DON'T Listen to What You're Mixing!
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- Опубліковано 21 вер 2020
- One mixing skill that every pro has is the ability to NOT listen to the sound they're adjusting and, instead, listen to how it's affecting everything else. Kush Audio's gear designer Gregory Scott, a.k.a UBK, explains why and drops a couple of mind-bending exercises to help train your ears and learn to master this incredibly useful mix technique.
Despite all good intentions on UA-cam, I'm afraid great mixing is more a question of having golden ears and talent than learning tricks... In my country only 5 people can be considered as top-notch engineers. What about all others...? See what I mean?
I see what you mean, and I think it's both false and irrelevant. But let's agree for discussion that what you're saying is "true"... can't the same be said for every other pursuit on earth? Only a tiny percentage of all runners are olympic athletes, only a tiny percentage of songwriters churn out hits. Not everyone or everything needs to be "top notch" to be worthy of passionate pursuit, and those metrics are only meaningful if the runner or songwriter cares about the olympics or writing hits. Most don't, most people understand their limitations and do what they do out of passion, an internal drive that doesn't give a fuck what anyone thinks. *They* might give a fuck, but their drive doesn't, that's why they keep doing it even when nobody notices.
But all that aside, I completely disagree with your assertion that 'talent' is terribly important to this or any pursuit. Skill is what matters, and skill is primarily a function of time invested. And while everyone has different potential, you can go very, very far with sheer determination and the right kind of study and practice. I would argue that _taste_, more than anything, is what allows people to do something in a way that resonates with other people. And everyone has taste, so everyone has the ability to do things that will connect with others. Maybe their audience is modest in size and maybe their work is judged less worthy by the elite, but life is both too short and too long to let anyone else's narrow view of 'good' to affect the way you live and the way you spend your time. ☮️
@@TheHouseofKushTV Thank you for your words. I agree with the aspect of skill. However, I see 'a lot' of people struggling to achieve something that will never be achievable. They may be s'killed', but lack of talent keep them away from the target. I hope you agree that mixing is not a theory like mathematics. And unfortunately, you can never learn 'talent'
You can indeed learn some basics, but still every song needs a different approach... Sometimes the best theory simply doesn't work. And than you need talent. Back in the 80's, I had some studio experience as composer, producer and signed my first contract with EMI at 22. I started as an 18 year guy in a studio with 2 synced 24-tracks. First job was to put the 'tales-out' tapes on those machines. Many years later, due to circumstances I made a step towards live. Started on stage as audio crew. But never succeeded in being a decent FOH. That is because I was to nervous in a live FOH environment. It wasn't funny and I was frustrated. Live is spot on, no time for coffee... My luck was that I had very experienced FOH people in my professional neighborhood who told me to give up...it would never have worked.
Anyway, thank you for your videos, because you do it very well (with patience) and it's clear lots of people like your videos. Thumbs up for that. I've learned it the 'hard' way, by people who had no patience at all... ;-) Oh and btw, you're right in this video too !
@@sK3LeTvM1 I think even talent wouldn’t help you for not being to nervous. You should have try longer and gain some confidence. Btw I watch videos and listen to people explaining how things work no matter they are talented or only skilled. Maybe you learn faster if you are talented but that’s all.
@@sK3LeTvM1 Talent is a dangerous word to throw around. Some people definitely have a knack to pick certain things up quicker, but the years spent at something, and the training of your ears and your mindset are what make the player, not the birth certificate.
@@jackcreed3062 agreed. What is talent? If you ask me, it seems like an explanatory fiction. In other words, it doesn't really explain anything (e.g. "talent leads to success. We know this because some people are successful, while others are not successful. So the ones who are successful must be talented"). On the other hand, skills are about learning. Learning is behavior change that is influenced by a history/ the stuff we have come into contact with in our environment. Some people acquire skills at a faster rate than others. This is a perfectly sound explanation that can be put to the test because it doesn't involve the use of made up human characteristics that are unobservable (e.g. talent).
The way I mix, you'd think I didn't listen to it.
💛
🤣
😂😂
Excellent!
👏👏
(When you enter the House of Kush, YOU don't listen to the mix, the mix listens to YOU)
And then it impregnates your mind.
I just added the 69th like... nice
WHOA!
yeah !
That is so funny and probably true.
You're like the Bob Ross of mixing!
I grew up with that man making magic out of nothing every weekend all while keeping us focused on how he was mostly just letting it happen, dude was an alchemist.
Excellent advice. I used to listen to everything except my ex-wife when she was talking. - the best thing I ever did.
:D
I feel like this dude's side gig is talking down people who are having a bad trip. "You think the walls bending is bad. No man. LEAN INTO IT!"
Ha! I've actually been the 'guide' on many a trip, people have a lot of frickin' trouble letting go! 🤯😛
Slowly waves hand, "These aren't the frequencies you're looking for . . . "
One of the best engineers on UA-cam 🔥
Hands down.
Ive tried to find a list of records he’s worked on. Haven’t been successful. What’s his best work?
@@elliottabaza Look at the playlists section on the channels YT page.
@@elliottabaza His band is called Sneaky Little Devil
he prob mayk fiur betz 2 homie nawwaimean? he prob prod. soooo menee bangurs he like a beetz jeanus
I really love the fact that I can hear about the philosophy of mixing instead of looking at plugin interfaces. These videos make me more aware of what I am doing in the mix! It's amazing that a lot of success lays in developing specific mindset, not just tweaking knobs. You don't learn how to mix, you are waking your internal engineer inside :) Thanks, Gregory!
Hands down!! You nailed it so damn right !!! 👍👍
That really what it is about. Well said man! I learned more the last 3 days watching Gregory's video's than all these years staring at plugins!
Top comment
I never thought about mixing that way, and right now my mind is blown.
Mission accomplished!
That is not the snare that bends, it is only yourself.
Haha!
There is no snare!
Interesting parallel with drawing here. There is a book called "Drawing from The Right Side of the Brain" which explores drawing the space around the object rather than the object itself. The aim is to not be distracted by the thing you are looking at - but focus the surrounding space and learn to look at things differently. The book shows how many people find suddenly their drawing skills and accuracy vastly improve.
This method rules with working on any fine adjustments: I am doing a lot of video editing and I found that Gregory's approach to mixing audio, and even more, his philosophy, fits perfectly in my workflow.
If you're intermediate engineer or producer you couldn't be watching a better channel than this one 🔥💯 I've learned so much from this guy. The lessons I've learned from you have saved me countless hours of sitting down trying to fix something that didn't need to be fixed because I wasn't focused on the right thing. You're a goat period ❤️
All these episodes should be added to the Vatican criterion collection for all future reference - it’s just so well explained and makes so much sense👍
Dropping knowledge left and right. Crazy, I was just adjusting the snare on a mix. No lie.
Were you listening to the snare? 🤣
@@stephenbeard4747 Answer carefully citizen
This is zen knowledge that applies to so much more than just a mix.
That meter bouncing on the Tweaker(s) back there is so good. Yummy
this man saved my life. solved a mixing issue that has been around for 5 years. these f***. last 15-20% have just arrived by watching a "Geek freaks out" video on UA-cam. can't believe it... definitely getting NOVATION now. much love!
Right on, glad I could help!!
realtalk, the best thing ever happened to me was mixing quiet so I could be less emotional with the stuff I am doing
-> more rational choices, better hearing of how my mixing effects the mix
A vid on complementary frequencies would be super helpful.
Next Kush video: *DON'T Mix Your Songs!*
😂
“BREATHING? That isn’t sexy”
The House of SUSH
just listen its enough hahahhaa
This needs to be an April fools upload
Great lesson. You've definitely helped my mixes. Especially your vocal EQ video.
Yeah! I just tried his tips on my vocal EQ. Used three band. MAN. Gamechanger.
I am on vfx business as professional and i am quite amateur as mixing engenieer, but the most fascinating thing on those video is that conceputally they could be applied 100% on visual effect job... That is what it shock me the most. Great channel i wish i whould have found earlier.
Your parents must be proud they made such a lovely human being. Much Love brother
Right on! I use the same exorcise when playing live with a band. If you have trouble hearing yourself on stage, listen to the rest of the band. When you listen to the rest of the band you hear the entire mix and become part of the song. If you listen to only yourself you tend to turn up louder and louder struggling to find the sweet spot.
I got it I think. Now i do compression and listen to what happens to tone, or do Eq and listen to what happens to dynamics. This is wonderful because if you listen to what you are modifying, You miss what You are actually screwing up somewhere else! This totally saved my drums mixing!
I just found this channel a week ago. This guy is so right on with his approach and advice. This man speaks like a guru. Concepts and philosophies. I've been mixing for a long time and I see all of these other "how to" mix videos and they are almost always technical...ie "do this to make your snare sound good" ...they don't really help people because they are out of context to your particular situation. It's like telling someone what to think instead of teaching them how to think. I love the studio, but my favorite thing to do is live mixes. Because you have no time to think. Everything is pure instinct and almost meditative....and it always boils down to how the whole thing feels in that moment. No second chances, just do it.
You’re right! Not listening to the snare improved my love life! 😂
I've always done all this & listening to the entire mix without realizing that was what I was doing until today. Amazing perspective! Subscribed because of that!
Best ASMR channel on UA-cam and informative at the same time!
Needed this! Love you Greg!
YES goddayum I needed this, thank you!
This is spot on correct advice (believe me - he's bang on the money) - these are the tips you will never get in your Music Tech degree - I crafted my art of mixing over 30 years and I'm still learning new things - but the best tools you have are not the DAW or the plugins.... but those two things on the side of your head - learn to use them correctly and you can master most of the mixing techinques - and this develops over hours and hours and hours of practice.... most of that practice comes from just listening to music.... and (just like this video) you learn to 'Really' listen - this exercise can be used when your listening to any piece of music for pleasure. Listen to your favourite song and focus on one sound - pick one you don't always focus on.... guaranteed you will notice (in a song you have listened to thousands of times) something you have never noticed before.
I am gonna leave you with an example that might highlight this point. Go listen to the song "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire.... its a famous song you will have heard many times...... listen to just the bass on the intro... around 11 or 12 bars in... the bass player makes a mistake..... seriously..... go listen - and I bet you will 'Always' hear it everytime you listen in future.... check it out :)
this video is just Pure Gold,Thanks
I love this channel so much, thank you for all of this!
Constantly dropping gems!
thanks greg, opened my mind a lot with this one,
Im so happy I subbed thank you Kush
Great info as per usual. Will be using this. Cheers.
Great vid, love your work!
As always, great tip.
DEEP!!!!
You are so brilliant - I love this!!
amazing as always
Great video as always!
Simply brilliant.
I'm so glad I found you. I love your thought train.
Awesome! Thank you!
These are absolutely gold for me. Thank you so much for helping.
This is so true. You need to listen to how it's sitting in the mix and affecting the other instruments. The bigger picture is a good thing to always focus on.
this guy literally just improved my mixed a bunch just with few videos, way more effective than most other tutorials on yt , big thumbs up
cool, damn its cool words
i cant even imagine how much experience you've got
it so simple things but its so genius
i can sit in mixing an hours during the day and at the end say to myself "dude, enough, u cant finish today, go play something, u need rest, u'll continue tomorrow"
and its never change, i'm finishing without any result
but your vids are changing my producing and mixing sessions
i'm so glad i found your channel
Man, I love this channel
I love your videos. Thank you for all of the perspective you share.
Gold advice. Thanks!
Right on!! Very very interesting. Thank you!
Love that meditation tie in...never thought about it like that
So glad i subscribed. I've actually been trying to do this more and more, and voila, here you are lecturing about it.
So smoooooth.
Thanks man
Thanks so much for your experience and knowledge, brother. I really appreciate what you're doing.
You are a great teacher, thanks!
great advice here!! Thanks x
Great advice, thank you.
Amazing advice, thank you!
Golden advice !!!
i started doing this on my own the other day, and i can confirm, this method rules.
dont listen to what youre mixing. listen to everything else. wont go into reasons why, but it just works.
One of the best mixing channels out here, thanks man
This is actually brilliant advice, seems to help a lot. Thanks Kush!
Hello, and thanks for the work you put into these videos! I just recently discovered your channel - and the "why" is quite a tale for another time - but I see that in specific ways, it's exactly what I was looking for as I get back into making music as part of who I am (after too many years focused elsewhere and just not feeling the vibe). Re your channel, from all I've seen so far - I totally dig it. It's a great concept, and many kudos for the execution. Unlike the casual / fun / homemade stuff on my own page here, this is my industry - for me, your choices for the image are really tasteful and look great, and I see that others have commented on your voice being a balm to their ears - you've got the goods, and your vocal chain is certainly is dialed right on in to capture and deliver it amazingly well. Namaste.
The opening was like Owen Wilson teaches mixing
this is probably the most important tool i’ve been taught by him. thanks king
I absolutely love this guy
Your videos are genuinely so helpful and motivating- thanks dude
This man is soooo wise! I apreciate this channel
This guys voice is butter.
the only UA-cam channel that I have notifications on for, and these tips are exactly why... this dude is an absolute treat
Great advices here, thank you so much
The meditation example was to the point!
Thank you.
I Love your Videos Greg! Very unique
These exercises work, thank you.
I do exactly this glad to see its not just me!
Great advice. I've recently learned about mindful listening and this is pretty much the same concept. I will definitely apply this to my mixing. This is hands down my favorite channel on audio engineering. All killer no filler! Keep up the great job sir.
Therapy and knowledge in one video
Thank you.
Just found your channel last week, Gregory. I’ve seen like 10 of your videos so far. You got me mixing in mono and mixing each instrument against each other. My mixes sound a lot better since I found your videos. Definitely way easier to accomplish any kind of sound I’m looking for now. Simply amazing, you’re the best teacher for this mixing thing.
KEEP EM COMIN. Forever grateful
Genius advice...i sort of already do this when mixing vocals but now i have more understanding of the technique & have a mind to apply it when mixing other things. Thanks my brotha! Time for me to start mixing my groovey mix tonight in these after hours lol.
love your vibe. best engineer advice. everytime i mix i think of your videos.
Awesome new approach I gotta try out! 👏🏽
Golden episode!
Oh my good, that was soo Deep!!
these are really good, thank you
There’s some mad help in these videos!
thanks for putting up content that challenges us in a unique way, man. Got a little tired of trying to learn things from youtube and only ever getting a checklist of cookie cutter steps to take when I really need to learn how to listen and use my ears intuitively. This channel has made mixing my music a lot more fun and rewarding!
Man your knowledge and concepts of mixing are amazing!
Big stuff Sir. Thank you very much.
I have learned a lot from you! Thank you for these videos.
Great tutorial. Employing mindfulness techniques to mixing audio. Much appreciated. I can't wait to give this a go.
love this analogies from the meditation!!!!
Man you bend my brain in the best possible way. Thanx
I cannot believe I’ve only just found this channel! Feeling inspired right now. Thank you.
my mixes have improved greatly since finding your channel, thank you for all this free content its certainly SEXY
Watching your videos has become my daily mantra. I am sad to reach the end sooner than later. Please make more. :)