Struggling with too many vocal takes? You nailed the perfect take, then recorded five more “just in case.” Now you’re lost in a sea of options, wondering how to create the perfect comp without losing your mind.

In this episode of Inside the Mix, Marc Matthews and Tim Benson (Aisle9) reveal their proven strategies for organising takes and building seamless vocal comps. Learn how to avoid over-recording, why comping during the editing phase keeps your mixing sessions stress-free, and the ideal number of takes before vocal fatigue hits.

We’ll cover:

• How to organise multiple takes efficiently in your DAW
• The right way to edit without clicks or pops
• Why real double-tracking beats any plugin
• How to manage performance anxiety and red light syndrome

Whether you’re producing your music or working with artists, this episode gives you practical tools to streamline your workflow and get pro results, without the chaos.

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The music industry is shifting fast—are you ready for it? In this episode, Jesse Kirshbaum returns to Inside the Mix to break down how independent artists can build sustainable music careers in 2025. From strategic content creation to authentic brand deals, Jesse shares how “selling in” (not selling out) can help you monetize without compromising your creativity.

We dive into why follower count no longer dictates brand value, how artists with smaller audiences can still land partnerships, and what platforms reward consistent over perfect content. Jesse also unpacks the surprising return of physical retail spaces and why real-world fan engagement is more valuable than ever.

This episode reveals how to approach non-music brands, align with your values, and stay relevant in a fragmented industry where niche audiences rule. Whether you're just starting or rethinking your strategy, Jesse’s insights from the Beats + Bytes 2025 Halftime Report give you the tools to succeed on your own terms.

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Beats & Bytes 2025 Half Time Report

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Ways to connect with Marc:

Book your FREE Music Breakthrough Strategy Call

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Ever wondered why engineers intentionally add noise to audio? In this episode of Inside the Mix, returning guest, mastering engineer and Berklee professor Ian Stewart, breaks down what dither is, why it’s used, and when to apply it in your music production workflow.

Through clear explanations and real audio demos, Ian demonstrates how dither replaces digital artefacts with smooth, barely noticeable noise, preserving details such as reverb tails and low-level audio that would otherwise be distorted during bit depth reduction.

You’ll learn:

• Do I need to dither when exporting a 24-bit file to a 16-bit file?
• Can skipping dither cause distortion in quiet passages?
• When should you use dither in mastering?

Whether you’re mixing in 32-bit float or exporting for streaming, this episode explains how audio dither helps preserve quality during final delivery and when it’s best to skip it.

Links mentioned in this episode:

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32-Bit Float Files Explained

Goodhertz Good Dither

Izotope RX 11

Wavelabs 30th Anniversary

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Support the show

Ways to connect with Marc:

Book your FREE Music Breakthrough Strategy Call

Radio-ready mixes start here - get the FREE weekly tips

Grab exclusive access to BONUS content

Follow Marc's Socials:

Instagram | YouTube | Synth Music Mastering

Thanks for listening!!