Square Cad: A Mastering Podcast

In the last episode of Square Cad John McCaig of Panic Studios interviews me. We discuss networking, business and client relations, proper name pronunciation. Music: Adventures With Might "Bad Boys Club" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

Scott Hampton has been making great gear at Hamptone since the late 80s. Recently he moved a new optical compressor, the HOC1, out of the prototype phase and into production. I spoke with Scott about why he loves optical compressors, his design philosophy, and what test data he thinks is most important. Music: Eric and Magill "Tangled Up In Nets" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

As more artists and consumers rediscover vinyl having quality vinyl playback is more important than ever. Many test presses are being auditioned on improperly calibrated systems. That can lead to unnecessary stress during the approval process, or worse, making a costly mistake. For Square Cad's first ever video episode I went to Stereo Types in Portland Oregon. Owner Teri Inman walks us through how to align, and set tracking force and anti-skate for two different types of turntables and tonearms. Music: The Velvet Underground "Sister Ray" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

For over 25 years Grammy nominated mastering engineer Jonathan Wyner has worked at M-Works in Cambridge Massachusetts. In that time he's mastered records for Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, David Bowie, DEVO, Cave In, Apples In Stereo, and loads more. He's also an associate professor at Berklee College of Music where he teaches mastering. Jonathan and I discuss whether mastering can be taught effectively in a classroom, the value of formal education, and lessons he wishes every student could learn. Music: Boris "Minha Chuva" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

Jeff Lipton's discography is filled with some of the best records of the past 15 years. His credits include The Magnetic Fields, Codeine, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Andrew Bird, Battles, and many more. Jeff spoke with me about changing client expectations, his 6-week gear rule, and learning hard lessons. Music: Collection Of Colony of Bees "Lawn" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

Hi folks, Square Cad will be back 8/13/13. Hope you're enjoying the summer! Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

Lacquers are the physical masters needed for vinyl record production. Apollo Masters is in the unique position of producing master lacquers for both the Apollo and Transco brands. For the entire world. Both types of master lacquers come from the same factory in Banning California. To find out more about how lacquers are made I spoke with Sam Smith at Apollo. She discusses how to make a perfect lacquer, how Apollo deals with the pressure of being the only game in town for lacquers, and learning from her clients. Music: Beirut "St. Apollonia" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

Transformers are the source of much superstition and misunderstanding in audio. Sometimes they are the magic box that makes everything passing through them better, other times they single handedly ruin everything passing through a circuit. Are they neither? Both? To find out I spoke with tech extraordinaire Alan Garren of Waltzing Bear Audio. Alan has been a tech and engineer for over 30 years and has built and maintained gear for artists such as Death Cab For Cutie and engineers such as Tucker Martine. I spoke with Alan about 'correct' vs 'creative' uses for transformers, what gives a transformer it's sound, and how to best utilize them. Music: Cepia "Braille Wounds" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

There's much to consider when building a new room. Being able to trust the room is critical to a mastering engineer. A lot is riding on the decisions you make in front of your speakers. Josh Bonati can tell you all about it. Josh recently constructed a new room for Bonati Mastering with the help of Northward Acoustics. I spoke with Josh about what prompted him to build a new room, getting it up and running, and whether it's worth it. Music: Finn Riggins "Big News" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

Los Angeles mix engineer Sonny DiPerri -30 Seconds to Mars, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Portugal The Man- stopped by Telegraph to pick up a reel of tape. While he was here we discussed working under legendary producer Flood, meeting artists on their terms, and what he looks for in a mastering engineer. Music: Radiation City "Foreign Bodies" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

Hi folks. Calling in sick for the first time ever. See you for a new episode on May 21st. Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

Pressing plants - the vinyl frontier. What happens at the plant, and how do the decisions made in music production impact the quality of the record you'll receive? To find out I spoke with Matt Earley from Gotta Groove Records. Gotta Groove has been producing high quality vinyl records since 2009, and Matt has been there since day 1. I spoke with Matt about starting up a pressing plant, expanding into plating, and the best thing an artist can do to prepare their music for vinyl. Music: Jackie Mittoo "Dancing Groove" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

To check the hype on DMG Audio's EQuilibrium I spoke with my friend and colleague Brad Boatright of Audiosiege. Brad has used a hybrid digital/analog setup to master records for Sleep, OFF!, Pierced Arrows, Dresden, Nails, Guantanamo Baywatch, and many more. We discuss the good and bad of this digital EQ and then provide examples of EQuilibrium in use. Music: Summer Cannibals "Handle This Love" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

George Graves has had an amazing career that spans close to half a century. First at RCA, then at The Mastering Lab, and finally as Chief Engineer at Toronto's Lacquer Channel he has distinguished himself through a fierce work ethic and golden ear. George spoke with me about his career, why having a mentor is crucial, and the necessity of patience. Music: Kate Rusby "Unquiet Graves" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!

Chris Gehringer, a senior engineer at Sterling Sound, is a hit mastering machine. He's worked on albums for Naughty By Nature, NAS, Rihanna, Drake, Lady Gaga, Madonna, 50 Cent, The Wu Tang Clan, Kelly Clarkson, Nicki Manaj, T.I., and many more. I spoke with Chris about the benefits and challenges of working at the biggest mastering facility in the world, and staying competitive. Music: Purity Ring "Crawlers Out" Square Cad is Sponsored by Dangerous Music. Check out all the indispensable mastering tools at dangerousmusic.com!