Secret Sonics

#256 - The Subtle Art of Layering Percussion

Ben and Carl share some of the techniques they use to add percussive depth without cluttering your mix. Learn why texture beats rhythm, how to stretch samples for supernatural groove, and the specific workflow for making percussion serve your song instead of competing with it. Discover: * Why Carl’s orchestral training taught him to add texture instead of rhythm to modern pop mixes * How time-stretching a sample creates unique transient effects you can’t get any other way * How adding one extra rhythmic element can destroy the unison power of an entire mix * The Middle Eastern groove Ben constructed sample by sample because no loop existed for what he needed * When to mute it and boot it if your percussion isn’t making the song better Ben and Carl's Weekly Inspiration Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e] LA Wildfire Relief: Musicares - https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief [https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief] WAMTN - https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate [https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate] Learn more about StudioLand - https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5 [https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5] Download our free guide: "The Future-Proof Mixing Engineer: 8 Essential Skills for 2024 and Beyond" - https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing [https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing] Connect with us: Secret Sonics - https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics [https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics] Ben - https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/ [https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/] Carl - https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/ [https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/] Learn more: https://www.benwallick.com/ [https://www.benwallick.com/] https://www.carlbahner.com/ [https://www.carlbahner.com/] This episode with edited by Gavi Kutliroff - https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/ [https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/]

#255 - Energy Vampires Are Killing Your Career

What happens when a successful music producer realizes he’s been working with the wrong people for years? Carl reveals the moment everything changed after his first child was born, and why he now prioritizes client personalities over everything else. The conversation gets deep about energy vampires, family priorities, and a surprising truth about word-of-mouth referrals. Discover: * Why Carl went from doing 150 shows a year to being extremely picky about clients after having kids * The exact moment he realized $50 bar gigs weren’t worth his time or energy anymore * Why that ridiculously talented Berkeley guitarist everyone knows is actually bad for business * The surprising reason word-of-mouth referrals can trap you with similar low-quality clients * How to recognize if you’re being a pushover with difficult clients who love unlimited revisions Ben and Carl's Weekly Inspiration Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e] LA Wildfire Relief: Musicares - https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief [https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief] WAMTN - https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate [https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate] Learn more about StudioLand - https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5 [https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5] Download our free guide: "The Future-Proof Mixing Engineer: 8 Essential Skills for 2024 and Beyond" - https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing [https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing] Connect with us: Secret Sonics - https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics [https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics] Ben - https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/ [https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/] Carl - https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/ [https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/] Learn more: https://www.benwallick.com/ [https://www.benwallick.com/] https://www.carlbahner.com/ [https://www.carlbahner.com/] This episode with edited by Gavi Kutliroff - https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/ [https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/]

#254 - The Shelf-Life of Major Credits

Learn the three essential principles that turn your biggest credits into sustainable income, why Grammy winners still struggle to find work, and how to position yourself so clients see your rate as a steal instead of an expense. Carl shares real strategies from working with 15+ Grammy-winning students who came to him for business help. Discover: * The uncomfortable reality that major awards have expiration dates for client attraction * How the music industry shifted from 4,000 annual albums in 1970 to 100,000 daily uploads * Why high-end mixing engineers charge based on peace of mind rather than sound quality * The four client decision levels from price-shopping to relationship-based hiring * How major label timelines create cascading risks worth paying premium rates to avoid * Why existing clients resist rate increases but new clients accept higher starting prices Ben and Carl's Weekly Inspiration Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e] LA Wildfire Relief: Musicares - https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief [https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief] WAMTN - https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate [https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate] Learn more about StudioLand - https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5 [https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5] Download our free guide: "The Future-Proof Mixing Engineer: 8 Essential Skills for 2024 and Beyond" - https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing [https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing] Connect with us: Secret Sonics - https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics [https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics] Ben - https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/ [https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/] Carl - https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/ [https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/] Learn more: https://www.benwallick.com/ [https://www.benwallick.com/] https://www.carlbahner.com/ [https://www.carlbahner.com/] This episode with edited by Gavi Kutliroff - https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/ [https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/]

#253 - Dave Stagl: Leaving Artists Speechless with Dolby Atmos

Learn why one of the most experienced immersive audio engineers believes most people are approaching Dolby Atmos completely wrong, and discover the emotional framework that’s helping artists create deeper connections with their fans. Plus, find out what producers should actually look for when hiring an Atmos engineer and why checking mixes in multiple formats could transform your workflow. Discover: * The exact moment in a House of Blues monitor setup that shaped how he thinks about immersive audio * Why he now derives every stereo mix from an Atmos version instead of working the other way around * The technical reason Atmos mixes have more dynamic range and why that creates stronger emotional impact * What happens when artists flip between stereo and Atmos versions on Apple devices and why that changes everything * The calibration approach that lets him mix without looking at meters for the first time in 20 years * The difference between engineers who got into Atmos for work versus those who got into it for the experience * How he sends preview files to remote artists without requiring them to read instruction manuals * Why he believes car audio will be the thing that separates real Atmos engineers from headphone-only mixers Learn more about Dave: https://staglsound.com/ [https://staglsound.com/] Follow Dave: http://instagram.com/davidstagl [http://instagram.com/davidstagl] Ben and Carl's Weekly Inspiration Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e] LA Wildfire Relief: Musicares - https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief [https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief] WAMTN - https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate [https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate] Learn more about StudioLand - https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5 [https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5] Download our free guide: "The Future-Proof Mixing Engineer: 8 Essential Skills for 2024 and Beyond" - https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing [https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing] Connect with us: Secret Sonics - https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics [https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics] Ben - https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/ [https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/] Carl - https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/ [https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/] Learn more: https://www.benwallick.com/ [https://www.benwallick.com/] https://www.carlbahner.com/ [https://www.carlbahner.com/] This episode with edited by Gavi Kutliroff - https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/ [https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/]

#252 - The NEW Business of Mixing

What happens when a mixing engineer accidentally builds clients in 30 countries while living in Pennsylvania? Carl discovered that global currency differences and economic crashes might be the secret weapon most audio professionals are completely ignoring. Discover: * Why COVID permanently shifted the industry away from big city studios * How global economic instability can actually stabilize a mixing engineer’s income * How mixing engineers became accidental project managers for self-produced artists * The math behind why international diversification beats local word-of-mouth * When Carl recommends other engineers to look like a hero to their clients Ben and Carl's Weekly Inspiration Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e] LA Wildfire Relief: Musicares - https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief [https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief] WAMTN - https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate [https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate] Learn more about StudioLand - https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5 [https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5] Download our free guide: "The Future-Proof Mixing Engineer: 8 Essential Skills for 2024 and Beyond" - https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing [https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing] Connect with us: Secret Sonics - https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics [https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics] Ben - https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/ [https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/] Carl - https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/ [https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/] Learn more: https://www.benwallick.com/ [https://www.benwallick.com/] https://www.carlbahner.com/ [https://www.carlbahner.com/] This episode with edited by Gavi Kutliroff - https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/ [https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/]