Secret Sonics cover art

Secret Sonics

Secret Sonics

Written by: Ben Wallick and Carl Bahner
Listen for free

About this listen

 Join mix engineers Ben Wallick and Carl Bahner as they team up to discuss the real-world trials and triumphs of music production. Tactical advice on skill development, mixing mindsets, personal branding, and achieving work-life rhythm in an evolving industry. The motivation and strategic insights you need to build your dream creative career in music and audio. Fresh episodes every week.Copyright Ben Wallick Music Self-Help Success
Episodes
  • #256 - The Subtle Art of Layering Percussion

    #256 - The Subtle Art of Layering Percussion
    Aug 5 2025
    Ben and Carl share some of the techniques they use to add percussive depth without cluttering your mix. Learn why texture beats rhythm, how to stretch samples for supernatural groove, and the specific workflow for making percussion serve your song instead of competing with it.



    Discover:
    • Why Carl’s orchestral training taught him to add texture instead of rhythm to modern pop mixes
    • How time-stretching a sample creates unique transient effects you can’t get any other way
    • How adding one extra rhythmic element can destroy the unison power of an entire mix
    • The Middle Eastern groove Ben constructed sample by sample because no loop existed for what he needed
    • When to mute it and boot it if your percussion isn’t making the song better

    Ben and Carl's Weekly Inspiration Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e

    LA Wildfire Relief:
    Musicares - https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief
    WAMTN - https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate


    Learn more about StudioLand - https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5

    Download our free guide: "The Future-Proof Mixing Engineer: 8 Essential Skills for 2024 and Beyond" - https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing


    Connect with us:

    Secret Sonics - https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics
    Ben - https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/
    Carl - https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/

    Learn more:

    https://www.benwallick.com/
    https://www.carlbahner.com/


    This episode with edited by Gavi Kutliroff - https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • #255 - Energy Vampires Are Killing Your Career

    #255 - Energy Vampires Are Killing Your Career
    Jul 22 2025
    What happens when a successful music producer realizes he’s been working with the wrong people for years? Carl reveals the moment everything changed after his first child was born, and why he now prioritizes client personalities over everything else. The conversation gets deep about energy vampires, family priorities, and a surprising truth about word-of-mouth referrals.



    Discover:
    • Why Carl went from doing 150 shows a year to being extremely picky about clients after having kids
    • The exact moment he realized $50 bar gigs weren’t worth his time or energy anymore
    • Why that ridiculously talented Berkeley guitarist everyone knows is actually bad for business
    • The surprising reason word-of-mouth referrals can trap you with similar low-quality clients
    • How to recognize if you’re being a pushover with difficult clients who love unlimited revisions

    Ben and Carl's Weekly Inspiration Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e

    LA Wildfire Relief:
    Musicares - https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief
    WAMTN - https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate


    Learn more about StudioLand - https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5

    Download our free guide: "The Future-Proof Mixing Engineer: 8 Essential Skills for 2024 and Beyond" - https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing


    Connect with us:

    Secret Sonics - https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics
    Ben - https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/
    Carl - https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/

    Learn more:

    https://www.benwallick.com/
    https://www.carlbahner.com/


    This episode with edited by Gavi Kutliroff - https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • #254 - The Shelf-Life of Major Credits

    #254 - The Shelf-Life of Major Credits
    Jul 8 2025
    Learn the three essential principles that turn your biggest credits into sustainable income, why Grammy winners still struggle to find work, and how to position yourself so clients see your rate as a steal instead of an expense. Carl shares real strategies from working with 15+ Grammy-winning students who came to him for business help.



    Discover:
    • The uncomfortable reality that major awards have expiration dates for client attraction
    • How the music industry shifted from 4,000 annual albums in 1970 to 100,000 daily uploads
    • Why high-end mixing engineers charge based on peace of mind rather than sound quality
    • The four client decision levels from price-shopping to relationship-based hiring
    • How major label timelines create cascading risks worth paying premium rates to avoid
    • Why existing clients resist rate increases but new clients accept higher starting prices

    Ben and Carl's Weekly Inspiration Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IpnxDVoTY44JBV1j19H4h?si=0f80e020d8ae497e

    LA Wildfire Relief:
    Musicares - https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief
    WAMTN - https://give.wearemovingtheneedle.org/campaign/654724/donate


    Learn more about StudioLand - https://www.welcometostudioland.com/a/2147995182/bmyFf8p5

    Download our free guide: "The Future-Proof Mixing Engineer: 8 Essential Skills for 2024 and Beyond" - https://mpe-ebook.benwallick.com/future-proof-mixing


    Connect with us:

    Secret Sonics - https://www.instagram.com/secretsonics
    Ben - https://www.instagram.com/benwallickmusic/
    Carl - https://www.instagram.com/carlbahner/

    Learn more:

    https://www.benwallick.com/
    https://www.carlbahner.com/


    This episode with edited by Gavi Kutliroff - https://www.instagram.com/pleasant_peasant_music/
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
No reviews yet