it’s easy to see why people are nervous. I get it. On the surface, it feels like things are moving fast, and if you’re a band or an engineer, it can start to feel a little unsettling. But here’s the tru...

Have you ever double-tracked your guitars, panned them hard left and right… and they still sound stuck in the middle? No matter what you do, they feel small, buried, and kind of lifeless, like one big mono blob instead of two massive walls of sound. I see this all the time. Bands will come to me convinced they need a new amp sim, different pickups, or better IRs… when in reality, the problem has n...