Studio Session: Polishing An Original Song with Doug Haag
Doug never set out to become a singer. He started on drums, picked up guitar to process emotions, and wrote songs just for himself—quietly, late at night, when no one could hear. But eventually, something shifted. It started to feel selfish not to share. We explored how to **release vocal tension**, how tongue placement can subtly affect tone, and even making tweaks to the lyrics to make them more singable. Doug brought in an original song—one that’s deeply personal—and we focused on **staying connected to the message**, not just the notes. It was a reminder that you don’t need perfection to move people. You just need to mean it.
Studio Session: Letting Go of Perfection & Making Art Anyway With Verne Fritz
Verne isn’t your typical musician. He doesn’t wait for perfect gear, a perfect plan, or perfect conditions—he just starts creating. In this episode, we talk about his experimental approach to music-making, how he learned to bend MIDI to his will, and why perfectionism is the enemy of progress. He walked us through the process behind his ambient work, how he uses trial-and-error (instead of tutorials), and why art always comes before polish. Spoiler: it doesn’t matter if your setup is messy—what matters is that you’re **doing the thing**.
Studio Sessions: Why Singing At 80% Should Be Your New 100% With Rachel Beasley
Rachel’s a trained singer with years of experience—but when it came to high notes, she was still working too hard. Her volume would creep from 30% to 90% before the chorus even hit, leaving her voice tired and out of room to grow. We focused on lowering effort, reducing breath pressure, and unlocking her mix with targeted “puffer fish” and “Sisi” exercises. Once she stopped over-squeezing, her voice became clearer, mixier, yet still plenty powerful—even at 80% volume. The big shift? Less tension, more airflow, and no “yelly” tone.
Studio Sessions: One Small Change Can Throw Everything Off with Jess Jones
Singer-songwriter Jess Jones brings in his original track “Selena”—and we work through some of the biggest shifts he’s made since first recording it in 2019. From cleaning up pitch to unlocking a fuller tone (without extra force), this session is all about finding strength in *ease*. We try a few go-to exercises, skip the ones that don’t click (puffer fish, anyone?), and focus on what works: smoother phrasing, jaw release, and projection that doesn’t feel like yelling. If you’re a songwriter trying to grow your voice without losing your unique sound, this one’s for you.
