Masteryourmix

10/03/2026

What if getting your kick and bass to work together doesn’t have to mean endless EQ adjustments?

Chris Collier shares his approach to this common mixing challenge.

Listen to the full episode to discover a simpler, more flexible way to make your kick and bass work together: https://masteryourmix.com/podcastep320chriscollier/

10/01/2026

Does stacking more tracks always make a production sound bigger?

Chris Collier shares a different approach to keeping productions focused without overcomplicating the session.

Listen to the full episode to learn how simplifying your approach can change the way you build a heavier, clearer mix: https://masteryourmix.com/podcastep320chriscollier

09/30/2026

Chris Collier is a producer, mixer, mastering engineer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Las Vegas, operating as CMC21 Productions. Across nearly three decades in hard rock and metal, he's engineered and produced for Korn, earning a promotion to producer on 2022's Requiem after years behind the board on the band's records, plus Prong, Lynch Mob, KXM, and Whitesnake, whose classic catalog he's remixed. On Mick Mars' 2024 solo debut, The Other Side of Mars, he played bass on every track in addition to mixing and mastering it. He's currently mixing and producing new material for Nonpoint, Society1, and Gunshine.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
- Why being a "button pusher" gets you replaced
- The real line between an engineer's input and a producer's input
- Keeping a band's identity intact while still pushing them forward
- What changes in the room the moment a band actually trusts you
- Why quad-tracking guitars usually backfires
- The sidechain trick Chris uses instead of EQ to fix a fighting kick and bass
- Why fewer tracks means fewer decisions later
- Balancing speed vs quality
- A simple pre-record exercise that gets two guitarists playing tight
- How much editing is too much editing on a guitar take

Check out this episode: https://masteryourmix.com/podcastep320chriscollier/

09/30/2026

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 tracking
- Transitioning from pre-med studies to audio engineering
- Being open to diverse projects
- Building confidence in your skills
- Having flexibility with your workflow
- Anticipating the next move
- Working on Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers”
- Making revisions to your songs
- Compartmentalizing the stages of your workflow
- What great vocal engineering consists of
- Setting up your sessions for speed
- Recording Kings Of Leon
- Getting solid bass tones
- Tracking with compression

Check out the episode here:

In this episode, Brian Rajaratnam (Miley Cyrus, Avenged Sevenfold) shares his tips & tricks for engineering great vocals.

09/28/2026

What if the work you’re overlooking could actually help build the career you want?

Listen to Tim Dolbear explain how thinking outside the box can lead to some of your most profitiable gigs, while still using your audio skills: https://masteryourmix.com/podcastep319timdolbear/

09/26/2026

Spend less time on the boring stuff, and more time on the fun part.

Listen to Tim Dolbear explain how to simplify your workflow so that you gain more time to focus on the creative side: https://masteryourmix.com/podcastep319timdolbear/

09/24/2026

Stop using pricing to differentiate from your competition. It's actually costing you more.

Listen to Tim Dolbear explain how to rethink your pricing, stand out in a crowded market, and turn what makes you different into your advantage: https://masteryourmix.com/podcastep319timdolbear/

09/23/2026

Tim Dolbear is an award-winning mixing and mastering engineer with 25+ years of experience, whose work spans music, film, TV, podcasts, and streaming, with credits including NBC, HBO, Netflix, Prime Video, and Grammy-winning artists.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
- Why moving Eclectica Studios across three cities taught Tim more about client psychology than gear
- The one thing that made clients trust him before he ever proved himself
- How to make good money off of Fiverr
- The unusual gig idea that got him noticed in a flooded market
- What his response time has to do with how many new clients he gets
- What separates a Fiverr gig people actually search for from one that gets lost in the noise
- The pricing mistake Tim says cost him the most early in his career
- Automating the boring parts of your process
- Why "boring" work like corporate video mixing quietly became his most profitable niche
- The line Tim won't cross when a client tries to take a Fiverr relationship off-platform

Check out the episode here: https://masteryourmix.com/podcastep319timdolbear/

09/19/2026

You might be dating your records by adding effects.

Listen to Howard Bilerman explain what he does to prevent his records from sounding tied to a specific era of music: https://masteryourmix.com/podcastep318howardbilerman/

09/17/2026

The simplest way to clearer records? Fewer tracks

Listen to Howard Bilerman explain how you might be overcomplicating your mixes in the full episode: https://masteryourmix.com/podcastep318howardbilerman/