Episode 531 – Musician, Producer, Remixer Danny Saber

In this week’s episode, I sit down with audio legend George Massenburg. George is a Grammy-winning producer, engineer, and educator. He has also worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, The Grateful Dead, and Phil Collins.A gifted audio designer, George literally invented the parametric equalizer, and his GML products are widely-known for their superior high quality. He continues that work in the digital domain today with plugins from his Massenburg Design Works.Suffice to say, George has a lot of knowledge to share with us today. And that’s exactly what he does in this week’s episode of the podcast.Listen in as he and I discuss the importance of critical listening, his lifelong quest for the perfect dynamics controller, working on Earth, Wind & Fire’s biggest hits, and much more.Are you ready?Let's dive in.Key Takeaways:Introduction (00:00)Let’s talk about dynamic control (01:16)George’s unique approach (06:57)Critical listening (13:13)George’s preferred genres to mix (27:25)The best project George ever worked on (30:20)One last question (34:27)Additional Resources:Get 15 quick solutions to common mix problems with my Mix Fix Playbook. https://go.bobbyowsinski.com/mixfixCheck out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/ Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/ Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski--In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers. 

Is incomplete metadata keeping you from getting paid for your work? Then you definitely will want to give this week’s episode a listen!In it, I sit down with the founder and director of the metadata management company Noctil, Jacob Varghese.Jacob has over 24 years of experience leading complex technology projects in the telecom, media, and entertainment industries with Fortune 500 companies. When Jacob entered the music business, he wanted to solve technical challenges related to rights management and metadata in music.His company Noctil helps record labels, music publishers and performing rights organizations better organize, verify, and deliver their metadata in order to make sure everyone gets paid. Unfortunately there is no standardization for metadata distribution, so Noctil plays a vital role in getting the right metadata to the right music delivery service.In this episode, Jacob and I discussed the different forms of metadata, why it’s so important to music creators, so-called black box money that artists can’t get their hands on, metadata roadblocks, and so much more.Are you ready to learn more?Let’s dive in!Key Takeaways:Introduction (00:00)Why metadata is so important (01:28)Metadata requirements (03:11)How Noctil helps music professionals get paid (08:37)Jacob’s background (14:00)How changes to streaming affect metadata (19:42)Dealing with incomplete metadata (23:26)One last question (26:38)Additional Resources:Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcastCheck out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/ Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/ Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski--In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers. 

In this week’s episode of the podcast, I sat down with someone you’ve already met before (in fact, he was one of the first people I interviewed on my podcast, specifically in episode 51), the amazing Mark Schulman.Mark is a world-class drummer and motivational speaker. He has played with rock n’ roll royalty, manning the drum chair for everyone from Billy Idol, to Foreigner, Sheryl Crow, Cher, Stevie Nicks, Beyonce, and many other familiar names. He’s also done four world tours with P!nk over the course of fifteen years.Suffice to say, this is a man with a lot of experience in the music industry. Mark has also been presenting keynote addresses to corporate clients over the years, and his current presentation, “Hacking the Rockstar Attitude,” is a huge hit with companies like Dell, Genentech, IBM, Citi, Cisco, Walmart, and many others.In this episode, Mark and I discussed his lifelong battle with tinnitus and hearing loss, his shift from being a touring drummer to a keynote speaker, why attitude is the foundation of success, the importance of embracing change, and more.Mark also shares a sensational story about auditioning for Cher which I’m sure you’ll love.Ready?Let’s dive in.Key Takeaways:Introduction (00:00)Dealing with hearing loss as a musician (01:21)From touring to keynote speaker (07:07)Auditioning for Cher (11:51)The rockstar DNA (18:56)Discussing Mark’s books (26:45)One last question (34:05)Additional Resources:Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcastCheck out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/ Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/ Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski--In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.

In this week’s episode, I sit down with the co-founders of Neural DSP, Doug Castro and Francisco Cresp. For those who aren’t aware, Neural DSP manufactures the highly regarded Quad Cortex amplifier modeler as well as a line of modeling plugins.Even though Neural DSP is located in Finland, both Doug and Francisco are from Chile. They fell in love with the country and its music as high school exchange students and decided to relocate to Finland after school. After Doug developed the Darkglass bass pedals which he eventually sold to Korg, he and Francisco created Neural DSP with the idea of developing state-of-the-art amplifier simulator tools.In this episode, they will be sharing with us how they founded Neural DSP, why they decided to focus on plugins before the hardware when founding their company, what sets them apart from their competitors, and more.Are you ready?Let’s dive in.Key Takeaways:Introduction (00:00)Doug and Francisco’s backstory (01:11)Using machine learning to change the industry (06:53)Software first, hardware later (08:36)How to learn the pedal (15:56)A question about bass and guitar synthesis (26:09)What you should know about Quad Cortex (28:43)One last question (29:56)Additional Resources:Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcastCheck out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/ Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/ Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski--In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, I sit down with two guests who have done the most amazing work on some of David Bowie’s most beloved albums, Ken Scott and Emre Ramazanoglu.Ken is a legendary producer and audio engineer (who also appeared on Episodes 461 and 462), who aside from being one of the five main engineers for The Beatles, has also worked on some of the most notable albums by David Bowie, Elton John, Jeff Beck, Supertramp, and so many more.Also featured is mix engineer and producer, Emre, who has a wealth of immersive mixing experience, especially in Atmos.Together, we will be discussing Ken and Emre’s involvement in remastering some of David Bowie’s most iconic albums. We’ll also be touching on the importance of modernizing old recordings to fit contemporary standards, the pair’s innovative use of Atmos in their work, the technical difficulties that come with working with Atmos mixing, and what it was like to collaborate on such ambitious projects.Ready to learn more?Tune in now.Key Takeaways:Introduction (00:00)Revisiting David Bowie (01:13)Why we shouldn’t fear innovation (02:48)Let’s talk about Atmos (05:36)Ken’s favored mixing approach (12:04)Talking ambience (17:42)Dolby Atmos in Apple Music (27:42)One last question (33:27)Additional Resources:Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcastCheck out Bobby’s best-selling books: https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/ Discover more mixing courses: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/ Follow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski--In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers. 

The world of music is constantly evolving with new inventions and instruments thanks to the innovative minds of people like my guest this week, Alexandra Fierra.Her creation, the Demon Box, is almost indescribable. The device utilizes electromagnetic fields (EMF) to create and manipulate sounds from everyday electronic devices.She found inspiration in her synesthesia. This neurological condition, where senses intertwine, led her to explore the world of electromagnetic fields. We discuss all the technical aspects of the Demon Box, including its three-channel design, multiple outputs, and the ability to manipulate sounds that we may consider as noise from various electronic devices.Her vision is to make this groundbreaking instrument available to everyone, democratizing the creation of unique and experimental sounds.She gave us all the details as well as the background of the device, and who might find the box most useful.Listen in now and learn more about the infinite possibilities of the Demon Box!Key Takeaways:Introduction (00:00)The Demon Box and its use of EMF (00:07)Three-channel design and its significance (03:44)Various ways to activate and use the Demon Box (06:35)Planned Kickstarter launch and pricing details (09:55)Alexandra's background and musical journey (13:52)Evolution of the Demon Box over eight years (16:25)Target audience and potential applications (18:06)Origin and meaning of the name "Demon Box" (21:06)Analog core with digital capabilities (23:17)Alexandra's personal advice for overcoming challenges (25:22)Additional Resources:Learn more about the Demon Box: https://www.eternalresearch.com/--Connect with Bobby:Access our FREE music mixing crash course training: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/crash-site-registration?utm_source=notes&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=podcastFollow Bobby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/Follow Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/Follow Bobby on X: @bobbyowsinski--In this podcast, music guru Bobby Owsinski shares his personal insights on the music industry, covering news, reviews, analysis, and tips, as well as offering amazing interviews with prominent industry movers and shakers. 

They say we are the sum of our experiences, and as many musicians know, whatever life throws at us, we can take and turn into art. No one knows this better than my guest on the podcast this week, Ray LeVier. Ray is a drummer, composer, producer, author, and motivational speaker who has played and recorded with John Abercrombie, Dave Binney, KJ Denhert, Joe Locke, Francois Moutin, Wayne Krantz, Mike Stern, and Rich Tozzoli. At the age of 12, Ray suffered severe burns all over his body which left him unable to play the drums in a more ‘traditional’ way. As a result, Ray has come up with his own innovative methods to play the drums. Ray’s story is one of hope and resilience and he shares all of it with us in this episode. Listen in as we discuss Ray’s breathing techniques, how to achieve a flow state and optimal performance, how drummers with physical limitations can overcome the challenge and play effectively, why mindfulness is key to creating beautiful art, and more. Let’s dive in. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 106695817, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };

My guest this week is producer, musician and remixer Danny Saber. Danny’s worked with musical legends like David Bowie, Sheryl Crow, Marilyn Manson, U2, The Rolling Stones, Public Enemy, Willie Nelson, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, and Madonna, among many others. He’s also contributed to television commercials for McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Coors, and soundtracks for films such as “Blade II,” and “Moulin Rouge!.” Most recently Danny’s been busy working on some recently discovered songs by the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence, as well as a documentary on the singer’s life. During the interview we spoke about his early band days around Hollywood, getting into remixing, producing the Rolling Stones, why producing a film is way different from composing, hanging with football legend Jim Brown, and much more. I spoke with Danny via Zoom from his studio in Los Angeles. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 106695817, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };

My guest this week is Morgan Hayduk, who’s the co-founder and co-CEO of Beatdapp, a company that helps artists, labels, performance rights organizations, and streaming platforms detect fraudulent streams. Morgan started his career in music as a lobbyist for the Canadian music industry in the area of copyright protection before starting Beatdapp, although the company’s original mission was as a streaming auditing tool for record labels. After many conversations with record execs, it became clear that just about everyone in the industry was having a problem with streaming manipulation, which led to inconsistencies between sales reports and streaming services’ server logs. As a result, Beatdapp developed a tool to detect fraudulent streams and prevent them from impacting royalty payouts. Industry estimates that anywhere from 10% to 20% of all streams are fraudulent, so Beatdapp’s tool is critical to restoring full payouts to artists everywhere. During our interview, Morgan spoke about the two goals of streaming fraud, why fraud can’t be detected in a royalty statement, why even AI music companies are worried about streaming fraud, the various different types of streaming fraud, and much more. I spoke with Morgan via zoom from his office in Los Angeles. On the intro we look at potential new music delivery format, and some facts about vinyl records. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 106415398, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };

My guest this week is mastering engineer Maor Appelbaum, who’s worked with the likes of Faith No More, Yes, Meatloaf, Eric Gales, Walter Trout, Dream Theater, Sepultura, Halford, and many more. Maor has written presets and collaborated with various plugin companies such as Waves, Brainworx/Plugin Alliance, Softube, Arturia, Leapwing Audio, Pulsar Audio and others. He's also guested and lectured at various trade shows and recording schools, and is co-creator of the THE OVEN line of analog hardware which is modeled and emulated by Brainworx. During our interview, Maor spoke about the different mastering requirements for different genres, common mixing problems that he sees, what he asks clients to supply for mastering, the audio gear he’s developed, and so much more. I spoke with Maor via zoom from his studio outside of Los Angeles. On the intro we look at song melodies getting simpler and production more complex, and the quietest places in the U.S. var podscribeEmbedVars = { epId: 106178493, backgroundColor: 'white', font: undefined, fontColor: undefined, speakerFontColor: undefined, height: '600px', showEditButton: false, showSpeakers: true, showTimestamps: true };