AMEN BROTHER!!!

Does anyone else feel like they're in a therapy session when Gregory Scott talks? Either way, good info and thanks for these vids!

If Kush controlled my lipstick, he’d have saved many pigs.

“Put it out there. Its’s art”. Loved that. We get obsessed with “technicals” but need to focus on the “art”. Cheers for that

"...put it out there, it's art" I'm gonna frame this on my wall, right in front of me.

This man literally said "make quicker decisions when mixing, don't spend too much time on a sound" Tried it and my mixes never been the same 🔥🔥

I’ve been trying to formulate a big enough ’thank you’ for answering my question with such grace for the past hour, but I have difficulties finding big enough words (english isn’t my native language), so I write it in capital letters instead - THANK YOU! I think you gave me more insights in 10 minutes and 22 seconds than I’ll ever get again. And again - thank you!

THE bastion of true mixing knowledge

Anyone else worry Gregory might start a cult one day? Because at this point I'd do anything he says to be honest

This channel has taught me about how mixing is so much more about perspective, mindset, and instinct rather than methods and specifics, and it's the most valuable and effective lesson I've ever taken away from video instructors like this.

Very wise words: "Use the reference more as a brain reset"; and "Could your mix sit in a playlist with the references?" Big picture thinking. And trusting in our art. Thanks Gregory.

My daughter is 22 now, but when she was 8 or so I was working on a record with some fairly emotional content. She came up to the studio to say goodnight while I was mixing. She sat a while and when I looked over she had tears in her eyes. It was a beautiful moment and I knew the mix was in the right place.

I thought I was the only Prince non-fan on the planet, however my respect for the skill is huge. He was, the man. Another great video.

You are the only person I've come across that speaks about music emotionally and practically rather than just technically.I love your videos❤️. P.S : Your voice is angelic😍

I was having a lot of screentime today so I listened to this video on my phone, laying down staring at the ceiling, without watching it. Then I realised something. Your videos are splendidly done. But it would also be great if you had podcasts. I'd listen to them for hours, again and again. That'd be a whole another kind of chill.

Secret inside source: “When Doves Cry” was used as a reference track for Metallica’s “..and Justice for All” album. Hehehe..

Prince was a visionary: mixing for Bose speakers before then even existed lol

Prince once said "If I ever hear my bass player - I'll fire him".

"chasing a reference is overriding your instinct"

This just changed my whole perspective on my songs. I always felt like there was a standard, thank you for stating that there's not. Your advice is so reassuring for me who's just beginning. Gregory Scott u da man!

Listen to commercial mixes through your monitors for an hour everyday. Don't mix in your own bubble for days, and then listen to references. Listen to the references in order to understand your monitors.

That deflated feeling of comparing yourself to mixes you admire is insidious. This one changed my life Gregory keep doing what you're doing.

crikey this bloke talks sooo much sense and his explanations are so detailed... man a champion

100% on-point. Reference mixes are not an exact science. Super useful for overall perspective, yes, but different songs are... different songs! ADPTR Metric AB on my master buss has been a game-changer for me: level matching, killer metering, and seamless, *instantaneous switching* between the reference and my session. Has saved me loads of time and enormously streamlined my reference process.

Excellent advice! I don't use reference tracks very often because I don't find chasing stuff works very well. To use a few different tracks for a reference "feel" is definitely a different approach. This I will be doing for sure. Thanks Gregory!✌

I have an artist that I've mixed several EP's for..... but when he sends me his tracks, he often points me to a couple 'reference tracks' on KZfaq, and asks me to try to make his music sound kind of like those tracks. Uggghh... I hate that. What I prefer to do is simply listen to his song, and mix it to what I believe is the best version of itself that it can be. I base my mixing decisions on a lifetime of music listening, and my own internal compass. To be respectful... I will go and listen to his reference tracks.... usually just once to see what inspired him.... but I can't say that it's ever influenced my mixing. The artist ends up loving my mixes, and coming back to me, so I guess it's working.

Who else about to play when doves cry to hear the bass?

Get your stuff out there. "It's art." Exactly - great advice to keep in mind.

I have a degree in Audio Arts and Acoustics. The mix coaching in class wasn't nearly as good as Kush After Hours.

I don’t even really use reference tracks, just love listening to this man talk and learning about this kind of stuff regardless

The buildup in each episode from intro to when the theme music fully drops gets me so hype now! I’m sitting like, “yes, yesss, yessssss!” waiting for that knowledge drop. Thanks for covering this, have had lots of questions on it myself!

I needed to hear this so badly. The confidence to commit to just what the song needs

I love your videos. Can't really tell why, but I am allways happy watching them.

No ppl can dislike these words of wisdom .a legend

I like your mindset, I think this helps more than chasing a *sound*, thanks for your videos.

Thank you! You are the Oracle on mixing!

Thanks for the love brother. We all need it. Create, be strong.

This is definitely one of the best mixing-related channels on KZfaq!

It's so spooky, whenever I am struggling with a mix and I get myself a few days break to reset my brain, you come out with a new video that's treating exactly the same issues, and you find always the right words to let me feel confident enough again, to take a decision and continue to go my own way. Thank you

I must give you a MASSIVE thanks: Because of this video I decided to put my first song out there. Otherwise my perfectionism and hesitation would've driven me up a wall and it would've never been released... Is it perfect? Far from it. Am I happy and proud of it regardless? Yes! Although I've heard it a million times already, I still play it. It's part of my journey, and I wanted to give people some laughter(It's a funny song) in these trying times.

"Use your mix as a brain reset." Yep!! This is exactly how I use my reference tracks! I've always thought of it as a bit of a palate cleanser for your ears

Amazing advice as always. It took me a while to figure this out. I started looking at references through Tonal Balance Control and listening. I noticed that you really need to create your own mix down how you hear it in your head. And at the very end I’ll toss a random folder of reference track to kind of see if I’m in the ball park. If something appears higher or lower I’ll toss 4 or 5 sections of references and see how things match up. And make some adjustments. Like you said there are some tracks with heavier bass or lack of that still have their place and you have to really trust your own ears and feeling. This is seriously my favorite KZfaq channel for music tips. Thank you!

8:33 “They’re different songs. They don’t need the same treatment, they don’t need to sound the same.” 👏👏👏💯

What amazes me is there are so called mix engineers who are two notches higher than a rodie in the business who are practically household names on You Tube. Then there's Gregory Scott, who like a few choice mix, and engineering instructors get to the heart of intelligent mix instruction. This guy is completely on target! What a pleasure. Thank you Greg.

If you were professor teaching music engineering... I go back back to school in a second. Your delivery is excellent. Very clear and concise.

Thank you thank you thank you! This was a genuine question. Your videos are just the best. Every time!

I'm in a moment in my life as a mixer where I'm starting to like my work's results, but sometimes I stumble over some doubt anyway. I just wanna say that these series of videos are really important to me, they make me keep going because they speak about things that are so intimate of this job that hardly anyone would understand. Most of the time are just the kind of things I need to hear. Thank you so much mr Gregory Scott!

I was very surprised recently to listen to some of my favorite music from my childhood and realize how much of the mix was hanging out in the low-mids. It was surprising because I have no interest in mixing my stuff that way, but it remains really emotionally important music for me. It was a revelatory moment of realizing just what you're saying, there's no "standard" sound, it's just what makes it feel right.

Thanks Gregory! Please keep up putting the videos out there. I always look forward to hearing your views.

You always gotta ask yourself, "am I mixing just for the sake of a shiny, impressive sound? Or am I mixing to SERVE the song?"

These have to be the most exquisitely engineered spoken vocals on KZfaq

Your perspective truly has width and depth and that's not a poor attempt at a mix joke. Your take on mixing is always quite grounding. Thank you! 💙

Sage wisdom! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience.

So much Love and Gentleness in your videos. This one lighted a sweet fire inside my heart ❤️ where I know that everything is ok. There is only love no matter what you do

Your commentary is of such high value to me. My mixing is gradually progressing. Thank you these videos.

Thank you Gregory. I've only recently discovered your channel and I love and appreciate your contrarian approach. A lot of it is common sense, a lot of it is validation, and it's really helpful to get your non-traditional slant on things. It's a really nice angle to fold into the rest of the mixing tutorials out there. It broadens and enhances my perspective and for that I thank you.

Love you Master-Kush thank for all that love of teaching 🙏🙏🙏

Excellent topic, Gregory! You nailed it with this one. Stay safe in the new year.

You are the Guru dude, I've been trying to match all my mixes to the reference and never works. Thanks now everything makes more senses.

Awesome as usual, and yes, definitely the chill side of therapy, or a cool conversation with an older brother!

This kind of production tips are what makes a real difference❤

Brilliant. That’s it. Mix lifesaving advice, yet again. Thank you!

This was so needed. I just got Metric A/B and have been somewhat intimidated. Coming from live sound, I have always just used my ears, but did have amazing luck mixing a brass band with a similar reference. Thanks as always, UBK!

i always smile watching your videos. Thanks for sharing your mindset and!!!!

I've legit never subscribed to a channel after watching just 2 vids. Your my first haha, you seem to have a vast understanding of compression...probably more but the first vid I watched was about comps. You've got a very relaxing voice, fit for radio, podcast, and of course YT. Looking forward to checking out more of your stuff stuff seems to cover a lot of the subjects seldom mentioned in other YT audio engineering vids. My good friend and producers a multi Grammy award winning producer, won back to backs in the mid 80's for best engineered gospel album, this is the guy who literally taught the first official class on audio engineering offered at any university in the US this kind made him a fore father of getting these classes in colleges. Funny thing is he lost a job opportunity to one of his students who had earned a degree in audio engineering from him....those degrees weren't around when my friend, Mark, was learning it all, hence why he taught the first class on it, and didnt need to go to school for it haha. Kinda funny how universities would rather hire someone with a piece of paper saying I was taught how to do this, rather than the man who taught it to him and knew more about AE than the student could have possibly learned in even 15 years. Just thought I would share that funny story. Cheers and happy mixing!

Great video. Many people forget that reference mixes are at that tone because of the color & saturation in them as well. You cant just EQ your way to those tones...you have to have vision for what saturation tools you have to help you achieve that final result as well. Never seek to sound like its twin...just seek to get closer to it. The same way you cant make yours sound the same, they couldnt make theirs sound exactly like your crappiest mix with their expensive gear even if they tried their best. The goal is to compete, not achieve the same result but our minds tell us otherwise so we feel like we havent made the mark when we hear differences. As long as you follow the general rules of sonic-ly pleasing music, you shouldnt grill your mix for not sounding like its competitor. Batman is nothing like Superman but we love him many times more due to his unique narrative...he follows the essentials of being a hero...they both have on capes but we know he can only fly via tools. Likewise, let your best mix have its own lane but follow the general criteria for sonic-ly pleasing mixes...dont be too bright in this digital era of clarity but also dont try to squash your mix to oblivion to sound more analog after youve reached the limit of your saturation plugins. Its ok to be a hero with no cape.

So much value on this channel, it's crazy

Really appreciate your approach to many of these topics. Not just doing it because other people are saying to-- doing it if it feels right in your art process.

I love how your theme quotes Barry White. Love it!

Damn it ... I'm just producing cinematic synthwave album, and I am unrelaxed a lot of what would be warm enough sound, enough fat, clear, etc. (I've been practicing music for a few years). And now you said it well: Listen to your instinct, make your own version, that is, not too slavish copying, but feel the sound first. I needed this, thank you very much! I was already too overwhelmed by the technical side that I almost forget to make just that music.

I'm already a fan. This man knows things

I've been making music for 30 over years and only recently discovered the use of reference tracks. I've made lots of music I (and luckily, other people) love. I suddenly thought I was wrong and had been doing everything wrong ... forever, lol. This video just put how to use a reference track in perspective. Great advice thanks!

I always forget to reference. I'll continue forgetting. If it's okey for me, it's okey. No need to follow references with devotion. I will only use them just to reset my mind. That's the whole point. I feel I am better mixer now xD. No really, top advice as usual, blessings for these unvaluable lessons Gregory!

I think references are good for a general idea, but there are many factors that keep you from having the "same" mix as another artist.

I was feeling very insecure about my music today and it was really weighing me down. This video came at the perfect time and made me feel better. Thank you! ❤️

I never noticed that about when doves cry. I just paused and listened. You're totally right! wheres the bass?? But the song still vibes

thank you thank you,you save a lot of my destroyed mix,now i search prince when doves cry

You literally freed me of the reference mix curse! Stop trying to match it exactly and focus on the overall balancing, while trusting your own ears! That is Gospel! Thank you! 💪 🌟

You're winning the warmth wars with the audio in your videos.

As a smooth jazz producer and saxophonist, I use reference recordings mostly for comparing individual instruments such as drums (kick & snare) and bass. I use a similar genre.. its got be to a song that really jumps out at me for a specific reason (drive, emotion, beat, spacial, etc), but similar to the song I am producing. My methods vary. It is hard to describe. When I use a ref track, I load it on a separate track. Make sure it is unaffected by any pluggins. Use your mixer slide to level match. I also use a reference to level match volume levels when mastering.

Man, you're like the Leonard Cohen of compressors. I'm fascinated by this channel! Much respect

If there’s one thing that can consistently throw things out of whack for me it’s referencing. Really appreciate this video, I’m not out of the woods yet but this has really helped me take a better approach and mindset.

My gf is hot, but when I start comparing her to other girls, there's always someone hotter. So the point is, I can have her change her hair or wear a different style skirt, but in the end she has her own vibe. In short if I tried to make my stuff sound like one of my favorite songs, I'd never get anything done.

Mannn keep dropping these wisdom / philosophical pearls. Such an antidote to a lot of the misinformation and overly technical “rule” type videos. Big up KUSH!

Thanks for speaking my language and making so much sense. Such great vids. Gratitude!

This video was right on time for me. I almost fell into the rabbit hole of trying to get songs to sound and feel like references a bunch of times.

I’m always fiddling with brightness because it excites the ears of an average listener. That’s what my instinct tells me.. I like this but I can excite the audience further by adding this brightness. A tricky game. This is a really important topic you’ve covered!!!

I knew I'd liked you for some reason, and this really has very little to do with music, but when you said, "I'm not a huge Prince fan but I've always respected his work tremendously" that solidified it. :-) And yes, it's ultimately about the song and you just what to be in a universe. Put it out there. It's art.. Love it.

"Put it Out there, is Art" -Thanks for watching-

Exactly! So refreshing to hear someone say this. And the bit about dark - why is every song so freaking bright these days?! Dark is where it’s at brother.

Thank you so much for this! (and your video on how to know when a mix is done) Your thoughts are really going to help me get to a point where I say, “This is finished.”

Damn... This was a very timely video. I often just blindly chase the reference mix and it's energy but most of the times it is just causing unnecessary stress when in reality my track is sounding already pretty balanced and would work for what I intended to achieve with it. Thank you crazy man!

this channel is such a bless, you giveaway some of the most useful, esoteric concepts. Can't thank you enough

Gregory deserves millions of subscribers. A lot of knowledge and audio wisdom. Thank you, I wish I had the money to you to mix and mastered my music 🎵 😊

Loads of brilliant points made in these videos! I ended up watching the one about how to listen to compression and this is fifth one in a row and they've all touched on situations that are very much relatable with a coherent, no bullshit approach. Also the whole atmosphere is very satisfying to me, from the very pleasing speech sound quality and music to the visual characteristics. Kudos, sir!

Such wisdom, grateful for these tips

Gregory's voice always soothes me

“You have to start getting holistic with this stuff” 💡

...again, thank you for this perspective!

I recently listened to some tracks done in the 80's like MJ's thriller in headphones and was really struck by how weird they sounded compared to anything mixed in the last 20 yrs or so. This all ties in with his other video about using a soft focus when you listen. You have to listen like an untrained person does and just ask yourself if it sounds good or what you want it to sound like. I have been able to identify trends in my mixes by comparing them to various pro level mixes (like too much low mids) but I agree that it's a slippery slope when you start trying to match the same sonic curve as another song.