In line with the event that’s happening this week… what’s your favourite channel strip, and why? I’m really loving the Super 9000 at the moment, will get into this on today’s session!

Hey everyone, We're hosting a brand new, free 3-day event next week called Mixing with Channel Strips. It starts Monday Dec 15th at 10am Eastern (earlier than usual). I'll be mixing a song from start to finish, using only channel strips. This is a great way to force yourself to focus on core principles, while also keeping things simple and adding analog character. On day 3, we'll also master the track, and listen to your submitted mixes, with prizes for the best. This event is hosted in partnership with SSL and Slate Digital, and I'll be using a range of channel iconic channels trips from both companies (software and hardware). You can find the event here in the Calendar tab, or click the link below to go straight there. Then you can add it to your personal calendar and grab the Zoom link. https://www.skool.com/mastering/calendar?eid=89f5cc1651404379b25f7ba9c89c1a8f&eoid=1765810800 See you there! Rob

I do this with some friends every year. They're mostly music producers and artists so I'm putting here as well. I'm a rock, indie pop and singer/songwriter guy but listen to other stuff here and there. Throw yours down below with links if you're feeling it. My personal faves of 2025. This was a good year for music imo. This is what turned me on, what sounded different or particularly well done. I, like many of you, pay more attention to production and mixing/mastering than the average muggle so some of these picks tilt that way for this audience. Also noticed that I ended up gravitating to female artists more than male by a count of like 2:1 in my big list. No reason really. The girls were just locked in I guess. I could have put down another 15 or so picks but I have a job. In no particular order... ======= Artist: Daughter of Swords Album: Alex Great weekender. Love the production, deceptively minimal, lofi sheen and minimal reverb but harder to pull off than it appears. Great use of negative space. I'm a sucker for "clever" artists. I wore this one out in late summer. Highlights: Talk to you, Alone together, Morning in Madison https://daughterofswords.bandcamp.com/album/alex ----- Artist: Foxwarren Album: 2 They clearly got a hold of a bunch of royalty free movie clips, sampled them and used as music bed for a lot of the songs. Another very clever record. His voice accent/affect kinda grated on me at first but now I love it. He does surprising things, little turns of his voice, certain notes, jazzy harmonies, catchy lines that just land. If you or I sang them, they wouldn't. Highlights: Say it, Deadhead, Yvonne, Strange https://foxwarren.bandcamp.com/album/2 ----- Artist: Billie Zizi Album: Levitate Tiny, criminally unknown singer songwriter in the Lucinda Williams vein but has a strong Leonard Cohen streak. She sounds like she's ever only barely breaking a sweat. Languid and sad but sorta funny and always sweet. I feel like the production is *almost* but not quite there. Still, it's a great record. Comfort food. Though she has a bandcamp, this one's not on it.