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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

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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25:00

Episode 13 - From Wax Cylinders to AI: The Evolution...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/09/23

Send us a text 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, tape, and ADATs, all the way to Pro Tools and the rise of AI in music production. We’ll dig into how classic effects like reverb, delay, flanger, and chorus were born, why world events shaped the gear we use, and how each era pushed creativity f...

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24:40

Episode 12 - Mics That Changed the World: How Shure,...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/09/17

Send us a text 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, and Electro-Voice. From World War II contracts to recording iconic voices and music that defined generations, these microphones weren’t just gear—they were the bridge between history and sound. We’ll explore the inventors behind the brands, the govern...

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34:39

Episode 11 - Top 12 Studio Myths (Busted!)

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/09/08

Send us a text 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 producers run into. From the obsession with expensive microphones to the belief that “fix it in the mix” is a real strategy, I dig into where these myths come from, why they stick around, and what really matters when making great music. At the end of...

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32:19

Episode 10 - How to Make Money as a Young Engineer

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/09/01

Send us a text 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 real opportunities you can grab today—whether it’s working with local bands, helping churches with live sound, recording cheer squads, mixing for fundraisers, or even building your own gigs online with platforms like Fiverr. It’s not just about c...

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26:40

Episode 9 - When Music Steals the Show: 10 Movies...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/08/25

Send us a text 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 to powerful documentaries like Standing in the Shadows of Motown and Searching for Sugar Man, these films show how music can drive narrative, shape identity, and even change lives. We’ll revisit standout performances, real musicians who left their mark on the sc...

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24:13

Episode 8 - Better Than Good: Pride, Precision, and...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/08/20

Send us a text 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 section laid out with care, and the engineer’s touch was impossible to miss. It didn’t just make my job easier—it inspired me. We’ll talk about why it’s not enough to just be good—why going beyond expectations and thinking outside the box sets you ...

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25:23

Episode 7 : Everything Recorded: Music, Memory, and...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/07/14

Send us a text 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 has become an unbroken archive. Music isn’t made for audiences anymore—it’s generated on demand for the taste of one person. I explore the rise of hyper-personal entertainment, the end of shared cultural experiences, and a world designed entirely around ...

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26:00

Episode 6: The Most Expensive Record Ever Made: The...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/07/07

Send us a text 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 Voyager 3? In this episode, I look back at the original Voyager missions, their ambitious goals, and the sounds and music they carried beyond our solar system. Then I imagine what a third Voyager probe might include if we launched it today. Fr...

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30:36

Episode 5 - Outboard vs. Plugins – EQs, reverbs,...

Hanging Out With Chops ·

2025/05/19

Send us a text 🎙️ 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 essential tools like EQs, reverbs, delays, compressors, limiters, and gates. Whether you’re in a full-blown studio or just getting started at home, understanding these pieces is key to better sound. I also share audio examples so you can hear the difference—reverb vs. dry,

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