Finn McKenty, Author at Unstoppable Recording Machine - Page 48 of 51

Author: Finn McKenty

JACQUIRE KING: Mixing in the box, the power of absolute polarity, and surviving the industry

Jacquire King is a multi-platinum, three-time Grammy-winning producer and engineer. While working out of Nashville’s legendary Blackbird Studio, he has helmed massive records for a diverse range of artists including Kings of Leon, Tom Waits, Modest Mouse, and James Bay.

In This Episode

Jacquire King drops by to share some serious wisdom from his decades-long career at the top of the game. He gets real about how shrinking budgets have forced him to adapt, leading him to transition from a hybrid setup to mixing entirely in the box. He explains his philosophy on treating plugins as their own unique tools rather than trying to make them perfectly replicate their analog counterparts. Jacquire also discusses the importance of fundamentals, detailing why checking absolute polarity is one of the most crucial and overlooked steps in getting a great sound, and how it can make or break your EQ and compression choices. We get into the importance of people skills, studio etiquette, and the mindset required to survive the industry’s tough times. Plus, he shares a killer technique for printing stems through a mix bus compressor and runs through a rapid-fire round of his go-to gear for everything from kick drums to vocals.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

  • [1:15] How smaller budgets affect workflows in high-end studios
  • [2:47] Why he made the switch to mixing completely in the box
  • [3:37] The right mindset for using plugin emulations of analog gear
  • [6:21] The Empirical Labs Distressor as a modern classic
  • [9:15] Why shorter, hands-on audio programs are often better than long, expensive ones
  • [15:10] What he looks for when hiring an assistant (it’s not just technical skill)
  • [19:09] The studio as a “sacred place” for artists
  • [23:00] His take on tracking with analog tape in the modern era
  • [26:35] Committing to sounds to avoid “analysis paralysis”
  • [32:29] Jacquire’s hybrid mixing workflow and template
  • [35:19] A genius trick for printing stems through a mix bus compressor using a sidechain
  • [39:52] A deep dive into absolute polarity and why it’s so important
  • [43:16] The first thing he checks when a track isn’t responding to EQ correctly
  • [46:28] Mic placement strategies for guitar cabs
  • [51:50] His approach to compressing drum overheads vs. room mics
  • [55:03] His philosophy for using a two-bus chain
  • [58:31] Advice for producers starting their careers today
  • [1:03:09] Why having no “Plan B” is crucial for success

EP107 | Mixcritmonday Meshuggah Edition With Special Guest John Browne

We’ve enlisted John Browne (Monuments, Flux Conduct) to assist us in critiquing your mixes of Meshuggah’s “MonstroCity.”

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“I find that if you over-listen to your mix while you’re mixing, you just get used to that sound. So, you have to put it away for a few days and come back to it.” – John Browne

ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:

– The value of mixing a variety of genres
– What happens when you miss the target with the balance in your mix
– Phase nightmares
– Why you need to make sure your kick and snare are solid
– Things to watch out for when handling a plethora of guitar tracks
– Avoiding ending up with a blanket over your mix
– And much, much more

Thanks for listening!
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Leave any questions, comments, or feedback in the comment section below.

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JOEL WANASEK: Massive Guitar Tones, Studio Business & Taxes, Landing a Studio Gig

A veteran producer and mixer for bands like Machine Head, Blessthefall, and Attila, Joel Wanasek is also a co-founder of URM Academy and a frequent host of the podcast. This episode is an all-access Q&A where he answers listener questions with his signature no-bullshit, practical advice.

In This Episode

In this “Dear Joel” mailbag episode, Joel tackles a wide range of questions sent in by the URM community. He kicks things off with some crucial career advice on how to land a studio gig, even if you feel like your technical skills aren’t perfect yet. Then, he dives deep into one of the most common struggles for metal producers: getting massive, wide, and professional-sounding distorted guitars. Joel lays out a systematic, step-by-step process for dialing in tones—from speaker selection and mic placement to using amp sims effectively—and explains why width is ultimately a function of how your low-end frequencies are balanced between the guitars, bass, and drums. He also walks through his personal workflow for tracking a full album and gives some incredibly important, real-world advice on setting up your studio as a business, managing your finances, and why you absolutely cannot afford to ignore your taxes.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

  • [1:00] How to present yourself for a studio gig when you still have skill gaps
  • [3:15] Why getting A-list distorted guitar tones is such a common struggle
  • [4:55] A systematic exercise for learning mic placement on a guitar cab
  • [6:50] Joel’s step-by-step process for dialing in a tone: cab, speaker, mic, head, guitar, and pick
  • [8:01] Why even identical speakers in the same cabinet can sound different
  • [9:40] Applying the same systematic approach to dialing in amp sims
  • [11:50] Why width is a function of frequency and getting the low end right
  • [12:20] The synergy between guitars, bass, and drums in creating a massive sound
  • [14:00] Joel’s workflow for tracking a 12-song album from start to finish
  • [17:52] Joel’s personal monitoring setup
  • [18:50] Favorite guitar cab mics other than the ubiquitous SM57
  • [21:15] A practical, real-world approach to room treatment and finding your listening position
  • [24:35] Why you absolutely need insurance for your studio gear (and a cautionary tale)
  • [27:00] When you should place the kick drum *above* the bass in the low end
  • [30:50] The keys to mixing fast: templates, batching tasks, and prioritization
  • [33:20] Exercises for training your gut instincts for EQ and compression
  • [35:00] When you should start paying taxes as a freelancer (spoiler: immediately)
  • [35:45] The first steps to getting your studio business finances in order
  • [42:00] Final advice: Find an accountant and get your business set up properly

STEVE LAGUDI: Mixing Live Metal, Punchy Drums, and Taming High-Gain Guitars

Steve Lagudi is a veteran live sound engineer who has spent decades dialing in killer tones in high-pressure environments. He’s the longtime front-of-house engineer for Machine Head and has an extensive resume that includes working in various capacities with Bay Area thrash legends like Metallica, Exodus, and Testament, as well as God Forbid and Napalm Death. He’s known for bringing studio-level clarity and punch to the chaotic world of live metal.

In This Episode

Ever wondered how a massive live metal show gets that tight, aggressive sound you hear on a record? Steve Lagudi pulls back the curtain on the art and science of live sound engineering. He kicks things off by comparing the frantic pace of live mixing to the controlled studio environment, explaining why he thrives on the pressure. He then gets into the nitty-gritty, detailing his “top-down” approach to tuning a PA and his aggressive use of reductive EQ to carve out space for every instrument. You’ll hear his specific techniques for getting punchy drums, including using “underheads” to reject snare bleed and relying heavily on the bottom snare mic. Steve also breaks down how he wrangles high-gain guitars and gets bass to cut through without turning the mix into mud. It’s a deep dive packed with real-world advice for anyone looking to translate their studio skills to the stage.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

  • [0:55] Why live sound is so challenging compared to the studio
  • [4:06] Embracing the chaos and getting good without soundchecks
  • [8:23] Steve’s “top-down” approach of tuning the PA system first
  • [9:23] Using aggressive reductive EQ to create space and clarity
  • [10:18] Radical EQ moves to make toms sound like kick drums
  • [12:31] Using “underheads” instead of overheads for pristine cymbals
  • [17:16] The secret to his snare sound: 80% bottom mic
  • [21:36] Using proximity effect to your advantage for massive floor toms
  • [23:31] The challenge of dialing in heavy guitar tones live
  • [25:53] Steve’s story of getting his start working for Metallica
  • [31:45] The Machine Head guitar sound: real amps, real pedals, and a hot cabinet
  • [35:32] Using multiple noise gates to tame high-gain amps
  • [38:44] Blending a Kemper profile with a DI for a massive live bass tone
  • [53:08] Tips for isolating a lead vocal on a small stage
  • [55:02] Why he hates feeding subs on a separate send (and blames DJs)
  • [58:50] How to account for the room filling with people when tuning the PA
  • [1:01:15] Steve’s 5-song playlist for tuning any PA system
  • [1:17:25] Advice for studio engineers who want to get into live sound
  • [1:22:48] The importance (and danger) of panning in a live mix
  • [1:24:11] How to deal with drunk bands turning up their amps mid-show

ZAKK CERVINI & MATT PAULING: The John Feldman Workflow, Vibe Over Perfection, Earning Your Weekends

Zakk Cervini and Matt Pauling are the production duo working as the right-hand men for pop-punk and rock producer John Feldman. Zakk got his start at 14, eventually landing an internship with mentors Will Putney and Machine. He moved to LA and started over as an unpaid intern for Feldman, quickly proving his skills by engineering for The Used and single-handedly producing a Stick to Your Guns record when Feldman had a medical emergency. Matt came from a touring background, playing guitar in The Confession before learning the ropes of recording and eventually joining Feldman’s team after a stint with Hell or High Water.

In This Episode

Zakk and Matt drop in for a super insightful look into the high-pressure, high-volume world of working with John Feldman. They break down how they keep up with his machine-gun creative style, which often involves cranking out multiple songs a day and building full productions from a simple voice memo idea. The guys get into the importance of having solid starting points and templates, not to be lazy, but to get to the creative stuff faster and deliver a vibe quickly. They share some killer stories that prove emotional impact trumps technical perfection every time—like recording Sleeping With Sirens vocals by a pool with just a laptop and an Mbox. It’s a great episode about the hustle, learning to fail fast, not getting precious about your work, and how earning their weekends off actually made their work better.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

  • [1:37] How Zakk got his start at 14 and hustled his way into the industry
  • [3:16] Mentorship under Will Putney and Machine
  • [5:09] Moving to LA and starting over as an unpaid intern for John Feldman
  • [6:20] Producing the Stick to Your Guns record solo after Feldman had a medical emergency
  • [7:08] Matt’s background in touring with The Confession and Avenge Sevenfold
  • [11:37] The vetting process for interns at Feldman’s studio
  • [16:33] Learning programming on the fly and communicating with Feldman via voice memos
  • [18:19] Why you can’t be precious about your work in a high-volume environment
  • [19:30] Using “starting points” for mixes instead of starting from scratch
  • [22:25] Keeping up with Feldman’s chaotic creative process
  • [27:08] Focusing on emotional impact over technical perfection (the “high hat” principle)
  • [28:58] The story of recording Sleeping With Sirens vocals by a pool with an Mbox
  • [31:47] Breaking down their go-to mix bus chain and vocal chain
  • [33:36] The collaborative workflow between Zakk, Matt, and John
  • [38:17] How working eight months without a day off earned them weekends
  • [44:33] Feldman’s most ridiculous intern requests
  • [45:16] Why the “pompous rockstar” attitude is dead
  • [47:20] Guitar tones on the We Are The In Crowd “Weird Kids” album
  • [50:54] How to handle ultra-high pitched vocals like Kellin Quinn
  • [53:11] Feldman’s process of pushing bands out of their comfort zone