Angel Marcloid is a fearless, genre-melting musician, producer, and mixing/mastering engineer based outside Chicago, IL. She creates under a broad constellation of aliases, with Fire-Toolz as her flagship solo project and No Joy as her most recent collaborative venture.

Angel Hair Audio is her full-service audio production studio for artists whose work already leans leftfield or quietly wants to. She draws from a lifetime of listening, learning, and restless experimentation, carrying a huge musical vocabulary that reaches from her formative years immersed in AOR, prog, jazz fusion, and metal to the noise, industrial, grind, post-punk, krautrock, ambient, hardcore, and early-wave emo that shaped her adolescence.

Angel’s approach blends traditional technique informed by legendary engineers with contemporary and boundary-pushing production practices. She finds the emotional pressure points of a piece, then uncovers or amplifies what makes it distinctive, and sculpts it to be a worthy vehicle for an impassioned voice that deserves to be heard and felt.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Connecting with your community
• Respecting the vibe of a song
• Translation issues with mixes
• Creating focus in a mix
• Rules meant to be followed and broken
• Why simplicity isn’t always a good thing
• Creating width without stereo wideners
• Focusing on individual instruments vs as a whole
• Creating a hierarchy within your mixes

To learn more about Angel Marcloid, visit: https://angelhairaudio.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?

Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:

https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?

For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/

Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:

• The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
• The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Check out our Sponsors:

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Subscribe to the show:

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

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Kurt Ballou is an American musician, producer, and recording engineer best known as the guitarist and founding member of the influential hardcore band Converge. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, he is also the owner and chief engineer of GodCity Studio, a world-renowned recording facility that has become a cornerstone of modern heavy music production. With a background in both engineering and performance, Ballou bridges the gap between raw creative energy and meticulous technical precision, helping define the sound of countless bands across the hardcore, punk, and metal scenes. His production work is celebrated for its intensity, clarity, and attention to sonic texture — hallmarks that have shaped genre-defining records for artists such as Have Heart, High on Fire, Trap Them, and Nails.

Beyond his engineering prowess, Ballou is recognized for his deep understanding of instrument tone and studio design. At GodCity, he merges analog warmth with modern fidelity, crafting recordings that feel both visceral and articulate. His dedication to DIY ethics and craft has made him a respected figure not only among musicians but also within the broader audio engineering community. Through his work, Ballou continues to inspire a generation of producers and home-studio creators to pursue authenticity, precision, and emotional truth in every mix.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Learning through revisiting old recordings
• Why you can’t trust all you read on forums
• Cheap vs. expensive gear: What really matters?
• Mic vs. placement vs. preamps: Which is most important?
• Mike and Kurt’s feelings on Atmos
• The secret to Kurt’s great guitar tones
• A simple trick for checking phase with multi-mic setups on guitar amps
• Simplifying your approach to production
• How to treat a 2-guitar band vs a 1-guitar band
• Getting guitars and bass to feel balanced
• Sidechaining guitars to vocals
• Mixing his own records with Converge
• Charging per song or by hour
• Recording entire albums in one session

To learn more about Kurt Ballou, visit: https://kurtballou.com/

https://godcitystudio.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?

Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:

https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?

For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/

Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:

• The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
• The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Check out our Sponsors:

Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:

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Mark Lewis is a Nashville-based record producer, engineer, and mixer best known for shaping the sound of modern heavy metal and hard rock. He cut his teeth under producer Jason Suecof at Audiohammer Studios in Orlando. Over the years, he’s become a go-to name in the metal scene, working with genre-defining bands such as Trivium, The Black Dahlia Murder, DevilDriver, Whitechapel, and many others. His credits span production, mixing, engineering, and mastering, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the full recording process.

What sets Lewis apart is his meticulous approach to guitar tone, re-amping, and sonic detail, always striving to match technical precision with the raw energy of the bands he works with. Now operating out of his own Nashville studio, he continues to push the boundaries of heavy music, blending clarity and aggression in mixes that capture both the intensity and the musicality of metal. His work has helped countless bands refine their sound and stand out in an increasingly competitive genre, cementing his reputation as one of the most respected producers in heavy music today.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Recognizing your strengths
• Working with Jason Suecof
• How getting fired led to his career taking off
• Why knowing the “rules” doesn’t mean you should always follow them
• The secret to great guitar tone
• How your speakers make a massive difference
• Dispelling the Jim Lill tone tests
• Keeping objectivity when chasing tone
• When to reamp
• How to get away from always sounding the same
• Spending money to make money
• Putting in the work to see success
• A technique you may be doing that is killing the uniqueness of a band

To learn more about Mark Lewis, visit: https://marklewis.audio/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?

Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:

https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?

For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/

Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:

• The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
• The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Check out our Sponsors:

Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d like answered on the show?

Send them...

Jack Emblem is a GRAMMY-nominated mix engineer known for his versatility and ability to elevate every project he touches. Working seamlessly across all genres, Jack has established himself as a go-to mixer in today’s market.

In 2024, Jack received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

His clients include Snoh Aaelgra, Lauren Spencer Smith, Charlotte Day Wilson, DEAN, Wild Rivers, Katie Tupper, Aaron Paris, Jesse Gold and many more.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Learning from different areas of the industry
• Understanding client expectations of your mixes
• Sending clients file submission guides
• Making sure songs grow throughout a mix
• Automating plugins to create impact
• Why separation can be overrated
• Achieving clear, in-your-face vocals
• Using pre-delay to create depth
• Understanding the sound of different compressors
• Creating contrast between elements of a mic
• Leaving low-end alone

To learn more about Jack Emblem, visit: https://www.jackemblem.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?

Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:

https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?

For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/

Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:

• The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
• The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Check out our Sponsors:

Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d like answered on the show?

Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com

Please leave a rating and review:

https://masteryourmix.com/review/

Thanks for listening!

Scott Wiley is a music producer, engineer, musician, and owner of June Audio Recording Studio with over 2.1 billion streams. Scott studied music recording at USC and got to learn from some of the best producers and engineers in the industry during his years working in great Los Angeles studios like Sound Factory, Sunset Sound, Cello, and Conway Recording Studios. As an engineer and/or producer for the last 30 years, Scott has worked with The Killers, Neon Trees, Bonnie Raitt, Kaskade, David Archuleta, Tracy Chapman, The National Parks, and The Moth & The Flame, among many others. Scott has also taught recording and music business classes at UVU and BYU.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Being too “safe” with your process
• Capturing authentic performances
• Working with Tchad Blake
• The rules of audio that are meant to be broken
• Picking the right gear for the job
• The expectations of clients and their understanding of the roles of producers and engineers
• Factoring the mix while tracking
• Mixing your own recordings vs. other’s
• Achieving separation in a mix
• How to direct a listener’s focus as they listen to your mixes

To learn more about Scott Wiley, visit: https://www.juneaudio.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?

Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:

https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?

For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/

Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:

• The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
• The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Check out our Sponsors:

Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d like answered on the show?

Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com

Please leave a rating and review:

https://masteryourmix.com/review/

Thanks for listening!

John Paterno is a Grammy-winning producer, mixer, composer, engineer, mastering engineer, teacher, and musician who has worked with a diverse range of artists including Gov’t Mule, Robbie Williams, Steve Gadd Band, Soraya, Michael Landau, Band of Other Brothers, Robben Ford, Eros Ramazzotti, the Thrills, Tim McGraw, Bonnie Raitt, and Badly Drawn Boy, in his 30-plus-year career.

Paterno moved to Los Angeles two weeks after graduating from the University of Miami's music engineering (MUE) program. A short period of freelance assisting concluded with a staff position at Sunset Sound/Sound Factory in Hollywood, where for five years he was exposed to many great engineers, producers, and artists. After breaking out of assisting, he worked with a wide range of producers, including Mitchell Froom, Joe Chiccarelli, Byron Gallimore, Celso Valli, and Stephen Duffy. He won a Latin Grammy for his work with artist/producer Soraya.

Paterno has produced or co-produced projects for Gov’t Mule, Michael Landau, Andrew Synowiec, the Black Mollys, Mitchell Froom, Lustra, Robbie Williams, the Lilac Time, and many other artists. He has also co-written songs with artists and written pieces for TV and film.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Lessons learned from working with Tchad Blake
• The importance of focus
• Why you don’t want people to feel like they’re in a recording studio
• How to gain the trust of musicians
• Why cell phones need to be banned from the studio
• Coaching musicians to understand the difference between timing and groove
• Why you should always do preproduction before entering the studio
• Getting great drum sounds
• When to avoid using compression
• How Seinfeld and mixing have a lot in common

To learn more about John Paterno, visit: https://www.musicdafoz.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?

Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:

https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?

For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/

Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:

• The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
• The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Check out our Sponsors:

Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d...

Anthony Gravino is a Grammy-nominated producer, recording, mixing and mastering engineer with over 20 years of experience as a professional engineer and musician, who has worked on hundreds of albums in various capacities. Some of the artists he has worked with include Peter Erskine, Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, Nate Smith, Marquis Hill, Davy Knowles, Ari Hest, Tobin Sprout.

His private studio, High Cross Sound, is equipped with an exceptional collection of classic recording equipment and instruments with a focus on comfort, flexibility and high quality sound. Anthony is passionate about creating compelling music with exceptional sonics and is always striving to serve the song in the moment.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Building a studio out of a barn
• Owning a studio in the middle of nowhere
• How to find remote clients
• Mixing fast: How to set your sessions up for speed
• The benefits of mixing using channel strip plugins
• Getting your mixes to feel wide
• Focusing on performance vs. gear
• The illusions we create with music in the studio
• Achieving controlled bass tones
• Why you shouldn’t always worry about low-end
• How to keep objective when working on your own music
• Why the “car test” isn’t necessary

To learn more about Anthony Gravino, visit: https://anthonygravino.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?

Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:

https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?

For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/

Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:

• The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
• The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Check out our Sponsors:

Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMix

Have questions you’d like answered on the show?

Send them to questions@masteryourmix.com

Please leave a rating and review:

https://masteryourmix.com/review/

Thanks for listening!

With over 16 years supporting award-winning games and culturally-recognized franchises, Steve Pardo composes and directs emotional and expansive music and audio for linear and interactive media. He is co-founder of game music & audio production house SkewSound, Composer/Music Manager at ProbablyMonsters, founder/game developer at The Pardo Brothers, and an active saxophone/woodwind recording and performing artist in Nashville, TN. With a background in jazz, and a professional career that began at legendary music-game studio Harmonix Music Systems, Steve brings his professional background in generative audio to his love for rich and inventive soundtracks for games.

In addition to his creative and audio direction contributions to the world’s most recognizable music gaming titles, such as Rock Band VR, Dance Central, Fantasia: Music Evolved, and Fortnite Festival, Steve has composed the interactive soundtrack for games such as Cypher 007, Moonbreaker, Gigantic, Signs of the Sojourner, Farthest Frontier, Grim Dawn, Chariot, Fated, Beat Sports, and The Magic Circle, and has scored music for networks such as Netflix, Adult Swim, and IFC. He has collaborated on generative and/or AI-driven projects for partners such as Mastercard, Warner Music, Youtube, Tribeca Film Festival, Lollapalooza, and Universal Music Group. As a game developer, Steve released the music-album-platformer DOS and is developing the VR comedy-simulator game SAXOPHONE.

Steve studied at the University of Miami, FL, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Studio Music and Jazz, and master’s degree in Studio Jazz Writing.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• How to get into the gaming music industry
• The different jobs available in gaming music
• Understanding how audio is programmed for games
• The revision process
• Interactive vs. generative music systems
• AI’s role in game audio production
• When and where to use real vs programmed instruments
• File organization

To learn more about Steve Pardo, visit: https://www.stevepardo.com/

Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?

Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:

https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/

Want additional help with your music productions?

For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/

Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/

Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:

• The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com
• The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/

Check out our Sponsors:

Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K

Subscribe to the show:

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781
• Spotify: