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PODCAST

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.

music performing arts

All Episodes

16:24

Episode 33 - If Machines Make the Music… What Happens...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2026/04/27

Send us Fan Mail 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. That moment stuck with me. In this episode, I’m thinking out loud about how we got from playing music… to controlling it… to building it piece by piece—and what we might’ve lost along the way. We can make everything perfect now. Timing, pitc...

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23:48

Episode 32 - Mentors - Learn From Them… or Learn the...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2026/04/20

Send us Fan Mail 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 you… and even the ones who push you the wrong way. Chops shares real stories from his life in and out of the studio—from learning hard lessons early on, to being guided by people who saw further down the road, to becoming a mentor himself without even realizin...

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26:55

Episode 31 – The Biggest Mistakes Bands Make After...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2026/04/13

Send us Fan Mail 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 kill momentum, waste great music, and leave projects dead before they ever had a chance. From disappearing after release, to having no rollout plan, to playing the entire new album live before fans even know the songs… this is the stuff nobody...

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20:43

Episode 30 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 5 -...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2026/04/06

Send us Fan Mail 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 break down everything that surrounds a release—from choosing the album name and building a visual identity, to designing a tour, creating merch, and preparing backing tracks for live shows. We also talk about distribution, vinyl releases, and how music act...

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33:56

Episode 29 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 4:...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2026/03/30

Send us Fan Mail 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 building a mix from the ground up — starting with session organization and routing, shaping the relationship between kick and bass, and creating space for instruments across the stereo field. We talk about why the vocal is always present while mixing the rhythm sec...

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30:53

Episode 28 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 3 -...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2026/03/23

Send us Fan Mail 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, alternate performances, and a lot of decisions to make. Editing is where those performances get shaped into the version of the record the listener will eventually hear. In this episode we talk about timing alignment, warping vs cutting, how drum editing ...

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28:33

Episode 27 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 2:...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2026/03/16

Send us Fan Mail 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 on. We talk about how sessions actually unfold in the real world—starting with tracking the band live, capturing the groove between drums, bass, and guitar, and building the record from that core foundation. From there we dive into punch-ins, ...

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35:07

Episode 26 - So You Wanna Make a Record? (Part 1:...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2026/03/09

Send a text 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 plane ride or a long drive to the next gig. Just real-world conversation about what it actually takes to prepare for a recording session. We talk about preparing gear, tuning instruments, drum heads, reeds, and making sure the band is physically ready to rec...

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30:25

Episode 25 - How I Actually Use AI in the Studio...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2026/02/02

Send us a text 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 tasks that slow sessions down and pull me out of the room. From turning handwritten charts into readable charts, to changing keys on the fly, organizing lyrics, documenting sessions, handling admin, and protecting creative energy — this is a real-world look at using A...

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21:35

Episode 24 - The Untold Story of Music Therapy and War

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/12/05

Send us a text 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 science behind trauma response, and the pioneering work of musicians who stepped into military hospitals, we uncover how music became a lifeline for thousands of soldiers fighting battles long after the war had ended. This episode blends hist...

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23:17

Episode 23 - A Wild Ride Through the Entire Frequency...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/12/03

Send us a text 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 your microwave. You’ll hear stories, jokes, weird history, surprising science, and original insights that turn the invisible world of vibration into a full-blown adventure. We go deep on every zone: • 0–20 Hz: earthquakes, elephants, b...

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18:37

Episode 22 - “500 Years of Music: The Longest-Running...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/11/18

Send us a text 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 been performing for hundreds of years. Yes… hundreds. Starting with 50-year rock veterans like AC/DC and Aerosmith, the episode climbs decade by decade into the centennial giants: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, th...

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20:05

Episode 21 - When the Beat Hits the Keyboard: The...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/11/14

Send us a text 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 booth full of gear, you’ll see a laptop, a projection screen full of scrolling commands, and an artist literally typing the beat into existence. We’ll explore how this strange-but-brilliant art form works, why performers choose to create music this way, and ...

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35:40

Episode 20 - 20 Mistakes Every New Engineer Makes...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/11/03

Send us a text 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 that can make or break your sound. I’ve seen it all — from forgotten tuners to over-compressed vocals, bad mic choices, and mystery hums that could haunt a session. This one’s packed with real advice from years behind the console. Hit pl...

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20:27

Episode 19 - The Silence After the Applause

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/10/30

Send us a text 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 this episode, I open up about what happens when the applause fades and the success doesn’t fill the emptiness you thought it would. It’s a conversation about identity, purpose, and learning that this job — this art — is a reflection of what we ...

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22:12

Episode 18 - 440 vs 432: The Pitch That Divided the...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/10/23

Send us a text 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? Or is it just another internet myth that refuses to die? Join me as we explore the history of tuning standards — from ancient instruments and orchestras all the way to modern recording studios. We’ll look at why 440 Hz became the global p...

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23:03

Episode 17 - Know Your Room – The Secret Ingredient...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/10/17

Send us a text 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 auditoriums, the way a room shapes sound can make or break your mix. I share real-world examples from sessions with choirs, orchestras, and rock bands — including a powerful story about a conductor who completely changed his approach after learni...

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34:49

Episode 16 – “Fanmail” Q&A episode

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/10/11

Send us a text 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 ever fallen asleep in a session. It’s a little personal, a little technical, and a whole lot of real talk. I open up about what keeps me motivated, what drives me crazy, and why sometimes, the biggest lessons in music have nothing to do with gear...

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41:31

Episode 15 – The Number System: Music Theory Without...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/10/10

Send us a text 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 completely change the way you play, produce, and record. No fancy jargon. No textbooks. Just the real language of music — explained through studio stories, bad analogies, and a few moments of musical humor. You’ll learn why theory isn’t j...

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27:54

Episode 14 - Don’t Be That Guy: Studio Killers and...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/09/26

Send us a text 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 Chops, I dig into the biggest session killers, from endless percussion overdubs to bad hygiene, and why they derail more than just a recording schedule. But here’s the twist: I’m not ranting — I’m trying to help. These stories are about saving m...

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33 results

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