The Studio Stuff Podcast is your go-to home studio hangout, where music production, mixing, recording, and mastering meet real talk, practical advice, and the o...
When Is a Mix Actually DONE? | Studio Stuff Podcast #04
Mixing a song feels like an endless loop sometimes—you tweak, adjust, listen again, and suddenly, you're back at square one. So, how do you actually know when a mix is finished?
In this episode, Chris and Steve dive deep into the never-ending question: When is a mix really done? They break down their own mixing workflows, share the struggles of over-mixing, and reveal the mental tricks they use to finally let go of a project.
Plus, we get into mix revisions, dealing with client feedback (including the “my nephew is also a mix engineer” nightmare), and why it’s so much harder to mix your own music than someone else’s.
Oh, and if you've ever wondered whether Chris thinks in French while mixing, we take a fun detour into that too. 🇫🇷
You'll Learn:
✅ The telltale signs that a mix is done—and when you’re just overthinking it. ✅ Why mixing your own music is WAY harder than mixing for clients. ✅ The “85% Rule” that helps you let go of a mix before you start ruining it. ✅ When client revisions are valid—and when they’re just over complicating things. ✅ How getting mix feedback from others can actually save you from endless tweaks. ✅ Why mixing in mono can reveal hidden mix issues you’d never catch otherwise.
Topics & Stories:
📌 The Food Analogy: Why over-mixing is like rearranging food on your plate when you’re already full. 📌 Chris’s “First 100%” Rule: Why his first mix delivery is actually his 85%. 📌 Steve’s 13 Revision Client: Some people just love to tweak forever… and sometimes, that’s okay. 📌 The Classic Nightmare: When a client says, “I sent the mix to my cousin who’s also a producer...” 🚨 📌 Mixing Your Own Music: Why the closer you are to a project, the harder it is to finish it. 📌 Mixing in Mono: Does it really help, or is it just another unnecessary step?
Listener Q&A:
🎙️ “How do you decide when your mix is actually done?” Chris and Steve break down their personal approaches—and why the “perfect mix” might not even exist.
🎙️ “Why mix in mono? What should I be listening for?” Find out what actually matters when you collapse your mix to mono (hint: phase issues, masking, and weird balance shifts).
Final Takeaway:
At some point, you have to stop tweaking and let the mix go. If you’re making tiny changes that don’t really affect the overall impact—chances are, you’re done. Instead of endlessly tweaking, learn from your mix and improve on the next one.
📢 Join the conversation! How do YOU decide when a mix is done? Do you have a system, or do you just go by feel? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
Got a Question for a Future Episode?
We love hearing from you! If you have a question about mixing, recording, mastering, or home studio gear, send it our way.
📩 Submit your question here: Form Link We’ll do our best to answer as many as possible in upcoming episodes!
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E03 - The TRUTH About Music Producers (What They Really Do!)
The TRUTH About Music Producers (What They Really Do!) | Studio Stuff Podcast #03
Music production isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days when producers just sat on a couch, sipping coffee, while engineers did all the work. Today, producers are arrangers, mix engineers, problem solvers, psychologists, and sometimes even the artists themselves. In this episode, we dive deep into how the role of the music producer has evolved and whether that’s a good thing—or a bad thing. Are we just pressing the space bar now, or do producers still play a critical role? Oh, and we also have some strong opinions on recording with a click track (spoiler: it’s complicated).
You'll Learn
✅ How the role of the music producer has evolved from the days of legendary producers like Rick Rubin to today’s multi-tasking reality. ✅ The difference between old-school producers and today’s multi-hat wearing music creators. ✅ How budget constraints have reshaped the role of the music producer for indie artists. ✅ The psychological and emotional roles a music producer often plays during recording sessions.✅ Why producing isn’t just about gear and sound—it’s about translating the artist’s vision into reality. ✅ When you should (or shouldn’t) record with a click track—and why it matters.
Topics and Stories:
📌Rick Rubin's legendary approach and why he brought his own couch to recording sessions.📌Chris’s memorable (and stressful!) first production experience producing a live album straight out of music production school.📌When and why Chris "fired himself" as a drummer—and why knowing when to delegate is key.📌Why Steve thinks today's producer is often just “the other person in the room.”📌The ongoing debate: Should you always record with a click track?
Listener Q&A
"Do you always need to record to a click track? "Chris and Steve share their strong—and nuanced—opinions about the pros and cons of recording with or without a click.
Final Takeaway: Being a music producer in 2025 means wearing many hats. You’re a collaborator, technician, counselor, and translator of artists’ visions. Understanding this helps you navigate the complexity—and joy—of making great music.
📢 Join the conversation! Have thoughts on the evolving role of producers? Drop your stories, opinions, or questions in the comments—we’d love to hear from you!
Got a Question for a Future Episode?
We love hearing from you! If you have a question about mixing, recording, mastering, or home studio gear, send it our way.
📩 Submit your question here: Form Link
We’ll do our best to answer as many as possible, but due to time constraints, we can’t guarantee every question will make it on the podcast. Priority will be given to the most relevant and commonly asked questions. So, ask away—your question might just be featured in an upcoming episode! 🎙️🔥
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E02 - The Struggle is Real: Mixing Bad Recordings
The Struggle is Real: Mixing Bad Recordings| Studio Stuff Podcast #02
Mixing bad recordings—every audio engineer's nightmare! In this episode, Chris and Steve dive deep into the challenges of handling poorly recorded tracks and share real-world solutions. From digital clipping disasters to phase issues and excessive room noise, they break down their go-to techniques for salvaging flawed audio. Plus, they discuss the importance of capturing a great recording from the start and why mixing is not about fixing, but enhancing.
You'll Learn
✅ Common bad recording issues – Digital clipping, phase problems, excessive sibilance, and more.✅ Fixing bad recordings – Tools and techniques for restoring poor audio.✅ The importance of proper recording techniques – Why fixing it in the mix isn't always the answer.✅ EQ & Compression Tricks – How to clean up muddy or overly bright recordings.✅ When to embrace the flaws – Sometimes, a "bad" recording becomes part of an album’s character!
Tools, courses & Plugins Mentioned:
🔹 iZotope RX (De-clip, De-crackle, De-reverb)🔹 FabFilter Pro-Q3 (Dynamic EQ)🔹 Soothe 2 (Resonance suppression)🔹 Black Salt Audio De-Esser🔹 Sound Radix Surfer EQ🔹 Smart: De-Esser by Sonible🔹 The Ultimate Guide To Cubase
Listener Q&A
"How do you train your ears to hear what needs adjusting when using EQ?"Chris and Steve share their process, from identifying problem frequencies to balancing tracks in context.
Final Takeaway: The best way to avoid mixing headaches? Focus on getting a great recording from the start!📢 Join the conversation! Have a mixing horror story? Share it in the comments or tag us on social media.
Got a Question for a Future Episode?
We love hearing from you! If you have a question about mixing, recording, mastering, or home studio gear, send it our way.
📩 Submit your question here: Form Link
We’ll do our best to answer as many as possible, but due to time constraints, we can’t guarantee every question will make it on the podcast. Priority will be given to the most relevant and commonly asked questions. So, ask away—your question might just be featured in an upcoming episode! 🎙️🔥
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E01 - Speakers or Headphones: Which Do You Use First?
🎙️ Speakers or Headphones: Which Do You Use First? | Studio Stuff Podcast #01
Welcome to the first episode of the Studio Stuff Podcast! In this laid-back yet insightful discussion, we dive into a topic that every home studio owner has an opinion on: Mixing on Headphones vs. Speakers.
Chris and Steve break down the pros and cons, share personal experiences, and even throw in some entertaining banter about food, farming, and about Andrew Scheps mixing on Sony MDR-7506s (yes, those headphones).
If you’ve ever wondered whether headphones can truly replace studio monitors or not, or how to optimize your headphone mixing experience, this episode is for you.
You’ll Learn:
✅ Why so many pros are shifting towards mixing on headphones
✅ The real difference between headphones and speakers for mixing
✅ How the Harman Curve can transform your headphone experience
✅ Why training your ears is more important than buying expensive gear
✅ How room acoustics impact your monitoring choices
✅ The role of crosstalk in speaker vs. headphone mixing
✅ Plugins that help bridge the gap between speakers and headphones
✅ Why Chris listens to new music on headphones first—even with a killer speaker setup
✅ The next big debate: Can we mix Atmos on headphones?
Listener Q&A
A listener asks: "Should I convert stereo virtual instruments to mono before mixing?"
Chris and Steve break down:
✅ Why stereo virtual instruments can be misleading
✅ How bouncing MIDI to audio helps workflow & avoids surprises
✅ Whether it actually affects sound quality
Resources & Mentions
🎧 Harman Curve & EQ for Headphones – Why it matters and how it works https://youtu.be/Yo_Bpo9ICZA?si=9FYr0EjKI5XqV8Zc
🎤 Andrew Scheps' Approach – How a legendary mixer made headphones work for him https://youtu.be/s4YuXNTCU2Y?si=YYVzpB00cNvWSFy5
🎶 Paul Third’s Insight – https://youtu.be/46gTNtTmzTU?si=JYYppZr-3USYT6of
Got a Question for a Future Episode?
We love hearing from you! If you have a question about mixing, recording, mastering, or home studio gear, send it our way.
📩 Submit your question here: Form Link
We’ll do our best to answer as many as possible, but due to time constraints, we can’t guarantee every question will make it on the podcast. Priority will be given to the most relevant and commonly asked questions. So, ask away—your question might just be featured in an upcoming episode! 🎙️🔥
The Studio Stuff Podcast is your go-to home studio hangout, where music production, mixing, recording, and mastering meet real talk, practical advice, and the occasional lousy jokes. Hosted by Chris Selim and Steve Dierkens, this isn’t a dry, technical lecture—it’s a laid-back, no-BS conversation about making great music with the gear you actually have.
Expect real-world insights, gear, and technique debates, plugin obsessions, and plenty of laughs along the way. Plus, we love hearing from you! Send in your questions, and let’s figure this whole studio stuff thing out together.
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