Unstoppable Recording Machine Podcast

Zakk Cervini and Matt Pauling (Blink-182, Black Veil Brides, Sleeping with Sirens) have planted their flags at the top of the audio production hill, and they’re here to discuss how they’ve done it. It takes a lot to compete at a level that would lead to someone becoming the right hand man of John Feldman. On this episode we’ve got not one, but two guys that have done just that. Zakk and Matt bring some amazing stories and truly valuable insight to the discussion. “It just comes from doing it, and failing, and trying again.” - Zakk Cervini ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - What producers look for in potential interns - Zakk and Matt’s experiences working with John Feldman - How they make use of templates and presets - Recording in weird locations - Zakk and Matt’s go to gear - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zakk Cervini, a record producer known for his work with Blink-182 and Good Charlotte, and Matt Pauling, a producer and engineer for bands like Sleeping with Sirens, dive into the art of achieving perfect guitar tones. They share tips on layering guitars for impact and discuss the pros and cons of amp sims versus real amps. With insights into maintaining gear and the importance of player skill in tone quality, they emphasize simple setups and the significance of fresh strings. If you want to elevate your sound, this is a must-listen!

Chris Sernel works with some of the biggest pop acts in the world, and no matter your genre, he’s got songwriting advice that’s going to help you level up your songs. Writing and producing songs that compete at the top of the charts is not an easy feat. Regardless of the genre, no one wants to release songs that go unnoticed. Are the songs you’re working on going to connect? Would you like to know how to make it more likely that they do? This episodes’ for you. “Several writing sessions start with an unspoken form of who’s copyright can we violate today.” -Chris Sernel THIS WEEK, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - How to write songs that connect with listeners - The power of the hook - Coming up with cohesive, clear ideas - The complications involved in releasing music on major labels - The importance of making your songwriting routine - Getting through writer’s block and not waiting for inspiration - Figuring out how to deal with shifting trends - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Brown is the guy you want to listen to if you want great sounding drums, so, we brought him in to give you some tips and tricks to do just that. If you want amazing end results in your drum recordings then you need to start at the beginning of the process. Do not pass go, do not collect $200 until you’ve figured out how to set that drum kit up. Yes, really digging into the setup of drum kits can be difficult and it takes a lot of experience to figure out. Matt has that experience, and you’re going to hear some secrets on this episode that he was actually hesitant to share. But he’s a generous guy. “If you don’t develop your ear, you’re never going to know whether something is in tune on a drum or out.” - Matt Brown ON THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - How to get better at drum tuning - Why Matt isn’t a fan of drum dials - Guidelines for finding a drum’s pitch - When and how to use muffling - The importance of bottom heads - The cotton ball trick - Getting the most bang for your buck from your drums - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fred Archambault (Avenged Sevenfold, Last Call With Carson Daly, Alice Cooper) has a wealth of knowledge about getting into and being successful in the audio production industry. From producing the biggest metal bands on earth, to mixing live recordings for hit TV shows, there’s very little that Fred Archambault hasn't done. And you’re in for a treat, because he doesn’t hold anything back in this episode. “If you do good work, then you’ll leave a trail.” - Fred Archambault THIS WEEK, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Different methods for mixing bass - Fred’s advice for breaking into the industry - Differences between mixing live recordings and studio work - Fred and Eyal’s experiences going to Berklee - The place of internships in building careers - The technical secrets behind some of Fred’s mixing techniques - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Mowery, president of Outerloop Management joins us to discuss the ever changing landscape of the music industry. Branding, social media, video, photo content, getting management, on and on - keeping up with all of them is a juggling act and it can get overwhelming. How do you build an effective and manageable game plan for all of these things? Mike Mowery lays down some guidelines that are certain to get you on the right track. “Change is inevitable. And sometimes it’s exciting and sometimes it’s frustrating.” - Mike Mowery THIS WEEK, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - How to keep up with the ever changing music industry - The importance of branding - Effectively using social media - Why you should be active in helping develop a scene - If and when a producer should get management - How to get in touch with industry professionals as a producer - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A&R representative and Noise Creators founder Johnny Minardi joins us to demystify the A&R process. The music industry is in a constant state of flux; as an A&R rep, Johnny Minardi is in a great position to map out practices that are likely to help you succeed, no matter what part of the industry you’re in. Whether you’re a producer, musician, or looking to get into the behind the scenes business side of the industry, you will find something of value here. “Why am I investing time and effort into a band who doesn’t want to work?” - Johnny Minardi THIS WEEK, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Artist development - What A&R actually is and how to get into the field - How A&R has changed with the industry - How to know if A&R is something you need - How to get more work as a producer - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acclaimed songwriter and producer Drew Fulk (Motionless In White, Escape The Fate, We Came As Romans) joins us to discuss songwriting, his methods for co-writing with bands, and how he became the in demand writer he is today. Writing great songs isn’t simple. Things gets even more complicated if you’re a producer co-writing with a band. Everyone has the same goal of creating a great end result, but will you have the tools to make the process go smoothly? Listening to what Drew Fulk has to say is a good start. “The less changes you have, the more cohesive the song will sound to the listener.” - Drew Fulk THIS WEEK, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - The various forms that co-writing with bands can take - Networking, networking, networking, and not overselling yourself - Maximizing your creative output - Tips for transitions and outros - Drew’s opinion on what makes a great song - How to refine initial ideas into finished songs - The legalities involved in co-writing - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to #Mixcritmonday, the show where we critique YOUR mixes. Make that #Songcritmonday, because in this edition the submissions are getting some specific attention to songwriting. A solidly written song is going to provide the foundation for a mix that stands to capture the ears and minds of listeners. You could be the best mixer in the world, but if your song isn’t captivating what are the chances anyone will notice? We’re going to help you make sure that doesn’t happen “Even when the listener has a long attention span, they still like movement and dynamics.” - Eyal Levi THIS WEEK, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - The importance of dynamic songwriting - Making sure you’re not just throwing together a riff salad - Balancing the technical and artistic sides of your music - How to maintain listener interest - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sahaj Tocotin (record producer, vocalist of Ra) is with us in this episode to talk about fearlessly approaching the process of songwriting. For many of us, songwriting is going to be a part of the production process at one time or another. A producer with serious songwriting chops will always go further in their career. Do you have what it takes to save a client from a shitty song? What can you do to keep your workflow running smoothly? Do you feel like you have the finesse to write hits? We’re going to give you a head start. “On one side, you have to have the confidence to move on and not dwell on something for too long. On the other… you have to have the strength and courage to fight for a good idea, however many times you have to fight for it.” - Sahaj Ticotin THIS WEEK, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT: - Effective time management and learning to move on - How to make a living with songwriting - The base elements of a healthy workflow - What makes a hit song - And much, much more Thanks for listening! Leave us a comment or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices