RSR544 - Eric Sarafin - Mixerman’s Ultimate Guide to Producing Records, Music & Songs.

Описание: Get my free mixing mini-course at http://MixMasterBundle.com

What actually makes a mix feel musical before you ever touch an EQ?

My guest today is Eric Sarafin, better known as Mixerman - a gold- and platinum-selling producer, mixer, and engineer with credits ranging from The Pharcyde and Tone-Lōc to Ben Harper, Lifehouse, Barenaked Ladies, Foreigner, and Pete Murray. He’s also the author of Zen and the Art of Mixing, Zen and the Art of Producing, Zen and the Art of Recording, and his newest book, Mixerman’s Ultimate Guide to Producing Records, Music & Songs.

In this episode, Eric and I get straight into what really makes mixes work — not plugins, presets, or loudness targets, but arrangement, balance, and the way instruments naturally interact. We talk about masking as something musical rather than something to eliminate, why most of the “music” lives in the midrange, and how perceived loudness comes from balance, not hype at the top or bottom.

We also dig into how listening quietly can reveal problems faster, why speed and familiarity with your tools matter more than features, and how motion and distortion bring life to otherwise static tracks. Eric shares his perspective on working fast, stepping away to regain objectivity, and making decisions that serve the song instead of the tech.

Along the way, we cover practical mic strategies for home studios, why placement matters more than price, and how knowing why you’re choosing a tool is more important than following trends. This one is about thinking musically first - and letting the mix follow.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:56 – Masking & Arrangement: Why overlap makes music feel cohesive
10:02 – Midrange & Loudness: The real range where music lives
20:03 – Quiet Listening: Making musical decisions at low levels
25:01 – Prosody & Meaning: When “down” goes up
32:04 – Motion & Distortion: Creating life with movement and grit
45:02 – Speed & Distance: Mixing faster and smarter
52:00 – DAW Talk: Choosing tools for creativity, not hype
58:00 – Mic Choices & Placement: Dynamics, ribbons, condensers, and smart strategies
1:12:20 – Room Acoustics: The #1 problem for home studios
1:15:50 – Studio Gear: Monitors, microphones, and trusted tools
1:20:00 – The #1 Rule: It's all about the song

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!

The Ultimate Mixing Masterclass: http://UltimateMixingMasterclass.com
SAE Institute: https://usa.sae.edu/
iZotope: https://www.izotope.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!
Native Instruments: https://www.native-instruments.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off!
Adam Audio: https://www.adam-audio.com
Spectra 1964: https://www.spectra1964.com
Grace Design: https://gracedesign.com/
Pickr: https://pickrmusic.com
Recording Studio Rockstars Academy: https://RecordingStudioRockstars.com/...
The Toy Box Studio: https://www.thetoyboxstudio.com/

Listen to the podcast theme song “Skadoosh!” https://solo.to/lijshawmusic

Listen to this guest's discography on Muso::
https://credits.muso.ai/profile/925b8...

If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/544