BALANCED Mixes are BORING Mixes!

A mix engineer's job isn't to balance the mix, it's to ARTFULLY UNBALANCE it. Kush Audio's UBK, aka Gregory Scott, walks you through the philosophy behind what makes a good mix, and why an unbalanced mix is also a BETTER mix.

[@andrewbrooks5615]

“When nothing has priority, nothing has clarity.” Are we talking about mixing or life advice? I think both.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Everything is everything :-)

[@beatvillainz]

On point!

[@eddiegee10go96]

A valuable fact!

[@HimanXK]

I get the vibe that he's always talking about both. It must be the hair

[@obidavekenobe]

Whoa! Interesting concept.

[@savickiam]

Best asmr channel

[@mabian69]

Yeah this video was sometimes a bit distracting due to that,.... interesting content but too much noise

[@djtoolhead]

SO WAAAAAAARMMMMM lol

[@Tekniq182]

😂 This is how I speak in the living room when I don't want to wake up the kids

[@nickskywalker2568]

Hahaha 😂

[@vhollund]

Annoying

[@matterece3164]

I love how these videos are DAW and genre agnostic

[@costinvaly1]

that's my kind of knowledge music wise in the modern era. There's too much 0II000I is better than 00I0II0 going on and even during some other tutor's videos many get distracted by the thought of "he's using 0II0I0 DAW and i use 000IIII and because i'm a fan of his work and i want to achieve the same sound then i should reach for the same tools otherwise i'll never get close". This is just pure overthinking and procrastination. A destination is a destination. Moving towards it will get you there regardless of what shoes you wear. It's all in the will, goal and proactivity.

[@wardamo]

Have you accepted Reaper into your life?

[@MildredStain]

@@wardamo LOL I had to take a break after this comment. My musical life was saved by Reaper.

[@kennethazor]

right!

[@zachservis]

@@wardamo I use reaper heavily!

[@GetSongsDone]

Why do all of my mixes suck? "The problem is you can hear everything."

[@aaronkane2010]

Get Songs Done *anything 😂

[@natancopeincraft]

Panning helps, and getting your velocities and volumes right is very important...SBN

[@partlysimpson5154]

we like variation

[@lxvesick2267]

yeah for real that was a good one

[@poetnprophet]

The best thing about your vids is that you talk about these concepts where most are talking about plugins or hardware or DAWs or whatever. You never talk about the tools, only the concepts. I think one has to be more experienced to grasp and appreciate what you're saying, but its golden! Thank you so much!

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Thank you! I have to say, judging by the comments, that I actually think most of the love for these episodes is coming from newbies and early intermediate mixers, precisely *because* the presentation is non-technical and (mostly) plain-language :-)

[@yubasunproductions2494]

@@TheHouseofKushTV I agree

[@powermix24]

@@TheHouseofKushTV Exactly what newbies need to hear! no reason to start speaking another language when the person hasn't even learned the alphabet.

[@sethtrey]

He talks so well about the feeling, then picks and demonstrates them well. He doesn't teach you what to do, but how to know what to do.

[@jorgepeterbarton]

Its especially unusual as he BUILDS that gear, and still isnt just going on about it, but maybe building it takes away some of the snakeoil mysticism of technical talking channels? I built (and designed, not cloned) guitar pedals, and they kind of became less special, like so many arbitrary choices inside just suit different situations/arbitrarily hyped pedal -i question- so whats the end goal??

[@tecnica-de-voz]

am I listening to a mixing lecture or a life advice? :)

[@CT-ho6si]

yes

[@sighermike]

I just keep waiting for Gregory to say something like, "Rachmaninoff. The 18th Variation of a Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Recorded in 1992 by the Boston Philharmonic, Benajamin Zander, the longstanding conductor of the BPO, was quoted saying it was the most emotional expression of the piece he's ever heard"......

[@connorthompson74]

Both man

[@cairolandyn1611]

i realize it's kinda off topic but does anyone know a good site to stream newly released movies online ?

[@miketemplar]

He could be also bring you back to the right spiritual path, I sense it.

[@Halocene]

I 100% endorse this message for anyone looking to have a modern mix that's exciting, and not punishing/fatigue inducing.

[@parasiteunit]

This has been an issue for years; it what happens when you let someone who knows next to zero about the complexities of mixing (A&R men - yeah, you. Stop avoiding eye contact) blundering into the control room and saying "make it louder". As the engineer sighs, puts a brick wall limiter across the mix and dies a little inside.... The loudness wars were a thing. Alan Parsons (Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd recording engineer if I recall) made a whole video about it. The loudness wars are slowly fading into memory (thankfully), but the battle is still there. Ironically - TLWs made mixes really dull. Instead of bathing in the divine beauty of the wonderful huge dynamic range digital technology bestowed upon us, giving our ears glorious roller coasters of volume curves and dynamics... We got blocks of sound. Which the brain just processess like a car alarm after a while - and just tuned it out. So glad things are changing. Slowly, but they are changing. And this guy right here - is helping that a hell of a lot.

[@thegroove2000]

The many show off pretentious mixes that grate over time..

[@eleven9286]

Thanks for your endorsement, oh verified one!

[@MidlifeSynthesist]

“When nothing has priority, nothing has clarity”. Damn I was not expecting to be hit that hard by a video about mixing. Amazing advice, and not only on music. It’s a privilege to hear you my friend. Have an awesome 2021🤟🏻

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

You as well!

[@rowegardner9673]

Hair is on point. You’ve achieved 70s hair that’s as stylish and retro-cool as your vibey productions and mixes.

[@ts4gv]

On that subject: Where can I find UBK’s discography?

[@ts4gv]

Curry Sinatra lmao

[@livingwaters3743]

Dudes a pure rockstar/Guru 😂😂 seriously tho

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

@@alexmack416 Hey, who you calling asexual??

[@slayerficated]

@@alexmack416 Hey, who's nuts are you pulling??

[@wayoutwestcreatives9769]

I started watching it but then decided that this content is best consumed after hours. I’ll be seeing you later. 😘

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Strong choice!

[@BigMuff75]

You're right, it does not work in daylight. :-)

[@abandcalledben1569]

That’s fair.

[@jeff7775]

Listening to this first thing in the morning, with coffee. Works fine. (I’d like to consider this: a creatively unbalanced move)

[@HimanXK]

@@jeff7775 downright unhinged

[@SarahEHowson]

Well, I'm off to delete my mixes and start again.

[@julesalexander2583]

Ditto!

[@SarahEHowson]

@@julesalexander2583 Such a mood

[@tayeskywalker8170]

All part of the process! I had a song I thought was “mixed” until I realized how crucial mixing in mono is. When I opened up the project and switched it to mono the entire song caved in on itself. It was a pain but the track sounded a million times better after it was re-mixed :)

[@SarahEHowson]

Taye Skywalker always check mono! And I avoid using sample delay for that exact reason. I double track everything if I want it wiiiiiiiide

[@SarahEHowson]

Pord Lartsa never had that. What causes it?

[@Kontekst]

Man you just reminded me so much of what it's like to hear a song as a regular listener, not knowing what's going on in the production. that's an aspect I honestly forgot about. it's hard to get this view again when you're that deep in

[@gregmason2760]

It’s good to come back to a mix after a few days. That first listen is pretty much how a new listener would hear it.

[@TRFAD]

It really is. I'm so critical while I show shit to friends and they always like it. While I hate it lmao

[@realraven2000]

think of your mix as a stage and you provide lighting. when do you put a spotlight on an actor? when do you turn up the colours on the background?

[@sethtrey]

Very true. Like being a player in the crowd at a show. It's hard to remember. Unless one becomes like a little child, they will not see the kingdom of God.

[@DaftFader]

@@TRFAD I used to be like this, until one random thing that happened at a festival. There was a loose screw in one of the speaker cabinets in this wall of sub scoops, and it was really grating my ears as it was distracting me from the experience. I mentioned it to my friend, an avid music listener, but not into making music in any way shape or form himself. It was at this moment, when it took me like 5 minutes to get him to be able to hear it (and even then I think he was just humoring me as I wouldn't shut up about it lol), that I realized most people don't have that level ear for micro details in sound or music. It helped make me look at mixing differently, as what's the point of making these tiny adjustments that only you can notice because you know you did it, and not because you can clearly hear it (as well as everyone else). There is however a difference between this and making many tiny adjustments to create an overall bigger change in the music, that is something else entirely that is still a very important aspect of mixing. It's the tiny changes of one aspect of a mix, purely standing on it's own, that's probably inaudible to 99% of listeners, that this made me pay attention to and worry about less going forward in my work flow.

[@raverone909]

If I could quit my music career to take on a full time position of listening to Gregory Scott talk mixing, I'd never look back. If Dan Worral walked in to join the convo, life would be completed.

[@badmanproducer7008]

U said it all bruh....this two combination is wat u need after hours

[@lops6179]

I get the feeling that Alan Watts would really dig this video.

[@duaynedaniels1996]

What would Alan Watt think?

[@montazownianr1]

@@duaynedaniels1996 You mean "What would Alan Watts drink"?

[@queenpurple8433]

What the FUCK lol I got on KZbin to look up one of his lectures to fall asleep to and then saw this and got distracted. Thanks for reminding me

[@caixiuying8901]

i was just listening to some alan watts like several hours LOL

[@montazownianr1]

Alan Watts... another alcoholic guru, that telling you about courage, but have no courage to quit alcohol. 99% of those gurus are full of crap.

[@user-sd7eb6jq9y]

This is another version of what I tell my apprientices . I tell them each mix needs to have a bright side and a dark side. The bright side is where we need to drive attention to, and dark side is what we want the listener to take time to notice and absorb. Also something that might be on the dark side in the first half of the song may come to the bright side later on (in the middle of the song - bridge etc) when the brighter elements go dark or get muted. You shouldnt be able to hear everything from the first 8 bars cos if the mix doesnt have any other suprises then its a boring mix. This tecnique can also be used to make a circular - sequenced type song (hip hop , urban beat, 4 bar 8 bar style) to sound linear and on going even though its not. Keep up the good work.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Well stated!

[@ShubhamSharma-df8fu]

This guy should be on some night time radio. Magical voice.

[@stevejobs7989]

Exactly

[@yubasunproductions2494]

He is this is it

[@ThomasJakobMusic]

He could comment anything boring and make it interesting.

[@32thedoctor]

I learned a lesson about mixing many years ago from a painter. He said, "When you start a painting on a white canvas and want a glaring white sun in the scene you have to choose what dark colors you will be using. Careful choices about contrast separate the exquisite from the mediocre."

[@JKShred]

Has anyone noticed those damn smooth edit cuts? They're like butter.

[@killalters]

i love this quote I recently heard about mixing, "remember when mixing, balance is not about stillness"

[@descontroletricolor]

This channel is a gift for producers, Gregory is a f** genius, not just in music/art, but also when it comes to teaching

[@philfallway]

Easily one the most insightful and holistically effective tip on how to generate dynamic mixes... Really appreciate your perspective here Gregory and willingness to go against the grain on the typical “balance” mindset of most gurus. I feel like I’ve been fighting against the grain on this exact point for years both in live and studio settings because I have been doing this exact thing (aggressively mixing) when the moment is needed in a certain song section to really make the song dynamic, bring clarity, and not just playing it safe. I’d sometimes have another guy with more experience mixing getting nervous next to me, but always have audience members or listeners giving me compliments on how powerful the song or recording was right where it needed to be “Man, that bridge was epic... The guitars rocked my face off... that singer, she just sailed...” etc. but they wouldn’t necessary be able to put it into technical mix or even musical terms. Yes, you have to start with balance, but you have to be willing to take risks in the mix to really hit people in the gut musically and get the emotional payoff you’re looking for. It’s really an old-school approach and mindset cause the technology back when wouldn’t allow you to do otherwise. - Hence what you’re preaching. Keep going against the grain, Gregory. No school like the old-school.🤘😎🎸🔥

[@CaptainProton1]

So often my first rough version of my track is the one I end up liking vs the sanitized bleached meh version after a couple of days. In the same way a perfectly recorded grand piano can sound way less emotional and almost less real than one recorded with the microphones in another room .... perfect is not always the best. Loving these little philosophical thoughts Gregory, they genuinely are teaching me to stop worrying and truly go with what sounds right.

[@user-xw4vg1vy5e]

All about how it sounds.

[@funkytaco1358]

Make sure when you compress you drop the dB gain back to about what the sound was like before with some A/B sound checks

[@brotherjohnhiggins8614]

Hi Gregory, just found your channel. I love recording at home but hate falling down the rabbit hole of techno babble and gear talk. Your vids are great. Thanks.

[@Grandpa-Beats]

Thanks for the advice! It helps out a lot 🙏🏼

[@danielkisel5661]

I'm always excited when I see there is new Kush after hours video! Good stuff keep it up!

[@Aaronius_Maximus]

Somehow you always nail it right on the head for what I'm currently doing and/or battling with. Can't thank you enough for your time making these videos. You've given me several light-bulb moments over the past months. Godbless you and your family!

[@pedrorosamusica]

true man! for me too!

[@JesseDanielSmith]

I needed to hear it, thank you Gregory!

[@riseanddemise]

Man, I love your vids. Valuable.

[@JO3B1Shinobi]

Almost every video you've released addresses problems I've been having engineer-wise. You're doing divine work my man! 👊🏻

[@leecoulman3421]

Another master class in the Psychology of Mixing!

[@AE-zq4ut]

Love this dude! Keep up the good work, my guy!

[@ironwasp5954]

This is exactly what I needed to hear right now. Thanks for the amazing content as always!

[@seanemmettfullerton]

Awesome Gregory! Most vital lecture yet! Indeed! We are only at ground zero by the time things are prepped, balanced and listenable :) As always, it’s about music, energy and style… nothing else truly matters.

[@raccooncitymassacreofficia9902]

the philosophy of music engineering is vastly underplayed man. Knowing the process by which our brain psychologically divulges sounds, plays a large part in how well mixes come out. I am glad you spend alot of your time in the video discussing the questions we should be asking ourselves while mixing and less about "the rules are x y and z". Much appreciated and lovin your videos dawg

[@fano72]

its so much fun listening to your sessions! thanks

[@bintoul05]

That's always helpful when Kush is speaking. Great job as always.

[@CamKnoppMusic]

I recall a similar discussion in Zen and the Art of Mixing. I like these videos about the more philosophical thoughts about mixing rather than the overly technical discussions.

[@dablizzoduve4576]

On point!

[@JoshuaBenitezNewOrleans]

Damn, these sessions have really changed my perception and understanding of mixing philosophy. Thank you so much! There’s this one funk tune that I COULD NOT GET sounding right and I had to send it out yesterday. In a last ditch attempt I just was like... “fuck it I’ll crank the organ” and they LOVED it. Now I understand why. all of my mixes were SO BALANCED. I’m about to pull up my DAW and start a brand new approach! Thanks man ❤️

[@JoshuaBenitezNewOrleans]

Oh shit, is this why live mixes often sound kind of lifeless? Because the engineer is kinda forced to either balance everything or bias one of the instruments/musicians??? Except even with amazing compression there’s really no way to get a perfect live mix without sacrificing SOMETHING... oh my goodness it’s all making since

[@RockerThomas]

Great advice- thank you for coaching us!

[@raplex2476]

Great advice! Thank you! You always have something that helps a lot.

[@intemperatefuck]

I'm brand new to recording and mixing, but as a long time musician and as someone who has been around recording for years, no one has brought to light exciting and interesting ways of approaching tracks the way you have. Thanks for all your tips and advice! Hope this channel is around for the long haul.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Thanks man, that's definitely the plan, I enjoy doing these!

[@MarioSpeedWagon]

I can't stop listening to this guy, and I don't know nor care about mixing. But please don't stop exactly what you are doing, the look the feel the topics the sound. But I need way more.

[@JohnJesus]

Again and again, you give the best advice! Thanks! I learn a lot!

[@riharrds]

Your videos are AMAZING! Thank you for sharing your insights! 💜

[@guymartinmusic]

This is simply a piece of advice for a certain mix approach. This is why I like this guy, because the advice is always good...whether you want to appy it or not is up to you. This particular video will ruffle some feathers because "sound" is so subjective, there are no rules. Either way, this would be a fun and interesting exercise to implement in a mix at some point just to see what happens.

[@cbrooks0905]

I know what you mean, but he's completely speaking to me. I often find myself telling myself to be more bold, but then I'll hold back because I think something is "wrong" with what I'm doing. Ironically, I'm completely free form when I write music, but engineering has been a struggle to not think so black and white.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

@@cbrooks0905 You're not alone on that. Even today, 2 decades in, I *still* have a little devil on my shoulder when mixing, talkin' shit in my ear about what I'm doing wrong. I usually take that as my cue to go farther :-P

[@burns46824]

This video makes sense, though. It's good to think about one or two elements being more aggressive than "balanced."

[@executionsquad3926]

There are rules. Always.

[@jacobdejongh9042]

@@executionsquad3926 uhh not really... not ones that u have to follow at least (or even should follow) which makes them not rules

[@justinbeck8459]

This is also why the reap secret to a great mix is a great arrangement. When everything is gelling together rhythmically it’s way easier to achieve this “imbalance” because all the elements are flowing in and out of one another. I always use “Doing It To Death” by The JBs as a masterful example of this.

[@coffeecalmdown]

This is so true. I've come to realize that about 80% of the mix is established in the arrangement.

[@mauriciofuentes7638]

Thank you, Gregory! I've been feeling super burned out and really needed to hear this

[@christophernoia5197]

Wow this totally goes in line with something I was working on a couple days ago, but you’ve made me think about it in a better way!

[@officialWWM]

Man, this dude has the most calming voice. He's a whisper talker. Would make a great late night DJ :)

[@iamdannywyatt]

From my own perspective when I say that a mix is balanced is not actually that everything is audible. Is the opposite. It’s like math: 1 + (-1) = 0 (not sure if the real equation is this but you get the point). So for me balance is when elements in the mix complement each other, exactly by somehow being at different spaces (EQ, effects, volume, etc). I get what you mean, though, because it’s pretty common to see people (especially when it comes to bands) where each person wants to hear their instrument instead of understanding their role in the mix. Great video as usual, regardless. It’s always good to look at other perspectives and understanding what other people define as A or B. Keep the videos coming 😊

[@stereotypebeats]

Awesome advice love your tips my friend. Keep them coming.

[@kimtaulbee260]

As usual, this is just right. Thanks again for taking the time and resources to put these out there.

[@braedonhorbacio304]

It's nice to hear this put into words. I've been doing this recently without realizing it - I call the "sabotage state". I think I've gotten the mix right, I excitedly give it a top-to-bottom listen but feel nothing. It's correct but boring. Maybe I repeat this process 15 times. Eventually I think "whatever, this mix is hopeless" and during one last listen-through I somewhat sabotage the mix with dramatic fader moves, barely paying attention to what I'm doing. When I listen back to the mix the next morning it's almost perfect. Now that seems to always be my process - scientifically mix 'till I'm bored & frustrated, then sabotage it

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Sounds like you're eventually (and finally) letting go and allowing your instinct to take over without fear or hesitation. Awesome!! Now... just try to get there sooner. Have you seen the episode on mixing too slow? If not, check it out, it might hold the key to your freedom :-P

[@Seeattle]

Thank u Kushmaster

[@graythomas2445]

love these videos, the way you provide exercises rather than purely technical advice is so much better

[@djtrets]

This is great advice man, subscribed. Your videos are fresh and helpful.

[@austinmchristy]

can you plz do a vid where you discuss ambiance (i.e. reverb v. delay, how to choose delay times, how to choose reverb types, etc) ? i'm struggling to have clean ambiance in my mixes. love your more philosophical approach to explaining these concepts

[@aalonboots]

sidechain the reverb and cut the lows

[@aalonboots]

oh and pan the verb different from the source, cheers!

[@JORDANN]

create virtual rooms thru bus sends

[@gaagoimusic]

This is one of really deep questions and I don't think one can fit it in 5-10 minute video...

[@user-xw4vg1vy5e]

It's not that deep...and it could be 20 mins if needed.

Wow! Love this philosofical issues. well it makes me remember when learning classicall guitar my teacher told me, "play the melody way tool loud and the notes that are part of the accompaniment WAY to soft, and then, exaggerate it". I found that that concept brought a three dimensionality to my playing. Then people would describe it as "magical" or as "you sound like playing three guitars at once".

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Well said!

[@tricig2]

Super insightful! I enjoy hearing your thoughts! Please continue! Thanks!

[@lens8933]

thank you so much. all you explain is really inspiring.

[@MadeOnTape]

Hey FF nine years later and the hair is back... I just had a 1on1 session with mr. nathan daniel! you guys kick ass. We actually talked about this in my mix and it helped tremendously. Coming to mixing from a musician's perspective, mixing seems to be like playing an instrument: a weird instrument that has great prerecorded sounds, and your main method of emotional control is dynamics (aka faders). does that make sense?

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

It makes total sense, and if you ever hear Michael Brauer or CLA talk, that's exactly how they describe it: the console as an instrument :-)

[@AlldeLucas]

Genius! And I think it's like: No problem the kick being louder than the vocal. It's not unheard on older rock n' roll songs. There's no balance, and there's no "right way to make it unbalancend." I believe is more about serving the song. (Even though we all "serve the song" based on each background, so it's kinda hard to judge what "serves the song" or not.)

[@ketchfishshow3001]

Serving the song - just what great live musicians do.

[@mixedbymuchewicz]

Just fantastic advice for aspiring mix engineers! Huge respect!

[@stevericablanca4290]

You have the best approach to mixing for me! Thanks so much!

[@elkvillamusic]

The Owen Wilson combined with Bob Ross of mixing

[@riccello]

With occasional Matthew McCaunaghey coming through

[@oculusnomadslosttribe5672]

Faders= old School... “I’m Old School” Me: Subscribed😁

[@minttrax]

HELL YEAH

[@parasiteunit]

I LIKE physical faders. Got a half decent audio interface.... Love it. Still brought a nice little Soundcraft desk for some sneaky analogue fader action.

[@newday8545]

ive been learning so much from your channel this past month as im someone who is teaching myself how to mix my own tracks which ive avoided for years and had others do for me. Its made a huge difference in my results and the mind set i approach tracks with. The philosophy behind it all is what ive been missing but i also recognize that it always has been there. Thanks a million! I really appreciate that your talks havent been about how to use toolsl but more how to create relationships with them. Cheers!!

[@longjohnsonshagwell3377]

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge again. I get so excited everytime I see a new kush video in my subs. I am teaching rudimentary music production at the moment and your videos help me to give my students new perspectives. Thanks again

[@Tibbon]

Think of all the songs that you’ve heard the raw tracks of and found stuff you had no idea exists. Or perhaps someone pointed out in a favorite song of yours. Having things that you don’t know are there until someone points it out is like an Easter egg. It still adds interest to your mix! It could be felt instead of heard.

[@drummer4hire12]

Early Rush records revealed this concept to me......which in turn really sharpened my listening skills.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Terry Brown was an amazing producer, such big and honest tones from everything. The drum sound on Caress of Steel is still a benchmark/reference for me 🥁

[@drummer4hire12]

@@TheHouseofKushTV Well said! Yes, Caress of Steel is pure sonic magic with the drums. I just found your channel today and totally dig your production style and vibe......You really have a gift for explaining complex concepts with an extremely understandable delivery. I learned more about compressors in just one of your vids in all the 23 years of engineering. I highly appreciate what you are sharing. The best to you, kind friend!!!

[@audiosyncstudio]

Recently found this channel, another great After Hours segment. Keep them coming!

[@lunarfifthstudios]

I needed to hear this today- major thanks! 👏🙏✌

[@reaperenespanol]

you know a channel is gold when you click without even looking at the title

[@djpants]

Audio engineering as life philosophy, dig it

[@ZachBelcher94]

Thanks for the video Gregory, really useful insight, super helpful!

[@redfaust8189]

These videos are so good!!! This one in particular got you a new subscriber. Wow!

[@stevedoesnt]

I’ve tried to sell clients on “it’s so cool when something is too loud!” For so long.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Singer: my voice is too loud. Band members: isn't loud enough, is too loud. Mix engineer: kill me now please.

[@stevedoesnt]

The House of Kush I’d definitely be interested in anyone’s methods on how to break this cycle. I’m heavily inspired by things in music that I have to really lean in to listen to. Sometimes I get it wrong, but sometimes the more a band gives notes about just volume, the more I find myself flattening it out until nothing grabs me anymore.

[@dablizzoduve4576]

@@stevedoesnt I guess you then need to play around with panning,eq,compression and reverb/distortion to give everything a place. Volume is the least sophisticated tool to make something stand out in a mix...cheers!

[@stijnvanrijsbergen8255]

@@stevedoesnt I have had that happen a lot, it's a drag. When I'm producing as well, I'll really try to imagine a place I can push the artist towards. Usually during prepro I'll start to push the artist into making more daring choices; it's helped me to be constructively-assertive-with-a-smile, pulling up some examples of how making big choices can elevate the material (whether that be sounds, arrangement or mix). I'll usually play some Nine Inch Nails for alternative/rock stuff, or Elbow for indie/folk/singersongwriter stuff. +Really hammer home that the experience REALLY changes once the music comes out of 2 speakers instead of a rehearsal room (it usually gets more detailed, but isn't as physically exciting), and to emphasize what qualities of theirs you'd like to highlight (usually for me that's (the beginnings of) a stylistic nuance that sets them apart.) That does put the onus on you to 1. make the artist trust you and your ability+dedication to the project (just talking about music over coffee or beer never hurts) and 2. to communicate your vision and convince them to go along. That's hard of course, not all songs respond equally to a different type of execution + at any point they might get cold feet, when some ideas only work as a finished whole. If I'm truly convinced that the choices they're making are gonna hurt the project in the end, I'll tell them that 'look, of course this is your record and I'll always do what you want, but here's why I think you don't want X because Y and/or Z. For me, when I'm passionate, give waaay too much long-winded context for my point of view (see this whole comment as an example), and be considerate of their emotional+financial investment, the artist has usually swayed (at least somewhat). When I'm only mixing I'll still talk about their influences, what I like and want to highlight (like on X song/album), what THEY like about the versions they have at that point, what they like about my work, get some enthusiasm going. Of course, you haven't had as much control, so your tools for improvement are limited. If you try something, you better nail it, haha. Then again, sometimes you just have those artists/groups who just haven't matured enough musically to listen beyond their own instrumentalism, and there's no fighting it. -I've even had a band come to me to record their EP (mostly kinda forgettable songs with a lead guitarist who plays 2000x too many notes), then completely balk at the mere notion I might want to actually, y'know, change stuff. If you don't want my input, don't come to me. Good luck dude!

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Steve B >> (My) joking aside, I think artists get short shrift sometimes because they don't have a language for sound the way we do. But if you interpret what they say less literally, make it more vague and emotional, "my guitar isn't loud enough here" becomes "I'm not feeling this part of the song because something is off." That's often a good instinct that *something* can be made more interesting or dramatic. Challenge yourself (and the artist, if there's trust) to find a different way to solve their problem. It might be the spatial aspect of their instrument, or the frequency aspect of a different one. Sometimes they actually don't love their part or their performance, but they couldn't know that until the production is mature, and their head is in 'analyze sound' mode so they focus on sound. Your job is always 1 part engineering and 4 parts psychotherapy, and IME if you're dogged from day one about reassuring the artist that you're committed to their music and bringing their vision to life by any means, they'll be more open to creative solutions and giving you space to work things out less rigidly.

[@HarelAtias]

THIS IS HOW YOU EXPLAIN AUDIO!!!!!!!

[@gianfranco2165]

I find it utterly amazing how entertaining real, solid instruction can be. Learning is fun!! Thank you for all these videos!

[@CHIBIXULTRA]

This is exactly what I needed to hear today, thanks for being such a sage G!

[@djkrptdnb]

More of these sexy philosophical insights please.

[@Deluxeta]

Gregory Scott : "It might be 3dB, it might be 5dB, it might only be one, but my guess is gonna be more like 3 or 4 or 5..." ...And Justice For All : Hold my bass

[@boblyle3930]

Thanks so much Mr Scott for all these. By far the best approach and learning activities. Please don’t ever stop thanks again

[@testube]

Gregory, these videos are so great. I love the format and you're always giving us amazing pearls of wisdom. This particular video spoke to me a lot, as even after many years I often find myself second guessing my ears. So many acts out there just seem to tame all of their sounds, instead of letting anything stand out. Hats, in particular, seem to take a backseat too often. Sometimes I think the boring "balanced" approach is a result of the loudness wars. Cheers, and thanks again!

[@pricesmith8450]

I would’ve been first to comment but got caught up in watching the video.

[@killalters]

girl what is going on with your hair lol? i love it ;P

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

The more 2020 I see, the more 1975 I be.

[@mateocalle__]

I just want to give you a hug man! Thank you for sharing the knowledge, all of this is very useful for us.

[@theomyling]

these vids are not only really educating, but they wake up a lot of artistic inspiration. Thanks man, love this!

[@m.i.stapes]

This has been a fun week. I'm just watching a few after hours vids while I eat lunch each day. Just discovered this channel this weekend. I like this philosophy. Thank you master sensei Kush. I will practice this.

[@dustandashes3]

I love mixing tutorials that do more than teach a technique. You've provided a different way of thinking abt mixing. Thank you.

[@wasabifinessed]

You teach in such a cool way, mixing is craft that not everybody understands but it's so important. Thanks for making it entertaining as well!

[@Gongtopia]

I keep coming back to this video because the advice is golden. It revealed a new way to listen to my mixes. Thanks UBK!

[@Ramt33n]

Perfect advice now that I'v been struggling with the exact same problem!. Salute!

[@magiusicgician4102]

You sir and your knowledge is uniquely priceless. The best, in my opinion, when it comes to the realm of sound. Thank you.

[@ricolassen1427]

New subscriber! This channel is exactly what I have been missing! Great stuff :-)

[@theobserver3946]

Had to watch this twice, will be watching again the next session I have.

[@williamsmith1708]

Man, I’ve been wondering what happened to the Funtime hour, now I see you’ve been kicking ass on these videos. 👌

[@milanmakelove]

Thank you so much for these videos! Really helpful u a legend dude

[@joshhimmel13]

awesome lesson man. gave me a whole different perspective on mixing

[@IncredibleScienceLive]

i'm addicted to his channel :) great information and amazing voice thank you!