Prepping For The Studio

Roy Silverstein
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Music
  • Biweekly Series

A limited edition podcast for musicians who want to understand what goes on in a professional recording studio, how to prepare, and how to get the most out of their studio sessions.

See All

  1. Episode 1

    Prepping for Metal with Harrison Whitecloud

    In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble are joined by metal recording specialist Harrison Whitecloud. Harrison shares his extensive knowledge on preparing for a studio session, focusing on the unique challenges of recording metal. Key topics include the importance of practice, instrument maintenance, techniques for drummers and guitarists, the role of editing, and specific recording tech setups. Harrison also dives into vocal techniques for screamers, emphasizing the necessity of proper vocal training and technique. The discussion is both technical and practical, aimed at helping metal musicians maximize their studio sessions.   00:00 Introduction to Prepping for the Studio 00:29 Meet the Hosts: Roy and Brian 00:35 Season Three Preview 01:10 Introducing Harrison Whitecloud 01:36 Harrison's Journey into Metal 02:41 Recording Techniques and Studio Experiences 17:04 The Importance of Drum Preparation 20:28 Advanced Drum Recording Tips 29:50 Guitar Recording Insights 33:12 Guitar Maintenance Tips for Metal Musicians 34:34 Recording Techniques for Metal Guitars 39:00 Editing and Mixing Metal Tracks 40:58 Essential Gear for Metal Musicians 41:37 Bass and Drum Synchronization 46:27 Vocal Techniques for Metal Singers 58:50 Recording Metal Drums: Room and Equipment 01:00:03 Mixing Metal: Special Effects and Client Communication 01:03:01 DIY Metal Recording: Challenges and Tips 01:06:18 Conclusion and Contact Information   Check out Harrison at these links: Websites: https://www.whitecloudaudio.com/ Instagram: @whitecloud.audio   Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".   Hosts: Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com) and Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com) If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com   If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.

  2. Episode 2

    Lessons from Decades Past with Dennis Weinreich

    In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble sit down with Dennis Weinreich, an Orange County–born engineer/producer who has lived in London since 1971 and worked in major studios during the 70s and 80s. Dennis shares his path from recording bands as a kid to opportunities at studios like The Village, and later working his way through the London recording scene including becoming an assistant to Ken Scott. The conversation focuses on what modern artists can learn from earlier eras of recording. Some topics discussed include: -How the three-hour session system shaped preparation, efficiency, and performance -“Dark corners” in songs and why live-tested material often records better -What’s missing when artists self-produce -How too much time and unlimited tracks can lead to meandering sessions, overcrowded arrangements, and losing the “heart” of the record -When piecemeal modern workflows can actually help bass/drums fit dynamically later in production -Why vintage gear isn’t the main reason classic records last -How limitations (few EQs, few tracks) pushed better mic placement, decisions, and commitment -Practical advice: rehearse and demo critically before the studio, aim for fewer strong takes, and focus on performance -The idea of “going for number three” to keep evolving creatively instead of repeating past hits   00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:45 Meet Dennis Weinreich 02:15 Early Recording Hustle 06:56 First Pro Studio Break 08:07 Village Recorder to London 12:45 Scorpio Sound and Big Records 14:46 Building a Post Facility 18:24 Why Old Records Lasted 19:21 Three Hour Session Era 24:25 Producers and Perspective 29:13 Tainted Love Hook Lesson 32:34 Overdubs Versus Vision 34:26 Producers Who Tell The Truth 35:40 Scott Walker Vocal Production 37:51 Engineers As Multi-faceted “producers” 42:53 Four Track Recording Era 44:26 Modern Workflow Pros/Cons 50:14 Performance Beats Vintage Gear 53:12 EQ Limits And Mic Myths 55:29 Preparation And The Sweet Spot Of Takes 01:00:28 Chasing Hits Versus Originality 01:04:35 Wrap Up And Contact   Check out Dennis' interview conducted by Roy in Tape Op magazine here: https://tapeop.com/interviews/170/dennis-weinreich-an-american-engineer-in-london Feel free to reach out to Roy if you want to get in touch with Dennis.   Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".   Hosts: Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com) and Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com) If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com   If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.

  3. Episode 3

    Prepping for Hip Hop with Justin Truelove

    In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble are joined by engineer/mixer/beat maker, Justin Truelove, a longtime guest engineer at Rarefied Recording who specializes in Rap/Hip Hop. Justin shares his background, early starts with Pro Tools, GarageBand, and Reaper, and how he moved into recording rappers through local connections. We discuss what hip hop artists should prioritize when choosing a studio and engineer, purchasing beats properly, and building relationships with producers. We cover practical prep: rehearse delivery, memorizing lyrics, managing comfort and psychology in the booth, and avoiding an over-reliance on autotune, amongst other topics.   00:00 Intro 00:41 Meet Justin Truelove 01:42 Justin’s Early Recording Journey 03:08 From GarageBand to Reaper 05:56 Finding Rarefied Recording 08:22 Why Hip Hop Artists Choose Studios 10:23 Gear Basics and Engineer Fit 13:25 Session Goals and Prep Files 15:47 Beats, Stems, and Better Mixes 19:29 Working with Local Producers 23:10 Beat Licensing Explained 24:40 Buying beats Versus Collaboration with a Producer 26:34 Autotune Tips 29:32 Vocal Prep And Practice 34:35 Studio Psychology And Comfort 36:46 Last Minute Hip Hop Sessions 38:59 How Long Recording Takes 42:53 Deliverables 44:13 Substances And Session Etiquette 46:30 Be On Time! 48:38 Wrap Up And Contact 49:02 Outro   Check out Justin on Instagram: @mixedbytruelove   Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".   Hosts: Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com) and Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com) If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com   If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.

  4. Episode 4

    Prepping for Release with Brian Witkin

    In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble are joined by entertainment lawyer, label owner (Pacific Records), and musician, Brian Witkin, to discuss the business side of releasing music. Just as you have to prep for a studio session, you also have to make sure all your ducks are in a row before releasing a song, EP, or album! Brian gives a great overview of various things one should be thinking about and doing ahead of your release.   NOTE: While Brian Witkin may be an attorney, please consult your own lawyer or consultant in the field before making any decisions on the business side of your music career. This podcast episode is simply a conversation with some helpful insights.   00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:42 Meet the Guest, Brian Witkin 01:09 Music Is a Business 02:46 PROs Explained 05:05 Split Sheets and Songwriting 09:44 Two Copyright Basics 10:56 Copyright Registration Steps 12:19 Masters, Labels, and Publishing 19:28 Streaming Royalties Breakdown 21:47 Distributors and Publishing Opt Ins 25:27 Aggregator Picks and Bandcamp 27:52 Physical First Strategy 28:54 Exclusives And Merch 30:10 Label Role And Contracts 31:04 Work For Hire Basics 32:34 Producer Points Explained 34:57 Label Services Breakdown 36:31 Release Lead Time Planning 38:12 Radio Publicity Touring 42:59 Do You Need A Label? 43:47 Managers And Building Team 45:33 Social Media Content Machine 47:14 Music Videos And Sync 51:06 Long Game Mindset 54:36 Wrap Up And Where To Find Brian 55:05 Final Credits And Outro   Check out Brian at: https://brianwitkin.com/ Pacific Records: https://pacificrecords.com/   Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".   Hosts: Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com) and Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com) If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com   If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.

  5. Episode 5

    Prepping Your Guitars with David Mead

    In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble are joined by guitar tech and musician, David Mead, to discuss prepping your guitars for recording. Drawing on his background in vintage guitar shops, auto body work, playing/recording/touring, and his Magnetic Heaven guitar repair/flipping business, David explains what a setup optimizes—action, fret buzz, intonation, etc. He covers how climate and temperature shifts affect guitars, storage and humidification, and why setups may need adjustment after travel. For electrics, he highlights pickup height, noise/RF interference, and how magnet pull affects feel and tone. He also discusses string gauge and material choices, break-in time for recording, and preferences around new vs. used strings.   00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:33 Meet David Mead 01:26 Vintage Guitar Store Origins 02:49 Burnout and Recession Years 03:53 Auto Body Shop Lessons 05:54 Bands and Tech Philosophy 08:33 Back in Business on Reverb 10:38 What a Guitar Setup Fixes 11:48 Tension Changes and Fret Buzz 15:56 Intonation and Contact Points 23:22 Strings and Gauge Choices 27:11 When Setups Go Wrong 30:21 Truss Rod Discussion 33:34 Climate and Guitar Storage 34:35 Fret Sprout and Rehydration 37:09 Humidifying Methods 39:55 When Is a Guitar Totaled 40:35 Legendary Repair Stories 45:11 Why Martins and Gibsons Record Well 47:09 Electric Pickups and Noise 49:51 Pickup Height and Magnet Pull 51:52 Noiseless Pickups Debate 54:34 Strings for Studio Sessions 55:46 New vs Used Strings Timing 59:42 Drums Tease and Wrap Up 01:04:01 Show Outro and Credits   Check out David at: https://www.magneticheavenmusic.com Instagram: @magnetic.heaven Reverb.com store: https://reverb.com/shop/magneticheaven   Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".   Hosts: Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com) and Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com) If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com   If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.

  6. Episode 6

    Prepping Your Drums with David Mead

    In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble are joined again by guitar/drum tech and musician, David Mead, to discuss prepping your drums for recording. This is a part two of our conversation with David that started last episode with a discussion on prepping your guitars. Since he is also a drummer and has a lot of experience dealing with drums too, we decided to have him back to talk about shells, heads, cymbals, and the like. We also get into talking about tuning and dampening. Considering how important drums are for your recordings, this is definitely an episode to check out.   00:00 Show Intro 02:42 Why Drums Matter 04:38 Shells And Bearing Edges 10:42 Out Of Round Problems 14:38 Lugs And Hardware Fixes 16:31 Choosing Drum Heads 22:03 Coated Vs Clear Heads 24:35 Tuning And Head Seating 32:02 Tuning Technique And Tools 34:48 Drum Snobs 35:47 Tension Tuning Fails 36:47 Orchestral vs Ringo Tuning 38:10 Hands On Tuning Method 38:41 Bottom Head Strategy 40:56 Concert Toms 43:20 Impact of Shell Woods 45:03 Vistalites Live Vs Studio 46:13 Kit Sizes And Big Kicks 49:49 Cymbals 54:59 Cymbal Keyholing 56:36 Drum Treatments 01:00:16 Gels Tape And DIY Mutes 01:03:58 Cymbals Cant Be Fixed In Post 01:06:53 Choosing And Auditioning Cymbals 01:08:58 Wrap Up And Where To Find David 01:10:12 Final Outro Credits   Check out David at: https://www.magneticheavenmusic.com Instagram: @magnetic.heaven Reverb.com store: https://reverb.com/shop/magneticheaven ----- Drum tuning book: https://www.drumacoustics.com/ ---- Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".   Hosts: Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com) and Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com) If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com   If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.

  7. Episode 7

    Home vs. "Pro" Studio with Arielle (Analog Acres)

    In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble are joined by musical artist/guitarist/engineer/producer/studio owner, Arielle (of Analog Acres), to discuss the role of home recording versus professional studios and how both can coexist. Arielle shares her background—growing up in Northern California, studying guitar at MI at 16, engineering to trade for studio time, touring, and building a farm-based studio outside Nashville—plus her Brian May collaboration that led to the “Arielle” guitar model. The conversation covers using home recording for simple demos to avoid “demoitis,” the value of structure and accountability in studios, limitations of recording alone at home, the importance of purpose-built rooms, costs of inputs/mics/interfaces, and why studios remain busy.   Arielle also discusses Analog Academy, teaching recording and songwriting in real time, and offers advice on focus, learning, business mindset, getting feedback on songs, writing more than needed, and batching tracking by sound.   00:00 Show Intro 00:47 Meet Arielle 02:04 From Queen inspiration To Touring 05:10 Building Analog Acres 06:45 Brian May Guitar Collab 10:17 Home vs. Studio Debate 12:25 Home Recording Sweet Spot 17:23 Safe Space And Structure 20:53 Wearing All The Hats 22:49 Analog Academy 28:09 Limits Of Home Studios 30:20 Rooms Matter Most 32:56 Studios Aren't Dead 33:37 Thoughts on AI 34:23 Why Studios Still Matter 35:11 Home Recording Costs 36:33 Studio Vibes and Culture 37:11 Why Sounds Homogenize 38:11 Analog Gear Identity 40:40 What Holds Artists Back 48:05 Is Your Song Ready? 52:15 Write More Than Needed 55:26 Batching a Record 59:58 Budgets Then and Now 01:01:35 Wrap Up and Credits   Check out Arielle at: https://www.analogacres.com/ Instagram: @officialarielle Analog Academy ---- Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".   Hosts: Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com) and Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com) If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com   If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.

See All Season 3 (7)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

A limited edition podcast for musicians who want to understand what goes on in a professional recording studio, how to prepare, and how to get the most out of their studio sessions.

Information

  • Creator
    Roy Silverstein
  • Episodes
    27
  • Seasons
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Prepping For The Studio