Master Your Mix Podcast

Barrett Jones is a veteran producer, engineer, Musician and studio owner whose work helped shape the sound of modern alternative rock. A native of Arlington, Virginia, Jones founded Laundry Room Studio in 1984 — originally built in the laundry room of his childhood home — and established the studio as a creative hub for D.C. punk and indie acts before relocating to Seattle in the early 1990s. Jones recorded early sessions with a young Dave Grohl and went on to produce three Nirvana tracks and to produce and engineer the Foo Fighters’ self-titled debut, an LP recorded over an intense five-day run in 1994. That debut later sold more than 1.5 million copies.Across four decades, Jones has combined technical curiosity with a musician’s sensibility, moving seamlessly between tape-era tracking and modern production workflows. His credits span influential artists and scenes: Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Melvins, Jimmy Eat World, Presidents of the United States of America, and contributions from members of Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others. Jones has also toured as a live and studio engineer and served as drum tech and sound engineer on major tours early in his career.Laundry Room Studio — the recording studio Jones has operated since the 1980s in multiple homes and locations between Arlington and Seattle — remains central to his work. Since 2007, Laundry Room studio has been located in a custom-built area in Barrett’s home in Seattle, featuring multiple live rooms, iso booths, and a large control room that attracts both established artists and rising acts. Recent and ongoing projects include work with musicians across rock, folk, and indie genres; Jones is known for his ability to capture raw performances while bringing clarity and musical balance to recordings.With a lifelong commitment to hands-on recording, Jones blends old-school tape-era techniques with modern mixing and production tools, prioritizing performance, tone, and emotional immediacy. He remains active as a producer, mixer, and session musician, and continues to run Laundry Room Studio as a creative home for artists looking for an organic, performance-first approach to recording.IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:Being a self-taught engineerRecording the first Foo Fighters recordBeing set up for efficienciesGetting the mix sound at the tracking stageHis go-to approach for guitars and drumsHow to get fuzzy, yet articulate guitar tonesThe Can: The mysterious, rare amp used on the first Foo Fighters record, made out of a gas canThe importance of room sounds for drumsThe mic trick he uses for getting small drum rooms to feel biggerTo learn more about Barrett Jones, visit: https://www.laundryroomstudio.com/Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/ Want additional help with your music productions?For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.comThe Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/Check out our Sponsors:Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2KSubscribe to the show:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJejYoutube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMixHave questions you’d like answered on the show?Send them to [email protected] leave a rating and review:https://masteryourmix.com/review/Thanks for listening!

Monte Vallier is a San Francisco–based producer, mixer, and audio engineer known for his adventurous approach to sound and his ability to bring out the character and identity of the artists he works with. His career began as a bassist in the early post-punk/indie scene, first touring with his band Half Church before joining the acclaimed 1990s group Swell. After years of recording and performing internationally, Vallier shifted his focus behind the console, developing a reputation for creative recording techniques, unconventional mic placements, and a deep commitment to capturing emotion and uniqueness in every project.Today, Vallier operates Ruminator Audio, where he continues to collaborate with an eclectic range of artists, including Wax Idols, Weekend, The Soft Moon, Tommy Guerrero, Los Days, and Oxbow. His work spans production, recording, mixing, and mastering—reflecting a holistic understanding of the craft shaped by decades of experience both onstage and in the studio. Known for blending experimentation with meticulous sonic detail, Vallier is recognized as a versatile, artist-focused collaborator whose mixes and productions consistently elevate the musical vision at hand.IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:Running a studio on your own terms vs working for someone elseUsing commercial work to cover the bills so you can afford to work with smaller bandsThe impact of AI in music licensingHow to differentiate yourself from AIEmbracing imperfections/uniquenessUsing reamping as a creative toolCreating ambience in a mixUsing contrast to evoke a 3D feel to a mixCreative ways to experiment with a trackTo learn more about Monte Vallier, visit: https://ruminatoraudio.com/Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/ Want additional help with your music productions?For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.comThe Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/Check out our Sponsors:Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2KSubscribe to the show:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJejYoutube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMixHave questions you’d like answered on the show?Send them to [email protected] leave a rating and review:https://masteryourmix.com/review/Thanks for listening!

Brian Rajaratnam is an American audio engineer best known for his Grammy-winning work on Flowers by Miley Cyrus. He won a Grammy Award at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for his contributions to the global hit, collaborating alongside Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson, Michael Pollack, Spike Stent, and Joe LaPorta. The song became one of the most commercially successful releases of 2023, surpassing one billion streams on Spotify and earning six Grammy nominations. Rajaratnam received two nominations connected to the project and was ultimately recognized in the Best Engineer/Mixer category for his role in shaping the record’s polished, radio-dominant sound.Born and raised in New Jersey to Sri Lankan parents who immigrated to the United States, Rajaratnam initially pursued a pre-med track in New York with aspirations of becoming a doctor, following a traditional path often encouraged within South Asian families. However, midway through his studies, he made the pivotal decision to leave medicine behind and commit fully to music—a passion rooted in childhood visits to Sri Lanka, where he first learned piano at his aunt’s home before expanding to multiple instruments. Determined to build a career in the music industry, he enrolled at Berklee College of Music, earning a degree in audio engineering in 2017. After graduation, he worked his way up through studio roles, eventually becoming an assistant to Kid Harpoon and contributing to major projects, culminating in his breakthrough success as an award-winning engineer on “Flowers.”IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:Why “nothing really matters” when trackingTransitioning from pre-med studies to audio engineeringBeing open to diverse projectsBuilding confidence in your skillsHaving flexibility with your workflowAnticipating the next moveWorking on Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers”Making revisions to your songsCompartmentalizing the stages of your workflowWhat great vocal engineering consists ofSetting up your sessions for speedRecording Kings Of LeonGetting solid bass tonesTracking with compressionTo learn more about Brian Rajaratnam, visit: https://www.soundbetter.com/profiles/278196-brian-rajaratnamLooking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/ Want additional help with your music productions?For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.comThe Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/Check out our Sponsors:Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2KSubscribe to the show:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJejYoutube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMixHave questions you’d like answered on the show?Send them to [email protected] leave a rating and review:https://masteryourmix.com/review/Thanks for listening!

Nathan Yarborough is a Grammy-nominated recording engineer based in Nashville, TN. His credits include albums from Deftones, Korn, Code Orange, Mastodon, Alice In Chains, and Halestorm. Nathan began his career as a musician who eventually realized he loved the craft of recording more than playing and performing. After attending recording school in North Carolina, he moved to Nashville to look for work in a recording studio. An internship at Blackbird Studio opened the door to a 20-year career and allowed him to learn from some of the best engineers and producers in the industry.IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:How Nashville studios record 5 full songs in under 3 hoursTracking live off the floor vs. recording instruments separatelyAdapting your engineering to the production styles of different producersPreserving the signature sound of artists like Deftones, Korn, and Alice In ChainsHow to track drums with a focus on clarity, separation, and body.Finding weird places to put micsSpot-micing cymbalsThe challenge of maintaining phase relationships between multiple micsCapturing heavy guitar tonesTo learn more about Nathan Yarborough, visit: http://nathanyarborough.com/Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/ Want additional help with your music productions?For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.comThe Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/Check out our Sponsors:Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2KSubscribe to the show:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJejYoutube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMixHave questions you’d like answered on the show?Send them to [email protected] leave a rating and review:https://masteryourmix.com/review/Thanks for listening!

Jason Livermore received his first snare drum at the age of three. Years later, Jason took up bass and guitar, but returned to drums because he liked them better. In junior high, Jason discovered punk rock. His first vinyl purchase was the infamous “Milo Goes to College”. He played in various bands throughout high school and college, recording some of these himself. After college, he decided that recording was probably going to be cooler than selling beer for Miller, his job at the time. Upon hearing that ALL was opening the Blasting Room in 1994, he moved to Fort Collins to land the job of a lifetime. Jason has been working at the studio ever since, and in 2015 he became co-owner alongside Bill Stevenson. He has worked on about 95% of the albums that have come out of the studio. Jason has also played drums for Wretch Like Me, Drag the River, Bill The Welder, Soul City Missionaries, and The Virginia Sisters.IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:Finding trust in yourself that you know what you are doingMixing punk drumsHow a drummer’s technique will change your approach to micing and tuningHow to tune drumsTo polish your tracks or keep them raw? How to know when to editCreating tempo mapsHow a particular type of guitar bridge cut his recording time in halfChoosing string gauges for getting the most clarity with your guitarsHow to set up multi-amp blendsUsing phase alignment toolsTo learn more about Jason Livermore, visit: https://theblastingroom.com/mastering/Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/ Want additional help with your music productions?For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.comThe Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/Check out our Sponsors:Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2KSubscribe to the show:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJejYoutube: http://www.youtube.com/@MasterYourMixHave questions you’d like answered on the show?Send them to [email protected] leave a rating and review:https://masteryourmix.com/review/Thanks for listening!