Author: Finn McKenty

Joel Wanasek is a producer, mixer, and co-founder of URM Academy and Nail the Mix. From his Wisconsin-based studio, he has shaped the sound of modern metal, working with influential artists like Machine Head, Blessthefall, Attila, and Memphis May Fire. He is also a co-founder of the popular drum sample company Drumforge. Known for his “no small time” philosophy, Joel combines technical expertise with a strong focus on the business and mindset required to build a sustainable career in music production.

In This Episode

In this solo “Dear Joel” episode, host Joel Wanasek tackles a ton of questions straight from the URM community, kicking things off with a candid rant on a subject that hits close to home: health. Sparked by a recent personal event, he explores the critical importance of overcoming the sedentary producer lifestyle to ensure a long and creative career. The Q&A segment is packed with actionable advice for producers at all levels. Joel digs into finding a healthy work-life balance, dealing with pre-tuned vocals full of artifacts, and optimizing every minute of your day to be more effective. He also offers a dose of tough love and encouragement for anyone feeling like they’re starting their career too late and shares his practical approach to the eternal struggle of EQing boxy rhythm guitars. This episode is all about the real-world mindset, habits, and problem-solving skills you need to thrive.

Products Mentioned

• Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
• Manley Massive Passive EQ

Timestamps

• [1:27] The first URM meetup in Nashville with Billy Decker
• [4:25] URM has official “No Small Time” merch
• [5:48] A personal story that sparked a deep dive into health for audio pros
• [6:50] Why an hour at the gym doesn’t offset 10 hours in a chair
• [8:50] The link between physical health and creative energy
• [12:40] “It’s really crazy how fragile and frail the human body is”
• [16:00] Does Joel only read business books? Finding pleasure in learning
• [18:43] The importance of unplugging and being present with family
• [21:37] Where Joel finds creative inspiration
• [25:29] How to deal with vocal tuning artifacts you can’t re-edit
• [26:52] The hard truth: most listeners don’t care about Auto-Tune artifacts
• [28:33] How to be more efficient and find more hours in the day
• [30:45] Auditing your life and optimizing everything (even relaxation)
• [33:35] A listener’s anxiety about starting a music career at 27
• [35:11] Proof you can have a successful career from the middle of nowhere
• [38:16] Redefining “success” on your own terms
• [42:55] How to balance learning from tutorials with hands-on practice
• [45:44] We’re not teaching presets; we’re teaching problem-solving
• [47:20] The eternal struggle: EQing boxiness (600-800Hz) out of rhythm guitars
• [48:05] A practical EQ technique for making cuts without going too far

It’s been a long time coming; we’ve got John Browne on the podcast and we’re going all in on guitar tone and production philosophies.

Browne needs no introduction, his guitar playing is legendary, his picking hand spoken of in hushed voices in guitar forums everywhere. Ok… people don’t actually talk in guitar forums. We all get the point though: Browne is a guitar wielding badass. Not only is his playing insane, but his production chops are second to none. And he was kind enough to share some of how he does it so you don’t end up with productions that make your playing sound like a Lil Wayne solo.

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“Monitors are not meant for enjoyment, they’re meant for problem solving and working.” – Eyal Levi

ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:

– The early days of djent
– Finding your own style rather than just repeating what’s already been done
– Reamping issues
– Fitting guitar into the bigger picture of a mix
– Monitor selection
– What to do if playing your instrument is causing pain
– And much, much more

Thanks for listening!
Sign up to our [cp_modal id=”cp_id_7934d”]mailing list[/cp_modal] to discover more!

Nail The Mix is our online mixing school that gives you REAL multi-tracks from REAL bands, plus a mixing class from the producer who recorded it. Past guests include Periphery, Chelsea Grin, Machine Head and State Champs. Join now for instant access!

Leave any questions, comments, or feedback in the comment section below.

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Erik Ron is an LA-based producer, mixer, and songwriter who has become a go-to name for bands blending heavy music with pop, R&B, and electronic influences. He has an extensive discography that includes blockbuster albums with artists like I Prevail, Godsmack, Issues, Attila, Slaves, Bless the Fall, and Too Close to Touch.

In This Episode

Erik Ron walks us through his wild, 15-year journey from a painter and bong-cleaner at NRG Studios to one of modern rock’s most in-demand producers. He breaks down how he used a multi-million dollar studio (secretly funded by a Japanese porn company) as his personal training ground, editing the same drum track over 500 times to get lightning fast. Erik shares insane stories about working with R&B royalty, navigating a potential Rock World War III with Slash and Guns N’ Roses in adjacent rooms, and the grueling-but-valuable experience of being an engineer for super-producer John Feldmann. For producers, this episode is a masterclass in the hustle required to build a career from the ground up, highlighting the importance of developing your craft, creating a vibe, and knowing when to be persistent to land the gig you know you were meant for.

Products Mentioned

• Avid Pro Tools
• SSL 4K Console
• Shure SM7B Microphone
• API Preamps
• Empirical Labs Distressor
• Universal Audio 1176LN Compressor
• Gibson Les Paul
• Marshall Amps

Timestamps

• [3:00] First impressions interning at NRG Studios (painting, cleaning bongs)
• [7:32] Realizing top producers are just regular people figuring it out
• [13:20] How he got lightning fast at Pro Tools by editing the same drum track 500 times
• [17:51] The mindset of being an extension of the producer’s mind
• [23:39] Using a multi-million dollar studio funded by a Japanese porn company as a personal training ground
• [30:27] Starting a massive Incubus fansite at age 14 and making money from it
• [39:27] Getting hired on the spot after another engineer had a falling out with a producer
• [44:21] Learning his favorite vocal chain (API into a Distressor) from producer John Fields
• [46:23] The hilarious story of quitting his Best Buy job on the spot
• [48:52] How revealing his age (under 21) instantly changed a producer’s attitude towards him
• [53:31] Getting a huge confidence boost from R&B star Brandy
• [57:21] The high-stakes situation of having Slash and Guns N’ Roses in adjacent rooms
• [1:05:25] The value of John Feldmann’s tough-love approach to engineering
• [1:12:46] Why being a producer is like being a therapist (and knowing all the secrets)
• [1:15:29] How he built his career after leaving Feldmann by developing unknown bands
• [1:24:01] The hard lesson of needing ironclad paperwork for production deals
• [1:32:49] Creating a vibe and breaking the ice with a “dick yell”
• [1:53:05] Blending hip-hop samples with heavy rock without making it sound weak
• [1:56:19] Why acoustic guitar is the hardest instrument to record
• [2:00:49] How to handle writer’s block when you’re required to be creative on demand

Doc Coyle is a guitarist, songwriter, and podcaster known for his long tenure in the influential metalcore band God Forbid. Throughout his career, he’s been a go-to hired gun, filling in on tour for bands like Lamb of God and On Earth. He’s also a prolific collaborator, having co-written tracks for Body Count and Jamey Jasta’s solo project. Now based in Los Angeles, he stays busy with his own bands like the rock-oriented Vagus Nerve, his podcast “The Ex-Man with Doc Coyle,” and writing insightful articles on the state of the music industry.

In This Episode

Doc Coyle joins the podcast for a super honest, no-BS conversation about the real business of being a musician today. He and Eyal get into the nitty-gritty of band finances, debating whether a new band is better off dropping $5k on a tour or on a targeted Facebook ad campaign. They explore why the traditional band model is often a terrible investment and how the music industry’s focus on short-term gains can kill promising artists before they have a chance to develop. Doc also shares his personal story of uprooting his life to move to LA, offering a raw look at the risks and rewards of chasing opportunities. This episode is packed with essential insights for any producer who wants to understand the modern music landscape from an artist’s perspective, covering everything from the power of a dedicated email list to the hard truth that live music revenue is actually bigger than ever.

Products Mentioned

• CreativeLive
• CD Baby
• Axe-Fx
• Guitar Pro
• Libsyn
• SoundCloud

Timestamps

• [8:27] Is spending $5,000 on Facebook ads more effective than a tour?
• [13:05] Why touring was crucial for building God Forbid’s fanbase in the 2000s
• [18:45] The flawed business model of a traditional band
• [25:10] Building a fanbase online before ever touring
• [29:23] Why the industry needs to focus on long-term artist development
• [33:04] Blasco’s idea: a mandatory one-year signing freeze for labels
• [36:11] The label strategy of signing 10 bands for $10k instead of one for $100k
• [39:43] How being signed can make bands dependent and less self-sufficient
• [47:52] Doc’s decision to uproot his life and move to LA for new opportunities
• [52:59] Getting humbled: arriving in a new city completely broke
• [56:57] The pros and cons of moving to an industry hub later in your career
• [1:04:23] Metal guitar as a competitive sport vs. a tool for expression
• [1:12:04] Can bands be *too* critical of themselves? (The “Chinese Democracy” problem)
• [1:22:22] How technology allows less proficient bands to “fudge the numbers”
• [1:25:16] Are fans to blame for the prevalence of backing tracks?
• [1:32:11] Looking at the data: Live music revenue is actually at a record high
• [1:39:07] Culling your Facebook friends list to build a more engaged audience
• [1:57:59] Why “stealing” music is the wrong word and why you should be more worried if no one is copying your music
• [2:03:40] Why you should focus on building an audience first, and the money will follow

Beau Burchell is the guitarist for the influential post-hardcore band Saosin and a seasoned producer who came up recording seminal records for bands like The Bled and Taken in his parents’ garage. He’s since worked with a diverse range of artists including Under Oath, Hands Like Houses, and Moose Blood, becoming known for his ability to craft impactful and emotionally resonant rock records.

In This Episode

Beau Burchell takes us way back to his earliest recording experiments with dual ghetto blasters and how he turned his parents’ garage into a studio that birthed early 2000s scene classics. He gets real about the challenges of balancing life as a touring musician in Saosin with a demanding production career, and the mental shift required to go from the stage to the studio. Beau shares some wild stories from making the Saosin self-titled record with Howard Benson, dropping seriously detailed breakdowns of the multi-amp guitar and bass tones they captured. He also discusses his evolution from being an analog purist to embracing modern tools, the importance of having a trusted crew of fellow mixers for feedback, and why you sometimes have to be a “musical translator” to decipher what a band really wants. It’s a deep dive into career longevity, studio psychology, and staying sane in a chaotic industry.

Products Mentioned

• Fractal Audio Axe-Fx
• Avid Pro Tools
• Two notes Torpedo
• Universal Audio LA-2A
• Shure SM57
• Sennheiser MD 421
• AKG C414
• Shure Beta 52A
• Ampeg SVT Classic
• Ampeg SVT-4 PRO
• Craviotto Snare Drums

Timestamps

• [0:08:00] Beau’s first multi-tracking setup using two ghetto blasters
• [0:18:45] Turning his bedroom and parents’ garage into his first studio
• [0:26:22] The “hidden knowledge” of early DAWs that you couldn’t find online
• [0:29:48] The difficulty of balancing a producing career with Saosin’s touring schedule
• [0:30:48] The different mindsets of being an artist on stage vs. a producer in the studio
• [0:48:42] The importance of having a “mix mastermind” of trusted peers for feedback
• [0:56:54] Dealing with a flood of Saosin-clone band demos
• [0:57:56] Working with producer Howard Benson on the Saosin self-titled album
• [1:00:10] Howard Benson’s multi-mic/multi-cab guitar recording technique
• [1:07:56] Howard Benson’s questionable claim about tom mics being used as overheads
• [1:11:02] The elaborate multi-amp bass recording setup on the Saosin record
• [1:13:26] Using a Beta 52 inside a bass cab port for a consistent sub track
• [1:15:52] His initial “purist” reaction to modern production and how his views evolved
• [1:26:21] The trap of trying to mix against your own instincts
• [1:32:59] Using Axe-Fx for all the guitars on Saosin’s “Along the Shadow”
• [1:46:42] How comping vocals created the abstract lyrics on “Translating The Name”
• [1:51:09] Why bands who say they want a “natural” sound don’t always mean it
• [2:00:48] Howard Benson’s wild psychological “producer tricks”