This Happens When You Let Someone Hear Your Work

I discuss the slippery slope of getting feedback on your work. Mixes, Production, Songwriting, Videos, ETC
Be careful what you wish for.
I could probably do a series on this topic
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TONY BLACK is a Grammy-winning music producer, mixer/engineer & songwriter/musician. He has contributed to recordings totaling more than 80 million units sold or downloaded.
He won a GRAMMY AWARD for his contribution to the album “THE DIARY OF ALICIA KEYS” for BEST R&B ALBUM.
He also mixed and recorded “RIDE OR DIE” on the Grammy-winning album JAY-Z “HARD KNOCK LIFE VOL.2”

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

When I think my new stuff is finished, I play it for my wife. If she hates it I know it's ready... 🤣 🤣 Big howdy from grey and chilly Ireland! ☘☮🤘🏽🤠👍🏽☮☘

[@orbitalchiller]

My wife love my last song, does it mean it sucks ?! O.O

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

@@orbitalchiller 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@Made_SoWell]

@@SonnyGreenwichJr me: hey will you check this out? Wife: I don’t like that woo woo woo sound. Me: what sound is that? What is it about that sound? How does it make you feel? IDK, It bothers me… 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

@ yup, awesome! 😂

[@johnviera3884]

there’s so many legendary stories of famous classic songs being rejected multiple times before being released. Steve Lukather has said he thought Beat It by MJ was a dud after finishing the rhythm guitars on that session. Toto fought for weeks about releasing Africa. Half of the band hated it. You don’t know how a dog will hunt until you release it into the wild.

[@johnviera3884]

That is exactly my point. You don’t have to please everybody. you just have to bless the world with your art and you will be reciprocated accordingly. of course the major hurdle is having your music listened to. If there was a way for your song to be listen to by 1 million people you would get exactly the correct response. But most music is not distributed fairly

[@ruzen3803]

Totally agree. Feedback is good for guitars and not much else

[@drindy5166]

I hear you on the early morning /daylight savings time. This is the pinnacle point of where there is only so much coffee that can turn it around lol. I recently asked a prominent figure in the music scene about feedback on one of my best hip hop tracks and was amazed at what I got back. For me it was great because I am all about reworking for different versions of a song. Being able to be open minded to feedback is great however like you said... When you are ready to complete that journey you just have to be happy with what you have and what you did and go for it. Never stop moving forward. 👊🧡👍

[@alphaomega6062]

I find that before the track is finished listening to it play through I keep hearing things I want to change and I have a nagging sensation of mild unease. When the track is finished and ready to go that mild feeling of unease has gone completely I hear nothing that I want to change and I don't want to stop the track playing until the end. Before it is finished it is easy to stop playback at any point but once it is ready I always want to listen to the end - the river is carrying me onward to the sea as it were. That is my feedback: how I feel emotionally, uneasy = track needs work, totally relaxed and thinking about something else now = track is finished.

[@drindy5166]

🔥🤘🔥

[@alphaomega6062]

@@drindy5166 ❤

[@bigoxmusic]

Artists and their perspective on unfinished music is unique. Producers are accustomed to hearing tracks(without vocals) because that’s what we do. Rappers/Vocalists are used to hearing them that way also since that is the canvas to add their paint to. The average listener rarely hears instrumentals, and when they do they are already familiar with the full song, so they can still hear the lyrics(in their head)while listening which makes their evaluative capabilities skewed when listening to production tracks where they can’t make this connection. These people should not be used to critique tracks. Pro or con, there is no value in their opinion. Be confident in your work and only regard feedback from those in the game(if them..lol) and if you do play for friends and family, the response(good or bad)is just a grain of salt.

[@UncleBenjs]

Thanks, Tony! Perfect timing for this 🔥

[@Smoovwitit1]

Appreciate you Tony, love the content

[@1loveMusic2003]

I agree about mixing for someone. You have to understand that it isn't yours. They might want things you wouldn't recommend. It's their thing.

[@thegroove2000]

BIG UP TONY!!

[@ItsTheFuzzMan]

Playing your music for friends is a better guage of your friendships than your music.

[@TonyBlackNYC]

I like that one

[@nschul4]

I used to play my music for my friends and be there when they heard it. Now I don't ever want to hear my music with anyone else.

[@meronyach.]

I used to always ask my parents what they thought about my music, didn't take me long to realize they'd always try to sound supportive, even if they didn't like the music. Still, thanks Mom and Dad 😂.

[@SyahidinaAlif-h5u]

(⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)(⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)(⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)(⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠) hi... Hi..... Hi....

[@EricRabb]

Great info TB!

[@WAROVART]

Really good advice thank you Tony

[@Sockeater]

I call those people, "My Ears" I know their responses like I know my monitors

[@deandouglas839]

On hearing your distortion pedal recommendation, I purchased one immediately. I found mine on Ebay. It cost £23 in the UK.

[@TonyBlackNYC]

it was the AKLOT compressor...but distortion is always good

[@deandouglas839]

@@TonyBlackNYC Thanks for the correction! Yes, it was the AKLOT compressor I bought, not distortion. I was just about to buy an MXR Dyna Comp when I saw your video and ordered the AKLOT instead. It'll be here on Monday!!

[@TonyBlackNYC]

@@deandouglas839 i have a vintage mxr from the 70's...i can get the identical tone

[@UncleBenjs]

BTW, if people are buying stuff you mentioned it might be worth you setting up some affiliate links to said gear

[@dreikycaprice]

OG indeed!

[@wigmaster7894]

ok Tony here's my updated mt. rushmore list. no hip-hop (can't do just four): Eddie Kramer, glyn johns, Todd rundgren, tom dowd, Jeff, lynne, Tony Visconti, George Martin. I know this is leaving off some huge names like jimmy iovine, mutt Lange, Rick Rubin, prince, jimmy page, Phil Spector, Brian eno and Brian Wilson, Quincy, nile Rodgers, arif Mardin, teo macero, berry Gordy, Trevor horn, Steve lillywhite, jerry wexler and George Clinton

[@djray2705]

Great advice love the white t too. 😂😅

[@TonyBlackNYC]

the anti-AES look

[@isaacjohnklein]

100% If you asked an entire baseball stadium what pitch the home team pitcher should throw next and took a poll on it before each pitch was thrown, the game would take an eternity to finish. As well, there's a high probability that the home team would lose, because let's face it, everybody is quick to voice their opinion(s) and very few people's opinion's carry any weight in the realm of objective success.

[@JamBurglar]

Yeah, you never know what people are going to gravitate to. Sometimes it's the thing you're not really feeling at all and you can't see the good qualities in it because you're too "close" to it . The only way to find out is to put it out there. Also, what's with all the engineering talk? I thought this was a hip hop channel.

[@Chaos-Dynamics]

Yeah, music is subjective. We also hear different when in a different mood. I’m not that confident to know that my approach is the right one so I need feedback from the artist to stay in their lane. The problem is often to get useful feedback, the best thing to get in their sonic direction is watching the band perform live imo. And of course asking for reference tracks is a good guideline. But yeah feedback is definitely a thing 🙂

[@LukeIcardMusic]

A good rule of thumb is dont accept feedback from someone who isnt where you want to be. Take other feedback with a grain of salt

[@bexiexz]

this is so on time

[@BenedictRoffMarsh]

One sentence advice: "Grow a pair". Or maybe: "Trust your Art." :-)

[@publicintox]

I bought a pedal, AND, I looked to see if it was in your Amazon products list first. It was not. That's the hot tip! ha

[@TonyBlackNYC]

I was late!

[@JanKravarik]

I don't like getting feedback on my work because since I work as a sound engineer at a public radio (spoken word mostly), things have to be done fast and quality is a secondary thing (unless you're making an artistic work). My friend recently pointed out an imperfection in one of the programmes I made and it made me feel... well, I don't know. I told him "I wish I could do it better but I recorded almost 2 hours of audio during those 4 hours and the person producing and directing it needed to finish early. So what am I supossed to do? I even look silly for making it at least this good.". Other times I take time to make everything perfect and nobody cares or even notices that it's better. Luckily at other times I make something, feel like it's not enough and then end up hearing it a week later and it's ok, even very good. Other people's opinion is a tricky thing. I never know what do to. Sometimes it is more important to look like I know what I'm doing and never doubt myself. People's opinion can be influenced just by how high up you hold your head. Sometimes I think that by doing my job well, I make my colleagues look less competent. It's all really weird. I wish to do something where I can make nice things, not fast things.

[@wigmaster7894]

OG Tony gatekeeper trolling with the arrows.. If I’m at my friend’s studio I always tell myself don’t give any suggestions unless asked. And I expect the same if I’m producing. Don’t be a backseat driver. Would like to hear you and Andrew discuss this topic more. That etiquette got lost somewhere with gen y. Also I didn’t buy a compressor

[@1loveMusic2003]

Family and friends are not good for honest criticism. They are good for cheering you up though. The worst is when you get production advice from someone you know who has no production knowledge or experience.

[@ItsTheFuzzMan]

Hmm, I feel opposite regarding that last sentence. The opinion of the drunk 22 year old coming out of the nightclub who knows nothing about music production is the most valuable to me. Because that's your biggest music consumer.

[@artisans8521]

Not with my dad.

[@1loveMusic2003]

@@artisans8521 Haha ya not all family is supportive huh

[@gossamyr]

The concept you are talking about, and I don't think you should at all, ever, is asking someone near you as you hold a knocked arrow if it will hit the target. Just don't. The confidence you get from completing projects are, to add to the metaphor, improving your aim. That's 'your' aim, not anyone else's. If your aiming to hit other people's targets you will burn out. A capable archer will always have work. "yeah, there's this gopher, y'see, and well-"

[@nilespeshay1734]

Lo siento, amigo! (There were still 9 available after my purchase.. and 8 immediately after the stream, TBF..) If it turns out that I don't need/want them all, I'll be happy to send you one for the freeski.

[@TonyBlackNYC]

compressorgate

[@scottweiss2370]

Hi, this is EDK is another KZbin I started. I’m the other twin. I’m scott.💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@Made_SoWell]

Ha ha ha ⤴️

[@rikkshow]

GAS is going up every Black Friday season, or is it Black Week, wait is it Black Month now? 😮😅

[@TonyBlackNYC]

I'm used to Tony Black Friday

[@rikkshow]

@@TonyBlackNYC Ha ha, didn't think of that one!

[@Bville-E]

OG = Omnipotent Genius ! Rip Quincy Jones

[@CarrieOhkeys]

8:05 - 8:15 😂

[@TonyBlackNYC]

it was a moment..

[@ruzen3803]

● Quincy passed "131" days after the anniversary date of MJ's death ● Quincy passed "131" days before his birthday ● The Thriller album was released "131" (13 weeks 1 day) after MJ's birthday ● Quincy passed "300" days before MJ's birthday ● MJ passed "300" days after his birthday ● MJ was born "9300" days after Quincy ● Quincy passed "93" (9 weeks 3 days) after MJ's birthday ● Quincy got inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame "411" (4 months 11 days) before MJ's birthday ● Quincy passed "411" (4 months 11 days) before his birthday ● The Thriller album was released "314" (3 months 14 days) before Quincy's birthday ● Quincy won his first Grammy exactly "2083" days after MJ was born. 2083 is the "314 th" Prime Number ● Quincy's birthday is on "314" (March 14) ● Thriller took "625" (6 months 25 days) to record ● MJ passed on "625" (June 25) ● After Thriller was released, MJ and Quincy won their next Grammy Awards on 23 February 1983. This date leaves exactly "311" days left in the year ● Quincy won his first Grammy in '64. The 64th Prime Number is "311" ● Quincy passed on "311" (3 November) As they say, *_"Your Number Is Up!"_*

[@johnviera3884]

math works

[@ruzen3803]

​@@StatetrooperBillyBlastI have stated facts, and you have given your opinion. A wise man once said, "Opinions are like assholes; everybody has one!"

[@TonyBlackNYC]

how is something like this compiled? wild.

[@johnviera3884]

@@TonyBlackNYC quantum AI

[@ruzen3803]

​@@TonyBlackNYCI gather the dates from Wikipedia primarily or other publications if necessary, and do the calculation myself using the Gematrinator Date Calculator Sometimes, there will be conflicting dates amongst publications, possibly due to "time zone" differences as there are 24 main time zones with the most extreme being +/-26 hours ahead or behind This is why when we use the Date Calculator, we can choose to "include" or "exclude" the end date in the calculation, and this is accepted practice either way we choose Billboard Magazine (6 November 1982) cites the Epic release of "Thriller" as 29 November 1982, whereas other publications cite it as 30 November 1982 Prior to 1989, most records were released on Monday or Friday, so 29 November 1982 is likely the correct date From 1989 onwards, most (if not all) records were released on Tuesday Since 2015, I think they changed it to Friday, but I stand to be corrected on this I made one glaring error. MJ and Quincy didn't win a Grammy on 23 February 1983. I misread the article that essentially stated, "They won the Record of the Year Grammy for their 1983 single 'Beat It'..." I mistakingly thought it meant they won the award at the 1983 Grammy Awards when it was actually the 1984 Awards. Besides that, it's all on point The MJ and Quincy numeric connections are wild. The Tupac and Biggie numeric connections are even wilder. Some might even call it eery