The Hillbilly Studio

07/11/2025

07/10/2025

What should your Radio Ready song sound like? In my humble opinion it should sound as close to being the same as when you sing it live. Now the event space, pa system, background noises and some other things will make a live recording sound different. But the way you perform the song should be the same as when in the studio.

A long time ago, before they went anti USA, I saw the Dixie Chicks in concert at a festival that featured Big & Rich as the headliner. Big & Rich sounded amazing, just like they do on the radio. As far as the Dixie Chicks, I want to give a big shout out to whoever was the engineer in the studio that made this terrible sounding group sound so good on the radio. I bet I have seen close to 100 country artists in concert and never got up during a song and went to find something else to do so I wouldn’t have to listen to them, but I did when they started whatever it was they were doing.

On the other hand, the best live performance I have ever seen was Jerry Reed. I had the opportunity to see him at a local venue back up in PA a long time ago and could not pass it up. What Redneck would pass up the opportunity to see “The Snowman” from Smokey and the Bandit? He was just as funny in person as in the movies, and his songs sounded just like they sounded on the soundtrack. When he sang “East Bound and Down” I pictured myself driving his big old KW at 100mph down the road hauling bootlegged beer with Fred right next to him.

When I am in my role as the engineer mastering a song, I do not use AI to master it. AI has is space but for me when mastering music. Every artist has their own original sound and that should be promoted, not corrected or changed by AI. Compression, raising or lowering certain frequencies are a part mastering. But pitch correction, tempo correction and other AI stuff is not what I do.

If your sinuses are bothering you or you have a cold, then take allergy pill, cough meds or change the recording session to another day. Don’t come to the session if you don’t feel your voice is not right. I have no problem doing it another day because you don’t feel right about recording that day. You need to feel good about it when you walk though the door otherwise it won’t sound like you.

There are people out there that cannot sing, I am one of them and smart enough to admit it. But then there are others that think because they get a standing ovation from a 100 drunk people while singing Karaoke they are on their way to becoming the next Grammy wining artist.

There are a lot of things that can be done to improve the sound of your recording, but one thing that I will not do is pitch correction. If your pitchy when in the studio you probably are when you perform live. Everyone, with no exceptions, who records in my studio will hear the unmastered track before they leave the studio. And it is played back to them through a pair of KRK studio monitors, not a phone. That way they hear, before they leave, how they sound and at that point can decide if they like it or want to do it again.

And my final thought is about listening on phones to evaluate the production of a song, DON’T DO IT! Listen to it on a decent pair of speakers. You paid tons of money for your phone you can do everything you in the palm of your hand but the speaker on the phones suck. They are not made for or promoted as high-quality speakers.

07/10/2025

Do you have the "Country Twang" in your voice?
The Hillbilly Studio is Goin' Country.

07/09/2025

Get it right!

07/08/2025

What do you think about AI in music?
Do you use it and if so how much?
Do you think AI created music should be released to the public?
Post in the comments your answer. And be nice to each other...lol

07/08/2025

For Sale
$80
1 Pair PA/Floor monitor Kustom Speakers
They aren't the prettiest but they sound GREAT!
You can hear them before you buy.
Model
8 OHMS
125 WATTS
In and Out on Both
Cash, Credit/Debit accepted

07/08/2025

For Sale
$100
SPS502 – Speaker Stands (1 pair)
Like New
-120lb load capacity
-Aluminum center shaft keeps weight to a minimum
-Steel body prevents flex for outstanding stability
-11 adjustment holes for precise speaker height placement
-Locking pins and locking shaft turn k**b ensures safe setups
Cash, Credit/Debit accepted

07/08/2025

Schedule your recoding session at The Hillbilly Studio
https://thehillbillystudio.com/services/

07/02/2025

07/02/2025

And the winners are:
Daniel Hensberry & Zachary Westervelt
Congratulations to both!

07/01/2025

Professional Rehearsal Space in Inverness
#30/hr