Enroll in the course for $37: [Learn to Mix with Stephen Lipson and xPropaganda]
Real studio insights, then straight into practice
Stephen Lipson has a way of making the complex feel simple. In our new video, he walks through sessions from xPropaganda’s The Heart Is Strange and reminds us that technology should serve the song, not lead it. As Stephen puts it, the key is to use every tool carefully, if it is overdone you lose the magic. You will hear him laugh about the DX7 electric piano craze, and why everyone forgot the real thing might be better. You will also hear the story of a top session drummer arriving not with a kit but with a Linn box, programming a part so musical that Stephen fell for it on the spot.
What strikes you in the room is how quickly decisions land. Stephen talks about pushing faders up on Slave To The Rhythm and finding the drums already right, good room, good mics, no endless EQ. He recalls guitar work from the ZTT era, a Strat into a Dyna Comp into the console, no labyrinth of pedals, just the right part with the right feel. That is the through line in this masterclass, ideas first, sound that fits, then move on.
Vocals get the same treatment. Stephen shares why great takes happen when you keep it relaxed, keep it short, and never overhype the moment. He loves distraction as a production tool, make a joke, keep the singer out of their own head, get three or four takes, then comp with intention. He tells beautiful Annie Lennox stories, from guiding dynamics on Medusato the first two lines of Downtown Lights moving the whole room to tears. It is a reminder that emotion beats perfection every time.
There is craft everywhere, never clutter. Stephen calls the little ear candies jewellery, the bottle tops and shiny pieces that stop a song getting boring, while the nest, the core elements, still carries the weight. You will hear him celebrate direct mixers like Julian Mendelson, talk about drummers whose personalities live in their fills, and explain why the best mic for a singer is the one you have already put up.
All of this flows straight into the course material. In Learn to Mix with Stephen Lipson and xPropaganda Stephen opens the multitracks for Don’t Mess With Me and Utopia, shows how the bass idea shaped everything, and proves how far you can go with balance, panning, clip gain and simple moves. Most keys are virtual, one hardware PPG makes a cameo, and the arrangement does much of the heavy lifting. You will see how Claudia’s leads were sculpted with compression, distortion and EQ, how Suzanne’s spoken textures sit inside the picture, and how subtle reverbs, delays, wideners and phasers add atmosphere without fog.
If you want to understand how records are built at the highest level, this is for you. Start with the free studio hang, then dive into the hands-on lessons.
Enroll in the course for $37: [Learn to Mix with Stephen Lipson and xPropaganda]
Have a marvellous time recording and mixing,
Warren Huart
Produce Like A Pro