MusicEducation

Knobs

Academy of Audio®

Knobs is an audio production podcast hosted by Melbourne producers and engineers Simon Moro and Terry Hart.

Each episode dives into the real world of music production, mixing, recording, analog gear, digital workflow, studio culture, creativity, and the craft of making records. Expect conversations about signal flow, studio techniques, mixing philosophy, production approaches, gear, workflow, troubleshooting, and the countless little decisions that shape great sounding music.

The format is intentionally conversational and improvised, more like sitting in on two experienced engineers talking in the studio between sessions than a polished interview show. Some episodes get technical. Some get philosophical. Some get ridiculous. Most involve at least one strong opinion about compressors.

With decades of combined experience across commercial records, studios, education, and production, Simon and Terry bring a practical, grounded perspective to audio, without the ego and without pretending there’s only one “right” way to make music.

Whether you’re a producer, mixer, engineer, artist, studio nerd, or simply obsessed with how records are made, Knobs gives you an honest look inside the world of audio production from people who genuinely live it every day.

Hosted by Academy of Audio.

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17 episodes
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Avg 37 min
English

Episodes 17

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S1 · E17
Yesterday · 31 min
How to Build a Soundstage
You have two speakers and a flat file. So how do you make a mix sound like a real three-dimensional space? In Episode 17 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart take on the soundstage: the art of placing sounds in a believable room that lives in front of, between and beyond your speakers. Their tell for an amateur mix is simple, if you can hear the left and right speakers as speakers, the soundstage has failed. They work through all three dimensions. Front to back, using pre-delay, brightness and reverb so a sound feels close or far, because low frequencies travel further, which is why you only hear the bass from the club down the street. Left to right with pan and a touch of ambience. And top to bottom, where lows ground a mix and highs lift it. Then width, which they argue is really about dimension and relationships: you need a mono anchor, like the drums or a narrow verse, before a wide chorus can feel wide at all. Plus the traps: the hollow centre from hard-panned guitars, mono translation, and a very entertaining case against stereo wideners. Whether your mixes sound flat, narrow or just a bit small, this will change how you hear space. Topics covered: What the soundstage actually is. Front to back: pre-delay, brightness, reverb. Why distance rolls off the highs. Left to right and jumping out of the speakers. Height: lows ground, highs lift. Width as relationship and the mono anchor. It's dimension, not width. The hollow centre and mono translation. Why stereo wideners wreck a mix.
S1 · E16
September 13 · 30 min
What Is a Producer, Really?
It might be the most confusing job title in music. So what does a producer actually do? In Episode 16 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart try to nail down a role that means five different things to five different people, and explain why getting the definition straight helps anyone hiring for a record. They lay out three kinds of producer they see today: the traditional producer who oversees the whole project like a director, the beat maker who is really a composer, and the self-producing artist making everything on a laptop. All three are valid, and the confusion comes from lumping them together, or from the television meaning of the word, where "producer" just means the person who puts up the money. Simon tells the story of the TV producer who sat at the back of a session insisting he was the producer, and could not name the chord progression. Along the way: why they almost never engineer and produce at once, the exhausting cost of context switching between the two, what real vocal production looks like versus just running takes, and how to interview a producer so you can tell the difference. Whether you are an artist about to hire someone or a producer trying to explain your own value, this one brings some welcome clarity. Topics covered: The three types of producer. Why "producer" gets confused with funding. The producer as director. The self-producing artist and its caveats. Why not to engineer and produce at once. Vocal production versus vocal engineering. How to hire the right producer. An engineer captures, a producer fights.
S1 · E15
September 6 · 59 min
How We Mix the Rhythm Section
What is actually on Simon and Terry's channels when they mix a drum kit and bass? This one is the guided tour. In Episode 15 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart go through the mixer left to right, channel by channel, and talk through exactly how they treat the rhythm section: the kick, the snare, the toms, hi-hats, overheads, rooms, percussion and bass. They start with the idea that holds it all together, the mix template: a rig of dormant, deactivated plugins that sit ready to click on the moment a sound needs them, so the boring decisions are already made and the time goes into the music. From there it is trick after trick. Samples blended under real drums for consistency, the Pultec-into-a-160 move for tight low end, ducking the bass with the kick, using transient decay to make a chorus feel faster, treating the snare like an actor with a character to play, the pink-noise reverb trick for a snare that cuts, why they expand toms instead of gating them, and why you should stop high-passing your overheads and rooms. Then bass: one source of truth for the low end, splitting into bands, and spoon-feeding the speakers a clean sub because, as they put it, speakers just cannot move that much air. Whether you mix in the box or on a console, this is a proper look under the bonnet of two working mixers. Topics covered: The mix template and dormant plugins. Kick: samples, Pultec into a 160, ducking the bass. Transient decay and perceived tempo. Snare as a character, the pink-noise reverb trick. Toms: expand, don't gate, audience perspective. Why you should not high-pass the rooms. Rooms make the kit sound like one thing. Riding faders on percussion. Bass: one source of truth and clean subs.
S1 · E14
August 30 · 19 min
Why Digital Has Too Much Detail
What if the thing we love about film and tape is not their fidelity, but exactly where they choose to lose it? In Episode 14 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart chase a single idea sparked by seeing Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey on real film in IMAX: that analog puts detail where you want it and lets it slip away everywhere else, while digital spreads the same relentless detail across every part of the frame. Simon walks through how film actually works, the silver crystallising where the light hits, so Matt Damon's face is packed with detail and the sky beside it has almost none. Then he maps it straight onto audio: tape, biased so that loud gets darker and soft gets brighter, quietly doing the mix moves we now chase with saturation and compressors. Digital, by contrast, is perfectly crisp everywhere, which can feel less like magic and more like a 7-Eleven under fluorescent lights. From there they wander somewhere only an unscripted conversation goes: quantum physics and whether the universe is "digital" underneath, the brain's own frame rate, why too-detailed TVs and 3D break the illusion, and whether there could be a better, more focused kind of digital that loses fidelity on purpose, the way film and tape always did. Whether you mix in the box, chase that analog feel, or just love a good rabbit hole, this one will change how you hear detail. Topics covered: Film, crystallisation and detail where you want it. Tape bias as automatic mixing. Why digital loses detail in a bad way. Is the universe analog or digital. The brain's frame rate. Mood lighting vs fluorescent. Too much detail on TVs and in 3D. Could there be a better digital.
S1 · E13
August 23 · 24 min
Safe Spaces vs the Perfect Take
Should a studio ever be an "unsafe" space if that is what the performance needs? And where exactly is the line? In Episode 13 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart take on their most contentious topic yet: the tension between today's safe-space climate and the uninhibited, un-self-conscious energy that great records are so often built on. Simon sets the scene with a two-week rock session where the artist brought the tequila, the humour ran locker-room, and the results were, he is convinced, a direct result of that totally free creative space. From there the conversation opens up: why sterile, clinical studios so rarely produce magic, why a producer has to be a chameleon who can move from a boys' locker room to a saged, sacred space, and the real job hiding behind the gear, which is reading and looking after the people in the room. They do not dodge the hard parts. They work through the non-negotiables (never intentional harm, zero tolerance around minors, protecting anyone who is uncomfortable), the awkward unintended consequence of the Me Too era, why it has to cut both ways, and whether a bit of adversity actually makes us stronger. Whether you run sessions yourself or just care about how creative work really gets made, this is an honest, uncomfortable, good-faith conversation. Topics covered: Consensual "unsafe" spaces and capturing energy. Why sterile studios kill the magic. The producer as chameleon. Controlling the personnel in the room. The real job is people, not gear. The unintended consequence of playing it safe. Anti-fragility and where the line sits. Non-negotiables: no intentional harm, minors, forgiveness.
S1 · E12
August 18 · 33 min
Why Your Reverb Sounds Amateur
Why does reverb sound huge and deep on real records, and either invisible or a swampy mess on yours? In Episode 12 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart pull reverb apart: how the pros actually use it to create space, depth and emotion, and why amateur reverb almost always gives itself away. They get into the multi-reverb approach, a short ambient reverb for width, a long one for size, a plate for mood and feature verbs for moments, and why the ear gets bored so fast that automation is not optional. Then the real secret: pre-delay for intelligibility and putting the vocal out in front, and using darkness to push sounds to the back of a soundstage. Along the way: reverb as sonic world-building tied to emotion, the one-room-plus-pre-delay trick that makes a mix sound deep, panning reverb returns opposite the source, a dark reverb on the kick, snare reverb tricks for momentum, using 100% wet reverb as the sound itself, ducking the reverb with the vocal, and even reverb into a vocoder. Whether your reverbs vanish or drown the mix, this episode will change how you hear space. Topics covered: • Short ambient reverb for width • Building a reverb palette • Why the ear gets bored • Pre-delay, intelligibility and depth • Darkness equals distance • Reverb as world-building • Reverb as sound design • Kick and snare reverb tricks • Ducking the reverb with the vocal
S1 · E11
August 10 · 29 min
You Need the Rules to Break Them
Everyone online says don't worry about the technical stuff, just be creative. They're wrong. And so is the opposite camp. In Episode 11 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart take on one of the loudest debates in music production: technical knowledge versus pure creativity. Their verdict is that it is 100% a grey area. Obsessing over technique early in your career is a rough creative time, but it builds a foundation you cannot skip. Technical "rules" really can block a brilliant experiment. And a genuine lack of understanding wastes just as much time, chasing hacks that miss the point entirely. Along the way: the painting analogy that explains why professionals have no off days, the reverb an engineer said you "can't" turn up that sounded great, the viral crest-factor video that is a masterclass in missing the point, a coding analogy for how to actually learn production, and why "I won't learn theory so I sound unique" backfires every time. Whether you lean technical, lean creative, or feel stuck in the middle, this episode reframes the whole argument. Topics covered: • Technical vs creative as a false binary • The early technical-obsession phase • When knowledge blocks an experiment • Why a lack of knowledge wastes time too • Learning the language, not just the framework • Knowing the rules to break them • Outsourcing your weaknesses • Understanding the why, not the gear
S1 · E10
August 3 · 33 min
7 Questions Every Producer Asks
Why does your mix sound great in the studio and terrible in the car? And six more questions every producer ends up asking. In Episode 10 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart run a rapid-fire round of the questions that come up again and again, with honest, road-tested answers. They cover the car test and why translation, not talent, is usually the culprit, what actually makes a mix sound professional, whether expensive microphones are really worth it, why professional vocals sound so much bigger than yours, how loud you should record, whether to EQ before or after compression, and the biggest myth in audio production. Along the way: why a great mix is one you don't notice, why it's less about mic price and more about the product, why the answer to bigger vocals is almost always the vocalist, how to think about gain structure and headroom, and why being the cheap option is the worst career move you can make. Whether you're mixing in a bedroom or a commercial room, this is a fast, practical episode you'll want to keep coming back to. Topics covered: • The car test and translation • What makes a mix sound professional • Are expensive mics worth it • Why professional vocals are bigger • How loud to record and gain structure • EQ before or after compression • The biggest myth in audio production
S1 · E9
July 26 · 45 min
New Tech, Same Mistakes: From Tape to AI in the Studio
Every generation of studio technology shows up the same way: a shiny new tool that promises to fix everything, gets pushed way too far, and only earns its place once we learn to hold back. Simon and Terry trace the whole arc, from wax cylinders to tape to Pro Tools, Beat Detective and quantising, Auto-Tune, stereo wideners, Atmos and now AI, digging into why the real skill was never the tool. It’s knowing a tool’s shortcomings and serving the song. Along the way: destructive drop-ins on tape, the magic that used to happen during a 15-minute tape rewind, and why “fixing” a performance can quietly kill it. Which leaves the uncomfortable question hanging over all of it. Are we brave enough to risk our musicality for convenience?
S1 · E8
July 20 · 31 min
The UAD Rabbit Hole, Why Some Plugins Feel Analog
Simon finally gives in and buys more UAD plugins. After years of questioning DSP systems and dismissing expensive plugin ecosystems, Simon and Terry explore why some analog emulations genuinely feel closer to hardware while others miss the mark. The conversation covers circuit modelling, impulse responses, compressor behaviour, UAD vs other plugin companies, why analog gear often works better in context than in solo, and whether modern computers are slowly making hardware obsolete. A deep dive into what actually makes plugins sound “analog” and why workflow still matters more than marketing.
S1 · E7
July 12 · 44 min
Perfection Is Killing Your Mix
Perfectionism might be the thing ruining your mixes. In Episode 7 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart explore why speed, instinct and creative momentum often beat endless tweaking. Along the way they dive into client feedback, fast mixing workflows, mastering frustrations, old records, dynamic EQs, plugin overload, live sound, loud music, and whether modern production has accidentally become too complicated. This episode starts with tangents and somehow ends up answering one of the biggest questions in music production: How much is enough? Expect practical advice, strong opinions, and a few audio rabbit holes.
S1 · E6
July 5 · 55 min
Thick, Gooey & Controlled, Building Better Low End
Low end is one of the hardest things to get right in audio production and one of the easiest things to get wrong. In this episode, Simon Moro and Terry Hart unpack the foundation of a great mix: bass, kick drums, groove, monitoring, room acoustics, arrangement, and why adding more layers usually makes things worse. Along the way they discuss bass players vs guitarists playing bass, why room acoustics matter more than plugins, techniques for controlling bass consistency, and whether expensive gear really makes a difference. If your mixes sound thin, muddy, inconsistent, or collapse outside your studio, this episode is for you.
S1 · E5
June 28 · 56 min
Why Your Vocals Don’t Cut Through (And It’s Probably Not EQ)
Everyone wants bigger vocals. Most people reach for EQ and compression first. In this episode of Knobs, Simon Moro and Terry Hart unpack what actually makes vocals cut through a mix — and surprisingly, a lot of it happens before you even touch a plugin. From singer technique and microphone placement through to parallel compression, layered reverbs, vocal chains, automation and mix psychology, this episode explores practical ways to create vocals that feel bigger, clearer and more connected to the song. Expect discussions about resonance, distortion, delay tricks, analog workflows, sidechains, vocal templates and why context always beats presets. If your vocals keep disappearing in the mix, this episode is for you.
S1 · E4
June 21 · 31 min
We Stopped Capturing Magic
What happened when music stopped being about capturing performances and started being about creating them? In this more personal episode of Knobs, Simon Moro and Terry Hart reflect on creativity, nostalgia, songwriting, technology and why modern music production feels fundamentally different to the way it did 20 years ago. From band rehearsals and old Chili Peppers records to music theory, confidence, artistic identity and whether artists have become satellites working alone, this episode explores what has changed, what has been lost, and what might still be worth reclaiming. If you've ever wondered whether you’ve drifted away from the reason you started making music in the first place, this one might hit close to home.
S1 · E3
June 14 · 35 min
Why Great Songs Die in the Mix
Should your producer mix your music, or should you hand it off to someone else? In Episode 3 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart tackle one of audio’s biggest debates: who should actually mix your record. The conversation covers producer mixes vs dedicated mix engineers, when outsourcing makes sense, why great productions often fail at the mix stage, and the surprising role emotion plays in making songs connect. They also discuss celebrity mixers, mastering myths, static balances, budget realities, and why the right team matters more than rigid rules. Whether you’re producing in a bedroom studio or working with a full production team, this episode will probably challenge how you think about mixing. Topics covered: • Producer vs mix engineer workflows • When to outsource mixing • Why great songs fail in the mix • Emotional mixing and listener connection • Mastering myths • Cheap mixes vs unfinished mixes • DIY production challenges • Building the right creative team
S1 · E2
June 7 · 40 min
Are AI Music Tools Helping or Hurting Creativity?
AI is changing music production faster than almost any technology we’ve seen before, but is it making records better? In Episode 2 of KNOBS, Simon Moro and Terry Hart dive into AI music tools, voice cloning, stem separation, Suno, machine learning plugins, and the growing tension between convenience and creativity. From real-world examples where AI saved expensive recording projects to the risks of artists becoming attached to AI demos, this episode explores what happens when machines start joining the creative process. This isn’t another “AI will replace musicians” discussion. It’s a practical conversation about what these tools actually do in real studios and whether the human side of music production still matters. Topics include AI vocals, mixing tools, songwriting workflows, studio recording, stem extraction, Suno, machine learning plugins and the future of audio production.
S1 · E1
May 27 · 27 min
Analog vs Digital... but it's not what you think.
KNOBS — Season 1 Episode 1 Analog vs Digital: Why Workflow Matters More Than Gear In the very first episode of Knobs, Simon Moro and Terry Hart dive headfirst into one of audio’s oldest arguments: analog vs digital. But instead of obsessing over whether tape sounds warmer or plugins perfectly model vintage gear, the conversation takes a different turn, exploring the psychology of workflow, creativity, speed, signal flow, and why the way you interact with audio can dramatically shape the outcome of a mix. Topics covered in this episode include: Why analog consoles encourage faster, more instinctive mixing The hidden psychological impact of mixing with a mouse Why speed matters so much in the first 20 minutes of a mix Parallel workflow vs serial workflow Signal flow and why understanding it changes everything Gain staging and why analog-modelled plugins behave strangely on hot tracks Why many producers overprocess audio in DAWs Control surfaces and recreating analog workflow in-the-box How limitations can improve creativity Why physical interaction with music changes decision-making Patch bays, compressors, SSL workflows, and throwing faders The difference between listening emotionally vs analytically Why analog workflow can still matter even if you mix completely digitally Along the way, Simon and Terry also discuss: Avid D-Control Softube Console 1 1176 compressors Parallel processing chains Pro Tools workflow Hybrid mixing Analog console ergonomics The creative side of engineering The format is loose, improvised, and conversational, more like sitting in the studio listening to two engineers talk between sessions than a formal interview podcast. Hosted by Simon Moro and Terry Hart Produced by Academy of Audio Follow Academy of Audio: academyofaudio.edu.au

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