STOP Asking "HOW does my mix SOUND?" - Ask THIS Instead!

[@jacobwright5542]

The people demand more "House of Kush" videos.

[@MUFFINWRATH]

+1

[@aidanjosiah02]

I concur!

[@Bthelick]

This is why I like working for DJs , they make great producers because a good DJ will spend their gigs observing crowd reactions. That feedback they bring into the studio is invaluable.

[@ivers1001]

Yo! BTHEGOAT

[@NoQualmsTheArtist]

Plus the fact that DJs listen to a thousand more songs than anyone else means they understand structure and tonal balance on a subconscious level and can tell when something is off or needed.

[@isaacwriston]

Same. Well said.

[@wurlitsyzer9810]

true true

[@Rhythmattica]

The challenge many consider a success doing/playing music, won't make it any better because more listen to it. When you just accept where others have walked before, without leaving your track, well, thats just wearing your shoe soles out. For me, Music is Soul....

[@mrnelsonius5631]

I’m a writer/producer primarily but my mixes are a really important part of “selling” the song. My technique for this is to get my mix roughly together. By end I lose perspective so I stop, go for a long walk and do something else. Before coming back to it I listen to my favorite songs on my monitors. For enjoyment. I dance around, it’s not analytical. Once I’m well into that “enjoy music” headspace I pull up my song. I tend to work fast and broad at this point and if I’m vibing I send it. If I can’t dance around or sing along like my “vibe references” I go back to deeper work. Passing the vibe check is always my final hurdle.

[@kentforde6350]

Greg hope all is well miss the vids and your perspective. Thanks for you catalog of work.

[@je7647]

some of the stuff you say is really profound and is not just relevant for music production, thanks for the content

[@tilda140]

true

[@Linguae_Music]

He has that hippie wisdom... it's rare these days. :P

[@thetoddkeith]

Just have a party and secretly play your songs. If people start bobbing their heads and tapping their feet it’s a good song.

[@ashtonrouse5638]

PROFUNDITY

[@Rhuggins]

Miss you Greg. I hope you are doing well and are in good health! Sending love!

[@Bthelick]

agreed! Now I've accrued a few subs I'm getting bombarded with this question every day. But I'd also argue that you have access to people faaaaar beyond your peers, you have access to thousands of genuine naive listeners. My stock answer is "just release it, you'll soon find out".

[@thebasementfilmgroup]

If I had a dollar (or a pound - I am British after all!!) For every time some kid has asked me that question "How's my mix sound?" Or "what do you think of my mix" .... my answer to that one is always "would you ask that question if you were baking a cake?" Surely - how you mix and cook a cake is not Important - it's what it taste like. And you know what - I am so glad you mentioned the guys who don't know what frequencies are or how certain plugins work etc etc.... cos that's me..... I have had great success as a sound designer for the BBC and I learned how to do it by hours and hours and hours of experimenting and trying out different things - and I still don't fully understand how everything works. I just know what I know. Awesome as ever 👏

[@zpurpz]

Yes ! It blows my mind how accurate this is. It works every time. Its scary ! Listening thru other peoples ears is a very real thing. Tbh I dont even watch or observe them, maybe its my DJ tendencies, but I can feel their response just by being in the same room

[@wouterdesmedt1736]

The listening through their ears phenomenon is definitely the best feedback you can get, both technically and emotionally. It's like listening to something you've spent hours and hours on for the first time again. And it all happens without a word needing to be said. Thank you for putting that into words so eloquently. More ramblings, please.

[@ThatsTheMidnightGamer]

Its the same as when you mull over an idea for a long time, then the moment you open your mouth to explain it to someone else, all the obvious flaws come out. We forget that, in our head, the landscape of our thoughts is a sort of feedback loop. It can become self-referential and circular on very subtle levels, and until you plug in that other perspective, it will work perfectly in the simulation of your head.

[@jeffroyer4522]

Gregory is the funniest, brutally honest, hippest cat in our world of audio engineering. he always offers his knowledge and talent to us in a way that keeps us growing and learning with the right mindset . all that matters with our role as audio engineers is the goal to make the listener like how its made them feel. if they like how its made them feel, they will tune in to feel that again. and alot of the time, the genre of music is irrelevant. if it makes feel good or grabs us, genre just got thrown out the window. so glad your back dude. the GOAT ALL HAIL THE KINGDOM OF KUSH

[@ooglyga6100]

I feel you homie. Mixing is something that changes in the person over TIME. Your mixes will never be the same or sound the same...ever... Make stuff that makes you groove and get people above where you sit professionally to help you improve yourself.

[@SaintJames14]

True wisdom comes from a man with experience, knowledge, and intelligence. You have all three my man. These tips are applicable in all situations, not just mixing. Cooking, movie making, photography, hell even speaking better. This shit is fire. Thank God for you bro, you get it🙏🏻 Be well

[@jacobwood8720]

My gf doesn't know, but I'm always watching her out of the corner of my eye when my music or similar music comes on. When my songs make her head bop as consistently as it does to our favorite music, I'll start officially distributing my songs haha

[@LimewaterMusic]

I’ve been asking my gf for feedback for a few years now and she’s gotten really damn good at it. She’s got such a sharp ear and doesn’t even make music herself, we just both really love and appreciate all types of music.

[@Ryahu]

My girlfriend always tells me my music is terrible, but she also doesn't really like most of the genre of music i make so I take it with a grain of salt and try to keep her from hearing it lol

[@GuyGamer1]

​​​@@Ryahu🚩Get a new girlfriend. I'd never tell my partner their art is trash, even if I don't like the style. You are hiding a major part of your identity from the very person you're supposed to be completely open and vulnerable with. That's not healthy.

[@LimewaterMusic]

@@Ryahu wtf bro your music is sick. I honestly can’t imagine what kind of person wouldn’t get good vibes from this lol

[@jonautry]

She knows.

[@fotipitrakkos1193]

We are in the midst of a cognitive storm, where people are more concerned with being in the know, with "seeming" knowledgeable about an experience, than actually feeling the experience itself. This, with your last video, brings us back to the root of what is important. The human, emotional connection, the heart of the matter. A beautiful song can be a single acoustic guitar playing in a park. No EQ or other seasonings, just the perfectly ripe fruit of honest expression. Thank you, Gregory, for sharing some truly important wisdom, which applies to life as well as music.

[@luciferpantykrist7570]

The Beatles White Album contains many gems, obviously great songs, that have the feel or sound of demos, from a production perspective. But they're great. So much music these days seems to be 90% production.

[@chetsenior7253]

Sounds pretty Taoist. Fantastic.

[@b.hornetiii.6771]

100% true ... You can do the same with yourself, if you leave the mix alone, and wait for a few days and then listen. You'll hear a bunch of things right and wrong in one take that you'll never notice if you just work on it for days at a time.

[@space2189]

It's true said

[@vladrileynavilys]

Same thing with older stuff i "left out a while ago" because my brain just couldnt process it efficiently anymore and it felt like beating a dead horse. I get back to it months later randomly and suddenly i know exactly what needs to be done. Or sometimes it's just great the way it is.

[@jeffroyer4522]

i love doing this. or small periods of time in one sitting session mixing a song then start mixing another song. keeping your ears fresh and helping you avoid the black hole of mixing for hours with one song. cause you mix your self into a terrible place cause your ears are tired and your hearing frequencies completely skewed and nothing sounds how it really sounds when you come back with a fresh well rested head on your shoulders. if your looking at a computer screen for long periods of time your eyes will start to effect how you breathe hear and just about every component that makes up our head.

[@vladrileynavilys]

@@jeffroyer4522 Yes i do the switching too. Also just stop everything and listen to a "real" bit of music every 30 minutes to keep my ears on track.

[@b.hornetiii.6771]

@@jeffroyer4522 Yes ... Luckly I don't use computer for mixing so I'm in "another space" (I mix on a keyboard workstation Korg Kronos 2- faster, better for me ...) but it doesn't help, after awhile it's all gone. I see the best time frame to correct something in a mix is the first two takes, so approx. 10 minutes max. And you don't just fix the mix you also hear mistakes in a arrangement, you get new ideas on the fly, because you're relaxed and don't expect anything. Your brain has 100% use of the CPU. :)) In final mastering even more important in my experience. There isa world of difference between day 1 or day 2 or day 7. It pays of to wait for more days ... You think it's over but it's not, haha.

[@hasn0life420]

I have basically figured this out by myself so it's really nice to have someone else point out this phenomena. What's cool is that this works not just for music but for most art or interactive experiences. Wanna see if your writing is good? Watch someone read it and see when they lose interest (I actually figured it out when someone wrote an essay that someone read whole, which was crazy to me). Video game or website? Watch a users use it and see their reactions. Painting? How long does a person stare at it. Generally speaking good art is engaging and almost visceral, people can't help but be compelled.

[@thesuper-8]

So glad to see you're back, Gregg! You deserve an audio knighthood for your wisdom and insight 😇😇

[@richertz]

So correct. Something happens psychologically when someone else listens. It makes us hear different. Very useful tool.

[@elvyaofficial]

This is the first video of you I've ever seen, but I see and hear a grandmaster in front of me right away! Beautiful advice brought in a very compelling way, from a gentle and compassionate soul! I'll be checking out more of your stuff!

[@NoQualmsTheArtist]

I find just having someone in the room is enough for me to hear everything I couldn't hear while mixing. It's amazing how our perception shifts. I don't even need to read their body or hear their feedback. Just them being in the room is enough.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Same :-) Sometimes just knowing they can hear it thru the walls is enough.

[@antcall6779]

Yess!!!! Greg is back 🤘

[@JoshuaBenitezNewOrleans]

I was thinking the same thing!!!

[@samsmall]

Total wisdom. Mistakes I always make. Can't help it - but I have to now. *Please love my song, please!!" Ok, put that in the bin. Take a deep breat and just be professional! Thank you Mr Gregory!

[@srbelnap]

I hadn't thought about this with music, it's great advice. I'm a dancer, and when working on something, I'll often have someone watch. I don't actually need specific feedback, but just having it examined by someone else helps me to see what I need to know.

[@legacysupplies3132]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

[@yo-tobyrush6943]

I was just starting to realize this when I was showing songs to my band members! I love how you talk about the more felt and subconscious part of the auditory space! Thanks🎉

[@space2189]

hello ,I'm from East Africa (Tanzania) I was hoping to get connect so as to get new ideas about music production

[@whosrichpurnell3328]

Every piece of commentary I listen to helps me appreciate the process and challenges that come with mixing. Many thanks Gregory Scott - Legend. Keep ‘em coming

[@DJ_Paleface]

"Nobody fucking cares about how a mix sounds" - so great to have him back

[@space2189]

hello ,I'm from East Africa (Tanzania) I was hoping to get connect so as to get new ideas about music production,,,

[@acdnrg]

Great food for thought! What came to mind while listening to this: As a hobbyist, I´m in that spot, listen to friend´s stuff, have them listen to mine etc. Audio nerds and their therapy group ^^. So when people ask: How does it sound, try to translate to what you described: When do I start to move, what grabs me etc. Try to be the ideal listener and reroute their request to the right answer. Maybe even stop them short when they start the pre-listening explanations.

[@princemaxwhoobayangbon1516]

Thanks for what you represent in the musical industry !

[@levianthony5657]

Always so glad when a video comes out! There is still a giant Happy-Fun-Time-Hour-shaped hole in my heart but at least these After Hours episodes give me a bit of a fix from time to time. So appreciative of all your content, Greg!!!

[@supa407]

By the way I miss seeing your videos and insight… you make things much easier then they seem

[@Fireguy65]

Im so glad you are releasing more content. Best mixing advice on youtube!

[@Excaidus-Metal]

Getting feedback from others is more of a beginner thing. Usually listening to a mix with fresh ears the next day shows you what everyone else is going to hear.

[@DaveDemayClips]

I have to say that I really miss the The UBK Funtime Hour. But I love it when you post a video. For some reason KZbin unclicked my bell notification. I re-clicked the bell so not to miss anything. Be well, brother!

[@THZORROMUSIC]

yeah, welcome back + good to see some content other than plugins and hardware reviews

[@JonValtandtheEvilRobots]

He hit the point I was going to suggest. That as SOON as someone else is listening, suddenly YOU can hear everything…. The intro that goes on a bit too long…. The part you looped because you didn’t want to write different parts for each section…. The thing you left in because it was “good enough” at the time Hahaha it’s so true.

[@jamarwashington6419]

Great points. Funny thing is this made me realize i tend to bob my head or dance when the jingle of these tutorials comes in both at the beginning & the end(soon as the drums hit). Great thing to look for cuz def my fav songs make me move.

[@keymasterseven]

This is information that I never thought I needed until this video! So many points hit about what I do when I get someone to listen, that I'm guilty of! lol I feel blown away but truly educated. Thank you!

[@stiffyBlicky]

Took me so long to figure this out. I had the problem of finding other audio mixing/production music nerds as mentioned in the vid and looking back they all had the worst advice. Never once did I get feedback on arrangement, feeling, instrumentation etc. Always some nerdy mixing tips.

[@davemac1648]

Something I started doing a few years ago, is sometimes tell the friends I send my music too, that it's music someone else has made or something similar (for example, a band or artist I'm working with as a Producer). Some guess it's me, but not always.. the feedback is initially free of any bias they may have & is much more honest & can even be taken less personally. I don't send to strangers or use the internet for feedback & learned a long time ago (as pointed out in this video) to not say anything about the things you're going to do or change, like: 'the bass will be different' or 'it's not finished yet' etc.. this isn't something new ears look for & receive.. they have no thoughts regarding anything like that & probably don't care. They're listening to the whole wall of noise & even other producers need 4 or 5 full listen thrus to begin analysing the details & separate elements, so don't worry about it. If it's someone your working with or plan to, again let the details go & just let them listen to what's there.

[@Lasantha.]

I'm so glad that you are here greg! Thanks for the advice!

[@DiegoParedes]

This is GOLD! Yes yes yes. Man, you provide the REAL information… thank you 100 times

[@gregtapevideo1464]

I think the approach is a valid one. Intuitively paying attention to how one reacts or fails to react can tell a lot without words. Very interesting. Thanks Greg!

[@space2189]

hello ,I'm from Tanzania _EAST AFRICA I was hoping to connect so as to get new ideas about music production,,,,,

[@patricia_odysseias]

Hello Gregory. It's always good to hear what you say. Today, once again, the content of your video makes perfect sense.

[@space2189]

hello ,I'm from Tanzania _EAST AFRICA I was hoping to connect so as to get new ideas about music production

[@pOOL_pANTS]

still enjoying your channel for the past few years. our mixes have improved immensely! thank you

[@gisellechacon7081]

Welcome back, Gregory! These are some of the most useful videos I've seen. You were missed! :)

[@dune3231]

Thank you. Now that were over saturated with tricks, tips, shortcuts, and top 10 lists, real knowledge is needed. Your voice is so relaxing, I could fall asleep to these videos. I have in fact.

[@HenryJansen59]

Great stuff. Thanks for this, as always. My favorite reaction is when I play a piece for my wife, and turn to see that she’s crying tears of joy and appreciation. It’s the only time I’m happy to see her cry.

[@smashinproduction]

We need more of your great videos! please comeback

[@SkyrenOfficial]

I love you man. You‘re so pure. I‘ve lost my head in „Dream by Dream“. You‘re genius ❤

[@theslideguy4228]

Super helpful perspective, GS. Thanks again and great to see you back on the 'tube.

[@ThatsTheMidnightGamer]

Amen. I was always one to avoid and discourage people from downplaying their work before showing it. Also, one to think that the advice of other producers is not the same as a normal person. The idea that just observing a listener for the most pure information, outside of their provided interpretation, never occurred to me. Also, glad to see videos from you again. I know you've been through some shit. Welcome back.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Thanks, it's really good to be back! Yeah, we get so bubbled up, we forget that the venn overlap between "everybody who listens to music" and "everybody who produces music" is infinitesimally small.

[@Anders01]

Interesting point. I noticed sometimes when I focus too much on how the mix sounds I forget how it feels! Andrew Scheps said that he doesn't even use reference mixes, but I guess he can do that because of being one of the top mixing engineers with massive experience. And he probably has tons of resources so that he can get feedback from other people via producers etc.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

I don't use references either, not because I'm a Scheps-level engineer (I'm not), but because they only confuse me more. At some point I realized there is no 'right' sound, even within genres there is tremendous variety of tone, balance, effect... a mix is a self-contained world, it only needs to make sense in relation to itself. If you got that, the listener will quickly adjust and it will sound 'right' to them.

[@shykall]

Apart from the observation of the listener that depends too much on the personn and the type of music, I agree with you. I always make that mistake of talking too much about the music before hand. The best advice , is too listen with their ears. That can only happen this context. This way you really feel what sounds good or bad to you, smashing you in the face.And this is not forgiving, and helps so so much. Better than any reference track or artificial intelligence. It is always a pleasure too listen too your advice. Thank you.

[@thearno2885]

you are overthinking. how does the sound make you feel? how does a reverb setting make you feel? a pre amp? a delay? Stop Making Sense.

[@shykall]

@@thearno2885 I didn"t write anything about that.

[@semantixthasorcera]

You're so right! Thank you man, we all really appreciate hearing your angle on how you see things. Each new video I see pop up from you is always a blessing 😎👍

[@thearno2885]

this is so important and once you get it , making music comes into focus more. Greg taught me this and its so fucking true.

[@eldjswett]

Nobody on the internet like u. Thanks man 🙏🏽

[@Jaathoven]

I feel blessed to have this man as a teacher 🙏

[@fdgggfh24]

Love that you're do videos again! Thank you so much for the inspiration and knowledge

[@imsuddenlyhome4806]

Super, super good point! This is an excellent statement and exercise that all mixes should go through. Thank you ( again)!

[@MurphMagic1]

The part about hearing it through the persons ears is spot on. I've always said for some reason you can hear things in your music when someone else is listening that you can't hear listening to it on your own.

[@samsonlovesyou]

Great to have you back! You've been missed.

[@bradenharwood]

As always, great video! I was listening to GMA's Immerse conference once where an artist manager advised that we don't preamble our product. We let the product speak to the listener. And to let the listener tell you what you have.

[@AlexCornier]

Man I miss your podcast, you always have the best advice.

[@catsven1973]

The most wisest advice I’ve heard since I started 20 years ago .. and it hits the spot! Thanks 🙏

[@RECAPSLABEL]

It's crazy that Greg's vibe rubbed me the wrong way from the very first time I watched one of his videos. But his information is so good that once I gave it a chance I was hooked, ended up becoming a fan of his work and his perspectives. Really appreciate this dude.

[@joshcurrie7781]

These videos are soooo good. Great insight every time!

[@el-bov8034]

"...or you have somebody who just has no filters and loves everything that everybody does" Note to self: Don't request feedback from mother ;) Great perspective shifts, once again. Glad to see you well and back at it!

[@ChalkDinosaur]

These are great! Thank you for making these. Bring back the podcast!

[@billyhughes9776]

Thanks Greg -- great advice and hard to argue with.

[@baileybayer9462]

It is SO great to see new Kush vids in the feed 🙏🏼

[@Crazed_Ink]

Bro ive seen a lot of BS videos trying to address me issues. But you are saying things i understand and never said out loud. You are bringing new outlooks & confirming my insecurities in a all in one short straight to the point video. Major Kudos.

[@themusa9541]

magnificent way to put this, thank you, I needed this video today to chill out on all these technical things:)

[@HBSTONELIGHT]

Thank you for everything, Gregory! I really dig your channel. Hope all is well, and looking forward to your next video!

[@Audiojunkk]

so glad youre back love your philosophical take on this artform. thank you so much!

[@ghfjfghjasdfasdf]

Top notch advice

[@VirginHolyFire]

I love you so much …you’re the biggest inspiration to me as an engineer 💙

[@domcarbone]

Great to hear from you again, Greg! Keep these videos coming, we need more wisdom haha. Still making my way through UBK Happy Funtime Hour, collecting as many nuggets as I can - gonna miss it when im done :\

[@rsutin]

Many years ago, when I was in music school, I had the job of being the recording engineer who recorded all the faculty and guest recitals. In that position, I was backstage with not only the artists but also the maintenance and stage staff. There was a custodian who had been working the theater for about 35 years at that point in time. He had no formal education beyond high school and did not perform music. He was, however, the gold standard for listening to a performance and telling anyone who cared which parts were working and which were not. Same deal with recordings. His input was WAY more valuable than anyone trained in music or engineering. It was all heart, but it was completely informed by decades of listening to a wide range of musical performances. Wherever you may be today Don Brower, thank you.

[@feraltechproductionsFTP]

Thank you, this is the kind of advice all audio engineers need. I will definitely keep this in mind

[@loxpower]

I love you 🥰🤣 Seriously, you're the man, you always change my mood in about 10 seconds of speaking. After listening to your - can I call them "lessons"? - anything seems possibile. 😊

[@wilaustu]

This is a profound truth about a lot of creative endeavors. When I was a student journalist, I even used to email my own articles to myself to proofread them because that simple act made perceive the writing differently. I've also noticed a huge difference in how I perceive videos and audio when they're still in the editing software compared to when they're exported as files that I can't tinker with anymore.

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Right?? I do well with proofreading if I just change the font size and the width/size of the document. Moving all the words around and having a different shape on and around the letters lets me see thing I couldn't see before. Don't get me started on bouncing. I'll listen to a mix, be totally satisfied, listen again the next day, confirm, then bounce... in real time... and then I start hearing the shit like other people are listening to it. Sometimes it takes me another hour or two to get thru a whole bounce without hearing a tweak that's needed. It's like the audience came in when they heard I was bouncing 🤨

[@dotbas]

Pleasure to be a part of this wonderful series

[@m4rkjordan]

Absolutely amazing thoughts you gave us in this video! I am a big fan of yours!

[@CamelBlue777]

Awesome!! I can’t wait to see from you! I hope you’re recovering well

[@rvlvngdrs]

This is def one of my favorite episodes

[@littledoggiedeathmetal]

This us some of the best advice Ive heard. The next best was something along the lines of you dont have to write the best song you just have to finish. Great stuff thank you.

[@teaman7v]

Lovely to see you. Hope you're well.

[@battmanvonrichtoven]

Thank you!! Very interesting indeed. You hit on finding someone who loves music to listen to the song. It’s hard, not impossible but hard to find someone who will actually listen to something all the way through to the end.

[@kirtb9784]

Glad you are back. Missed this.

[@robpatterson9576]

Absitively, posolutely. Great advice. Disconnect your ego by reframing the question so that you can objectively observe the reaction of the listener without prejudice.

[@VincentLoraine]

So wonderful explained. It's like you got an extra pair of ears from another person. I learned this many years ago and it was so astonishing for me, that I can hear through another person my music in another way. Thank you so much! Now I know, I'm not alone with this.

[@bullsquid42]

As a visual artist, I'm always surprised to see how well this advice translates to other art forms. Just having someone else's eyes present already completely changes how I look at my work.

[@bombvoyagebeats7826]

Good to have you back!

[@googleuser318]

Another excellent 10 minutes worth of advice.... Thanks again Gregory!

[@maxlambiel]

Dude, it's been so hard lately to kinda finish a cycle in the mixing learning process with these ideas that seem so counter intuitive but actually work. Left brain is only for problems, not to overthink stuff, right brain is for everything else. Easier said than done but I hope I get the hang of it soon.

[@roomofidiots]

Love ya Greggy! Glad you’re keeping the videos going, your wisdom is insanely valuable

[@GunDogSlim]

I was missig these nuggets. Great to see you sharing the knowledge again Gregory.

[@IanAlexanderGriffiths]

Such perfect, golden insight. I can hardly believe a video like this exists. Thank you for creating this.

[@theallenbooth]

You said you hoped it was helpful. 100% helpful.