Your next step:

Apply for coaching!

👉 If you already have songs written and want to get them release-ready, go ahead and apply for coaching now.

We’ll show you how to produce, record, mix, and master your songs.

In your DAW of choice, and with only the plugins and gear you already own.

With unlimited feedback, full 1-on-1 guidance, and a custom music production plan made specifically for you.

Sounds interesting?

🚀 Click here for all the details:

theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

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Episode show notes:

Real Talk, Tough Love Edition

Why don’t your records sound the way you want them to?

In this episode, Benedikt and Manel get brutally honest about one of the most uncomfortable truths in music production:

👉 It’s not your talent, your plugins, or your gear holding you back.

👉 It’s what you’re not doing — and what you keep postponing.

This episode sets the foundation for an upcoming in-depth series that walks through the entire record-making process from start to finish. But before we talk workflows, plugins, or techniques, we need to talk mindset, priorities, and reality.

This is a tough-love conversation — not to discourage you, but to help you finally move forward.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why most self-recorded music never reaches the artist’s own expectations
• The real difference between artists you admire and those who stay stuck
• Why “doing it for free” is a myth (and what it actually costs instead)
• The three real paths to making records you’re proud of
• Why information alone doesn’t lead to results — implementation does
• How unrealistic expectations quietly kill creative momentum
• The 10 essential steps that go into every great record

If you’ve ever felt frustrated, overwhelmed, or stuck halfway through your own productions — this episode will reset your perspective.

Want help actually implementing this?

If you already know you need structure, accountability, and a clear plan tailored to your situation, apply for a coaching spot at

👉 theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

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For links to everything we've mentioned in this episode, as well as full show notes go to: theselfrecordingband.com/295

--

Send us a text

If you have any questions, feedback, topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, email us at: podcast@theselfrecordingband.com

Your next step:

Apply for coaching!

👉 If you already have songs written and want to get them release-ready, go ahead and apply for coaching now.

We’ll show you how to produce, record, mix, and master your songs.

In your DAW of choice, and with only the plugins and gear you already own.

With unlimited feedback, full 1-on-1 guidance, and a custom music production plan made specifically for you.

Sounds interesting?

🚀 Click here for all the details:

theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

--

Episode show notes:

Most artists want a chorus that lifts, hits harder, and feels bigger than the rest of the song. But when your chorus falls flat, lacks impact, or simply doesn’t feel like a chorus… it’s usually a songwriting or arrangement issue.

In this episode, Manel and Benedikt share 5 practical, easy-to-apply tricks you can use immediately to make your choruses hit harder — without adding dozens of new layers, buying more plugins, or overthinking your production decisions.

You’ll learn:

• Why strategically removing instruments can make your chorus explode
• How to use lyric structure to create surprise + impact
• Why silence is one of the most powerful songwriting tools
• How risers, reverse reverbs & swells lift a chorus
• How reusing motifs can glue your song together
• Bonus: Why choosing the right key can fix your chorus before you even arrange it

Plus: Hear examples from productions Manel worked on and classic songs that use these tricks brilliantly.

--

For links to everything we've mentioned in this episode, as well as full show notes go to: theselfrecordingband.com/294

Send us a text

If you have any questions, feedback, topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, email us at: podcast@theselfrecordingband.com

Your next step:

Apply for coaching!

👉 If you already have songs written and want to get them release-ready, go ahead and apply for coaching now.

We’ll show you how to produce, record, mix, and master your songs.

In your DAW of choice, and with only the plugins and gear you already own.

With unlimited feedback, full 1-on-1 guidance, and a custom music production plan made specifically for you.

Sounds interesting?

🚀 Click here for all the details:

theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

--

Episode show notes:

If your reverbs sound muddy, harsh, disconnected, washed-out, or simply “not right”, this episode will change everything.

Benedikt and Manel break down the most common reverb mistakes self-recording musicians make - and exactly how to fix them. From choosing the right reverb type, to EQing your ambience, to building proper send/return routing, to understanding pre-delay (and WHY it matters), you’ll walk away with a clear roadmap for getting clean, modern, intentional reverbs that actually sit in your mix.

This episode is includes multiple practical step-by-step workflows you can apply immediately.

If you want your mixes to sound more 3D, controlled, clean, and professional — this is a must-listen.

What You’ll Learn

• Why choosing the right type of reverb is the real starting point
• The difference between room, hall, plate, chamber, spring, etc.
• Why (in most cases) reverbs should live on parallel busses - not on your audio track
• How to EQ your reverb to remove mud, boxiness, harsh S’s and metallic rings
• Why pre-delay is the secret to upfront vocals with lots of reverb
• How to create depth by controlling “front vs back” placement
• How to blend multiple instruments into one cohesive space
• When to use reverb on a track directly (and when you really shouldn’t)
• How to chain delay → reverb for cleaner and more musical results
• When to treat reverb like part of the source (e.g., amp spring reverb)
• How to fix muddy mixes without killing your vibe
• Why most reverb problems come from routing - not plugin choice

Key Quotes

• “Reverb is its own instrument. Process it like one.” — Benedikt
• “Pre-delay lets you use a TON of reverb without drowning your vocal.” — Benedikt
• “Context matters - not the preset.” — Manel
• “Sometimes the reverb is too bright, not too loud.” — Benedikt
• “Delay vs reverb? That’s a whole topic on its own. I use delays instead of reverbs a lot.” — Manel

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For links to everything we've mentioned in this episode, as well as full show notes go to: theselfrecordingband.com/293

Send us a text

If you have any questions, feedback, topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, email us at: podcast@theselfrecordingband.com