Kellen McGregor is a producer, songwriter, and a guitarist in Memphis May Fire. On this episode: How Kellen balances a production career with Memphis May Fire The importance of proper sleep Kellen’s physical fitness routine Protect your ears at all costs! How Kellen approaches writing with production clients How Kellen secured the trust of his band mates as a mixer Mixing songs with dense layers The reality of test mixes Understanding the sonic goals for a mix in advance How to not...

Ben Johnson is a producer/audio engineer who has worked under notable producers such as Andrew Wade, Will Putney, and Machine for artists such as A Day To Remember, The Ghost Inside, Fit For An Autopsy, and many others. He’s also a URM alumni. On this episode: What reading the room actually means How Ben got started with Andrew Wade Admit when you don’t know something Pushing past imposter syndrome Sacrifices Ben made to help his dream become a reality What it’s like to keep up with...

Daniel Braunstein is a producer who has worked with Volumes, Spiritbox, Dayseeker, and many others. Raad Soudani is the bassist and co-producer in Volumes. On this episode: Dark times lead to even darker music Why Raad Soudani wanted to work with Daniel Braunstein again How Opeth, Mike Patton, and The Beatles trained their fans to expect the unexpected Why you need delusional optimism  Hell froze over. Heavy music is mainstream again. Dealing with the tragic loss of Diego Farias How...

Jeff Dunne is an engineer and mixer who has worked with Ice Nine Kills, Alluvial, Emmure, Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, and many others.  On this episode: Killing the LA and Nashville myth Remote production hacks How to quit your day job and mix full time What it was like mixing a perfectionist like Wes Hauch from Alluvial Jeff’s workflow with Drew Fulk AKA WZRD BLD How Jeff’s mixing has evolved since the Emmure Nail The Mix Playback strategies Why Jeff only wears black t-shirts Is...

Andrew Bayliss is a songwriter, producer, and engineer who has worked with Jellyroll, Sylar, Sleeping with Sirens, and many others. On this episode: Do you write enough songs to really be great at it?  Andrew’s process for getting demos done quickly What it was like working with Jellyroll on “Dead Man Walking” Darker music for darker times Making every aspect of a song correspond to the hook What it was like working with Zakk Cervini on Sleeping With Sirens Want to level up your audio...

Matt Thomas is a producer, engineer, and composer who has worked with Left to Suffer, Kingdom of Giants, Darko, Nerv, Sunspear, and many others. On this episode: - Realizing you’re the a*****e live sound engineer - How Jason Richardson’s unique vision sets him apart from other shredders - Where to find ALL the royalties you’re owed - The Darko production process  - Speed Mixing for fun and profit - What Cannibal Corpse and Adele have in common - The genius of Richard Cheese Want to level up...

Jesse Zuretti is an award-winning composer & sound designer for Marvel, as well as Netflix. He’s also a songwriter and guitarist for his cinematic metal band Binary Code. On this episode: 3:00 - Knowing when to pivot  14:46 - Absorbing music as a kid  25:30 - Being persistent without being a punisher 42:34 - Working with Netflix and leveling up 1:00:48 - Starting a production company and building a team Sponsored by: DistroKid Follow Jesse Zuretti on Instagram. Want to level up your audio...

Jeremy Spencer is a drummer, vocalist, and songwriter. He was previously in Five Finger Death Punch and now releases music as Psycho Synner. Shawn McGhee is a producer and songwriter. On this episode: 4:37 - Drum editing is a fine-tuned skill 15:57 - Getting repeat clients 28:57 - You have to write music you like, don’t chase accolades 38:08 - Try things and fail in order to see what works 48:37 - Focusing on what will get you to your goal Sponsored by: DistroKid Want to level up your audio...

Jeremy Spencer is a drummer, vocalist, and songwriter. He was previously in Five Finger Death Punch and now releases music as Psycho Synner. Shawn McGhee is a producer and songwriter. On this episode: 4:37 - Drum editing is a fine-tuned skill 15:57 - Getting repeat clients 28:57 - You have to write music you like, don’t chase accolades 38:08 - Try things and fail in order to see what works 48:37 - Focusing on what will get you to your goal Sponsored by: DistroKid Want to level up your audio...

Will Yip is a producer, songwriter, and label owner known for his work with bands such as Code Orange, Circa Survive, Turnstile and many more. Today, he joins Eyal Levi to answer questions from the URM Discord community. On this episode: 2:23 - Working in different genres 10:44 - Analog vs.digital workflow 23:00 - Music release strategy 39:00 - Being more assertive with artists 48:55 - What happens when a song isn’t coming to fruition Sponsored by: DistroKid Want to level up your audio game?...

Eyal Levi and Joel Wanasek are critiquing mixes of “Drone Corpse Aviator” by Archspire.  On this episode: Why Archspire has a hard style to mix When to make changes vs. starting over You can’t have a muddy mix And more! Sponsored by: DistroKid Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Insanely detailed audio production tutorials One-on-one feedback Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest names in rock and metal Be sure to follow...

Jesse Cannon is a producer, podcaster, mastering engineer, author, and music marketer who also produces podcasts for The Daily Beast.  On this episode: 10:16 - Vanity metrics won’t help you 16:46 - Breaking into other regions 26:51 - Cheat codes in metal 35:55 - Socials or content, which comes first? 44:10 - TikTok promotion works Sponsored by: DistroKid Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Insanely detailed audio production...

Mike Plotnikoff is a producer/engineer who has worked with acts such as AC/DC, Aerosmith, and Cher alongside producers such as Howard Benson, Mutt Lange, Bruce Fairbairn, and countless others. On this episode: 2:45 - Failing more than you succeed 13:05 - Keep moving forward and take breaks as needed 27:17 - Understanding your strengths and weaknesses  35:07 - Visualizing mixes 47:45 - Imposing boundaries on your work 59:24 - What it’s like to work on Howard Benson’s team Sponsored by:...

Chris Clancy is a producer, engineer, musician, and the singer of Mutiny Within. He’s worked with Machine Head, Kataklysm, and many others. On this episode: 7:00 - Working with Jason Suecof and getting into production 19:37 - Being a person who can just learn new things 33:25 - Taking calculated risks 46:03 - Getting a chance from Colin Richardson 54:15 - Knowing when something is good enough 1:01:53 - How long album mixes take 1:10:31 - Working with STL Tones Follow Chris Clancy on...

Dryw Owens is an engineer who has worked with Dance Gavin Dance, Hail the Sun, A Lot Like Birds, and many others. He works out of Little Russia Recordings in Sacramento, CA. On this episode: 2:15 - Being a collaborator 13:50 - The trajectory of the artists is important 21:00 - Democracies can be bad for bands 31:59 - Why the sophomore slump exists 41:46 - Helping people get to the next level and stand out 53:13 - Taking detailed notes on techniques used Sponsored by: DistroKid Want to level...

Dan Weller is a guitarist in SikTh and a producer, mixer, and songwriter who has worked with Enter Shikari, Young Guns, and Babymetal, among others. On this episode: 3:45 - Writing songs that stand the test of time 14:19 - Be clear about your goals early on 35:20 - Taking control of sessions 43:13 - Having someone else’s future in your hands 51:15 - Working with Taylor Larson 1:13:38 - Working on Enter Shikari’s The Mindsweep 1:19:00 - Piggybacking and riff writing Want to level up your...

MixCritMonday is back! Eyal Levi and Joel Wanasek crit three subscriber mixes of Jason Richardson’s “Upside Down.” On this episode: 7:15 - Bass guitar balance 9:54 - Inconsistent cymbals 17:58 - Painful highs and mids 23:14 - When gear helps 26:39 - How too much low end impacts a whole mix Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Insanely detailed audio production tutorials One-on-one feedback Multi-track sessions from some of the biggest...

Lewis Johns is a producer and mixer out of the UK who has worked with bands and labels such as Loathe, Irist, Wall Flower, Palm Reader, Sony Music Entertainment, Nuclear Blast, Universal Music Group, Rise and Warner Brothers.  On this episode: 3:08 - Staying on top of a busy schedule 14:43 - Learn the various aspects of production before delegating tasks 26:48 - Modern vs. old school producers 37:18 - Developing your own sound comes in time 48:18 - You build your reputation little by...

Randy Slaugh is a composer and producer who has worked with Architects, Periphery, Four Year Strong, and many others. On this episode: 2:22 - Becoming a composer 18:08 - Play the long game and do cold outreach 25:12 - Having a routine and boundaries 32:05 - You can’t be a lone wolf if you want to scale up 39:18 - Not all projects will work out 52:38 - Treat ALL of your clients like they’re important Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM. When you sign up, you'll get access...

Mike Mowery is an artist manager at 10th Street Entertainment where he manages Ice Nine Kills. On this episode: 2:26 - Adapting from tour management to artist management 18:53 - Honing Spencer Charnas’s vision with Ice Nine Kills 25:20 - The role of loyalty in the industry 37:50 - Don’t quit just because things get hard 58:16 - Shifting from Outerloop to 10th St Entertainment Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Insanely detailed audio...

Misha Mansoor and Mark Holcomb are the duo who make up Haunted Shores and guitarists in Periphery.  On this episode: 5:30 - Black metal recording styles 19:35 - How Misha learned the difference between black metal and death metal 31:36 - Creative boundaries 46:54 - Solving the riff puzzle 53:15 - Knowing when you need space from your work 1:16:19 - Mistaking productivity for progress Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Insanely detailed...

Finn McKenty is the Director of Operations at URM and the creator behind The Punk Rock MBA YouTube channel and podcast.  On this episode: 7:08 - Time management 14:52 - Gaining a following on social media 26:54 - Using trial and error to find your unique style 36:35 - NFTs and crypto in the music industry 42:10 - Capitalizing on opportunities Follow Finn McKenty on Twitter and Instagram. Check out The Punk Rock MBA YouTube channel and Finn’s second channel. Check out The Punk Rock MBA...

Francesco Ferrini is a pianist, composer, and the keyboardist in Fleshgod Apocalypse. He’s also known for his orchestral arrangements for artists such as Dimmu Borgir, Ice Nine Kills, and many more. On this episode: 5:22 - The orchestral influence in Fleshgod Apocalypse 16:17 - Finding clarity in a dense arrangement 42:44 - Writing guitar parts that work with orchestra 1:09:57 - How to get better at orchestration Follow Francesco Ferrini on Instagram and Twitter. Want to level up your audio...

Taylor Young is a producer, mixer, and musician (ex Nails) who has worked with Suicide Silence, Twitching Tongues, and many others.  On this episode: 3:36 - Working with bands who can play 14:44 - How a drum career influenced a production career 27:39 - Getting sick guitar tones 38:24 - Sending musicians home 43:19 - Taylor’s new pedal Follow Taylor Young on Twitter.  Check out Taylor’s studio The Pit. Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM. When you sign up, you'll get access...

David Levy is a composer, audio engineer and sound designer who is known for his work with Rooster Teeth and on Doom.  On this episode: 2:00 - Health as a priority 12:10 - Working on Doom 27:06 - Staying organized under intense pressure 40:26 - Channeling your creativity at any time 51:02 - Incorporating drums into composing/sound design Follow David Levy on Instagram and Twitter. Check out David Levy’s website. Want to level up your audio game? Sign up for URM. When you sign up, you'll get...