In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble are joined again by guitar/drum tech and musician, David Mead, to discuss prepping your drums for recording.

This is a part two of our conversation with David that started last episode with a discussion on prepping your guitars. Since he is also a drummer and has a lot of experience dealing with drums too, we decided to have him back to talk about shells, heads, cymbals, and the like.

We also get into talking about tuning and dampening. Considering how important drums are for your recordings, this is definitely an episode to check out.

00:00 Show Intro

02:42 Why Drums Matter

04:38 Shells And Bearing Edges

10:42 Out Of Round Problems

14:38 Lugs And Hardware Fixes

16:31 Choosing Drum Heads

22:03 Coated Vs Clear Heads

24:35 Tuning And Head Seating

32:02 Tuning Technique And Tools

34:48 Drum Snobs

35:47 Tension Tuning Fails

36:47 Orchestral vs Ringo Tuning

38:10 Hands On Tuning Method

38:41 Bottom Head Strategy

40:56 Concert Toms

43:20 Impact of Shell Woods

45:03 Vistalites Live Vs Studio

46:13 Kit Sizes And Big Kicks

49:49 Cymbals

54:59 Cymbal Keyholing

56:36 Drum Treatments

01:00:16 Gels Tape And DIY Mutes

01:03:58 Cymbals Cant Be Fixed In Post

01:06:53 Choosing And Auditioning Cymbals

01:08:58 Wrap Up And Where To Find David

01:10:12 Final Outro Credits

Check out David at:

https://www.magneticheavenmusic.com

Instagram: @magnetic.heaven

Reverb.com store: https://reverb.com/shop/magneticheaven

-----

Drum tuning book:

https://www.drumacoustics.com/

----

Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".

Hosts:

Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com)

and

Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com)

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com

If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.

In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble are joined by guitar tech and musician, David Mead, to discuss prepping your guitars for recording.

Drawing on his background in vintage guitar shops, auto body work, playing/recording/touring, and his Magnetic Heaven guitar repair/flipping business, David explains what a setup optimizes—action, fret buzz, intonation, etc.

He covers how climate and temperature shifts affect guitars, storage and humidification, and why setups may need adjustment after travel. For electrics, he highlights pickup height, noise/RF interference, and how magnet pull affects feel and tone. He also discusses string gauge and material choices, break-in time for recording, and preferences around new vs. used strings.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:33 Meet David Mead

01:26 Vintage Guitar Store Origins

02:49 Burnout and Recession Years

03:53 Auto Body Shop Lessons

05:54 Bands and Tech Philosophy

08:33 Back in Business on Reverb

10:38 What a Guitar Setup Fixes

11:48 Tension Changes and Fret Buzz

15:56 Intonation and Contact Points

23:22 Strings and Gauge Choices

27:11 When Setups Go Wrong

30:21 Truss Rod Discussion

33:34 Climate and Guitar Storage

34:35 Fret Sprout and Rehydration

37:09 Humidifying Methods

39:55 When Is a Guitar Totaled

40:35 Legendary Repair Stories

45:11 Why Martins and Gibsons Record Well

47:09 Electric Pickups and Noise

49:51 Pickup Height and Magnet Pull

51:52 Noiseless Pickups Debate

54:34 Strings for Studio Sessions

55:46 New vs Used Strings Timing

59:42 Drums Tease and Wrap Up

01:04:01 Show Outro and Credits

Check out David at:

https://www.magneticheavenmusic.com

Instagram: @magnetic.heaven

Reverb.com store: https://reverb.com/shop/magneticheaven

Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".

Hosts:

Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com)

and

Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com)

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com

If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.

In this episode of Prepping for the Studio, hosts Roy Silverstein and Brian Scheuble are joined by entertainment lawyer, label owner (Pacific Records), and musician, Brian Witkin, to discuss the business side of releasing music.

Just as you have to prep for a studio session, you also have to make sure all your ducks are in a row before releasing a song, EP, or album! Brian gives a great overview of various things one should be thinking about and doing ahead of your release.

NOTE: While Brian Witkin may be an attorney, please consult your own lawyer or consultant in the field before making any decisions on the business side of your music career. This podcast episode is simply a conversation with some helpful insights.

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

00:42 Meet the Guest, Brian Witkin

01:09 Music Is a Business

02:46 PROs Explained

05:05 Split Sheets and Songwriting

09:44 Two Copyright Basics

10:56 Copyright Registration Steps

12:19 Masters, Labels, and Publishing

19:28 Streaming Royalties Breakdown

21:47 Distributors and Publishing Opt Ins

25:27 Aggregator Picks and Bandcamp

27:52 Physical First Strategy

28:54 Exclusives And Merch

30:10 Label Role And Contracts

31:04 Work For Hire Basics

32:34 Producer Points Explained

34:57 Label Services Breakdown

36:31 Release Lead Time Planning

38:12 Radio Publicity Touring

42:59 Do You Need A Label?

43:47 Managers And Building Team

45:33 Social Media Content Machine

47:14 Music Videos And Sync

51:06 Long Game Mindset

54:36 Wrap Up And Where To Find Brian

55:05 Final Credits And Outro

Check out Brian at:

https://brianwitkin.com/

Pacific Records:

https://pacificrecords.com/

Please visit http://www.preppingforthestudio.com for more info and to download the free ebook, "A Musician's Guide To The Recording Studio".

Hosts:

Roy Silverstein of Rarefied Recording (www.rarefiedrecording.com)

and

Brian Scheuble (www.brianscheuble.com)

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please email Roy: info@rarefiedrecording.com

If you love this podcast, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen to your podcasts on.