Progressions: Success in the Music Industry

In this episode we’re exploring the “Super Mario Effect” and how it can be used to level up in the music industry. Drawing from former NASA engineer Mark Rober’s experiment, we discover how reframing our approach to failure can lead to a gamified approach to career growth.

Mark Rober - https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRober

References and Video Clips from Mark’s Ted X Talk - https://youtu.be/9vJRopau0g0?si=fWzaBVFRwZ2ku2Ij

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Credits:

Guest: N/A

Host: Travis Ference

Editor: Travis Ference

Theme Music: inter.ference

Today’s guest is music producer, recording engineer, and mixer Tim O’Sullivan. Tim’s credits include artists such as Chicano Batman, Rayland Baxter, The Head and the Heart, Grace Potter, and Leonard Cohen. His career has involved bouncing around freelancing and working on staff for various producers and at studios such as Capitol and Barefoot Recording. We have a great chat about building studios, the importance of a great headphone mix, wiring for creativity, learning to express your opinion in a way that fits your role, and using unique instruments to inspire the artist.

In this episode we'll dig in on...

• Things to consider when building a studio
• How to wire a studio to encourage creativity
• Managing Barefoot Recording
• Picking a studio that fits the project
• The importance of a great headphone mix
• Not being too transactional with clients
• Frankenstein Guitars
• Working for Undertone Audio in assembly and fabrication
• How to get repeat work

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Aviom Headphone System
• Audio Engineering Society
• Undertone Audio
• Nash Guitars

Tim's Listening Recommendations:

• CASIOPEA
• Rayland Baxter "If I Were a Butterfly"

Travis' Intro: Season 2 Thanks & Wrap Up

Learn More About Tim O'Sullivan...

Website: https://osullivanaudio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timosullivanmusic/

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Credits:

Guest: Tim O'Sullivan

Host: Travis Ference

Editor: Stephen Boyd

Theme Music: inter.ference

Today's guest is producer, multi-instrumentalist, and recording artist Julie Kathryn. Julie releases music under the alias I Am Snow Angel, an immersive blend of digital and organic elements, many of which are created from her own voice. In addition to producing and writing her own music Julie also produces for various other artists, does sound design for Ableton, and is a co-founder of Female Frequency, a collective dedicated to empowering women in music. We have a chat about finding your sound, self-producing, and sound design without barriers.

In this episode, we'll dig in on...

• The magic of creating without rules
• Don't be afraid of making mistakes
• Making music as a new mother
• Empowering yourself by learning production tools
• Building presets for Ableton
• Finding a mentor
• Female Frequency
• Keeping perspective through a project
• Being open minded to new sounds
• Self-Producing vs producing for for others

Learn More About I Am Snow Angel...

Website: https://www.iamsnowangel.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_am_snowangel/

Links: https://linktr.ee/iamsnowangel

Listen on Spotify HERE

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https://www.youtube.com/@progressionspod

Connect with Me:

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📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressionspod

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Credits:

Guest: I Am Snow Angel (Julie Kathryn)

Host: Travis Ference

Editor: Travis Ference

Theme Music: inter.ference

This week’s guest is Los Angeles based producer, engineer, and mixer Paul Fig. Paul is known for being a go to tracking engineer, especially in world of hard rock with credits including AFI, Jerry Cantrell, Slipknot, Rush, Alice in Chains, Bush, and Deftones. He also currently owns and operates the studio Dave’s Room in North Hollywood. We go deep on recording techniques for guitars and vocals, as well as chat about his journey from Sound City to freelancing and the importance of staying two steps ahead of everybody.

In this episode we'll dig in on...

• Engineering records that you are producing
• Maintaining phase coherence in multi mic guitar recordings
• Starting as a runner at Sound City at 32
• Working with Jerry Cantrell and Alice in Chains
• Songwriting demos in the rock world
• Transitioning from being in a band to working in a recording studio
• "Riff Mining"
• Taking over Dave's Room studio
• SM57 secrets
• Recording vocals with two mics at once
• Having music in Sonic Highways
• Desert island guitars
• Being part of a studio family
• Making records and making library music
• Intonation and guitar doubling

Travis' Intro: Planning Tomorrow

Learn More About Paul Fig and Dave's Room...

Website: https://paulfigmusic.com/

Dave's Room: http://www.davesroom.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulfigmusic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulFigMusic/

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Listen to Secret Sonics!

Sign Up for Complete Producer Network!

⬇️ FREE 2025 PLANNING WORKSHOP ⬇️

https://www.travisference.com/2025plan

📺 WATCH THE SHOW ON YOUTUBE 📺

https://www.youtube.com/@progressionspod

Connect with Me:

📬 Newsletter: https://www.travisference.com/subscribe

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressionspod

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Apple: https://www.progressionspodcast.com/apple

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Credits:

Guest: Paul Fig

Host: Travis Ference

Editor: Travis Ference

Theme Music: inter.ference

Today’s guest is recording engineer and mixer Wil “Greazy” Anspach. Wil is a veteran in the Los Angeles recording scene with credits including Killer Mike, Vic Mensa, Imagine Dragons, Frank Ocean, X-Ambassadors, The Greatest Showman, and Ariana Grande. He’s also become the defacto “TikTok Engineer” by amassing a following of over 50k people by sharing real world experiences and calling out some of the nonsense on the platform. We have a great chat about what it takes to break into the engineering world, his time coming up at East West Studios, the importance of mentoring and sharing knowledge, where art and psychology meet in the recording process, and why he wants to return to Iraq to help foster music culture there.

🗒 In this episode we'll dig in on... 🗒

• How to be a great tracking engineer
• Working at East West Studios
• The importance of problem solving
• Being thrown into freelance
• Mentoring and training assistants
• The future of big studios
• Unionizing engineers and mixers
• Sleeping at the studio
• Working for Alex Da Kid
• Learning electronics as a kid
• Engineering songwriting sessions
• Growing an audience on TikTok
• Respecting the artist
• Recording Killer Mike
• Serving in the Marines during the Iraq war

🎙 Travis' Intro 🎙

Stop Learning and Start Doing

🎶 ... Listening Recommendation 🎶

The Shaggs - Here

Florence + The Machine "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful" - Here

🗣 Mentioned in the Interview 🗣

East West Recording Studios - https://www.eastweststudios.com/

That Sounds About Right Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/that-sounds-about-right/id1688042612

👉 Learn More About Wil Anspach... 👈

Website: https://www.wilanspach.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greazywil/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greazywilmusic

📢 Our Sponsors 📢

Listen to Secret Sonics!

Sign Up for Complete Producer Network!

⬇️ FREE 2025 PLANNING WORKSHOP ⬇️

https://www.travisference.com/2025plan

📺 WATCH THE SHOW ON YOUTUBE 📺

https://www.youtube.com/@progressionspod

Connect with Me:

📬 Newsletter: https://www.travisference.com/subscribe

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressionspod

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🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/progressionspod

🌐 Website: https://www.travisference.com/

🙏 Leave a Review or Rating 🙏

Apple: https://www.progressionspodcast.com/apple

Spotify: https://www.progressionspodcast.com/spotify

Credits:

Guest: Wil Anspach

Host: Travis Ference

Editor: Stephen Boyd

Theme Music: inter.ference