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What's That Sound?

What's That Sound?

By: Stu Watts
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 Want to know what it's like to be an engineer or producer in the Australian music scene? Join Stu Watts as he interviews some of the best talent to come out of Australia. You'll learn about mindset, sessions, plugins and gear, and actionable advice from some of the best that Down Under has to offer.Stu Watts Music
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Episodes
  • Nick Franklin | What's That Sound? with Stu Watts Episode #56

    Nick Franklin | What's That Sound? with Stu Watts Episode #56
    Apr 15 2025
    Stu Watts chats with Nick Franklin, who is a mastering engineer, (sometimes) recording and mixing engineer and the owner of electronic gadget company Franklin Audio.Nick grew up in a small coastal town on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, playing in bands and recording music with friends. His parents were incredibly supportive—soundproofing the garage, helping him buy his first recording equipment, and ultimately encouraging him to pursue his dream of moving to the city to study audio engineering.Shortly after completing his studies, a chance encounter with legendary mastering engineer Rick O’Neil led to a position as an assistant engineer at Turtlerock Mastering, then the largest mastering studio in Australia. The role proved to be an intense crash course in mastering and client work, laying a strong foundation for the rest of his music career. Like many studios, however, the Turtlerock building was eventually demolished to make way for apartments, leaving Nick jobless and uncertain about the next step.In search of steady work while figuring out his next move, Nick accepted a lecturing role at JMC Academy, teaching Pro Tools, electronics, and music production. It wasn’t long before he became fully immersed in the world of education, eventually taking on the role of full-time studio manager. In that position, he oversaw the campus’s relocation to Ultimo and the commissioning of four large-format consoles. During a studio tour for local producers, he connected with a studio owner in need of a new house engineer—an opportunity that brought him back into the professional audio world.Over the next five years, Nick recorded hundreds of artists and bands at Linear Recording, refining the craft of capturing live instruments. During this time, he also built his own studio just a block away—poetically located in the newly established Turtlerock Mastering building.Alongside his music career, Nick had been nurturing an electronics business, which he officially launched in 2021. That same year, he was once again forced to demolish his studio to make way for development. This time, he chose not to rebuild, instead committing full-time to Franklin Audio. Since then, the company has grown into a six-person team with customers around the world.Chapters:00:00:00 Intro00:03:35 About Nick Franklin00:04:15 Early experiences with music00:09:11 Learning audio at JMC00:13:27 After college and Rick O'Neil's mentorship00:18:40 Key learns from his early mastering experiences00:22:35 The next stage of Nick's journey as a lecturer00:28:35 Meeting Chris from Linear Recording00:31:02 Reflections on the higher education system00:35:11 How Franklin Audio got started00:41:52 How Nick's previous experiences help with running a business00:45:36 How Franklin Audio approaches social media00:54:14 What can a producer/engineer learn from a business owner?00:57:17 What is still surprising/exciting about being around music?00:59:46 What's coming up this year01:00:51 Best bits of advice for producers/engineers, artists and business owners01:06:02 Conclusion/OutroHow you can support the podcast:⁠⁠⁠SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BUY SOME MERCH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DONATE⁠⁠⁠Follow on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@whatsthatsoundpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stu Watts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@stu.watts.audio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Nick Franklin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fricknanklin⁠Franklin Audio: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@franklin_audio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stu Watts website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nick Franklin website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Franklin Audio website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Stu's work on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Nick's work on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠Enquiries and suggestions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast.whatsthatsound@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Hayden Lauersen | What's That Sound? with Stu Watts Episode #55

    Hayden Lauersen | What's That Sound? with Stu Watts Episode #55
    Feb 4 2025

    Stu Watts chats with Hayden Lauersen, who is a mix engineer and record producer based in Melbourne, Australia. With a background in songwriting and production of original works, he offers a premium service tailored to the artist experience, highlighting emotional expression with compelling sonics. Studio credits include Kate Ceberano, Clare Bowditch, Haiku Hands, Tentendo, ISHAN, Kee’ahn, Sophiya, Woodes, RARIA, Blush’ko, AKOSIA and Shannen James, along with Future Classic, Universal Music, Island Records, Spinning Top Music, Ivy League Records, Sidekick Music and many more. His work has been hand picked by Zane Lowe, played on BBC Radio 1, KCRW, Triple J, Fox FM and Nova, accumulating over 60 million Spotify streams.

    Chapters:00:00:00 Intro00:03:08 About Hayden Lauersen00:07:20 Early experiences with music00:13:16 How Powderfinger and Silverchair changed Hayden's life00:20:10 High school and beyond00:25:38 First experience in a studio with Dylan Nash00:29:35 Getting into mixing00:31:15 Beginning to charge clients00:34:14 Touring with Woodes00:36:38 Being surrounded by other successful artists00:39:16 Working in a commercial studio00:46:28 Hayden's mixing process00:50:16 Benchmark to aim for in a mix/referencing other mixes00:53:33 Sample replacement when mixing00:56:15 Focus on user experience when delivering mixes01:02:28 What Hayden is excited about for this year01:06:16 Best bits of advice for producers/engineers and artists01:13:25 Conclusion/Outro

    How you can support the podcast:

    ⁠⁠SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠BUY SOME MERCH⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠DONATE⁠⁠

    Follow on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@whatsthatsoundpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stu Watts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@stu.watts.audio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hayden Lauersen: ⁠⁠⁠@haydenlauersen

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stu Watts website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Hayden Lauersen website⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Stu's work on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠Listen to Hayden's work on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

    Enquiries and suggestions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast.whatsthatsound@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Stefan Du Randt | What's That Sound? with Stu Watts Episode #54

    Stefan Du Randt | What's That Sound? with Stu Watts Episode #54
    Jan 7 2025

    Stu Watts chats with Stefan Du Randt, who is one of the select few engineers who work exclusively from Studios 301 and has capitalised on that by building a reputation as a prolific producer, mixing and recording engineer. His credits are highlighted by his work on Mac Millers‘ posthumous album “Circles“, and include many exciting Australian and international artists such as Coldplay, Zedd, Katy Perry, Thelma Plum, Guy Sebastian, Elton John, Vera Blue, Asap Ferg, YG, The Script, Delta Goodrem, Wolfmother, Peking Duk, Daniel Johns and many more. Stefan’s road to joining the Studios 301 team in 2015 included relocating from South Africa where he worked as principal engineer for Grammy-winning producer Darryl Torr (Soweto Gospel Choir). To add to his engineering and production work, Stefan is one of the lead facilitators and practical mentors for the 301 Academy where he takes up-coming engineers through the process of making a record, all the way from the demo stage through to the finished product. Stefan also holds a degree in music production from Berklee College of Music.

    Chapters:

    00:00:00 Intro 00:02:08 About Stefan Du Randt 00:03:08 Early experiences with music 00:06:57 Falling in love with technology 00:08:18 Beginning formal education and opening a studio 00:18:45 Obtaining better opportunities 00:21:22 How Stefan's time is divided 00:22:24 The rest of Stefan's journey 00:25:25 What made Stefan level up 00:27:45 Commonalities between professional artists 00:29:36 Collaboration 00:34:21 How to get in a creative mode 00:37:46 Working with high profile artists 00:41:39 Feeling out of your depth 00:43:07 Working in Dolby Atmos 00:46:12 Stefan's mixing process 00:49:13 Utilising the rough mix 00:51:34 Challenges of being a mixer 00:55:48 What's coming up in 2025 00:56:26 Best bits of advice for producers/engineers and artists 01:01:04 Conclusion/Outro

    How you can support the podcast:

    ⁠SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE⁠

    ⁠BUY SOME MERCH⁠

    ⁠DONATE⁠

    Follow on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@whatsthatsoundpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stu Watts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@stu.watts.audio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stefan Du Randt: ⁠⁠@mixedbystef

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stu Watts website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Stefan Du Randt website⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Stu's work on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠Listen to Stefan's work on Spotify⁠⁠

    Enquiries and suggestions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast.whatsthatsound@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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    1 hr and 2 mins

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.