November 18, 2025 • 16 mins
Ready to trade plugin FOMO and meter anxiety for moves that actually make your tracks better? Marc pulls seven stand-out moments from a huge year of conversations with producers, engineers and artists to help you finish faster, mix with confidence and stay creatively sharp.
We kick off with a surprising angle on depth: shaping contrast with bit depth instead of defaulting to saturation. You’ll hear how assigning different resolutions to drums, pads, and leads can create three-dimensional mixes that hold up in mono and stereo. From there, dismantle the gear trap. Modern DAWs already include the essentials; the real upgrade is mastering fundamentals like tonal balance, gain staging and arrangement so every later purchase has purpose.
Loudness gets a refresh with a simple truth: LUFS is the result of mastering, not the target. Focus on tone, punch and cohesion, then check integrated LUFS for how platforms will treat your music. We lean into ear-first decisions, too—set a solid static mix, push the faders, and don’t let a scary-looking EQ curve talk you out of the right move. On the mastering front, we explore why a dedicated mastering engineer is often the first truly fresh set of ears your project gets, and how that perspective helps you avoid circular tweaks and ensures reliable translation.
Songwriting fans get a creative jolt as we talk about lyrics as well-narrated hallucinations grounded in truth. Wait for ideas that feel necessary, then go all in. Finally, we round things out with workflow wisdom: reference tracks, clear sound selection, minimal EQ, and fader-first mixing to keep momentum high and second-guessing low. If you want practical, repeatable steps that improve your music across streaming, clubs and headphones, this highlight reel delivers.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Marc Matthews (00:24):
You're listening to the Inside the Mix podcast
with your host, Mark Matthews.
Welcome to Inside the Mix, yourgo-to podcast for music
creation and production.
Whether you're crafting yourfirst track or refining your
mixing skills, join me each weekfor expert interviews,
practical tutorials, andinsights to help you level up
(00:45):
your music and smash it in themusic industry.
Let's dive in.
Hello, folks, and welcome tothe Inside the Mix podcast.
A big welcome to any newlisteners and of course a big
welcome back to the returninglisteners.
In this episode, we'recelebrating another amazing year
of the podcast.
In 2025, I had the pleasure ofsitting down with a plethora of
(01:06):
amazing producers, audioengineers, mastering engineers,
and everything in between.
And in this episode, we aregoing to be celebrating just
those conversations.
Truth be told, this is part oneof a two-part series where I'm
going to be sharing seven.
So that's seven in this episodeand seven in the next episode.
Top moments of the podcast in2025.
(01:27):
So it's going to be a mixtureof practical tips, mindset
shifts, and just general lightbulb moments across this
fantastic year that we've had atthe podcast.
Now I wish I could includeevery guest that I've had on the
show this year because everyconversation had a golden moment
in it.
But that being said, I justwant to say a massive thank you
to everybody who has supportedthe podcast throughout this year
(01:50):
and the previous years, to behonest, and also featured on the
podcast as well.
It's you that keep this podcastticking over, keep it going,
and also help me to keep itgrowing as well.
And whilst we're on that topic,I am planning 2026.
And I want your input.
I want you to be part of thepodcast next year.
Help me shape it.
(02:11):
Click the link in the episodedescription and fill out the
quick two-minute survey.
What's working with thepodcast?
Maybe what isn't working withthe podcast.
What do you see?
What do you want to see moreof?
And maybe what you want to seeless of.
Or maybe just something elseentirely altogether.
There is a free text box inthere.
And also, share your music winof 2025 and feature on episode
(02:33):
227, which is going to be thelast episode of 2025.
And a big thank you toeverybody who has submitted
their feedback so far.
It is invaluable informationfor me and the podcast going
forward.
And I'm also excited to shareyour wins that you've shared so
far as well.
So, folks, before the deadline,that is the end of November.
Click that link in the episodedescription and feature on the
(02:54):
podcast on episode 227 and alsohelp me shape the podcast in
2026.
Click that link, folks.
Here's why this episodematters.
At the end of the year, most ofus look back at what worked and
what didn't work in thatprevious year.
In this and the next episode,we're going to unpack insights
that helped artists finish musicfaster, mix smarter, and also
(03:17):
stay creative longer.
So my first highlight of 2025is episode 179 with Shane Slack,
and it's titled Mix or MasterFirst.
And it's the secrets to betteraudio production.
So in this episode, we touch onshould I mix or master first?
Why understanding your sourcematerial was crucial to avoid
(03:38):
unnecessary processing?
The pitfalls of shortcutsseeking behavior, breaking out
of the plug-in chain trap, andtechniques for creating depth
and movement in your mixes.
And in particular, this oneclip that I'm sharing with you
is Shane talking about using bitdepth, ironically, here, to add
depth in a mix.
So hear me out, listen to this,because this was a true light
(04:01):
bulb moment.
And of course, with all ofthese sort of uh episodes that
I'm recommending here, folks,these top uh moments of 2025, do
go and listen to these episodesif you haven't done so already.
And in fact, just go andre-listen to them anyway,
because they're fantasticepisodes.
So this is my top moment ofepisode 179 with Shane Slack.
Shane Slack (04:21):
Or even the other way I've been creating depth.
Like I've showed anothercolleague of mine, it's like,
how do you create depth in themix?
And they immediately reach forsaturation.
And I'm like, well, that'sthat's an easy way to do it.
Let's talk about a differentway.
What about bit depth?
And he was like, What do youmean?
And I grabbed like an AbletonRedux, because we were in
Ableton at the time.
Usually I use D16 decimal, butI'm like, your audience has no
(04:43):
idea what the bit depth of yoursample of the source is.
So we're like, what if I put mydrums in 12-bit?
And what if I put my my pads in14-bit and all that stuff, and
I'm doing it in mono.
And he's like, wow, why is iteven in mono?
It just sounds like there'slike a three-dimensionality to
it.
And it's like, well, becauseagain, it's biasing against each
other, but now you're creatingdepth that works both in mono
(05:06):
and in stereo, and also becausethings that are a lot going to
be of higher bit depth are gonnafeel a lot more defined.
Marc Matthews (05:12):
My second top moment of 2025 comes from
episode 199, and it's titled TheHidden Production Habits You're
Probably Ignoring at Your OwnRisk.
And in this episode, I wasjoined by my good friend Tim
Benson, aka R9, and we touch ontopics such as five common music
production mistakes, how to usereference tracks, track
(05:33):
labeling, and sessionorganization, and how to avoid
overprocessing and mixing andmastering.
And in particular, the topmoment I've taken from this
particular episode is where wediscuss starting small and
upgrading later and theimportance of not falling into
the trap of gear acquisition.
(05:55):
So this is the top moment fromepisode 199.
And this again could be anepisode in itself is that buying
more equipment, more plugins,isn't necessarily the answer to
a problem that you might befacing.
It could well be linked tomaybe you just need to go back
to basics and look at what youhave at hand.
(06:16):
And it might be actually youdon't need to go out and buy the
best EQ plugin out there.
Maybe you need to actuallyrefine your understanding of
what equalization is and tonalbalance before actually going
out.
So building up your skillsbefore maybe having the ultimate
perfect setup could be the wayto go.
Tim Benson (06:31):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And most, I mean, it probably,as we've said, like DAWs and all
the different things, most ofthem now will come with
everything you need to startmaking music.
You won't need to go and buy aload of third party things.
Don't get sucked into thatstraight away.
You've probably got a ton ofthings to learn within what
you've got, you know.
Marc Matthews (06:52):
And most definitely, most definitely.
So my third top moment of 2025in these seven top moments of
2025 is episode 186, or rather,it's taken from episode 186.
Why luffs don't matter as muchas you think with Ian Shepard.
So acclaimed masteringengineer, Ian Shepherd.
(07:13):
In this episode, we discussedluffs.
How many luffs should yourmaster be?
The truth of about luffs forSpotify.
What does luffs stand for?
Uh, how normalization impactsyour music across different
streaming platforms and lotsmore as well.
And this particular excerpt, ifyou will, taken from this
episode, I think I said thatcorrectly, is where Ian talks
(07:35):
about luffs should be the resultand not the target.
Target could be seen as a dirtyword in this instance.
Uh sweeping statement there.
So here we go.
This is Ian Shepherd, episode186.
Ian Shepherd (07:47):
A little bit of both.
I mean, the honest answer is Idon't really care about either
of them.
So I because I don't choose myloudness by meters.
I mean, I have a little kind ofcatchphrase that I came up with
that I shared on socials, whichis that the LUFS should be the
result of the mastering, not thetarget of the mastering, right?
So master it so it sounds good.
Then the integrated, I mean theintegrated value, don't get me
(08:08):
wrong, is important because it'swhat streaming services use.
And we can talk about that inmore detail.
So it has a big impact onwhat's going to happen to your
music when it gets played backon Apple Music and YouTube and
Spotify and Tidal and all therest of them.
Marc Matthews (08:20):
Yeah.
Ian Shepherd (08:20):
So it is important to know at the end of the
process and to check that you'rehappy with the results that
you've got.
But when I'm working, actually,I mean I tend not even to watch
an LUFS meter.
As I say, I've got my VU meter.
Marc Matthews (08:32):
My fourth top moment of 2025 is taken from
episode 197, Why I Don't TouchPlugins Before Doing This.
The Art of Static Mixing withNate Kelms of the Sound
Discussion Podcast.
And in this episode, we discussstatic mixing, uh, how to
transition from static mix to afull mix, top-down mixing as
(08:53):
well, and analog gear versusplugins.
What mix engineers prefer?
And the highlight from thisepisode is Nate talking about
trusting your gut and not youreyes.
So this is episode 197 withNate Kelms.
Nate Kelmes (09:09):
Oh, I've I've increased this by 9 dB.
That's way too much.
I can't possibly do that.
No, you know what?
9 dB might be exact 12 dB mightbe what we need.
Marc Matthews (09:17):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Nate Kelmes (09:19):
But on a screen, you see that curve jump up by 12
dB.
You're like, no, that nope,can't do that.
Bring it down.
I'm breaking the rules.
No.
Marc Matthews (09:27):
It goes back to what we said right at the
beginning of trust in your gut.
And if you're not using youreyes, which I mean there there's
always an argument to saysometimes we need to have that
visual element, but trust inyour gut sometimes and thinking,
actually, this song does needthat.
The rules, I mean, the rules,it's creativity, isn't it?
Ultimately the end of the day.
Right.
Nate Kelmes (09:47):
It's exactly and it's subjective, and and someone
else may hate it, and someoneelse may love it.
And you know what?
As long as you are able tostand behind what you put out,
it doesn't matter.
Anything.
None of the none of it matters.
9 dB, 12 dB, hell, 30 dB if youwant to.
But you know, if it resonateswith you, then that's all that
(10:08):
matters.
It doesn't matter what anybodyelse thinks.
Marc Matthews (10:11):
My fifth top moment is taken from episode
193.
And it's titled, I asked a proif you really need a mastering
engineer and if you can DIY doit yourself.
And this features Mike Marsh,who is uh just around the corner
from me in Xmouth.
So it was a pleasure uh talkingto Mike for the first time, and
(10:32):
then I had the pleasure ofactually going to visit Mike at
his studio, which was amazing.
And they also mastered my trackuh Darklight featuring Indigo
as well, did a banging job onthat.
So do go check out Mike's work.
And it's great to have a fellowDevonian on the uh on the
podcast.
In in this episode, we discussuh what is music mastering and
why it's important, commonmastering mistakes, debunking
(10:52):
the fix-it in mastering myth,difference between mixing and
mastering in music, and how tobecome a mastering engineer as
well.
Because Mike's been doing it along time, so some really good
advice there.
And the moment taken from thisepisode is Mike discussing how a
mastering engineer is the firstnew set of ears and why that is
(11:13):
so important to the success ofa song, of a release.
So this is episode 193 withMike Marsh.
Mike Marsh (11:20):
A mastering engineer or somebody else working on
your music is the first timeanother set of ears outside of
your environment has heard whatyou're doing.
When you're when you'reperforming, mixing, recording,
um, and then trying to masterall of it yourself, you lose
complete perspective on whatsounds good anymore.
(11:40):
And I've worked with a lot ofartists who've tried it
themselves and they just end upchasing their tail, going round
and round in circles becausethey don't know anymore.
And I admire people who give ita go.
Um, but right now I work with alot of artists who are quite
capable of recording their ownstuff and mixing their own stuff
and probably mastering theirown stuff if I'm honest, but
(12:02):
they still send it to me becauseI'm that second set of ears
outside of their comfort zone.
Marc Matthews (12:07):
The penultimate moment of this list of seven is
episode 187, The Midnight, TylerLyle unlocking the secrets of
synthwave songwriting.
I was extremely excited by thisepisode because I'm a I'm a big
uh midnight fan.
And uh in this episode, wediscuss the essence of
songwriting, collaborationprocess, production setup and
(12:28):
vocal chain, daily creativedisciplines, mythology and
archetypes and lyrics are somereally, really good advice on
lyric writing here because it'ssomething I struggle with.
So I took loads away from thisand remote collaboration
challenges.
And in particular, the momentI've taken from this episode is
where Tyler is talking aboutlyrics and the creative process
(12:50):
and how he describes creativesas ferrying ideas from one realm
to this one.
Some really interesting stuffin this one.
It's a fantastic listen.
So this is episode 187 withTyler Lal at the Midnight.
Tyler Lyle (13:03):
Lyricists to be bolder, to push the limits of of
good taste, to like really makeit make it challenging.
There are people that push itin the horror thing or make it
overly sexual.
I mean, I mean, really, I thinkGustofelstein's new record kind
of does it in an interestingway.
Nobody knows what a song issupposed to be, lyrically.
(13:24):
It's a well-narratedhallucination.
Just make make sure that itcomes from something that feels
like it has the essence oftruth, something that feels like
it needs to exist.
We we as creatives are ferryingideas from one realm to this
one and make sure that it's notjust created from a sense of
like ego or needing the numbersto be up or somebody to hear,
(13:47):
you know, to validate me as anartist.
Like make sure the idea needsto exist first.
And I think if you wait untilthat idea comes and then go all
in on that idea, that song, thenthat's what the world needs
more of.
Marc Matthews (13:59):
And my final top moment in this first list of
seven in this two-part series istaken from episode 230, Finish
Tracks Faster, Workflow HacksEvery Producer Needs, featuring
John Kunkel of the New Division.
A big shout out to MichaelOakley for the warm
introduction.
Uh, it was a pleasure talkingwith John.
Got loads out of this from acreative perspective, as I do
(14:20):
with all episodes.
So we discussed workflowoptimization with reference
tracks, sound selection versusprocessing, sound design and
synthesis tools and where tobegin, knowing when a track is
finished, and we also discussedsome of John's upcoming projects
and where to connect with him,as I do with all the um the
artists as well.
So just on that note, folks, ifuh you do want to learn more
(14:41):
about any individuals that I'vespoken to on the podcast, I
always include links in theepisode descriptions.
And I put a link to all theseepisodes in the episode
description for this episode aswell.
It's an episode a lot there.
So in particular, the highlightI've taken from this is where
John discusses volume fadermixing and minimal EQ and his
approach.
(15:01):
So this is the final top momentof this first lift of seven,
list of seven, and it's episode213 with John Kunkel.
John Kunkel (15:11):
You know, with my own tracks, I rarely, you know,
when I finish them and send themoff to labels, I don't really
do that much mixing to them.
I I very I mean mixing in thesense of like surgical EQing and
stuff like that.
Usually what I do is like I'lljust level things out.
So it's you know, the I Ireally do believe in just volume
fader mixing and very minimal,minimal, minimal EQ.
And then any other EQing isreally for creative purposes.
Marc Matthews (15:33):
And that wraps up my top moments of 2025 part
one.
Make sure you tune in for parttwo, which will obviously come
next in line.
Uh a big thank you to everybodywho has been part of the
podcast, not only in 2025, butthe years preceding that as
well.
And of course, a huge thank youto you, the listener, for
sticking with the podcast,coming back every week and
(15:55):
listening to me chat with someamazing people.
You are what keeps this podcastgoing ultimately.
And with that in mind, do clickthe link in the episode
description, fill in thatfeedback survey.
It will literally take you twominutes of your time and help me
shape the podcast in 2026 andalso share your musical win as
well.
Because I want to feature youon the podcast in episode 227.
(16:16):
You've got until the end ofNovember to do that.
Please do click that link inthe episode description.
If you've enjoyed this episode,folks, click the link in the
episode description and checkout the episodes I've
recommended in this episode.
And don't forget to join me inpart two.
Until next time, keep creating,keep mixing, and I'll see you
in the next episode.
You're listening to the Inside the Mix podcast
with your host, Mark Matthews.
Welcome to Inside the Mix, yourgo-to podcast for music
creation and production.
Whether you're crafting yourfirst track or refining your
mixing skills, join me each weekfor expert interviews,
practical tutorials, andinsights to help you level up
(00:45):
your music and smash it in themusic industry.
Let's dive in.
Hello, folks, and welcome tothe Inside the Mix podcast.
A big welcome to any newlisteners and of course a big
welcome back to the returninglisteners.
In this episode, we'recelebrating another amazing year
of the podcast.
In 2025, I had the pleasure ofsitting down with a plethora of
(01:06):
amazing producers, audioengineers, mastering engineers,
and everything in between.
And in this episode, we aregoing to be celebrating just
those conversations.
Truth be told, this is part oneof a two-part series where I'm
going to be sharing seven.
So that's seven in this episodeand seven in the next episode.
Top moments of the podcast in2025.
(01:27):
So it's going to be a mixtureof practical tips, mindset
shifts, and just general lightbulb moments across this
fantastic year that we've had atthe podcast.
Now I wish I could includeevery guest that I've had on the
show this year because everyconversation had a golden moment
in it.
But that being said, I justwant to say a massive thank you
to everybody who has supportedthe podcast throughout this year
(01:50):
and the previous years, to behonest, and also featured on the
podcast as well.
It's you that keep this podcastticking over, keep it going,
and also help me to keep itgrowing as well.
And whilst we're on that topic,I am planning 2026.
And I want your input.
I want you to be part of thepodcast next year.
Help me shape it.
(02:11):
Click the link in the episodedescription and fill out the
quick two-minute survey.
What's working with thepodcast?
Maybe what isn't working withthe podcast.
What do you see?
What do you want to see moreof?
And maybe what you want to seeless of.
Or maybe just something elseentirely altogether.
There is a free text box inthere.
And also, share your music winof 2025 and feature on episode
(02:33):
227, which is going to be thelast episode of 2025.
And a big thank you toeverybody who has submitted
their feedback so far.
It is invaluable informationfor me and the podcast going
forward.
And I'm also excited to shareyour wins that you've shared so
far as well.
So, folks, before the deadline,that is the end of November.
Click that link in the episodedescription and feature on the
(02:54):
podcast on episode 227 and alsohelp me shape the podcast in
2026.
Click that link, folks.
Here's why this episodematters.
At the end of the year, most ofus look back at what worked and
what didn't work in thatprevious year.
In this and the next episode,we're going to unpack insights
that helped artists finish musicfaster, mix smarter, and also
(03:17):
stay creative longer.
So my first highlight of 2025is episode 179 with Shane Slack,
and it's titled Mix or MasterFirst.
And it's the secrets to betteraudio production.
So in this episode, we touch onshould I mix or master first?
Why understanding your sourcematerial was crucial to avoid
(03:38):
unnecessary processing?
The pitfalls of shortcutsseeking behavior, breaking out
of the plug-in chain trap, andtechniques for creating depth
and movement in your mixes.
And in particular, this oneclip that I'm sharing with you
is Shane talking about using bitdepth, ironically, here, to add
depth in a mix.
So hear me out, listen to this,because this was a true light
(04:01):
bulb moment.
And of course, with all ofthese sort of uh episodes that
I'm recommending here, folks,these top uh moments of 2025, do
go and listen to these episodesif you haven't done so already.
And in fact, just go andre-listen to them anyway,
because they're fantasticepisodes.
So this is my top moment ofepisode 179 with Shane Slack.
Shane Slack (04:21):
Or even the other way I've been creating depth.
Like I've showed anothercolleague of mine, it's like,
how do you create depth in themix?
And they immediately reach forsaturation.
And I'm like, well, that'sthat's an easy way to do it.
Let's talk about a differentway.
What about bit depth?
And he was like, What do youmean?
And I grabbed like an AbletonRedux, because we were in
Ableton at the time.
Usually I use D16 decimal, butI'm like, your audience has no
(04:43):
idea what the bit depth of yoursample of the source is.
So we're like, what if I put mydrums in 12-bit?
And what if I put my my pads in14-bit and all that stuff, and
I'm doing it in mono.
And he's like, wow, why is iteven in mono?
It just sounds like there'slike a three-dimensionality to
it.
And it's like, well, becauseagain, it's biasing against each
other, but now you're creatingdepth that works both in mono
(05:06):
and in stereo, and also becausethings that are a lot going to
be of higher bit depth are gonnafeel a lot more defined.
Marc Matthews (05:12):
My second top moment of 2025 comes from
episode 199, and it's titled TheHidden Production Habits You're
Probably Ignoring at Your OwnRisk.
And in this episode, I wasjoined by my good friend Tim
Benson, aka R9, and we touch ontopics such as five common music
production mistakes, how to usereference tracks, track
(05:33):
labeling, and sessionorganization, and how to avoid
overprocessing and mixing andmastering.
And in particular, the topmoment I've taken from this
particular episode is where wediscuss starting small and
upgrading later and theimportance of not falling into
the trap of gear acquisition.
(05:55):
So this is the top moment fromepisode 199.
And this again could be anepisode in itself is that buying
more equipment, more plugins,isn't necessarily the answer to
a problem that you might befacing.
It could well be linked tomaybe you just need to go back
to basics and look at what youhave at hand.
(06:16):
And it might be actually youdon't need to go out and buy the
best EQ plugin out there.
Maybe you need to actuallyrefine your understanding of
what equalization is and tonalbalance before actually going
out.
So building up your skillsbefore maybe having the ultimate
perfect setup could be the wayto go.
Tim Benson (06:31):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And most, I mean, it probably,as we've said, like DAWs and all
the different things, most ofthem now will come with
everything you need to startmaking music.
You won't need to go and buy aload of third party things.
Don't get sucked into thatstraight away.
You've probably got a ton ofthings to learn within what
you've got, you know.
Marc Matthews (06:52):
And most definitely, most definitely.
So my third top moment of 2025in these seven top moments of
2025 is episode 186, or rather,it's taken from episode 186.
Why luffs don't matter as muchas you think with Ian Shepard.
So acclaimed masteringengineer, Ian Shepherd.
(07:13):
In this episode, we discussedluffs.
How many luffs should yourmaster be?
The truth of about luffs forSpotify.
What does luffs stand for?
Uh, how normalization impactsyour music across different
streaming platforms and lotsmore as well.
And this particular excerpt, ifyou will, taken from this
episode, I think I said thatcorrectly, is where Ian talks
(07:35):
about luffs should be the resultand not the target.
Target could be seen as a dirtyword in this instance.
Uh sweeping statement there.
So here we go.
This is Ian Shepherd, episode186.
Ian Shepherd (07:47):
A little bit of both.
I mean, the honest answer is Idon't really care about either
of them.
So I because I don't choose myloudness by meters.
I mean, I have a little kind ofcatchphrase that I came up with
that I shared on socials, whichis that the LUFS should be the
result of the mastering, not thetarget of the mastering, right?
So master it so it sounds good.
Then the integrated, I mean theintegrated value, don't get me
(08:08):
wrong, is important because it'swhat streaming services use.
And we can talk about that inmore detail.
So it has a big impact onwhat's going to happen to your
music when it gets played backon Apple Music and YouTube and
Spotify and Tidal and all therest of them.
Marc Matthews (08:20):
Yeah.
Ian Shepherd (08:20):
So it is important to know at the end of the
process and to check that you'rehappy with the results that
you've got.
But when I'm working, actually,I mean I tend not even to watch
an LUFS meter.
As I say, I've got my VU meter.
Marc Matthews (08:32):
My fourth top moment of 2025 is taken from
episode 197, Why I Don't TouchPlugins Before Doing This.
The Art of Static Mixing withNate Kelms of the Sound
Discussion Podcast.
And in this episode, we discussstatic mixing, uh, how to
transition from static mix to afull mix, top-down mixing as
(08:53):
well, and analog gear versusplugins.
What mix engineers prefer?
And the highlight from thisepisode is Nate talking about
trusting your gut and not youreyes.
So this is episode 197 withNate Kelms.
Nate Kelmes (09:09):
Oh, I've I've increased this by 9 dB.
That's way too much.
I can't possibly do that.
No, you know what?
9 dB might be exact 12 dB mightbe what we need.
Marc Matthews (09:17):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Nate Kelmes (09:19):
But on a screen, you see that curve jump up by 12
dB.
You're like, no, that nope,can't do that.
Bring it down.
I'm breaking the rules.
No.
Marc Matthews (09:27):
It goes back to what we said right at the
beginning of trust in your gut.
And if you're not using youreyes, which I mean there there's
always an argument to saysometimes we need to have that
visual element, but trust inyour gut sometimes and thinking,
actually, this song does needthat.
The rules, I mean, the rules,it's creativity, isn't it?
Ultimately the end of the day.
Right.
Nate Kelmes (09:47):
It's exactly and it's subjective, and and someone
else may hate it, and someoneelse may love it.
And you know what?
As long as you are able tostand behind what you put out,
it doesn't matter.
Anything.
None of the none of it matters.
9 dB, 12 dB, hell, 30 dB if youwant to.
But you know, if it resonateswith you, then that's all that
(10:08):
matters.
It doesn't matter what anybodyelse thinks.
Marc Matthews (10:11):
My fifth top moment is taken from episode
193.
And it's titled, I asked a proif you really need a mastering
engineer and if you can DIY doit yourself.
And this features Mike Marsh,who is uh just around the corner
from me in Xmouth.
So it was a pleasure uh talkingto Mike for the first time, and
(10:32):
then I had the pleasure ofactually going to visit Mike at
his studio, which was amazing.
And they also mastered my trackuh Darklight featuring Indigo
as well, did a banging job onthat.
So do go check out Mike's work.
And it's great to have a fellowDevonian on the uh on the
podcast.
In in this episode, we discussuh what is music mastering and
why it's important, commonmastering mistakes, debunking
(10:52):
the fix-it in mastering myth,difference between mixing and
mastering in music, and how tobecome a mastering engineer as
well.
Because Mike's been doing it along time, so some really good
advice there.
And the moment taken from thisepisode is Mike discussing how a
mastering engineer is the firstnew set of ears and why that is
(11:13):
so important to the success ofa song, of a release.
So this is episode 193 withMike Marsh.
Mike Marsh (11:20):
A mastering engineer or somebody else working on
your music is the first timeanother set of ears outside of
your environment has heard whatyou're doing.
When you're when you'reperforming, mixing, recording,
um, and then trying to masterall of it yourself, you lose
complete perspective on whatsounds good anymore.
(11:40):
And I've worked with a lot ofartists who've tried it
themselves and they just end upchasing their tail, going round
and round in circles becausethey don't know anymore.
And I admire people who give ita go.
Um, but right now I work with alot of artists who are quite
capable of recording their ownstuff and mixing their own stuff
and probably mastering theirown stuff if I'm honest, but
(12:02):
they still send it to me becauseI'm that second set of ears
outside of their comfort zone.
Marc Matthews (12:07):
The penultimate moment of this list of seven is
episode 187, The Midnight, TylerLyle unlocking the secrets of
synthwave songwriting.
I was extremely excited by thisepisode because I'm a I'm a big
uh midnight fan.
And uh in this episode, wediscuss the essence of
songwriting, collaborationprocess, production setup and
(12:28):
vocal chain, daily creativedisciplines, mythology and
archetypes and lyrics are somereally, really good advice on
lyric writing here because it'ssomething I struggle with.
So I took loads away from thisand remote collaboration
challenges.
And in particular, the momentI've taken from this episode is
where Tyler is talking aboutlyrics and the creative process
(12:50):
and how he describes creativesas ferrying ideas from one realm
to this one.
Some really interesting stuffin this one.
It's a fantastic listen.
So this is episode 187 withTyler Lal at the Midnight.
Tyler Lyle (13:03):
Lyricists to be bolder, to push the limits of of
good taste, to like really makeit make it challenging.
There are people that push itin the horror thing or make it
overly sexual.
I mean, I mean, really, I thinkGustofelstein's new record kind
of does it in an interestingway.
Nobody knows what a song issupposed to be, lyrically.
(13:24):
It's a well-narratedhallucination.
Just make make sure that itcomes from something that feels
like it has the essence oftruth, something that feels like
it needs to exist.
We we as creatives are ferryingideas from one realm to this
one and make sure that it's notjust created from a sense of
like ego or needing the numbersto be up or somebody to hear,
(13:47):
you know, to validate me as anartist.
Like make sure the idea needsto exist first.
And I think if you wait untilthat idea comes and then go all
in on that idea, that song, thenthat's what the world needs
more of.
Marc Matthews (13:59):
And my final top moment in this first list of
seven in this two-part series istaken from episode 230, Finish
Tracks Faster, Workflow HacksEvery Producer Needs, featuring
John Kunkel of the New Division.
A big shout out to MichaelOakley for the warm
introduction.
Uh, it was a pleasure talkingwith John.
Got loads out of this from acreative perspective, as I do
(14:20):
with all episodes.
So we discussed workflowoptimization with reference
tracks, sound selection versusprocessing, sound design and
synthesis tools and where tobegin, knowing when a track is
finished, and we also discussedsome of John's upcoming projects
and where to connect with him,as I do with all the um the
artists as well.
So just on that note, folks, ifuh you do want to learn more
(14:41):
about any individuals that I'vespoken to on the podcast, I
always include links in theepisode descriptions.
And I put a link to all theseepisodes in the episode
description for this episode aswell.
It's an episode a lot there.
So in particular, the highlightI've taken from this is where
John discusses volume fadermixing and minimal EQ and his
approach.
(15:01):
So this is the final top momentof this first lift of seven,
list of seven, and it's episode213 with John Kunkel.
John Kunkel (15:11):
You know, with my own tracks, I rarely, you know,
when I finish them and send themoff to labels, I don't really
do that much mixing to them.
I I very I mean mixing in thesense of like surgical EQing and
stuff like that.
Usually what I do is like I'lljust level things out.
So it's you know, the I Ireally do believe in just volume
fader mixing and very minimal,minimal, minimal EQ.
And then any other EQing isreally for creative purposes.
Marc Matthews (15:33):
And that wraps up my top moments of 2025 part
one.
Make sure you tune in for parttwo, which will obviously come
next in line.
Uh a big thank you to everybodywho has been part of the
podcast, not only in 2025, butthe years preceding that as
well.
And of course, a huge thank youto you, the listener, for
sticking with the podcast,coming back every week and
(15:55):
listening to me chat with someamazing people.
You are what keeps this podcastgoing ultimately.
And with that in mind, do clickthe link in the episode
description, fill in thatfeedback survey.
It will literally take you twominutes of your time and help me
shape the podcast in 2026 andalso share your musical win as
well.
Because I want to feature youon the podcast in episode 227.
(16:16):
You've got until the end ofNovember to do that.
Please do click that link inthe episode description.
If you've enjoyed this episode,folks, click the link in the
episode description and checkout the episodes I've
recommended in this episode.
And don't forget to join me inpart two.
Until next time, keep creating,keep mixing, and I'll see you
in the next episode.
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