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Studio Stuff

Chris Selim & Steve Dierkens

The Studio Stuff Podcast is your go-to home studio hangout, where music production, mixing, recording, and mastering meet real talk, practical advice, and the occasional lousy jokes. Hosted by Chris Selim and Steve Dierkens, this isn’t a dry, technical lecture—it’s a laid-back, no-BS conversation about making great music with the gear you actually have.

Expect real-world insights, gear, and technique debates, plugin obsessions, and plenty of laughs along the way. Plus, we love hearing from you! Send in your questions, and let’s figure this whole studio stuff thing out together.

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  • 22 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 23 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • January 30 · 25 min

    Ep 32 - Back Then vs Now: Did We Lose “Pro” Recordings?

    Studio Stuff Podcast | Back Then vs Now: Did We Lose “Pro” Recordings? Everyone loves the idea that “back in the day” recordings were more professional. Big studios, serious engineers, real consoles, musicians who rehearsed, and fewer tools to hide behind. But is that actually why those records feel so good… or are we mixing up “professional,” “better,” and “more human”? In this episode, we unpack a listener comment that turns into a bigger conversation about source material, limitations, modern workflows, and why some top engineers are actually using fewer plugins than ever. What We Dig Into: What “professional recording” really means (and how the definition changes over time) Why the sonic bar is higher in 2026 than it’s ever been The hidden downside of unlimited plugins and endless options Why older records often feel more “human” (performance, commitment, interaction) The “fix it later” mindset and how it changes how people record Why limitations can lead to faster decisions and stronger mixes How channel strips can force better listening (and better choices) The cumulative effect: one channel strip vs 24 across a session A real-world challenge: mix with only a channel strip (and compare results) 👉 Got a question for us? 📩 Submit it here: Form Link We pull topics directly from your questions and YouTube comments. And if you’re digging the show, hit follow/subscribe and leave a quick review. It really helps more home studio folks find Studio Stuff.

  • January 23 · 25 min

    Ep31 - Do Mixing Consoles Still Matter in 2026?

    We started this episode the way all professional audio conversations begin… by accidentally starting a mini civil war at breakfast over hash browns. Then we pivot into two really solid listener questions: one about whether a mixer still matters in 2026 (and what it can actually do for you in a home studio), and another about amp sims, effects order, and proper gain staging when recording DI guitars. What We Dig Into Why a mixer can still be super useful today, even if you mix “in the box” The best modern use cases: tracking, monitoring, more inputs, zero-latency headphone mixes When it makes sense to use the mixer as your main interface Console reality check: does summing actually help, or is it just “try it and see”? Amp sim workflow 1: commit the sound while recording (like a real amp) Amp sim workflow 2: record clean DI first, then dial tones later (commitment-free) Gain staging basics for amp sims: hit the input sweet spot, then control output so you’re not cooking the channel Topics & Stories Chunky vs shredded hash browns: the debate nobody asked for, but everybody needed Pineapple on pizza: friendships were tested The “mint condition SSL” running joke (first owner, minimal kilometers, maybe some tears) Waffle House wisdom: “I used to could.” (Legendary.) Listener Q&A Richard (Barrie, Ontario): “Why is there never talk about the actual mixer? Is it just a conduit for ins and outs, or can it help during mixing? I just bought a Mackie… what can I take advantage of?” Callen: “I record DI guitar and use Amplitube / VST Amp Rack. Where should the amp sim go in the chain, and how do you reconcile that with gain staging?” Final Takeaway A mixer isn’t automatically “better” or “worse” than mixing in the DAW. It’s a tool. If it helps you track faster, monitor with zero latency, commit better sounds earlier, or simply makes the process feel better, it’s doing its job. Same with amp sims: hit the right level into the sim, keep your output sane, and choose whether you’re committing now or later. 👉 Got a question for us? 📩 Submit it here: Form Link We pull topics directly from your questions and YouTube comments. And if you’re digging the show, hit follow/subscribe and leave a quick review. It really helps more home studio folks find Studio Stuff.

Showing 21–22 of 22 episodes