Pro Tools Expert Podcast

In this edition Julian and Ashea are joined by Luke Goddard and Paul Maunder, where they discuss tried and tested production rules and ask, does anyone care about that anymore and if so, why?Talking Points:Being in the room with the artist/client, is it still necessary? Does it even matter?Have listeners' ears become accustomed to things like Auto tune, heavy compression, would anyone care if we stopped doing these things?Loudness Wars- does anyone care anymore?Mix Assistants E.g EZ mix, is it cheating?Finds of the week:Julian:Using what you already have in the studio (Carbon story, Caldigit Ethernet, audio key on piano)Ashea: Audio Ease- Speakerphone 3Paul: BlackMagic UltraStudio RecorderLuke:  Leaf Audio 

In this podcast short Russ Hughes explores how audio professionals can get ahead in marketing. "I remember being on Zoom call with some of the most respected names in music production some time ago. I was talking about marketing strategies to help them get new clients and to grow their businesses. As we went through the Q&A time and the session drew to a close one of them said; “What we really want is for you to do this for us!” They weren’t joking, they all knew how important marketing is, but all hate the thought of doing it.If that’s you, then here’s my attempt at helping those of you who want to get ahead in audio when you hate the thought of marketing."

In this edition Julian & Ashea are joined by Miles Fulwider,  Producer, Engineer & Educator working extensively in Immersive formats and CEO of ADK Microphones. where they discuss how to take the simplistic, ‘less is more’ approach by capturing the best sound at source.  Talking Points:You can’t polish a ****, why capturing the best sound in the recording process will make your life easier.Mic and recording techniques for a ‘Grammy’ worthy sound. The only gear you’ll ever need. If we could only use a handful of tools for the rest of our careers, what would they be and whyHow might these approaches and philosophies apply to audio education?Applications in immersive audio (such as off-axis freq response). Finds of the week:Julian: AirsoundAshea:Charli XCX Album- BratMiles: Maag PreQ2

In this edition Julian is joined by William Wittman & Steve DeMott, where they discuss transparency vs colour.Talking Points:Coloured Vs Transparent gear,(mics, etc)  when, why and how do you use it?Arguments for and against.Gear recommendations.Recommended by Steve: Q2 AudioFinds of the week:Julian: New IEMsWilliam: youtube channel : Sorted Food  Steve: Netflix DocuSeries - Rise of Empires: Ottoman 

In this edition Julian & Ashea are joined by David Barber,  President of the Motion Picture Sound Editors. Reid Caulfield, sound editor, mixer & audio consultant in Los Angeles & Alex Gregson, head of audio & Post Production mentor at 344 Audio, where they discuss how to adapt to the shifting goal posts in Post Production.Talking Points:Post Production, post Covid, How has it changed? Has remote working affected/improved things for you, if so how?With so many AI and other new tools, the requirements of audio engineers in Post seem to be changing. What kind of changes are you seeing in your work and how are you adapting to these changes?What tools are you adding to your workflow to assist with new demands, or improve the quality in general?Scaling your team and business sustainably during challenging timesFinds of the week:Julian: 1985 Aria Pro II Laser Electric ClassicAshea: Rule Tec Heritage ProDavid: Matrix 20th anniversary eventReid: Relab VSR REV6000Alex: Streamdeck and Auto Hotkey

In this edition Julian & Ashea are joined by Justin Webster of The Cargo Cult and Mixing Engineer Paul Maunder, where they discuss ways in which we can apply tools used in Post Production to improve our immersive music mixes.Talking Points:What are some techniques that you often hear/use in Post Production that      could benefit music mixes?Perfecting the low end, LFE channel. (Subquake)Panning tricks Cutting/Creating in Stereo vs surround.Human Perception in 3D  DownmixingAtmos objects vs fixed channel formatsFinds of the week:Julian: BrunostAshea: Noise Works Audio- Gain Amp ProJustin: Godzilla Minus One!Paul: Marantz AV10 Audio Processor

In this edition, Julian & Ashea are joined by Noam Levinberg of Safari Pedals & Mark Gittins from Sensound, where they discuss how to break free from outdated schools of thought during the production and mixing process.Talking Points:Wild thoughts on classic studio techniques- what are some new, out there or avant-garde techniques or practices that work well work for you and conversely, what are some outdated tips/workflow?Breaking free from limiting schools of thought examplesMix sounding a little too tame? How to inject some excitementPlugins and tools that add interest Finds of the week:Julian: Antares Vocal DeesserAshea: Minimal Audio- Flex Chorus Noam: Oeksound BloomMark: SSL DrumStrip

In this edition  Julian and  Ashea  are joined by Grammy Award-winning Producer, Engineer & Musician Chris Shaw & Multi-Platinum Engineer Bainz , where they discuss ways in which we can streamline our workflow to help stay in the creative zone. Talking Points:What are some repetitive & time consuming tasks in our production/mixing workflows and what can we do to cut back on them and stay creative?Finds of the week:Julian: The SopranosAshea: Sonicbox Studios Bainz: VLC Mixwave Audio Channel StripChris: Lean into frustration when mixing

In this edition Julian and Ashea are joined by Eli Krantzberg, where they discuss the newly released Logic 11.Talking Points:New Logic Session PlayersGlobal Track and Region ChordsStem SplitterChromaGlowDolby Atmos EnhancementsSound & Producer PacksPitch Source ParameterLogic Pro for iPad 2Eli's Videos:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCNPNC0eRBIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92n-Nc-5kX0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it7GuEgViHIFinds of the week:Julian: Universal Audio SD 3, 5 & 7 Hemisphere MicsAshea: LED Strip LightsEli: Star Trek Continues

In this week’s edition Julian and Ashea are joined by Mark Gittins, where they discuss some of the secrets behind a successful immersive mix.Talking Points:Mixing the new Judas Priest albumHow does your approach differ when mixing in Atmos vs stereo?Important things to considerMaintaining the feel of the stereo mixWorkflowRooms, headphones ,monitors, home setups and tips for mixers getting started with immersive mixing.Finds of the week:Julian: Shure Nexadyne MicsAshea: Glaze 2Mark: Safari Pedals Plugins

In this week’s edition Julian & Ashea are joined by Paul Maunder, where they discuss some of the best advice, tips and tricks they've learned during their careers to date.Talking Points:Workflow tips, shortcuts and things you’ve discovered along the wayRecording, production and mixing tricks.Things you wish you knew when you first started outMindset tipsHow has your approach changed since entering into this industry?Who were your mentors, inspiration and reasons for adopting a different approach, workflow or mindset?Must have plugins or gear.Finds of the week:Julian: DX7 Podcast On SOSAshea: PSP Bin AmpPaul: Beyer DT700 Pro X

In this week’s edition Ashea is joined by Dallas Taylor from Defacto Sound & Twenty Thousand Hertz Podcast, where they discuss the sound design process behind some of the world's most famous brands.Talking Points:Working to a brief: What is your process for capturing the mood and creating an experience that complements the visual storytelling?Sound choice, inspiration, foley etc.What makes a sound instantly recognizable, e.g Netflix. What is the process like getting to that point?Optimising workflow: Tools, gear, deadlines. Emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities facing sound designers in an ever-evolving industry.Finds of the week:Ashea: Waves StreamDallas: Buy Back Your Time- Dan Martell

In this week’s edition Julian and  Ashea joined by Anna Bulakh of Respeecher, where they discuss the importance of ethics in AI and how to proceed with caution.Talking Points:What are some of the current threats AI poses in society/the audio and music industry today?Synthetic media, voice cloning software and other tools are still in their early stages but are incredibly powerful tools that can all be really useful if used wisely, however there needs to be ethical principles in place. The dangers of DeepfakesProvenance.Please tell us about Respeecher, what this tool offers and how you are putting ethical practices and policies at the forefront of your company.Damian’s article On Respeecher Finds of the week:Julian: Now TV has adsAshea: Notion AppAnna: Brief History Of AI - Michael Aldridge, Chip War Michael Phillips

In this week's edition Julian and Ashea are joined by Steve DeMott, where they discuss the music industry Gatekeepers of today, who are they and are they worse?Talking Points:Social Media age and the “democratization” of the industry.Labels vs the new A.I/Digital gatekeepersYoutube, Google and artist revenueFinds of the week:Julian: High Strung/Nashville StringsAshea: MCenterSteve: Pulsar 1178 

In this week’s edition Julian and  Ashea are joined by Reid Caulfield, where they discuss a recent article from the LA Times and ask ‘Is AI coming for our jobs, and should we be worried?’Talking Points:LA Times Article:https://www.latimes.com/.../ai-artificial-intelligence...From the article:"In the music and sound-recording industry, the tasks most likely to  be affected by AI are voice generation and cloning, music generation and  recording and lyrics composition,  followed by mastering, mixing and  tools programming, according to the study.More than 50% of survey  participants anticipated that AI would displace sound designers in the  next three years, while more than 40% saw AI coming for music editors,  audio technicians and sound engineers. Roughly a third of respondents  predicted a similar fate for songwriters, composers and studio  engineers."Our thoughts on the surveyBearing this in mind how should audio professional go about keeping themselves valuable (better than A.I)?How can we use A.I

On request of our listeners. In this week's episode Ashea is joined by Russ Hughes and Paul Maunder where they give tried and tested advice on  how to make a living in today's audio industry. Talking Points:What was your first pro gig and how did that come about?Getting work in a traditional studio settingFreelancingTypes of clients and how to deal with themBalancing a day jobWhen/how to transition into full timeFinds of the week:Ashea: All You Need To Know About The Music Business Russ: Criminal Record Show , i73 Pro Paul: Deity Theos digital radio mics

In this week’s edition Julian & Ashea are joined by Oliver Thomas and Maurice Patist from PMC.Talking Points:PMC & its history - background of companyRelationship with UGM/DolbyPMC and suitability for Immersive - any particular features which you think make them particularly suitable?How does an ATL differ from a ported or band pass cabinet in performance?PMC and DSP, Network ControlWhat, if anything, can you share about future developments at PMC?Finds of the week:Julian: Focusrite Vocaster TwoAshea: Crumple Pop Plosive Remover Maurice: Voyage Audio Spatial Mic, Julia Holter Something In The Room She MovesOliver: Audient Oria

Talking Points:In this episode Ashea is joined by Russ Hughes & Lexie Morgan of HHB London and formerly iZotope, to give three different perspectives on the recent UK government report about the obstacles women are met with while pursuing a career in the music industry. Summary of the UK Government report:The Report:Production Expert Article:Let’s briefly discuss how we feel about this report and how our experiences correspond with the data from the report.Sexual Harassment & Safety Issues:What safety & other measures do studios and workplaces need to put into place? What desperately needs changing?Dismantling The Bias:Change needs to take place from within. As well as the wonderful work that women (and men) are already doing to improve things, we also need to get more help from our male colleagues, bosses, fellow artists etc. What can men do to be better ‘allies’?Mentioned In This Podcast:https://www.production-expert.com/home-page/2017/7/31/pro-tools-expert-podcast-episode-280Finds of the week:A

In this week’s edition Julian & Ashea are joined by Eli Krantzberg where they discuss some of the stand out gear and plugins from NAMM 2024.Talking Points:Wolff Audio ConsoleHeritage Audio i73SSL 360 Blue Cat AudioYamaha- Seq track Raven MTi2Beyerdynamic -DT-770-proACE Studio - AI vocal synthesizerFinds Of The Week:Julian: Kii SEVENAshea: SolodomeEli: The red plastic water flask my wife got me for NAMM

In this week's edition Julian & Ashea are joined by audio engineer and current student James Watts, where they discuss ​​whether music education is adapting to meet the evolving needs of students and the industry.Talking Points:How much emphasis is placed on the following?Hands on experience, using hardware, navigating a mixing desk and traditional studio setups.A.I and one knob plugins: How granular are you taught to get with plugins?:Career Goals & Prospects: Training for commercial studio vs freelancer.The role of entrepreneurship, how the industry,networking and career advancement is changing.Finds of the week:Julian:  Avid NAMM Tech PreviewAshea: VEAJames: Pythogorean Tuning