AI is no longer a “someday” conversation. It’s already baked into tools we use, workflows we rely on, and decisions we’re making in the home studio, whether we call it AI or not.

In this episode, we break the whole thing down like producers, not philosophers. Where does AI actually help? Where does it get in the way? And what parts of the process still need a human with taste, intention, and a point of view?

• The moment AI went from “cool trick” to “daily reality”

• Songwriting vs demoing: where AI can speed things up fast

• Why AI drums still don’t feel like a real drummer (even after editing)

• Production mindset shift: “I can fix that later” as a creative unlock

• Mixing with AI-assisted plugins: when it’s just a better starting point

• Mastering with Ozone: why “perfect” doesn’t always sound right

• The difference between tools, presets, and true AI (and why it’s confusing)

• The “Canadian sorry” story that completely broke a comedian’s set

• The “Cindy/Sandy Winters” AI song moment and the emotional reaction

• The reality check: the audience might not care, but you might

• “Everything is AI now” marketing and how to filter the noise

No listener Q&A this one, but we want your questions for the next episodes.

AI can make you faster. It can even make you better. But it still can’t replace the one thing that makes your music yours: taste, intent, and human perspective. Use it like a tool, not like a replacement.

👉 Got a question for us?
📩 Submit it here: Form Link
We’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.

And if you’re digging the show, hit follow/subscribe and leave a quick review.
It really helps more home studio folks find Studio Stuff.

Alright… let’s talk about the question we hear constantly: “How many plugins do you use on a vocal chain?”
Because the real answer isn’t a number. It’s a mindset.

In this episode, we zoom out and talk about the categories of vocal processing that actually matter: fixing what’s broken, controlling dynamics, shaping tone, then adding space and vibe. We walk through how we think about order of operations (clip gain ➝ corrective EQ ➝ compression ➝ enhancement ➝ effects), why multiple “small” moves often beat one aggressive plugin, and how to stop chasing a “radio vocal” by stacking random inserts.

Also, we may or may not compare vocals to… turds. (You’ll understand.)

• Why plugin count is misleading (and what to focus on instead)

• The “Fix ➝ Control ➝ Enhance ➝ Effects” framework for vocals

• Why corrective EQ before compression often makes mixing easier

• How we think about two-stage compression (peaks vs leveling)

• When a second de-esser makes sense (and why it’s not “wrong”)

• How EQ placement changes everything once a vocal is controlled

• WhatsApp vs Signal vs Marco Polo… and “your everyday podcast friend”

• The “make all your turds a similar size” clip gain philosophy

• Steve’s Pro Tools insert situation (in the year of our Lord 2026)

• “Salt is awesome… until it’s too much” (aka over-processing)

Stop asking, “How many plugins do I need?”
Start asking, “What am I trying to achieve right now?”
Fix what’s distracting, control what’s unstable, enhance what’s worth highlighting, then add space that serves the song.

👉 Got a question for us?
📩 Submit it here: Form Link
We’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.

And if you’re digging the show, hit follow/subscribe and leave a quick review.
It really helps more home studio folks find Studio Stuff.

We started this episode sipping tea and joking around… and somehow ended up in a full-on therapy session about plugins.

A listener comment kicked it off: “Sometimes it feels like I spend more time buying and setting up plugins than making music.” Yep. Been there. So we unpack where that urge comes from, why the “next plugin” feels like it’ll fix everything, and how we personally draw the line between useful tools and dopamine shopping.

And to make it extra practical, we answer a listener question about oversampling: what it is, when it matters, why it can reduce aliasing, and why enabling it everywhere can absolutely destroy your CPU.

Special thanks to our sponsor, Audient. https://audient.com/

• The biggest reasons we keep buying “one more plugin”

• How to tell if a plugin is actually helping your mixes (or just your mood)

• Why we still reach for the same familiar tools most of the time

• A simple rule to decide when a new plugin is worth it

• What oversampling is (and what aliasing actually means)

• When oversampling matters most (and when it’s overkill)

• “How do they make decaf coffee?” becomes a philosophy debate

• The “collection” trap: buy 2 more, save more, own everything

• Seeing a plugin you forgot you already bought (painful… and real)

• The “24 tracks” question: how many different EQs and compressors are you actually using?

• Why “good-looking plugins” can weirdly influence creativity

• AI plugins as the next “take my money” wave

Oversampling in plugins:
Where to use it, why it can reduce aliasing in non-linear processing (saturation/limiters), and why it’s usually not a make-or-break factor for your mixes.

Plugins aren’t going to save you. If you buy one, buy it on purpose: save time, solve a real problem, or unlock a sound you truly can’t get otherwise. And for oversampling… understand it, use it selectively, and don’t let it become the new rabbit hole.

👉 Got a question for us?
📩 Submit it here: Form Link
We’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.

And if you’re digging the show, hit follow/subscribe and leave a quick review.
It really helps more home studio folks find Studio Stuff.