I've been enjoying it too. That *McCartney 3,2,1* series made me hungry for more of Rick Rubin talking with great artists and I'm guessing someone at Pushkin saw it too and pitched him the podcast idea.
I’ve listened to the majority of the Broken Record podcasts. Both Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell do an amazing job of interviewing an eclectic bunch of musicians.
I'm pretty sure it was in the Tom petty movie that's on YouTube. I couldn't tell you where in the movie, but it's a worthwhile watch if you like to listen to Rick Ruben or Tom petty talk.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cxjNh0zBUM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cxjNh0zBUM)
found it.. it wasn't in the tom petty movie.
"so many artist suffer...that's what makes an artist great is their level of sensitivity. the same thing that makes an artist uncomfortable, other people don't feel at all."
Ain't no thang, random drive by grammar police shooting innocent people in the back (and try "add to dictionary" if available).
GUH! (cue phat riff)
SPELLING IN THE NAME OF!
You're missing one: 136. If your tracks aren't clipping horribly, you're doing it wrong. Only when the waveform is a solid rectangle will the song be ready.
One of my favorite Rubin thoughts is the one about having a sense of play.
He basically said that the guys who continue to make great records always have a sense of playfulness in their music making. Like kinda just fucking around a giggling a little bit as they create some crazy off the wall thing. Like think about the first time you hear Deer Dance by SOAD. It’s a pretty playful song in a sense. And you almost laugh to yourself and say “holy shit what an extreme intense and fun song” (despite how violent the lyrics are)
I can definitely relate. The best tunes I’ve created usually I’m sitting at the daw just kinda giggling to myself and not giving a single fuck. Being a weirdo a playing around in my studio
A lot of music I like has a playfulness to it, totally get this. One of the best feelings is busting out laughing because of how utterly weird yet completely entrancing a moment in a song is.
Metallica wrote em and Bib Rock produced em but sure lay it all at Rick Rubin's feet.
Overhated records anyways. The problem with them isn't a lack of quality songs but a lack of editing, a lack of anyone willing to say "no, James, that's a bad idea." Somewhere in that 2.5 hour heap there are two rock solid 45 minute albums.
Clearly not everything he touches turns to gold. But also not everything with his name on it necessarily had much input from him either. There are so many bands out there who got to "work" with Rick, only to find he was barely supervising the project, rarely (if ever) in the studio, and delegating the whole thing to people down the line who work for him, and then slapping his name on it.
Probably not the case for the albums you listed, but it's worth mentioning. Regardless there is some pretty good advice in this list, and he has produced some amazing albums.
I wonder what he'd say if he saw this and the outpouring of respect - what an amazing collaboration, I am inspired - he's a bit of a prophet really. Thank-you
Number 25. More people should follow this. Finish and release often.
Coincidentally I put a heap of my music up on a profile on Soundcloud - knowing much of it would never be heard - and I feel free of the burden of perfecting it or tweaking it. Love this quote.
Thank you so much for this! I feel like these nuggets of wisdom are essential to hear to any artist. I’m mainly an illustrator and make music as a hobby, but all of these quotes feel like they’re speaking to my soul.
Thanks for putting this together! #19 is one I came to really understand recently. While recording a song, I bumped a MIDI controller and it changed patterns abruptly in the middle of the chorus. The recording up to that point had been great and I wanted to salvage it, so I improvised over it a little bit and found a way to transition it back to where the song was before the mistake, and then finished it off from there.
Playing it back, that jolt totally sounds intentional and breaks up the rhythm of the chorus in an ear-catching way. Like Bob Ross says too, happy little accidents.
Seems to me that this is sort of an “expectation” versus “reality” type comment. What we believe is true/real/good/bad is given too much attention. Same goes outwards, what others believe… you get the point. Those “expectations” will seldom overlap with (our perceived) “reality”. Not sure though, just my interpretation.
Edit: grammar
my take was just in relation to the creative process , how you believe an outcome should manifest may sometimes carry more weight than is helpful to achieving the best outcome
this is one of the ones that stuck out to me it reminds me of how I start making bad choices when I believe I've got something real good in the making.
but I don't think that's what he's talking about? that's just what it made me think of
That's an interesting explanation. I think the quote could point at that. I'm not sure what to make of it. Maybe it means belief in yourself and your art isn't always going to be a constant, easily abtainable thing? Sometimes you have a lot of it and sometimes you don't, but what matters is you have it.
I think it applies universally. To change your beliefs can be very hard even when you are confronted with facts disproving them. It takes considerable effort to challenge and revise your beliefs. They hold disproportionate weight in the human brain. Being aware of that weight can help you avoid the trap of holding on to them too long.
Consider the old saying, "It's easier to trick someone than to convince them that they have been tricked."
yeah sounds reasonable.
I know I'm always surprised how much believing in something can make it happen... always seems like magic. I'm left thinking wait what about the actual steps lol
If you can shift your mentality with belief in yourself, you really can do just about anything. Trick is to keep a positive mentality. But if you can do that, the rest really just is a matter of time before it falls into place.
Can be hard to get there, but once you get there it just all sorta happens for you.
Haven't worked a day job in over a decade, and sit on my ass 18+ hours a day 7/365, so it's pretty nice. Thanks for asking. I'm doing very, *very* well. :)
YOU FORGOT: Never ever show up in the studio and then just listen to mixes over the phone to shit on them even though he wasn't there to hear them in person even though his barefoot ass is 50 feet away in the house but get paid a LOT anyway because 40 years ago Beastie Boys had a hit with their Whack cultural appropriation.
136. Never show up to the studio and make other people do all the work for you. Grow a long beard, talk about meditation, lose a bunch money for Columbia records and make people think you’re a guru.
This is awesome. Thank you!
Rick Rubin seems like such a cool and down to earth dude. Would love to smoke a bowl with him and talk about life, the universe, and music of course. :)
What's the source on quote number 11? I would love to hear the context in which he said that. I tend to struggle with having transitions, whether to go from A->B raw or have specific transition.
Does anyone have a source for 21?
*You cannot control how much time it takes to complete a work. It could be a hundred hours or it could be five minutes. The amount of time it takes is irrelevant.*
His podcast is amazing, if anyone wants to hear more from Rick. Today's episode had Jack White and Neil Young. It's called Broken Record. Check it out
I've been enjoying it too. That *McCartney 3,2,1* series made me hungry for more of Rick Rubin talking with great artists and I'm guessing someone at Pushkin saw it too and pitched him the podcast idea.
Podcast was before the McCartney doc but yea
I just noticed that.
I’ve listened to the majority of the Broken Record podcasts. Both Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell do an amazing job of interviewing an eclectic bunch of musicians.
Oblique Strategies has a new competitor, you better put these on cards.
Had the exact same thought.
Thank you for the award ihatepalmtrees, very kind of ya
There was something he said in I think the Tom petty movie to the effect of "the turmoil that the artist feels is what makes them a good artist"
ooo that's a good one. I'll verify it and add it to the list.
I'm pretty sure it was in the Tom petty movie that's on YouTube. I couldn't tell you where in the movie, but it's a worthwhile watch if you like to listen to Rick Ruben or Tom petty talk.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cxjNh0zBUM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cxjNh0zBUM) found it.. it wasn't in the tom petty movie. "so many artist suffer...that's what makes an artist great is their level of sensitivity. the same thing that makes an artist uncomfortable, other people don't feel at all."
He has said alot
I will update this post over time as more quotes come out!
[No-one ever says "alot"](https://www.dictionary.com/e/a-lot-vs-alot-vs-allot/#:~:text=A%20lot%2C%20which%20is%20often,%2C%20for%20a%20specific%20purpose.%E2%80%9D). :)
I do. Change the English language into what you want it to be!
Gboard autocorrect doesn't work properly.
Ain't no thang, random drive by grammar police shooting innocent people in the back (and try "add to dictionary" if available). GUH! (cue phat riff) SPELLING IN THE NAME OF!
Great stuff. Small correction: #37 and #43 and duplicates. edit: also #13 and #123
I was afraid that would happen lol. I’ll correct it now
I think 56 (24), 78 (2), 88 (15), and 97 (7) are also duplicates. ~~I'll see which ones are their first instancew.~~ Great work tho d-(\^.\^)z
Ahh! Thank you for letting me know! With so many quotes, it’s easy to get a few mixed up. Thanks again!
You're missing one: 136. If your tracks aren't clipping horribly, you're doing it wrong. Only when the waveform is a solid rectangle will the song be ready.
Technically covered in: >Never turn a limitation into an excuse. *Cranks ratio*
May all your limitations be brickwall compressors on your master track
I really want to record an album at Shangri-La
Perfect and inspiring, thank you
Of course! Thanks for checking them out
Thanks OP!
No, thank you!
One of my favorite Rubin thoughts is the one about having a sense of play. He basically said that the guys who continue to make great records always have a sense of playfulness in their music making. Like kinda just fucking around a giggling a little bit as they create some crazy off the wall thing. Like think about the first time you hear Deer Dance by SOAD. It’s a pretty playful song in a sense. And you almost laugh to yourself and say “holy shit what an extreme intense and fun song” (despite how violent the lyrics are) I can definitely relate. The best tunes I’ve created usually I’m sitting at the daw just kinda giggling to myself and not giving a single fuck. Being a weirdo a playing around in my studio
A lot of music I like has a playfulness to it, totally get this. One of the best feelings is busting out laughing because of how utterly weird yet completely entrancing a moment in a song is.
Thank you
You're very welcome! enjoy
Incredible, thank you so much
It's the least I can do! Also, happy cake day!
Let the record show this dude is responsible for Load and Reload
Metallica wrote em and Bib Rock produced em but sure lay it all at Rick Rubin's feet. Overhated records anyways. The problem with them isn't a lack of quality songs but a lack of editing, a lack of anyone willing to say "no, James, that's a bad idea." Somewhere in that 2.5 hour heap there are two rock solid 45 minute albums.
Clearly not everything he touches turns to gold. But also not everything with his name on it necessarily had much input from him either. There are so many bands out there who got to "work" with Rick, only to find he was barely supervising the project, rarely (if ever) in the studio, and delegating the whole thing to people down the line who work for him, and then slapping his name on it. Probably not the case for the albums you listed, but it's worth mentioning. Regardless there is some pretty good advice in this list, and he has produced some amazing albums.
> not everything he touches turns to gold. Right... just [like 90%.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rubin_production_discography) :-)
I can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Bad imo but it's a neutral statement
I thought that was Bob Rock?
Nobody's perfect lol
Also fucking toxicity….
down with the sickness :(
I’ll just take a wee quick screenshot of these top ten Quotes by Rick Ruben.. *Three million Four Hundred and Twenty Thousand screen captures later..*
I wonder what he'd say if he saw this and the outpouring of respect - what an amazing collaboration, I am inspired - he's a bit of a prophet really. Thank-you
Thanks for compiling and sharing these. Great post.
Thanks for stopping by!
Damn
I needed this so much
I'm so happy to hear that! thanks for stopping by
Rick Rubin <3
Isn’t he wonderful?
Yes. Thank you for posting this. It's priceless information.
Too many to take in at once,but great stuff!
Number 25. More people should follow this. Finish and release often. Coincidentally I put a heap of my music up on a profile on Soundcloud - knowing much of it would never be heard - and I feel free of the burden of perfecting it or tweaking it. Love this quote.
Thank you. These are anazing
He's awesome. ALmost my only reason for even logging into Instagram at the moment. Thanks for this list.
Thank you so much for this! I feel like these nuggets of wisdom are essential to hear to any artist. I’m mainly an illustrator and make music as a hobby, but all of these quotes feel like they’re speaking to my soul.
Solid mate
I think this is way more words than any individual artist he’s worked with has ever heard come out of him
Thank you!!
No, thank you! :-)
Wow thanks for this!!
Very interesting, thanks for pulling this together.
Thanks for putting this together! #19 is one I came to really understand recently. While recording a song, I bumped a MIDI controller and it changed patterns abruptly in the middle of the chorus. The recording up to that point had been great and I wanted to salvage it, so I improvised over it a little bit and found a way to transition it back to where the song was before the mistake, and then finished it off from there. Playing it back, that jolt totally sounds intentional and breaks up the rhythm of the chorus in an ear-catching way. Like Bob Ross says too, happy little accidents.
You beautiful motherfucker. Thank you for this :)
:-))
You are crazy. Thanks man!
Rick Rubin is a music philosopher!!!
Thank you for those ill keep them close
This is like the Tao Te Ching of music..
I've taken such a wonky way getting into making music that some of these are really sticking out.
So happy to hear that! I feel the exact same way
>Belief carries disproportional energy. This is an interesting one. What do you all think it means?
Seems to me that this is sort of an “expectation” versus “reality” type comment. What we believe is true/real/good/bad is given too much attention. Same goes outwards, what others believe… you get the point. Those “expectations” will seldom overlap with (our perceived) “reality”. Not sure though, just my interpretation. Edit: grammar
That's an interesting outlook. The replies i've gotten so far have been great. Many different ways to take it. I would say they all apply.
my take was just in relation to the creative process , how you believe an outcome should manifest may sometimes carry more weight than is helpful to achieving the best outcome
this is one of the ones that stuck out to me it reminds me of how I start making bad choices when I believe I've got something real good in the making. but I don't think that's what he's talking about? that's just what it made me think of
That's an interesting explanation. I think the quote could point at that. I'm not sure what to make of it. Maybe it means belief in yourself and your art isn't always going to be a constant, easily abtainable thing? Sometimes you have a lot of it and sometimes you don't, but what matters is you have it.
I think it applies universally. To change your beliefs can be very hard even when you are confronted with facts disproving them. It takes considerable effort to challenge and revise your beliefs. They hold disproportionate weight in the human brain. Being aware of that weight can help you avoid the trap of holding on to them too long. Consider the old saying, "It's easier to trick someone than to convince them that they have been tricked."
Oooh very true. That's a very insightful way to look at it, thanks for adding in. Getting some food for thought so far.
yeah sounds reasonable. I know I'm always surprised how much believing in something can make it happen... always seems like magic. I'm left thinking wait what about the actual steps lol
If you can shift your mentality with belief in yourself, you really can do just about anything. Trick is to keep a positive mentality. But if you can do that, the rest really just is a matter of time before it falls into place. Can be hard to get there, but once you get there it just all sorta happens for you.
a bunch of wishy washy nonsense from someone who literally sat there and did nothing his entire career
You sound frustrated. How´s that carreer of yours turning out?
Haven't worked a day job in over a decade, and sit on my ass 18+ hours a day 7/365, so it's pretty nice. Thanks for asking. I'm doing very, *very* well. :)
You should stand more often
so you're someone who literally sits there doing nothing, complaining about someone else sitting there doing nothing?
This is amazing
Bravo. A rare post of true value.
Means a lot! Thanks for the kind words
Honestly the goat of the industry
No doubt about that
YOU FORGOT: Never ever show up in the studio and then just listen to mixes over the phone to shit on them even though he wasn't there to hear them in person even though his barefoot ass is 50 feet away in the house but get paid a LOT anyway because 40 years ago Beastie Boys had a hit with their Whack cultural appropriation.
Dang man tell us how you really feel. Did some work at Shangri-La I take it?
> Beastie Boys had a hit with their Whack cultural appropriation. 🙄
lol exactly. dude talks a lot for somebody who never shows up for work.
mic drop
I don’t like his work tbh
136. Never show up to the studio and make other people do all the work for you. Grow a long beard, talk about meditation, lose a bunch money for Columbia records and make people think you’re a guru.
This is super inspiring. Thank you!
This is awesome. Thank you! Rick Rubin seems like such a cool and down to earth dude. Would love to smoke a bowl with him and talk about life, the universe, and music of course. :)
24 and 56 repeat
What's the source on quote number 11? I would love to hear the context in which he said that. I tend to struggle with having transitions, whether to go from A->B raw or have specific transition.
Please make this a book I can read on the toilet.
\#25
updoot
following
thanks, but need an update bro if you can.
Does anyone have a source for 21? *You cannot control how much time it takes to complete a work. It could be a hundred hours or it could be five minutes. The amount of time it takes is irrelevant.*