Production Gym

Recent Sessions

• Mon, Jun 15, 2026 Jon Mattox 5 attended

  Covered the production of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" by the Temptations (1972) using the original multitracks in Pro Tools. Examined how the arrangement — a single-chord structure, no snare drum, sparse bass, and dynamically placed hand claps — directly mirrors the emotional content of the lyrics. Discussed the trumpet delay effect, a muted conga track, and a nearly imperceptible kick drum pattern reversal in the final verse as specific examples of production decisions that serve the story.

• Tue, Jun 09, 2026 Jam Phelps 3 attended

  We did an active listening deep-dive into the catalog of Heart — focusing on "Alone," "Crazy on You," and "Magic Man" — to analyze what makes classic songs iconic from a production and mixing standpoint. Key areas included intonation and pitch correction philosophy, stereo placement decisions, arrangement dynamics, and the historical reason for long song intros. The session closed with a discussion on how these older production choices can inform contemporary work.

• Wed, May 27, 2026 Scott Hampton 3 attended

  Covered a deep listening and production analysis session using a 1970s Yacht Rock track by Ambrosia, with AI stem separation in Logic Pro to isolate and examine individual elements. Worked through instrument identification (Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Hammond organ, piano, synth, bass, drums, guitar), production techniques of the era (overdubbing, palm muting, dry drum production, multi-miking), vocal technique (chest voice, head voice, the flip/yodel transition), and jazz-influenced chord vocabulary including passing chords, turnarounds, and borrowed chords.