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
34 episodes
Episode 34 - Why Every Musician Should Learn to Produce Their Own Music
Most people think becoming a music producer is about gear, plugins, or making beats.That’s not what this is about.In this episode, I break down why my goal for you isn’t just to make music… it’s to learn how to produce...
Episode 33 - If Machines Make the Music… What Happens to Us?
I remember the first time I figured out MIDI… I thought I had it all solved.Not long after that, I walked into a producer’s room and saw 15–20 keyboards lined up against the wall… and nobody playing them. Every sound was being triggered....
Episode 32 - Mentors - Learn From Them… or Learn the Hard Way
In this episode of Hanging Out With Chops, we’re talking about something that shapes all of us—whether we realize it or not: mentorship.The mentors you recognize… the ones you don’t… the ones who help yo...
Episode 31 – The Biggest Mistakes Bands Make After Finishing a Record
After you finish a record, it feels like the job is done… but that’s actually where most bands lose everything.In this episode, I break down the biggest mistakes I’ve seen bands make right after releasing a record—mistakes that quietly k...
Episode 30 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 5 - Everything Else) Releasing, Touring & The Business of a Record
In Part 5 of the So You Wanna Make a Record? series, we step outside the studio and into the real world of what happens after the album is finished.Because making the record is only part of the journey.In this episode, we...
Episode 29 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 4: Mixing & Mastering) The Moment a Record Becomes a Record
In Part 4 of the So You Wanna Make a Record? series, we move into the stage where a collection of tracks finally becomes a finished record: mixing and mastering.This episode walks through the real-world process of buildin...
Episode 28 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 3 - Editing) Timing, Pitch, and the Danger of Over-Editing
In Part 3 of this series on how records actually get made, we dive into one of the most misunderstood stages of the recording process: editing.Once tracking is finished, what you really have is raw material — multiple takes, alter...
Episode 27 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 2: Production) Tracking the Band in the Studio
In Part 2 of this series on how records actually get made, we move from preparation into the studio itself. This episode focuses on production, the stage where the microphones are up, the band is playing, and the red light finally turns ...
Episode 26 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 1: Pre-Production) A Real Talk Guide Before You Ever Hit Record
In this episode we start a new series about how records actually get made, beginning with pre-production — everything that happens before the red light ever turns on.Think of this like two musicians talking after a show, on a plan...
Episode 25 - How I Actually Use AI in the Studio (Without Losing the Human Part)
In this episode, I’m talking honestly about how I’m actually using AI in a real recording studio.Not to write songs. Not to replace musicians. Not to chase trends.But to handle the small, time-eating tas...
Episode 24 - The Untold Story of Music Therapy and War
In this episode, we step back into the early days of modern music therapy — where the healing power of sound was rediscovered not in a laboratory, but on the battlefields of World War II. Through real stories of wounded veterans, the s...
Episode 23 - A Wild Ride Through the Entire Frequency Spectrum - Earthquakes to Guitars and Beyond
Buckle up — this is the funniest science lesson you’ll hear all year. In this episode, we explore every major region of the frequency spectrum, from the bone-shaking rumbles below human hearing all the way to the WiFi signals fighting ...
Episode 22 - “500 Years of Music: The Longest-Running Bands on Earth”
In this episode, choppie chops takes listeners on a wild, funny, and mind-blowing journey through the longest-running musical groups in history — from rock bands that survived five decades of drama to legendary choirs and orchestras that have b...
Episode 21 - When the Beat Hits the Keyboard: The World of Live-Coded Music
In this episode, I dive headfirst into the fascinating world of live-coded music — a growing creative movement where musicians don’t just play instruments, they write the music as lines of code in real time. Instead of a DJ boot...
Episode 20 - 20 Mistakes Every New Engineer Makes (And How to Dodge Them)
In this episode, we’re tackling the 20 biggest mistakes new engineers make — from setting levels too hot to “fixing it in the mix.” Whether you’re recording your first band, producing from home, or working in a full studio, these are the habits...
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 ...
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? ...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
