Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast

What can a 1956 recording console teach us about the future of music production?

In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby talks with Tom Camuso, Director of Engineering at The Les Paul Recording Studio, and Michael Braunstein, 3rd Generation Les Paul Manager.
They discuss the newly restored Les Paul Recording Studio in Los Angeles, Les Paul’s groundbreaking recording innovations, and why his original Fairchild based console still feels ahead of its time today.

Tom and Michael take us inside the restoration of Les Paul’s original gear, including his 1956 console, early multitrack machines, lathe, sound on sound system, and studio setup. 
They also explain why the studio is designed as both a working space and an educational resource, how Les Paul’s inventions shaped modern recording, and why today’s DAWs still follow many of the same ideas he was using decades ago.

You’ll also hear how the Les Paul Foundation supports music education, preserves Les Paul’s legacy, and funds hearing related research, including tinnitus research.

Connect with Tom and Michael:
LinkedIn (Michael)
Website
The Les Paul Foundation
“Les would be over the moon knowing his studio exists again.”
Les Paul’s Groundbreaking Recording Gear Gets Back to Work – Part 1
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

What makes a compressor become one of the most trusted pieces of gear in modern recording studios? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby talks with Dave Derr, founder of Empirical Labs and creator of the legendary Distressor.

Dave shares the story behind the Distressor’s development, including how early studio challenges, dead drum sounds, 1176 experiments, and real-world testing helped shape one of the most widely used analog compressors in music production. He also talks about the creation of Nuke mode, the thinking behind Brit mode, the evolution of the Distressor, and how products like FATSO, Mike-E, and Empirical Labs plugins fit into his design philosophy.

Along the way, Dave and Bobby get into analog saturation, transformer sound, plugin clones, trademarking knobs, Eventide, the Philadelphia music scene, favorite instruments to record, and why the 1980s may have been a peak era for audio quality.

Learn more about Dave Derr and Empirical Labs:
LinkedIn
Empirical Labs Website
Empirical Labs Instagram
Empirical Labs Facebook
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

What does it really take to turn a good voice into a sustainable music career? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby talks with vocal coach, singer, songwriter, and artist developer Patrice Peris about the voice, the business, and the habits that help independent artists move from practice room to real performance.

Patrice shares why today’s singers need more than technique, including branding, web presence, booking strategy, emotional delivery, and a real understanding of the music business. She also breaks down the differences between classical, musical theater, and contemporary singing, why pitch perfection is not the same as a great vocal, and how simple warmup habits can create real vocal improvement over time.

You’ll also hear Patrice talk about finding your authentic sound, helping artists stop hiding behind imitation, thriving after cancer, and her move into trailer music and sync placements.

Learn more about Patrice Peris:
Voice Studio
Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube 
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

What happens to iconic guitar shops when the founders want to step away, and who makes sure those legendary brands do not disappear? 
In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby talks with Ben Montague, Founder and CEO of The North American Guitar Global, TNAG, about vintage guitars, legacy music retail, trusted online selling, and the future of some of the world’s most respected guitar stores. 

Ben shares how he went from touring musician and guitar trader to building The North American Guitar, expanding into Nashville, partnering with Carter Vintage, and acquiring Norman’s Rare Guitars. Along the way, he explains why trust is everything in the vintage guitar market, how customer relationships still drive high-end instrument sales, and why preserving great retail brands matters to the entire music industry. 
This is a fascinating conversation about guitars, entrepreneurship, collectibles, and the people behind the stores that shape music history.

Guest links and episode links:
LinkedIn
Carter Vintage
Norman’s Rare Guitars
YouTube
TNAG Global acquires Norman’s Rare Guitars
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

What does it take to keep a commercial recording studio thriving as the music industry keeps changing? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby talks with Tom Weir, Grammy-winning engineer, producer, mixer, and owner of Studio City Sound, about how his studio continues to grow by expanding beyond traditional music recording into ADR, voiceover, livestreaming, Dolby Atmos, podcast production, and AI augmentation sessions.

Tom shares how Studio City Sound adapted from its longtime location into a larger North Hollywood space, why commercial studios have to diversify to stay competitive, and what he is seeing firsthand as more artists bring in AI-generated tracks that still need real singers, players, instruments, and engineering to sound right. He also explains why he still mixes through his Neve console, what analog gear continues to earn its place in every session, and how a working studio survives by staying useful, flexible, and sonically excellent.

If you care about recording studios, analog mixing, Dolby Atmos, AI in music production, and the future of the music business, this conversation delivers a real-world look from inside the control room.

Connect with Tom:
Studio Website
LinkedIn
Instagram
Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing.
Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.
📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books
🎙️ Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready. Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course
🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses
📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Bluesky
🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/