Hanging Out With Chops
From studio sessions to breakfast rituals, from label life to life on the road—this is the real story behind the music. Join a Grammy-winning mix engineer as he shares raw experiences from years inside a major record label, unforgettable tour stories, daily routines, and lessons learned in and out of the studio. Whether you're an artist, audio head, or just love a good story, this podcast keeps it honest, soulful, and grounded in the creative grind.
Episodes
19 episodes
Episode 19 - The Silence After the Applause
After winning one of the biggest awards in music, I expected to feel complete. Instead, I found myself in a strange, quiet kind of depression — the kind that sneaks in after you’ve achieved everything you thought would make you happy.In ...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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20:27
Episode 18 - 440 vs 432: The Pitch That Divided the Music World
In this episode, we dive headfirst into one of the most talked-about topics in music — the 440 vs 432 Hz tuning debate. Is there really something magical about 432? Does it actually sound warmer, more natural, more “in tune” with the universe? ...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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22:12
Episode 17 - Know Your Room – The Secret Ingredient to Great Sound
Every space tells a story — even before the music starts. In this episode, I talk about one of the most overlooked skills in audio: knowing your room. From the precision of a tuned control room to the unpredictability of live halls and...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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23:03
Episode 16 – “Fanmail” Q&A episode
Ever wonder what it’s really like inside the studio? In this special Q&A episode, I answer some of the most common (and a few not-so-common) questions I get asked — everything from how I know when a mix is finally done, to have you...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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34:49
Episode 15 – The Number System: Music Theory Without the Boring Stuff
In this episode, Chops sits down at the piano to break down music theory in a way that actually makes sense — and matters in the real world. From major scales to the Nashville number system, he shows how understanding these simple patterns can ...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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41:31
Episode 14 - Don’t Be That Guy: Studio Killers and Session Saboteurs
Every studio has “that guy.” The drummer who insists one take is enough. The bassist who still hasn’t learned the notes on the fretboard. Or the last-minute string changer who halts the whole session. In this episode of Hanging Out with Cho...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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27:54
Episode 13 - From Wax Cylinders to AI: The Evolution of Studio Recording
Ever wonder how we got from Edison’s wax cylinders to plugins that can run on your laptop? In this episode of Hanging Out With Chops, we take a wild ride through the history of recording studios—from the first captured sounds, to vinyl...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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25:00
Episode 12 - Mics That Changed the World: How Shure, Neumann, Sennheiser & More Shaped History
What do microphones and world history have in common? Way more than you think.In this episode of Hanging Out With Chops, I take you through the fascinating backstories of legendary mic makers like Shure, Neumann, Sennheiser, AKG...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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24:40
Episode 11 - Top 12 Studio Myths (Busted!)
Every studio has its fair share of myths — ideas that get passed around like gospel but don’t always hold up. In this episode of Hanging Out with Chops, I break down 12 of the most common studio myths that musicians, engineers, and pro...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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34:39
Episode 10 - How to Make Money as a Young Engineer
In this episode of Hanging Out With Chops, I sit down to share some practical advice for young and hungry engineers looking to earn their first dollars in the music world. Fresh off a conversation with a beginner engineer, I break down...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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32:19
Episode 9 - When Music Steals the Show: 10 Movies Where The Music Is the Star
In this episode of Hanging Out with Chops, we dive into ten unforgettable films where music isn’t just in the background—it’s the heartbeat of the story. From cult classics like That Thing You Do! and The Blues Brothers
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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26:40
Episode 8 - Better Than Good: Pride, Precision, and the Human Side of Studio Work
In this episode of Hanging Out with Chops, I share a recent session that reminded me how much pride and detail can transform the recording process. I received a session from another studio where every track was clearly labeled, every s...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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24:13
Episode 7 : Everything Recorded: Music, Memory, and the Age of Transhumanism
What happens when everything is recorded—every word, every note, every moment of your life?In this episode, we jump 100 years into the future—to the year 2125. Recording studios are relics of the past, because the world itself h...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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25:23
Episode 6: The Most Expensive Record Ever Made: The Voyager Golden Record
In 1977, NASA launched Voyager 1 and Voyager 2—two spacecraft carrying the famous Golden Records, designed to tell the story of Earth to anyone—or anything—that might find them drifting through interstellar space.But what if there were a...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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26:00
Episode 5 - Outboard vs. Plugins – EQs, reverbs, delays, compressors, limiters, and gates
🎙️ Episode 5: “Outboard vs. Plugins – EQs, reverbs, delays, compressors, limiters, and gates”In this episode, we dive headfirst into the world of gear—outboard and digital. I break down the why and what of...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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30:36
Episode 4: Building a Home Studio – What You Really Need
Episode 4: Building a Home Studio – What You Really Need This one’s for anyone asking the #1 question I get: “What do I need to start a home studio?” In this episode, I break it all down—from the absolute basics to the high-...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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31:52
Episode 3: From Tape to Tour – Stories Behind the Sound
Episode 3: From Tape to Tour – Stories Behind the Sound In this episode, we finally dig into the music—where it started for me, and how much it’s evolved. I talk about my first job working reel-to-reel tape, cutting and splicing audi...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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30:05
Episode 2: Breakfast, Burps, and a Better Morning
Episode 2: Breakfast, Burps, and a Better Morning This one took a turn. I started out planning to talk about music—but one burp later, I was deep into breakfast. In this episode, I walk you through my unfiltered morning routine: maki...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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32:55
