Finn McKenty, Author at Unstoppable Recording Machine

JOEY STURGIS, JOEL WANASEK & EYAL LEVI: Recording Pro Vocals, Creative Vocal Layering, Modern Mixing Techniques

On this installment of the URM Podcast, hosts Eyal Levi, Joel Wanasek, and Joey Sturgis get together for a deep dive on all things vocals. Sturgis is renowned for his groundbreaking work with metalcore acts like Asking Alexandria and The Devil Wears Prada, while Wanasek has lent his mixing prowess to heavyweights such as Machine Head and Blessthefall. Levi, a founding member of URM Academy and guitarist for Dååth, has produced for bands like The Black Dahlia Murder and August Burns Red. Together, they share decades of in-the-trenches experience on capturing, editing, and mixing killer vocal performances.

In This Episode

The guys break down their entire vocal production process, starting from the moment the singer steps up to the mic. They cover the technical and psychological importance of the initial warm-up take, dialing in a headphone mix that inspires a great performance, and building the right rapport to get the best out of an artist. From there, they dive into the art of layering, discussing how to decide when to use doubles, harmonies, and octaves, and why it’s crucial to experiment. They also share practical advice for dealing with common challenges, like working with singers who have physical limitations, the importance of tight editing on layered tracks, and specific mixing techniques for making doubles and harmonies sit perfectly in a dense mix. It’s a masterclass on turning a raw vocal take into a polished, impactful final product.

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Timestamps

[1:16] The importance of a warm-up take
[1:46] Assessing the vocalist’s knowledge and stamina during the warm-up
[2:07] Using the warm-up to identify potential problem areas like sibilance
[3:01] Different approaches to creating a vocalist’s headphone mix
[5:13] The psychology of creating the right vibe for a vocal session
[6:10] Why the headphone mix should make the vocalist feel like they’re on stage
[7:21] Building rapport with the artist before you start recording
[8:56] How to suggest changes to a vocalist without causing resistance
[10:33] Using the song to dictate your vocal layering choices
[12:04] Developing the intuition for hearing what harmonies and layers are needed
[14:10] How to work with vocalists who have physical limitations or low stamina
[16:17] Why there’s no “magic serum” to save a declining vocal performance
[17:06] How tight should your vocal edits be?
[18:12] Cutting sibilance (s’s and t’s) out of harmony and double tracks
[19:51] Why you should communicate with the artist before removing all the breaths
[22:56] Mixing techniques for doubled vocals (dual mono vs. stereo)
[25:19] Using lots of layers to beef up the sound of a weak screamer
[26:45] Panning strategies for vocal harmonies

JOEY STURGIS: Negotiating Royalties, The Truth About AI Plugins, and Recording Aggressive Vocals

As a producer and mixer, Joey Sturgis was a key architect of the 2000s metalcore sound, shaping iconic albums for bands like The Devil Wears Prada, Asking Alexandria, Of Mice & Men, and Miss May I. He’s also the founder of Joey Sturgis Tones (JST), a plugin company dedicated to creating intuitive and powerful tools that help musicians and producers achieve professional sounds quickly. His work on Born of Osiris’ Tomorrow We Die Alive is also noted for its innovative integration of electronic elements.

In This Episode

In this Q&A session, Joey Sturgis tackles a ton of awesome questions straight from the URM community. He kicks things off with his personal motto, “start before you’re ready,” explaining why it’s crucial to just dive in instead of getting bogged down by self-imposed roadblocks. He gives a behind-the-scenes look at producing the complex Famous Last Words concept album, shares his hard-learned lessons on why you *must* negotiate royalties before a project begins, and breaks down his automation-heavy technique for making sub drops hit hard without muddying up the mix. Joey also offers his take on AI-driven plugins like iZotope Neutron, arguing they’re great tools for creativity, not job-killers. To top it off, he drops some super practical advice for recording aggressive vocals, covering everything from mic placement and pop filters to dealing with headphone bleed and floor noise.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[1:42] Joey’s motivational slogan: “Start before you’re ready”
[2:00] The problem with creating endless roadblocks for yourself
[3:42] The making of Famous Last Words’ Two-Faced Charade
[4:25] The crucial role of producer Nick Sampson on the album
[5:32] The process of layering sounds on a complex concept album
[6:30] Mixing a heavily layered album and creating control with bussing
[8:56] A producer’s nightmare: A band gets a label deal after the album is done, and now it’s time to talk royalties
[9:20] Why you must negotiate royalties and points before starting a project
[10:10] How lawyers and managers complicate royalty negotiations
[10:55] Joey’s preferred flat-fee percentage approach to writing splits
[12:00] Mixing sub drops and 808s in the style of Born of Osiris
[13:07] Using automation to momentarily create space for low-end impacts
[14:40] Thoughts on “AI” mixing plugins like Oeksound Soothe and iZotope Neutron
[16:31] Why plugins that make music creation easier are a good thing
[18:44] How to deal with breath sounds and plosives when recording screamed vocals
[19:41] Identifying and editing out “floor noise” from a vocalist’s movements
[21:00] Using a pop filter correctly to control plosives
[21:45] How a vocalist’s head position and distance from the mic affects the recording
[22:40] Dealing with headphone bleed and a cool trick for cleaning it up with a low-pass filter

JAY MAAS: The Ear vs The Gear, Committing to Sounds, and Handling Unprepared Bands

Jay Maas is a producer and engineer based out of Boston, MA. He was a founding member and the main songwriter for the melodic hardcore band Defeater for eight years. He’s also known for his production work with bands like Counterparts and Carpathian. Jay got his start after being inspired by his own recording experiences at God City with Kurt Ballou, which led him to build his own studio and begin a career that has taken him all over the world, particularly to Australia.

In This Episode

Jay Maas is back on the podcast, and this time he’s a dad! He gets into what it’s like building a career that allows him to travel the world, telling some wild stories about working in Australia and dealing with everything from unprepared bands to million-dollar studios with broken patch bays. Jay and Eyal dive deep into the mindset of a working producer, emphasizing that it’s the ear, not the gear, that makes a record sound great. They discuss the importance of adaptability, gaining a client’s trust, and why copying someone else’s presets is a dead end. Jay also breaks down his own punk-rock recording philosophy, which includes committing to sounds on the way in, printing effects directly to the track, and (almost) never taking DIs. It’s a killer conversation about navigating the technical and psychological challenges of making records.

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Timestamps

[6:22] How recording with Kurt Ballou inspired Jay to start his own studio
[9:14] The story of his assistant moving from Colombia to work for him
[15:51] Advice for producers moving to the US: be prepared for anything
[17:37] Will Putney’s hilarious intern ad: “pay is shitty… don’t be a weirdo”
[26:16] Why his records always sound like him, regardless of studio or gear
[28:39] The importance of human connection over pure sonics
[31:34] How a touring background teaches you to adapt and improvise
[34:54] Why you need a sonic destination in mind before you start turning knobs
[40:35] Why copying someone else’s presets won’t get you very far
[45:54] Handling a band that shows up to a full-length session with only four songs
[48:45] The frustration of million-dollar studios that aren’t properly maintained
[56:15] Jay’s “one mic” approach to guitar recording
[1:03:06] How to gain a client’s trust (especially when you’re starting out)
[1:08:29] Jay’s philosophy: No DIs and printing effects on the way in
[1:13:42] The “tough conversation”: telling a band member they aren’t good enough
[1:19:28] The poetic justice of a hyper-critical musician who can’t play their own parts
[1:25:53] Why financial stress is the enemy of making great art

JOEL WANASEK & EYAL LEVI: How Songwriting Kills Your Mix, The “Filler Riff” Problem, and Why You Need Drum Samples

URM co-founders Joel Wanasek and Eyal Levi host this episode of Mixcritmonday (with Joey Sturgis out sick). Joel is a producer and mixer who has worked with bands like Machine Head, Blessthefall, and Attila. Eyal is known for his production work with artists like The Contortionist and Chelsea Grin, as well as his time in the band Dååth. Together, they bring decades of real-world studio experience to their critiques.

In This Episode

This episode is a classic Mixcritmonday, where Joel and Eyal dive deep into two user-submitted tracks, offering up some seriously valuable, no-bullshit feedback. First up is a pop-punk tune where they break down everything from weak guitar tones and distracting panning to the critical importance of drum samples for adding weight. They also get into the songwriting, dissecting a pre-chorus that kills the momentum and a chorus that just doesn’t stick. The second track is a high-energy metal song that nails the overall vibe but needs some fine-tuning. The guys discuss how to get more punch from a flat snare, the crucial role of bass in driving the mix, and how to avoid the “filler riff” problem when a song loses steam. This one’s all about the connection between arrangement and mixing, and how strong songwriting is the foundation for a killer production.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[5:34] Initial thoughts on the pop-punk mix
[6:30] Why weak guitars need strong bass and drums to drive a mix
[7:10] The pitfalls of using stock PRS pickups and AmpliTube for heavy tones
[8:24] Critiquing the snare sound and why it needs more body
[9:38] How distracting panning choices can ruin a song’s vibe
[11:05] Analyzing a pre-chorus that’s too long and unfocused
[12:29] The problem with out-of-tune vocals and why “natural” doesn’t always work
[13:20] Why you SHOULD use drum samples (hint: it’s for enhancement)
[14:14] The vocals feeling disconnected from the mix due to effects
[17:38] Why the pop-punk song’s pre-chorus needs a complete rewrite
[19:05] The chorus is weak and forgettable: where’s the hook?
[21:09] The “write 10 choruses” method for finding one great hook
[30:03] First impressions of the second track: nailing the energy
[32:13] Breaking down the drum mix: good kick, weak snare
[33:35] Why the bass guitar is too quiet and how it could fix other mix issues
[36:05] Critiquing a sloppy, out-of-place guitar solo
[37:27] The “filler riff” problem: when bands run out of ideas
[39:08] The importance of keeping your foot on the gas in a high-energy song
[43:10] Making drum breaks and tom parts more impactful (the Sepultura “Territory” example)
[45:40] Why random, drastic tempo changes often kill a song’s momentum

EYAL LEVI: Leaving Berklee, Overcoming Self-Doubt, Tube Amps vs. Digital

Producer, mixer, and guitarist Eyal Levi is a co-founder of URM Academy and Nail The Mix alongside Joey Sturgis and Joel Wanasek. He’s known for his work as the guitarist in the band Dååth and as a producer for artists like The Black Dahlia Murder, Chelsea Grin, and Whitechapel.

In This Episode

In this Q&A episode, Eyal Levi tackles a ton of questions from the community, kicking things off with a crucial reminder about avoiding burnout and the importance of downtime. He dives into the big debate about music school, explaining why it might be great for a “craftsman” musician but not for an “artist,” and shares why he personally left Berklee. Eyal also fields questions about classic gear, including the bass tone on the Dååth record ‘Futility’ and his thoughts on the future of tube amps versus digital modeling. Producer mindset is a huge theme, as Eyal offers solid advice for overcoming the crippling self-doubt that affects everyone (even the pros) and shares a killer studio hack for making programmed drums sound more realistic by overdubbing real cymbals. The episode wraps with insider tips on how to maximize your time in a one-on-one coaching session, plus a special guest segment from manager Mike Mowry on whether lyric videos are still a smart move for new bands.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[1:31] Why taking a day off is crucial for productivity
[3:17] Focusing on what you can accomplish in a year, not just a day
[4:16] Is a university music degree a waste of time?
[6:27] Why a business degree can be more helpful than a music degree
[7:42] The difference between being a musician who is a “craftsman” vs. an “artist”
[8:58] Eyal on why he dropped out of Berklee
[11:36] The secret to the bass tone on Dååth’s album “Futility”
[13:39] Manager Mike Mowry on whether lyric videos are becoming obsolete
[14:28] Alternatives to lyric videos, like visualizers and playthroughs
[17:07] Dealing with crippling self-doubt and confidence issues
[19:30] How actor Daniel Day-Lewis’s pre-movie anxiety can be a lesson for producers
[21:40] Viewing lack of confidence as a form of stage fright you can overcome
[22:58] Are tube amps and analog gear on their way out?
[24:08] Why a great “in the room” amp tone doesn’t always matter for a mix
[25:17] Eyal’s prediction for a digital-only music world
[27:45] The technique of replacing programmed MIDI cymbals with real, overdubbed ones
[28:54] Why MIDI cymbals often sound fake
[30:29] Taking matters into your own hands: re-recording bad client tracks
[33:46] How to get the most out of a one-on-one coaching session
[36:00] The kind of questions you *shouldn’t* ask during a one-on-one