Comparing The Andy Wallace & Butch Vig Mixes Of Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

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  • Опубліковано 20 бер 2017
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 647

  • @bradfordcraig1376
    @bradfordcraig1376 2 роки тому +40

    I'd say Butch's mix sounds more "real", but Andy's mix steers the listener's attention more clearly. It takes conviction to sacrifice realism for the song's sake.

    • @Mario_N64
      @Mario_N64 Місяць тому

      It's more polished. Punchier.

  • @saiprasad8078
    @saiprasad8078 3 роки тому +50

    I don't know about you guys but Andy's mix with the more punchy kick drums at the beginning is what makes you get hooked to the song instantly.

    • @Mario_N64
      @Mario_N64 Місяць тому

      The guy got completely what he needed to emphasize.

  • @nikonlinevids
    @nikonlinevids 2 роки тому +63

    Butch's mix sound like Nirvana was a spin off the 80's. Including drum samples and all. Very 'transitional'. Wallace's mix sounds like the band they were supposed to be. A new look, a new era, a new sound. He changed the mind of everyone in the world to accept grunge! This album changed the entire music world and the executives were right to trust Andy's ears to change the music into a new decade. I never thought of it until I heard Vig's mix in your post. Thank you!

    • @deadroses19
      @deadroses19 Рік тому +1

      completly, wallace's mix sounds more open and less bassy, making it more grainy and harsh

    • @scottrowan200
      @scottrowan200 Рік тому +6

      Funny cause Andy Wallace is famous for using drums samples and snare replacement.....

    • @reddoo8936
      @reddoo8936 11 місяців тому +1

      I still prefer a bit of reverb on the drums though

  • @jackdempsey9644
    @jackdempsey9644 2 роки тому +17

    Even as a 17 year old in 1992 I didn’t like the Wallace mix and thought it was too glossy, but now looking back it’s exactly what it needed to cross over into the mainstream and change music forever. Both mixes are good, though.

  • @faithfail7580
    @faithfail7580 5 років тому +81

    Dude you’re cutting back and forth way too fast let a section play for like 30 sec and then play the same section on the other for 30 sec. that was frustrating to watch.

    • @stephenfiore9960
      @stephenfiore9960 4 роки тому

      FAITHFAIL ......would have like to hear both your way and his way

    • @pierre-claudemeriot6562
      @pierre-claudemeriot6562 4 роки тому +12

      30 seconds is too long. You loose perspective.

    • @ddrumdude
      @ddrumdude 3 роки тому +2

      @@pierre-claudemeriot6562 so true.

    • @SirHatchporch
      @SirHatchporch 3 роки тому +2

      He probably only played a few seconds at a time so he didn't get dinged by the UA-cam copyright police.

    • @thegreatsiberianitch
      @thegreatsiberianitch Рік тому

      ​@Alpaca Megapint Wallace mix is better

  • @basjar2
    @basjar2 7 років тому +318

    Andy Wallace did something amazing - he mixed it unconventionally. It's more gritty. The drums are 'smaller', but have greater impact. It's not over bright and amazingly, every little instrument and part is audible. He took the sound out of the 80's and into the 90's. It really sounds grunge, unlike the Butch Vig version, which sounds like it's still in the 'glam rock' drum sound era. Great props to the Geffen execs actually for choosing this much more forward thinking mix.
    I'm not surprised Cobain preferred Vig's version - he produced them for months, helped them make an amazing recording and they became friends. But objectively, Andy Wallace brought the Nirvana sound closer to that awesome sound of In Utero. Very informative video.

    • @FilipPandrc
      @FilipPandrc 7 років тому +4

      Thank you!

    • @kotekutalia
      @kotekutalia 6 років тому +24

      How can you say that Butch Vig's mix sounds more like Glam Rock when Wallace's drums are much more boomy (not in terms of frequency, but it's kind of compressed and radio-friendly)? The drum sound in the In Utero album was perfect Nirvana tone and Butch's mix is closer to it. Kurt liked this mix because it was raw just listen to this brilliance /watch? v=wkfBzwb6eQw

    • @Partybob1
      @Partybob1 6 років тому +9

      Andy Wallace uses samples on the Kick and snare. Not a judgement but that is the big difference to me.

    • @thromboid
      @thromboid 6 років тому +6

      Jarek Bullfinch: Excellent analysis - I agree wholeheartedly. Wallace's drums are more primal and dynamic, Vig's are more hi-fi and uniform (with noticeably more hi-hat and high-end). At the time, it almost sounded a bit wrong - abnormal and weird. I wonder if the choice of mix would have made a difference to the final success of the recording, but do I remember hearing it for the first time and being a little bit scared. :)

    • @buddypeterson3354
      @buddypeterson3354 6 років тому

      agreed

  • @itsPyrax
    @itsPyrax 6 років тому +155

    what kind of downsampled youtube2mp3 wallace mix you playing

    • @CynicEidolon
      @CynicEidolon 4 роки тому +11

      For real. Wtf

    • @404TVfr
      @404TVfr 4 роки тому +5

      @@CynicEidolon he means it sounds super lossy and low quality, like a super old UA-cam video...

    • @mjf8897
      @mjf8897 4 роки тому +18

      @@404TVfr he knows what it means - he was agreeing with the comment.

    • @niniomigrania_
      @niniomigrania_ 4 роки тому +1

      TOTALLY

    • @vizuallover666
      @vizuallover666 3 роки тому +1

      use your ears kid Andy is a chump butch is a goat

  • @joshfallon123
    @joshfallon123 6 років тому +37

    2:10 is what you came for

  • @EricRosenwaldPhotography
    @EricRosenwaldPhotography Рік тому +11

    There are great lessons about Kurt’s thinking in this. The story of the actual mix - not some pop psychology analysis of Kurt - is the ultimate reflection of the internal battle that Kurt always had between being an outsider and being mainstream. The fact that Butch had to constantly tell Kurt that John Lennon doubled his vocals (Nevermind that everyone does it) is another example of it. He knew intellectually that these people around him were right. He trusted them. But that panicked, horrified voice in his head saying this is no longer a garage band, never went away.
    (pun intended) 🥀

  • @SimoALLstarr96
    @SimoALLstarr96 7 років тому +243

    Is it just me? Am I the only one who prefers the Andy Wallace version? Instruments are more defined and punchy, while in butch's mix elements are too airy and washed out.

    • @spectralknights2
      @spectralknights2 7 років тому +3

      Bad Karma yea I like the Andy Wallace version either it's lively. the other one is too clean & flat for me

    • @allanjohnsen1034
      @allanjohnsen1034 7 років тому +7

      nope I like the Andy Wallace version better ... it sounds like Nirvana ... to me it is authentic to what Nirvana was

    • @runichristiansen1591
      @runichristiansen1591 7 років тому +5

      From a mixing/audio perspective i like Vig's mix better. It sounds more alive/dynamic to my ears. But then again, ... the Wallace mix is all i have ever heard up until now... and i'm used to it... just one of those things...

    • @JimijaymesProductions
      @JimijaymesProductions 7 років тому +9

      The Andy Wallace version is better, I guess if you don't like hifi pop mixes the Butch Vig one is better but I think the combination of Butch Vig as a producer and Andy Wallace's mixing is gold. It allowed Nirvana to break the charts, not saying I don't like more live lofi music but Nevermind overall sounds a lot better then In Utero (I prefer the songs on In Utero for the most part) because it is punchy and huge sounding. Also the mid presence of the Andy Wallace version helps it work on smaller systems, the drums sound cool but get lost.

    • @hopingtocollidewith
      @hopingtocollidewith 7 років тому +6

      I'm fine with both. I prefer the energy and "rawness"of Butch Vig's, but Andy's sounds sounds really nice.

  • @TWEAKER01
    @TWEAKER01 6 років тому +206

    This is supposedly a listening example vid. I suggest talk less, interrupt less, and let the *music* do the talking.

    • @Affeyblaster
      @Affeyblaster 5 років тому +2

      Totally agree!

    • @joeakajoe1
      @joeakajoe1 5 років тому +2

      @@Affeyblaster was gonna say similar thing, let the music go on for longer before cutting it off

    • @Affeyblaster
      @Affeyblaster 5 років тому +1

      @@joeakajoe1 Yup..you nailed it Joe. let the music speak up!

    • @DeeKeyLP
      @DeeKeyLP 4 роки тому +1

      Also learn your daw so you can switch between tracks within one movement

    • @jatmachado
      @jatmachado 4 роки тому

      And his mic is louder than the audios...

  • @jusstinkaye7578
    @jusstinkaye7578 6 років тому +183

    Lets pause every four seconds

    • @dominicklicciardi
      @dominicklicciardi 5 років тому +5

      and talk

    • @stephenfiore9960
      @stephenfiore9960 4 роки тому +3

      *..........W.........h........a.........t.........?..........*

    • @derekg5674
      @derekg5674 3 роки тому +8

      That’s how you compare it.

    • @mitchcarson6309
      @mitchcarson6309 2 роки тому

      @@derekg5674 except he can’t stop calling the first mix the original. Annoying. And fascinating. Lol

  • @sadsnakes
    @sadsnakes 7 років тому +147

    Butch Vig version does not sound more natural. It is more scooped and compressed, which is why it sounds more contemporary. Both are great, just preference. Andy wallace's mix sounds much more real.

    • @Comment0997
      @Comment0997 5 років тому +5

      Ya I thought there was something wrong with my headphones when I finally listened to Bitch Vig. Very scooped, like my eardrums are getting sucked out of my ear. Andy Wallace totally saved this song from being just another song

    • @neilrocks25
      @neilrocks25 3 роки тому

      I know this is old comment but the butch Vig version makes more sense to me, but I grew up in the punk rock scene at that time. So the butch Vig version sounds much more natural to me especially on the drums.

    • @UnderdogTactics
      @UnderdogTactics 3 роки тому

      You nailed it.

    • @SeventySix7656
      @SeventySix7656 3 роки тому

      @@Comment0997 I don't know but i always felt like alot of nirvana songs mixes sound weird, Smells like teen spirit and aneurysm for example just sound to clean and the drums sound kind of lame which is why i enjoy the butch vig version more. I don't think it would've made alot of difference though if they switched the mixes it's too minimal of a difference, and both mixes capture the essence of the song so i disagree with you.

    • @Obtainedcoot
      @Obtainedcoot 3 роки тому +1

      i personally love the way bitch vig mixes songs

  • @KingBlonde
    @KingBlonde 6 років тому +16

    The original or "andy wallace" mix has always had a special place in my heart, it has that papery swashy drum sound but it's still big and fills the freq spectrum. The guitars are blended perfectly, vocals are both dreamy and stick out, sometimes both at the same time. It's a really cool album, doesn't sound huge and polished but sounds clean and precise.

  • @harvesteroftone5473
    @harvesteroftone5473 5 років тому +29

    Andy Wallace is a master. There's a reason why his mix of Nevermind was used. He made those songs sound punchy. Also, Andy uses a lot of automation to really bring the different parts to life.

    • @bon3xprod
      @bon3xprod 3 роки тому +4

      i enjoy vigs a lot more

  • @andrewlawless2433
    @andrewlawless2433 5 років тому +8

    I love the Burch Vig version better. It's fuller, rawer and ballsier. Additionally, the way the end of the solo in the Vig mix does what it does is absolutely perfect for the feel of the song. Definitely, check it out if you don't know what I'm talking about!

  • @josephmorales652
    @josephmorales652 5 років тому +58

    Honestly, I like the Wallace version better. It pulled their drums from sounding super 80s with gated reverb.

    • @SPQRTempus
      @SPQRTempus 2 роки тому +1

      Other than the drum sound the rest is mainly in the EQing and slight differences in certain track volumes. I prefer the Wallace version because to me the main performances sound more up front and in your face and the overdubs are cleverly blended to fool your ear into not hearing them.

    • @Yohahn
      @Yohahn 2 роки тому

      If i remember correctly the band prefered Butch Vigs mix but the record company prefered Andys mix. I watched some interview with either Butch or Dave talking about the album.

  • @allen6924
    @allen6924 5 років тому +5

    Regardless of compression. They mixed one for the masses, and one for fans of the genre "pop/punk". Both done as excellent as possible, by industry accredited "producers/mixers". The bottom line is that the Vig mix will appeal to the hardcore fans, abd the other is for those hearing it for the first time.

    • @aaronxoxo
      @aaronxoxo 10 місяців тому

      For the first time sermon went through my heart. So fucking trueree

  • @HETISFRANK80
    @HETISFRANK80 7 років тому +2

    Never knew about these 2 mixes, awesome video!

  • @allwaizeright9705
    @allwaizeright9705 3 роки тому +6

    TO ME - the Butch Vig mix sounds like everything is stacked right thru the middle without any room.

  • @davidr1620
    @davidr1620 6 років тому +12

    I actually do prefer Andy's mix. This version sounds super low quality. But the assessment by the presenter is correct about Butch's sounding much more live and Andy's sounding more clear.
    The fact is, the drums sound a little too messy in Vig's version. Since the rhythm is perhaps the most important element of this song, I just think Wallace did this right in clearing it up, to hear the rhythm a lot better.

  • @DanRodriguez1
    @DanRodriguez1 7 років тому +42

    Dude, what kind of comparison is this? It sounds like you downloaded the Andy Wallace mix from youtubemp3. I know it because "Smells.." it's my reference track and it doesn't sound anything like this(WAV file ripped from the CD)

    • @alekp6822
      @alekp6822 6 років тому +1

      Wallace by far

    • @jaimegarcia7180
      @jaimegarcia7180 3 роки тому

      Yes @dan , i agree. something doesnt sound right in the wallace version. What "Mastered" versions are you using? to really do an honest comparison you have to rip it from the original album cd that came out that year

    • @jaimegarcia7180
      @jaimegarcia7180 3 роки тому

      regardless even in this comparison i still like the Wallace mix more.

    • @noahbones1221
      @noahbones1221 3 роки тому

      I don’t even think its ytmp3... because i used ytmp3 to download the original wallace version and it sounds much better than the version showed here

  • @spaceorbison
    @spaceorbison 4 роки тому +2

    Rick Beato said if they had released the Butch Vig version the Nirvana phenomenon would have never happened

    • @CommanderReplay
      @CommanderReplay 3 роки тому

      I saw that Rick Beato video yesterday and found my way here. I know he said that, but after listening to both versions and doing my own A/B test I think he may have oversold that statement a bit. Yes there are some differences in the mix, but after hearing both I think it really just comes down to the the fact that the performance and the writing were truly one of a kind, and the song would have been a big hit either way. I think the Butch Vig mix is a little muddy on the low end, where the Wallace Mix really allows every part to shine without the Mud, which I do think allowed the Wallace mix to reach an insanely large audience. With the Vig mix I still think its a giant hit but maybe the song doesnt captivate as many people outside of the hard rock world. We'll never really know, but I think that the song itself is just too powerful to say 1 mix would make or break the song.

  • @froglogdogtog
    @froglogdogtog 2 роки тому +7

    Andy Wallace triggered drum samples over the recorded drums. That’s why the snare is so different. I didn’t realize that was even possible at the time, but I guess it’s been possible since the late 70s. An early example of this is on Steely Dan’s ‘Gaucho’ (1980)

    • @lowlink534
      @lowlink534 Рік тому

      Yeah, if you had the patience, it was a possibility since recording is a thing

  • @russiaisthibest
    @russiaisthibest 7 років тому +4

    Love this comparisson video!
    are they both high quality mixes? just wondering where you got them off

  • @colinmitchell6006
    @colinmitchell6006 7 років тому +17

    I love the tightness and vibe from the wallace track, everything serves the song more. I like that there is a lot more room sound and energy in the build up parts in butches version more tho, but it's just so washed out in the meat and potatoes parts of the song. Butches version had less warmth and clear low end.
    Wallace's version could of had a bit more room energy on the drums at certain times. Butch's version has bit more rawness to it, but kind of flat, not enough dynamic between the sections.
    Interesting to hear them both against each other. I guess I am lame and like wallace's version overall cause I like the vibe and clarity more.

  • @Paul-dw2cl
    @Paul-dw2cl 3 роки тому +4

    It’s crazy how much midrange stuff is in Andy Wallace’s mix. Obviously it’s an over-all better mix, especially with the vocals, but I like the smiley-face-midrange-cut of Butch’s mix

  • @illanatomy
    @illanatomy 2 роки тому +1

    The snare sound is all I noticed after listening to 20 seconds of the Butch Big mix for the first time

  • @anthonyfisher5076
    @anthonyfisher5076 4 роки тому

    i love this thanks keep them coming, please!

  • @Tyrell_Corp2019
    @Tyrell_Corp2019 Рік тому +1

    Although Cobain complained he also admitted that Wallace’s mix made him cry at times. He was torn between what he thought was street cred with the punkers and what really was an incredible mix. Hands down Wallace’s mix is just more dynamic and ultimately more iconic. (Adjectives like “candy” or “commercial” are misnomers). Vig’s mix is good but it’s more static and thus lacks crucial lift and arc.

  • @nicebluejay
    @nicebluejay 7 років тому +19

    butch vig's mix is def brighter in spots but the drums just go away in the dense sections of the song and that is just a deal breaker i think. also, i am so used to the released mix my whole life, it's just burnt into me so i gotta go with the wallace mix in the end, if only it were bit brighter.

    • @thegreatsiberianitch
      @thegreatsiberianitch Рік тому

      ​@@nooneinpart idk about nevermind but in utero was mastered at abby road, contrary to popular opinion (marketing) they suck the life out of any "remaster" I've heard from them. They did The Pixies Doo Little, it sounded so dead, i couldn't listen to more than a few songs, a huge disservice to that record. I found out why I'd never even known a "remaster" was released, ugh...

  • @hercorpsebroughtmegreatjoy9644
    @hercorpsebroughtmegreatjoy9644 4 роки тому +4

    Butch Vig's sounds more natural, but Andy Wallace mixed it in a way which lets all of the sounds be totally clear and audible and it's so amazing how you can feel the energy and even see it on the waveform, in comparison to Butch Vig's. Ultimately, Butch Vig's is more organic while Andy Wallace's is more pop, and I see nothing wrong with pop. I like the pop sound, it sounds refreshing, and I think that's what this album is about, a refreshing swim in a blue, crystal clear pool of pennyroyal tea.

  • @pbee73
    @pbee73 5 років тому +12

    Andy Wallace drums were more muffled and kind of blending into the mix whereas the Butch Vig drums were crisp/snappy and more in your face. I like Butch Vi'sg work but I think Wallace made the song more of what it was then and today. My opinion is that the song may have never gained as much traction had the Vig version been chosen.

    • @marthy995
      @marthy995 3 роки тому +1

      No Butch vigs drums was more muffed (i mean basy in a layer etc).

    • @VagPoop_
      @VagPoop_ 2 роки тому

      @@marthy995 busy because everything is bright in the drums. Needed grit to punch through

    • @Tyrell_Corp2019
      @Tyrell_Corp2019 Рік тому +1

      Noooo. The exact opposite. Vig’s mix is murkier as it was done on a Neve console. Andy put those Neve tracks through an SSL G series for the wicked punch and clarity his mix is known for.

  • @guiyegarcia
    @guiyegarcia 7 років тому +77

    I don't know what Andy wallace version you've got, but it doesn't sound anywhere close to the original cd. That's why people is saying that Andy's mix sound sterile and dull!
    I don't think this is a fair comparison.

    • @sadsnakes
      @sadsnakes 7 років тому +1

      GuiYe Garcia It's called mastering.

    • @Charlyfromthenuclearcity
      @Charlyfromthenuclearcity 7 років тому +1

      Well if you're right the mastering engineer would have made pretty big EQ moves ! Seems strange to me. I indeed think this Andy Wallace version has a little problem.

    • @guiyegarcia
      @guiyegarcia 7 років тому +1

      Mastering stage is not to fix this kind of things, and not to make such big moves.

    • @sadsnakes
      @sadsnakes 7 років тому +3

      GuiYe Garcia Don't know what you're talking about. The Andy mix here sounds like the released version just unmastered.

    • @guiyegarcia
      @guiyegarcia 7 років тому

      It's ok. We don't have to agree :)

  • @TP_Gillz
    @TP_Gillz 4 роки тому +2

    Andy Wallace deserved a grammy for his mix of this song. Did he ever get one for this?
    His mix is way better IMO. Sure the drums, especially the snare, are more verbed and roomy in Vigs mix which makes it sound live, but the snappy bassy drums that Wallace has really drives the track forward on almost any listening device, it made this song even more powerful than it was. Not to mention compression, Vig over used it on his mix, which today is standard, prob why it sounds like it belongs to today's era. From a pure marketing standpoint as to which version makes the most impact, Wallace wins no doubt.
    But, on a grunge sound level, Vig certainly captured the spirt more. Pun intended.

  • @ibikun5493
    @ibikun5493 4 роки тому

    I would love if you kept this topic up. Keep doing compare mix videos so us musicians can learn from what’s good/whatever. Keep it up

  • @aaronxoxo
    @aaronxoxo 10 місяців тому

    Thanks for doing this

  • @captainhightop333
    @captainhightop333 6 років тому +2

    Butch's version was really opened up and had more air on it:) Great video boss! SUB

  • @henryssurfshowcase
    @henryssurfshowcase 6 років тому

    What's the sample rate used recording original multi tracks?

  • @benjaminjones2010
    @benjaminjones2010 4 роки тому

    Dude I think I found a Butch Vig master cassette of Nevermind . interested in your opinion . lmk

  • @quigonjean
    @quigonjean 6 років тому +8

    i like andy wallace version better. even though vig's version also sound perfect. but the drums tone which andy made that more dryer is more fit to my ear.

  • @parrat8589
    @parrat8589 7 років тому +9

    DUDE thank you for doing this. Totally fascintating. When the two mixes are AB'd like that the Butch Vig one sounds more mixed to me. However it's likely that when the two are cranked for a long period of time the Andy Wallace one will be less fatiguing in the long run.

    • @ArtHoward
      @ArtHoward 6 років тому +1

      The Butch Vig one sounds mastered, the Andy Wallace one sounds like a mix before mastering.

    • @MrFree-vj8qj
      @MrFree-vj8qj 2 роки тому

      maybe but its better to get people hooked asap with a FAT sound than risk them ignoring the track just so that if they dont they may listen to it more than 4 5 times. in the end its to the artist and label to chose, the artist may prefer a certain sound and identity or fame and the label will always pay the engineer for fame and financial success

  • @billyhughes9776
    @billyhughes9776 7 років тому +3

    I love this kind of stuff! If these are indeed the mixes from both Butch and Andy -- to my ears -- the Andy mix is drier, cleaner and more focused overall in the midrange. The Butch mix has more room/live vibe and it's brighter. A bit less separation in the louder parts as well. I think if you take some of the room vibe on the drums from the Butch mix and add it to the Andy mix would be my favorite mix.

  • @sky-magnet
    @sky-magnet 3 роки тому +1

    The Andy version sounds so much better, and you can see that the transients still exist.

  • @tyrone2874
    @tyrone2874 2 роки тому

    great content!

  • @KenmoreChalfant
    @KenmoreChalfant 5 років тому +4

    My 2 cents. In the Butch Vig mix, I think the guitars and bass sound muddy during the heavy parts. But the drums and the clean parts are a lot more authentic and powerful sounding. If there was just more clarity during the heavy parts it would definitely be the better mix.

  • @theDeepBelow
    @theDeepBelow Рік тому

    Andy was clearly mixing for a car stereo, which was where most of us were listening at the time.

  • @badumtss3067
    @badumtss3067 6 років тому +9

    Butch Vig's version has clearly louder/banging drums because he's a drummer himself and we all know that drummers love to be heard in their mixes. Haha.
    I honestly like both! However since I'm a drummer myself and I love Dave Grohl's work when he was in Nirvana, I think those loud and clear drums sound nice. Reminds me a lot of how the drums sounded like in Metallica's 1991 self titled-album which came around the same time.

  • @VagPoop_
    @VagPoop_ 2 роки тому

    Does Ableton effect the sound at all?

  • @geary1462
    @geary1462 4 роки тому +2

    One factor to consider is this song was played over and over and over again in the early 90s over the FM radio. FM radio as we all know adds that soft compression dynamic feature over the airwaves. You have to begin with a fairly dry track ( The Wallace Track ) to compensate for that so it sounds Great over the airwaves. I heard this song over and over again in the early 90s mostly on small radios and the music carried so well over the radio it was amazing. Also to be honest I’m not sure you have the highest Fidelity Wallace track. It sounds off from what I’m hearing when I compare them. The Fidelity is normally not an issue when I’m comparing the tracks. I enjoyed the video thanks for your effort. Geary

  • @PatrickHalferty
    @PatrickHalferty 6 років тому

    Very cool comparison video

  • @HANGINGOUTWITHAUDIOPHILES
    @HANGINGOUTWITHAUDIOPHILES 2 роки тому +1

    seems like the goal in Andy's mind was to max the dynamic flip that the song relies on. To my ears, the reason Andy "won" the mix battle was he made the chorus stand out WAY more. By restraining energy he allowed bigger contrast between verse and chorus. That is what Teen Spirit became. The song 2 prototype. The wait for it song. EDM drops prototype. all that...

  • @gabrielemauro5317
    @gabrielemauro5317 5 років тому +2

    If you don't put both tracks on the same db limit it's impossible to compare. Why is the second track less louder?

  • @Jolly-Green-Steve
    @Jolly-Green-Steve 2 роки тому +1

    4:30 the radio version's snare is so overly compressed that it looses all it's tone and just sounds like a snapping noise from a drum machine while the Butch Vig mix keeps all the tone and clarity of the dynamics from not being squashed and sounds much better in the quite parts but the radio version sounds slightly better in the loud parts(chorus/main riff intro) with the hyper compressed snare having more energy/umph. I'm self producing my own album right now and am halfway through mixing so it's easy for me to spot this stuff right away. it sticks out like a sore thumb like a half second part of your vocal takes being too loud or weak.

  • @guitarFAIL
    @guitarFAIL 6 років тому

    where did he got the 2 versions from? source?

  • @TheJayboin
    @TheJayboin 7 років тому

    How did you find the other version? Thanks for making this video. Super

  • @AlexanderOrion
    @AlexanderOrion 3 роки тому +1

    I find the Devonshire versions better for my personal taste, raw and straight to the face, probably how Nirvana wanted them before the corporate element got way too involved

  • @YTbeber
    @YTbeber 6 років тому

    i'd like to have the music of this very instructive video played on another DAW, because the summing of Ableton Live sounds very specific.
    BTW did you say what was the original format of these songs that you imported?

  • @Nephilim-81
    @Nephilim-81 6 років тому +2

    It's give and take, but for the drums especially I love the Wallace sound. :)

  • @marcelogormazbarrientos858
    @marcelogormazbarrientos858 6 років тому

    Is a mistake the hidden bass note before the drums and distortion intro? Playing loud the Nevermind CD you can catch it...

  • @joebob2311productions
    @joebob2311productions 11 місяців тому

    "Sounds more Live" is exactly what my first thoughts were when I listened to it.

  • @lucalone
    @lucalone 2 роки тому

    apples and oranges...
    the only released mastered version of the vig mix is in with the lights out box set, while there are at least 2 mastered version of the wallace mix; the original mastering from 1991 and the remaster from 2011.
    what versions did you use??
    mastering can make a HUGE difference.
    are the Devonshire mixes the butch vig mixes??

  • @5adb0i
    @5adb0i 5 років тому +2

    I think while Butch might’ve captured the individual sounds/instruments that define that nirvana sound and the mix has more air/high end brightness or whatever, Andy did a better job of actually mixing the elements together so that nothing actually gets lost in the mix at any point. Whether you get lost in the emotion, you can feel the transients of the song more - creating more dynamics which accents the groove.

  • @JimBob_Joe77
    @JimBob_Joe77 6 років тому +21

    I prefer the dry mix because the drums sound more natural and real. They sound too much like 80's "Hair Band" Drums when Butch Vig just smothered them in tape echo or reverb. That Echo just makes them smear into the background and sound undefined. Especially when you switch back to the dryer mix. The drums in the dry version have so much more pop and punch and sound like Grohl is playing right next to you in a small room. The echo'y version sounds like they were recorded in a church or cathedral. So I prefer the dry mix...

    • @davecarsley8773
      @davecarsley8773 5 років тому +4

      That's not tape echo or reverb. That's called the room they were recorded in

    • @chnacr2
      @chnacr2 4 роки тому

      Probably just the room mics compressed to death

  • @MrKieranthompson
    @MrKieranthompson 3 роки тому

    Butch Vig:
    *Hits snare drum on a Friday evening before going home*
    *Comes back Monday*
    *Does not hear snare drum*
    *CRANKS UP THE REVERB*

  • @AlmaRockeraOficial
    @AlmaRockeraOficial 4 роки тому

    it sounds like Butch added some drum samples ?

  • @NCSUME1
    @NCSUME1 5 років тому +1

    Andy's is more polished and commercially accessible. That's exactly why Kurt didn't like it as much, but that polished mix helped catapult them to where they got. Butch's sounds more authentic to how they sounded live.

  • @RiptideMusicOfficial
    @RiptideMusicOfficial 7 років тому +1

    Can I just say how great it is to see a dance music guy like Shadowick gettin' down with some Grunge.

  • @laurenhelena4616
    @laurenhelena4616 7 років тому

    thank you!!!

  • @untergangsmaschine
    @untergangsmaschine 5 років тому

    CAN YOU DO THOSE 2MIXES FOR DOWNLOAD. IT WOULD BE NICE.

  • @drwombat
    @drwombat 2 роки тому

    Regarding @00:51 you are SO right... And I often wonder when nirvana finished those tracks and the song/album was being mixed down to cut into... Was the client (at this point) still Nirvana or was it the label trying to mix it however would bring in the most money...

  • @doscoras1
    @doscoras1 6 років тому

    Can i have your project folder Please. I just amazing. What you did with both tracks

  • @danielmilert3337
    @danielmilert3337 5 років тому +1

    You forgot one important thing: Contrast. The Andy Wallace Version has a lot more contrast between the different sections and therefore a bigger tension span. It's just more interesting to listen to, especially over long periods of time, even if it sounds thinner at times.

    • @MrFree-vj8qj
      @MrFree-vj8qj 2 роки тому

      yes but its weaker at getting people hooked and grabbing attention, the polish also goes against the nature of the track

  • @ppshmcwb5
    @ppshmcwb5 7 років тому +1

    It sounds like Andy put the whole tack under water. Personally I like the Butch Vig more because it sounds like they are playing in front of me. Both are awesome though

  • @eclectic-kitty
    @eclectic-kitty Рік тому +2

    I actually kind of like Wallace's mix more. The different instruments are certainly easier to discern. Beyond that though, I also like how it goes for a bit more of a compressed sound almost? It makes it sound a bit grimier in my opinion, as opposed to Vig's mix, which in sounding more natural almost makes it sound a bit cleaner to me

  • @Marius-vw9hp
    @Marius-vw9hp 6 років тому +4

    Andy Wallace mix is way better in my ears :) especially in the quiet parts.

  • @LoveMeBack
    @LoveMeBack 7 років тому

    This track is Still giving me chills man!

  • @AL_KING777
    @AL_KING777 Рік тому +1

    Butch is a warmer tube amp sounding mix, Andy’s cuts through and is a louder mix imo

  • @z1reticuli
    @z1reticuli 4 роки тому

    Why haven't you mapped the two SOLO buttons to the same key on your keyboard? You would alternate much easier in between these two

  • @sunboy1970
    @sunboy1970 7 років тому

    Is that Vig on the classic album video, the making of video?

  • @DoktorDamage
    @DoktorDamage 3 роки тому +1

    What I get from this is Butch Vig's versions, (when separated), sound better, but Andy's version sounds better when everything is together, (Final mix with everything).

  • @mattjns
    @mattjns 6 років тому

    If I’m not wrong, Andy Wallace heavily gated the drum parts and added sample snares etc over the top of the gated drum recordings yes? Head over to Rick Beato’s UA-cam page to get a better description than what I’m fumbling my way through. But, yes, Andy Wallace was famous for his 90’s drum recording method & the EXACT reason he did it was to reduce cymbal / hi hat wash etc through the snare speaker. It automatically tightens it up.

  • @theghoststunes8267
    @theghoststunes8267 6 років тому

    Butchs' mix with the reverb and high EQ dialled back would be flippin awesomeness.

  • @rhythmdroid
    @rhythmdroid 4 роки тому

    Just that intro difference is amazing. I much prefer the Andy Wallace kind of "pinched" bandpass filtered version...it makes the loud section feel even louder!

  • @utubehound69
    @utubehound69 7 років тому +3

    You can hear the room & the drums tone in Vig's version. The Wallace version is much more compressed they should have released both.

    • @lazrpo
      @lazrpo 4 роки тому

      They did. And Butch's isn't a room sound - it's just slathered in trashy reverb.

  • @jjonestowne
    @jjonestowne 3 роки тому

    That IS fascinating. It is super hard for me to decide. I think I'm leanin g towards the Butch Vic version...but that could be because it sounds slightly new & novel to me...? I only heard it for the first time earlier today. Thanks for the side-by-side, appreciate it. Also, you sound a little like Napolean Dynamite's brother. In a good way.

  • @8mu-
    @8mu- 6 років тому +1

    The Butch Vig version sounds like the version I grew up with. I’m guessing there’s no difference between the UK and US releases?

  • @Tomatofury
    @Tomatofury 7 років тому

    keep in mind the room mics that we're placed at sound city when butch did the rough cut.

  • @Hanssone
    @Hanssone 5 років тому

    I like Andy wallace mix better overall because how he emphasize every part that important in the song, is like telling a convincing story and highlight the lead part through out the song. Butch vig mix sounds like every instrument fighting eachother were the andy mix is focussed and tight and its a great reference even to this day. just my 2 cents peace out

  • @AnyDrug
    @AnyDrug 5 років тому +1

    The Butch Vig mix is very homogenous which is powerful from start but can get crammed easily when all comes together. I know Kurt liked that sound where everything is overlapping each other until you struggle to tell apart different instruments... xD
    Andy Wallace instead created against all odds a rather accentuated mix that leaves some headroom here and there so the impact of the chorus f. e. is way heavier.

  • @Beizeiten78
    @Beizeiten78 6 років тому +2

    Was the Vig version ever mastered?

  • @NormanTiner
    @NormanTiner Рік тому +1

    I definitely prefer the Andy version. It may not have fit the grunge scene in that it's polished, but it is clear, consistent and has larger than life elements. You can tell that a lot of thought went into the mix. The band filtered guitar intro perks your ears. The muted drums followed by the wailing guitars and everything opening up. It may not have been as dirty sounding but it's so much more expressive in my opinion.

  • @Operation_Audio
    @Operation_Audio 6 років тому

    Andy didn't have the Sound City echo chamber for his mix, while I'm nearly positive the Butch mix was done at Sound City with the chamber. The room itself is pretty dry, so the playing field would have been pretty even as the faders came up. Amazing how the exact same reels can yield such different results at the hands of different engineers, in any case...

  • @danethelredvelasco3925
    @danethelredvelasco3925 5 років тому

    I have the Nevermind 20th anniversary and it sounded like a hybrid of both which is awesome

  • @nickikonomidis5027
    @nickikonomidis5027 3 роки тому +1

    I gotta say, it’s pretty close. Butch Vig’s drums to me are way better and to me that’s not even a comparison. I don’t like the bass in either one, it’s too low mid heavy in both mixes. I prefer scooped bass. Andy’s guitars are a bit less muddy and his vocals are also less drowned out. I can kinda understand why Andy’s mix was chosen since it sounded less ‘80s’, but I don’t see it as this holy grail that can’t be topped. I honestly think I would give the slight edge to Butch on this one for my preference.

  • @julianpottermusic
    @julianpottermusic 5 років тому +1

    Butch said he didn't like Kurt's voice being buried. Kurt finally gave in, but they never used Butch's mix anyways

  • @lodougherty
    @lodougherty 5 років тому

    So the Nevermind Album I have, are all the Butch Vig versions, but the main Smells Like Teen Spirit video, is Andy Wallance and the one I hear on the radio is the wallace. I can't believe I never noticed the differences, but now I'm always going to notice.

    • @galetinm
      @galetinm 5 років тому

      Nevermind album you have is Andy Wallace remix. Butch Vig mix was released only as a bonus CD on the deluxe version of Nevermind.

  • @borndrumming1972
    @borndrumming1972 7 років тому +1

    Butch is on both...he recorded the tracks...Dave G. obviously liked BV's style. look at all the work they've done since. Award winning work.

  • @tonywhitburn
    @tonywhitburn 5 років тому +4

    The way I hear it:
    Wallace’s: video version
    Vig’s: album version

  • @Dartheomus
    @Dartheomus 6 років тому

    Not sure if the comments are correct about the Andy mix not being representative, but I'll say in this specific comparison, the Andy mix sounds more lo-fi, darker, and the phasing in the voices go with the "underwater" theme that really originally stemmed from Kurt's small clone chorus pedal. If I were behind the mixing board, I would personally mix like Butch did... however, I like the Andy mix. It would be hard to force myself to throw away the clarity.