This episode archive includes gear deep-dives, synth setups, MIDI puzzles, wiring disasters, and the occasional small victory. Each year is organized into a season. Click any title to watch the episode and download companion PDFs when available.
Making Space Without Custom Prices When I started redesigning my studio, one thing became clear very quickly: Space was going to be the limiting factor. Not inspiration.Not gear.Space. Stands, racks, and shelves became essential tools—not just for organization, but...
Choosing Gear: Different Philosophies, One Studio Designing—or redesigning—a studio is a big undertaking. There’s: Planning Buying Wiring Testing Rewiring And then doing it all over again It takes a tremendous amount of time, energy, and money. Because of that, the...
Letting the Studio Become Something Else I’ve mentioned this in other posts, but it’s worth saying again: I never planned on doing as much experimenting and exploring during my studio redesign as I actually did. At the outset, the goal was fairly simple: Redesign...
Finding Studio Solutions in the Scrap Pile One of the more unexpected surprises during my studio redesign was discovering just how much could be accomplished with simple bits and pieces already lying around the house. I wouldn’t call myself a pack rat—but I do tend...
When a Good Idea Doesn’t Quite Work Out One of the recurring themes throughout my studio redesign has been learning to accept that not every good idea survives contact with reality. A perfect example of this was my decision to pair two ART Pro Channels and use them...
Read the Manual (Then Read It Again) If there’s one lesson that resurfaced twice during my studio redesign, it’s this: read the instructions carefully. And then, if you think you’ve done that, read them again. Normally, I’m meticulous with manuals. When you’re...
Organizing the Rack: More Method Than Madness One of the more unexpected challenges during my studio redesign came when I finally started assembling a dedicated rack unit and loading it with outboard gear. I went into it thinking, “How hard can this be?”—only to...
Discovering the Patchbay: Simple Utility, Hidden Complexity As my studio redesign gathered momentum—and, in many ways, spiraled a little out of control—I started seriously considering outboard, 19-inch rack-mount hardware: compressors, mic preamps, and equalizers....
The Endless March of Supplies One thing that completely caught me off guard during my studio redesign was just how many supplies were required to turn what I’d consider a simple studio into a functional, working space. This isn’t a commercial facility. There’s no...
When Excitement Overrides Common Sense It’s strange how easy it can be, at times, to temporarily lose your common sense—and do things in a way that’s completely unlike how you normally operate. Not everyone experiences this, but during my studio redesign I caught...
Each issue of Illustrious Sound brings together the blog articles you see here into a curated, downloadable PDF magazine. Whether you’re a music teacher, student, or just love learning about the creative side of music and audio, this free magazine is a great way to dive deeper. No email signup required—just click and enjoy.