Stokes Sound offers an open podium for master sound engineers and audio production lovers to discuss their workflows and popular tips and tricks of the trade. If you’re looking to level up your skills, or if you simply want to understand the creative and technical aspects of sound engineering better, this is the show for you!
With conversations from industry pros and detailed tutorials, Ed Stokes will make sure that you’re always up to date with the latest mixing and production techniques.
ED STOKES
Ed's mission is to provide aspiring mixers and producers with creative insight into the audio production world. Each episode will explore different aspects of mixing and production, from recording strategies to mastering tips, while having illuminating conversations with some of the greatest minds in the industry. Whether it's a beginner or experienced producer/mixer looking to level up their skills, Sound Stokes is sure to answer many of your burning questions. Ed utilizes his industry contacts to talk all things mastering audio from workflows to expert tips and tricks.
Each episode of Stokes Sound is an in-depth exploration of the creative and technical side of music production. With conversations from industry experts, Ed will discuss topics such as recording strategies, mixing tips and mastering techniques. He’ll also talk about the creative side of music production and how to make innovative sounds with a variety of hardware and software tools.
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ALL PODCAST EPISODES
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Episode 26
Every great song lives or dies in the details. From the way a vocal sits in the mix to the balance between analog warmth and digital precision, the difference between a track that connects and one that falls flat often comes down to choices made behind the console. It's time to fix your mix—because if the end user can’t enjoy it with ease, the work isn’t finished. In this episode, we bring you Miles Walker, a Grammy-winning mix engineer and producer based in Atlanta, to discuss mixing, balance, compression, hybrid mixing, and what it takes to thrive in today’s music industry. Miles is a Berklee College of Music graduate whose career spans from Nashville’s Music Row to studios in Los Angeles and beyond. He has worked with some of the world’s biggest artists, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Usher, Katy Perry, and Britney Spears. From his early role as Usher’s staff engineer to Grammy-winning collaborations with Stargate, Miles has been behind numerous chart-topping, platinum-selling records. Today, you’ll hear about Miles’ journey, his career before and after moving to Atlanta, and his insights on hybrid mixing, mix bus processing, balancing syntax, vocal doubling, automation, and techniques for riding and compressing vocals for energy and performance impact.
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Episode 25
Sound is more than just a technical craft—it’s an emotional translation of an artist’s soul. When you step into the studio, you’re not just adjusting faders or plugins; you’re stepping into someone’s talent and helping bring it to life. It takes humility, skill, and a deep respect for the creative process to craft a mix that not only sounds good but also feels authentic.
In this episode, we bring you Tony Maserati, a legendary mixing engineer based in LA, to discuss mixing, collaboration, the industry, and thriving under pressure.
Tony is a Grammy Award–winning record producer and audio engineer. With billions of streams and credits with artists such as Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, Adam Lambert, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato, Tony stands among the most successful mixing engineers in the world. He has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards, including four for Best Engineered Album, and most recently won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Engineer.
Today, you’ll hear about Tony’s journey, his career before and after moving to LA, and his insights on reference mixing, collaboration, mix bus processing, automation, and how to ride and compress vocals for more impact.
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Episode 24
In this episode, we bring you Joshua Riley, Manchester-based Mixing Engineer, to talk about mixing, content creation, and social media. Joshua is an experienced mixer, lecturer, and public speaker, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sound Production from SAE Institute South Africa. Today, you’ll hear about Joshua’s newly built mixing setup, his to-do list after getting a mix, filtering and clipping, mixing vocals, using automation, getting into content creation, the power of social media, convincing artists about the importance of a mixing engineer, and the three things that Josh wishes he’d known sooner.
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Episode 23
In this episode, we bring you Matthew Weiss, Grammy-nominated audio engineer, to talk about his mixing setup and process. Matthew Weiss is a Grammy nominated engineer and audio mentor who has worked with countless chart-topping artists, such as Dizzee Rascal, Juicy J, MURS, and Royce Da 5’9″. In addition to his engineering, Matthew has appeared as a guest speaker at Cornell University, ProStudio Live, SXSW, and SUNY Fredonia. His audio education tutorials are among the most highly regarded resources in the field of music production. Today, you’ll hear about Matt’s approach to vocals, how he maintains an efficient workflow, his use of autotune, the importance of getting the timing right, gain staging and plugins, how Matt approaches the mix bus, and the three things Matt wishes he’d known earlier.
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Episode 22
In this episode, we bring you Jerome Renard, Belgian-Born Mixing Engineer, to talk about his mixing setup and process. As a mixer he believes that every song deserves to have an engineer who understand the deepest needs and connections you have with your music. As someone who has lived, experienced and engineered pop music internationally, he’s able to bring a multicultural perspective to each project, helping to emphasize with goals of every artist he works with. His experience working alongside John Metcalfe brought him to Real World Studio, Universal Music in Studio La Grande Armee in Paris, and his sessions with Simon Phillips were the catalyst for bringing him to Los-Angeles. Today, you’ll hear about Jerome’s mixing process and setup, his use of parallel compression and gain-staging, his views on vocal tuning, automation, what an average mixing week looks like for Jerome, getting more work in the industry, and hear the three things Jerome wishes he’d known earlier.
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Episode 21
In this episode, we bring you Leslie Brathwaite, 18x Grammy Award-Winning Mix Engineer, to talk about work-life balance. Leslie’s credits include Pharrell Williams, Outkast, Björk, TLC, Jay Z, Madonna, Ludacris, Young Jeezy, Akon, T.I., Monica, Michael Jackson, Cher, Mary J. Blige, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G. Beyonce, Jack Harlow, David Guetta, and Cardi B. He holds GRAMMY Awards for Best R&B performance by Duo or Group - Brandy and Monica, The Boy Is Mine (1999), Best R&B Album – TLC, FanMail (2000), Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group – TLC, No Scrubs (2000), Best Rap Album – OUTKAST, Stankonia (2002), Best Urban Contemporary Album – Pharrell Williams, GIRL (2015), and Best Pop Solo Performance – Pharrell Williams, Happy (2015). Today, you’ll hear about how Leslie manages his day-to-day life on the go, how he mixed Cardi B’s WAP in the back of his truck, the productivity boost of working from home, how mixing is like surgery, how overthinking can unravel a mix, the pressure of working with A-listers, the revision process, Leslie’s non-template approach, learning from other mixers, how Leslie got to where he is now, the narrowing production quality gap, getting credit for the work, networking and competition, the function of management, and the three things that Leslie wishes he’d known earlier.
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Episode 20
In this episode, we bring you Mixed By Jocelin, Award-Winning Engineer and Producer, to talk about his approach to Mixing and Mastering. Jocelin has worked as a recording, mixing, and mastering engineer for over a decade. After making a name in the industry working at Relentless Energy Studio, Jocelin became a prominent engineer in London’s rap scene, having worked with artists including JME, AJ Tracey, Headie One, and Not3s. Today, you’ll hear about how Jocelin approaches a mix, his producing and mastering, switching between DAWs, AI mixing, the importance of creativity, being more accessible as a mixer, doing the final print offline, and taking on every opportunity in the industry.
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Episode 19
In this episode, we bring you Jon Blass, Grammy Award-Winning Mix Engineer, to discuss his process and perspective for successful mixes. Jon Blass is a GRAMMY award-winning mix engineer. His mix work has garnered 11 additional GRAMMY nominations, multiple Dove and Stellar awards, and frequently lands atop the Billboard Gospel charts. His mix credits include India.Arie, Naomi Raine Gene Moore, Maranda Curtis, Tweet, Marvin Sapp, Donnie McClurkin, Todd Dulaney, Jason Nelson, Brian Courtney Wilson, Melvin Crispell, Donald Lawrence, Shirley Caesar, Fisk Jubilee Singers, and many others. Jon works in both stereo and Dolby Atmos from his private, Atmos-enabled Limn Sound Studio in Nashville. He has recently served on the Nashville chapter Producers & Engineers Wing and Diversity Outreach Initiative committees for the Recording Academy and the Audio Engineering Society’s local executive committee. Jon is an alum of the GRAMMY NEXT program as well as the Society of Leaders In Development (SOLID). Today, you’ll hear about how Jon approaches a mix in multiple different genres, automation and compression, using real faders, his Dolby Atmos setup, Jon’s transition to independence, and hear the three things that Jon wishes he’d known sooner.
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Episode 18
In this episode, we bring you Brent Hendrich, award-winning Nashville-based mixing engineer, to talk about freelance mixing. Brent Hendrich is an award-winning mix engineer with over 20 years of experience in the Nashville music industry. With a passion for creating captivating and impactful mixes and a talent for aligning each mix with the artistic vision of collaborators, Brent has established himself as a go-to professional across all genres, most notably Pop. Brent’s commitment to his craft and pursuit of excellence has been recognized and celebrated within the industry. He played a pivotal role in creating a Dove award-winning record, has contributed to several Emmy award-winning projects, and is a voting member of the Recording Academy. As a collaborator, Brent understands the importance of working closely with artists and producers to bring their musical vision to life. He sees the value in the nuances of every project, ensuring that each mix is an authentic reflection of the artist's intent and that it far surpasses expectations. Whether you're an established artist looking to elevate your sound or an up-and-coming talent seeking a mixer who can propel your music to new heights, Brent is a failsafe choice. With his creativity, technical expertise, and commitment to providing exceptional customer service, Brent will leave an unforgettable impression on your music. Brent has collaborated with distinguished artists, including Delanie Leclerc, Nick Hall, and Alaina Cross. Today, you’ll hear about Brent’s journey from doing everything to specializing in mixing, social media’s role in Brent’s business, the difference between working with artists and producers, how Brent creates his work-life balance, his 20 years of freelancing, maintaining productivity, and hear the things that Brent wishes he’d known sooner.
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Episode 17
In this episode, we bring you Aidan Duncan, LA-Based Mixing and Recording Engineer, to talk about engineering, recording, and mixing vocals. Aidan Duncan is a mixing and recording engineer in Los Angeles, CA. He has assisted mixing legend Dave Pensado out of Fab Factory studios in North Hollywood. Spending 4 years with Dave perfecting his craft and helping artist’s visions come to life, he learned the key factors to making it as a top tier mixer. Now, he caters to artists such as Wizkid, Chris Brown, BNXN fka buju, Marc E. Bassy, Dillon Franics, Big Freedia, G-Eazy and many more. Today, you’ll hear about how Aidan records different genres, the quality of vocal recordings since the start of the pandemic, the new Melodyne in Pro Tools, nudging vocals, mixing and recording, using automation, and hear what Aidan wishes he’d known sooner.
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Episode 16
In this episode, we bring you Edoardo “EdgMixing” Ghigo, Tennessee-based Dolby Atmos Certified Mixing Engineer, to talk about mixing different genres. EdgMixing is a Dolby Atmos Certified Mixing Engineer, and . His career credits include prominent artists, such as Wale, Big. K.R.I.T. , PRICE, Ponce De Leioun, ELHAE, and Jiaaní. He is currently a Senior at Belmont University in Nashville, TN, majoring in Audio Engineering and Technology with a Minor in Music Business. Today, you’ll hear about EDG’s mixing techniques for different genres, his workflow, how he treats gain staging, mixing and mastering tracks, EDG’s go-to plugins, and hear the three things that EDG wishes he’d known earlier.
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Episode 15
In this episode, we bring you Brian Goddard, LA-based Mixing and Mastering Engineer, to talk about how to make your mixes more interesting. Brian Goddard is a Los Angeles-based mixing and mastering engineer. During his career, he has worked with notable artists, including Big Sean, Jaden Smith, Money Jezus, O.T Genesis, and Saint Bodhi. In 2018, he founded his own studio in DTLA. Today, you’ll hear about how Brian’s mixing workflow is different, his go-to plugins, keeping his mixes interesting, doing Dolby Atmos mixing, mastering the mixes, turnaround times, and get Brian’s three pieces of valuable advice to his younger self.
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Episode 14
In this episode, we bring you Lawrence Biancardi, Mastering Engineer at Alt Mastering, to talk about all things mastering. Lawrence Biancardi has worked alongside artists such as Michelle Revins, Finalist of The Voice Live, and Hunter Hayes, 4X Grammy Nominated US Country Star. Lawrence is also a distant relative of virtuoso pianist and composer, Frederic Chopin. Today, you’ll hear about in and out of the box mastering, Lawrence’s mastering process, using compression, using limiters, delivering mastered files, mastering for film and streaming, and hear the three things that Lawrence wishes he’d known sooner.
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Episode 13
In this episode, we bring you Bao Pham, Owner of Mixology Studios Online, to talk about finding clients and maintaining positive working relationships. Bao Pham is a Vietnamese-American producer, engineer, songwriter, and owner of Mixology Studios Online, where he has worked with prominent artists and producers, including Glenn Thomas, Busta Rhymes, Shek’spere, Joell Ortiz, Future, Christina Milian, Nicki Minaj, Nikki Grier, and more. Today, you’ll hear about how Bao finds clients, how the pandemic has affected mixing quality, using social media, understanding the client’s needs, how to deal with tricky clients, vocal tuning, taking payments upfront, and the three things that Bao wishes he knew earlier.
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Episode 12
In this episode, we bring you Luke Herold, Founder and Owner of Herold Dynamics, to talk about over-processing when mixing. Luke Herold is the lead engineer, founder, and owner of Herold Dynamics, a recording studio based in Maryland. Over the past 7+ years, Luke has worked with industry leading artists, including 21 Savage, Jose Guapo, Shy Glizzy, Fat Trel, Lightshow, and Lor Scoota. Today, you’ll hear about a day in the life of Luke Herold, his over-processing habits, what to do when you notice your over-processing, trusting your expertise, using FX, mixing vs mastering, buying new plugins, and how long Luke takes to mix a record.
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Episode 11
In this episode, we bring you Harley Eblen, Cellist and String Arranger, to talk about recording and arranging strings. Through his musical genius, Harley Eblen brings artists’ visions to life with his cello and string arranging, with a focus on Pop, Indie, and Folk music. Today, you’ll hear about Harley’s setup, tuning the strings, his process when working with artists and producers, his mic recording setup, some go-to’s, manual vs automatic quantizing, using live vs programmed strings, and using reverb.
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Episode 10
In this episode, we bring you Jamie Coupe, Songwriter, Producer, Podcast Host, and Coach, to talk about making music your full-time job. Jamie is a songwriter, producer, podcast co-host of I Wish I Knew That About Songwriting, and artist development and songwriting coach. Jamie works to help others have faith in their own writing abilities, and to push them to reach their full potential. Today, you’ll hear about where to start to become self-employed, the importance of passion, the concept of luck, why the subject of your focus is important, going above and beyond, and the power of mindset.
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Episode 9
In this episode, we bring you Josh Ager, mixer, producer, and engineer, to talk about using FX to create depth. Josh Ager - Recent works include Sea Girls, Tom Grennan, Crawlers, Sam Fender, Holly Humberstone, Medicine Cabinet, Griff, Thomas Headon, Beabadoobee, Kid Brunswick, Phoebe Axa, Cate Canning, Reuben Gray, Charlie Oriain and US artists Chloe Moriondo and renforshort. Josh has also mixed for musicals including the entire original studio cast recording of Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World. Today, you’ll hear about how Josh chooses his FX, sharing FX, delay versus reverb, his favorite plugins, timing reverbs, other go-to FX, and get Josh’s advice to his younger self.
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Episode 8
In this episode, we bring you Zak Joshua, UK-based electronic music producer, to talk about the philosophy of mixing. UK-based artist Zak Joshua first broke through on the electronic music scene when his debut solo track ‘Figure It Out’ was uploaded to renowned tastemaker YouTube channel ‘Selected’. It has since gone on to accrue over 5 million views, with a subsequent official release updated with new vocals and a fresh sonic polish in 2019. He has released alternative R&B projects under the name ‘Z. Joshua’, and Lo-Fi instrumentals under the name ‘Takotsubo’. Today, you’ll hear about Zak’s process, using the source, the importance of creativity, Zak’s approach to mixing, the annoying noise on plugins, his controversial opinion about multiband compressors, and hear Zak’s philosophy of mixing.
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Episode 7
In this episode, we bring you John Burke, Founder of Perfect Vocals Academy, to talk about all things compression. John Burke’s first studio, Vibe Recording Studios, was founded in Ohio, and was home to bands and solo artists until 2018, when John moved to Nashville, where he worked in The Record Shop and ran his own remote mixing and mastering service. Today, you’ll hear about John’s compression workflow, how to use compressors, vocal riding, dynamic EQ, John’s favorite compressors, how not to use a compressor, mid-side, and get John’s top tips for those wanting to learn compression.
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Episode 6
In this episode, we bring you Max Smith, Vocal Producer at Numen Studios, to talk about vocal editing and tuning. Max Smith, Jordan Timms, and Liam Dean form the songwriter/producer trio, Spacemen, working out of Numen Studios. They have worked with major artists, including Dua Lipa, Sigrid, and Dermot Kennedy. Today, you’ll hear about Max’s recording and editing process, compressing vocal breaths, using Melodyne, Max’s workflow, and get Max’s advice to his younger self.
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Episode 5
In this episode, we bring you Henry Watkins, renowned mixing engineer, to talk about why you need to be using a mixing template in your workflow. Henry Watkins is currently based in Thailand. His work has featured in numerous notable productions, including Def Jam’s ‘IAM’, Disney’s Mulan Soundtrack, You Me At Six’s “SUCKAPUNCH”, and many domestic projects. He has amassed over 2 billion streams on his engineered or mixed material. Today, you’ll hear about Henry’s mixing process and mix prep, timing on the grid, his technical template, aligning drums on separate grids, gainstaging, The God Particle, the mastering stage, doing automation, and intuitive mixing.
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Episode 4
In this episode, we bring you Jordan Timms, Director of Numen Studios, to talk about running a commercial studio, and working with clients and artists. Jordan Timms is a record producer from south London and the director of Numen Studios, facilitating Recording, Production, Mixing, and Mastering, and working with renowned artists from all over the world. Today, you’ll hear about keeping up the excitement by doing new things, how the studio stays productive, the production trio, the importance of creativity, how to work with artists when you don’t vibe with them, choosing a sound, and get Jordan’s advice for others in the industry.
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Episode 3
In this episode, we bring you Joe Rodwell, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, composer, and producer, to talk about mixing keys and synths. Joe is a composer/arranger, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. His work has featured alongside the likes of Ed Sheeran, Craig David, Chase & Status, JP Cooper, Shy FX, Sam Smith, Rag’n’Bone Man, London Grammar and Protoje, and his own compositions have been featured on MTV, BBC One, Channel 5, and many films. Today, you’ll hear about hardware vs software synths, how Joe mixes synths, using various plugins and chains, layering synths, mixing in mono vs stereo, the importance of timing, using FX, having countless unused plugins, automation, and get Joe’s valuable advice.
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Episode 2
In this episode, we bring you Patch Boshell, legendary producer/engineer, to talk about all things recording and mixing drums. Patch Boshell is a creative and versatile Producer, Mix Engineer, Songwriter, and General Legend based in South-West London. Today, you’ll hear about Patch’s go-to drum recording setup, using free plugins, Patch’s preferred recording level, groove, how Patch mixes drums, using compression and automation, being a fixer, and how to process a lead vocal.
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Episode 1
In this episode, we bring you Gary Mictian, producer/songwriter, to talk about vocal mixing techniques. Gary Mictian is a producer, songwriter, and artist, based in London. His unique vision draws influence from vintage pop, dystopian sci-fi, and cinematic sound. He uses modern production techniques to create a fantastic world within a carefully constructed pop song. You could say his songs sound like an explosive blend between Charli XCX and Tove Lo, with a passion for sound design, he loves creating raucous and glitchy features for his productions. He explores the depths of love and heartbreak with an amalgam of nostalgic and soul-laden pop sounds. Today, you’ll hear about Gary’s daily studio techniques, doing dummy takes, compression, headphone mixing, Gary’s maximum number of takes, nudging vocals, tuning vocals, timing vocals, Gary’s aversion to ad libs, and his interesting use of vocal effects.
