Hey everyone! One minor update - in the week since this video released, Josh has also launched his own Patreon! If you're at all interested in his future projects like Global Sound Concerts and Ghost Light Concerts, definitely consider supporting him. Link's in the description. Thanks for watching!!!
Just had to let you know that Mackie is NOT know for their speakers. They are known for their mixers, of which I've had two. They are rather excellent! Great video BTW, I enjoyed the Tiny Desk coverage. PS- I am an audiophile to the max.
I'm stunned that it's an actually decently regarded company with real, extant products sponsoring a youtube video, rather than VC funded slop services. Outstanding!
One minor detail that probably goes unnoticed for most Tiny Desk Concert viewers is the video descriptions. They often contain interesting anecdotes about the artist or the concert itself or, indeed, the audio engineering that makes them sound so good. It's just a small detail but I appreciate it nonetheless, and it adds to the journalistic approach to live music that was mentioned in the video as well.
@@kronik907 Smithsonian actually had a record label that released tribal music, spiritual music, and folk tales. To my knowledge Nat Geo was just a print magazine. So my comment had a point.
Also shoutout to KEXP in Seattle for producing amazing recordings as well. NPR Tiny Desk and KEXP sessions single-handedly turned me on to modern music and artists
Was looking for this comment. They are the only other sets that rival Tiny desk in production. But they often have smaller musicians on than NPR. Most of my favourite artists I have found through KEXP sets.
Yeah, love KEXP! Auditotree and The Current are very good too. Admittedly The Current is local to me so there is bias there, especially since I can see performances from local faves because it's local.
@@noonmoom9615 Gizz actually mostly handle their own sound, Stu does all the mixing. But almost every other session is done by the KEXP in house people and they're equally as amazing.
I love that tiny desk concerts shows these artists as musicians, and not performers. You can see they love music, and enjoy making live music, with the band and the small crowd. It almost feels like you're watching a rehearsal. To me, the breaks where they speak to the crowd and drop the "performing" look is what makes TDC so great.
But also, the performances gotta be great because the tone is so raw. There are amazing performances on there. They don't have all the gloss of most recordings to lean on, but that's what's great. You really gotta be on your game to sound good.
One that I think demonstrates that well is Tyler, the Creator, the way they adlib some of the songs, the way they stretch 3 songs into an entire 20 minute performance, when Tyler himself messes up on the piano and makes an annoyed sound at himself and continues going, Tyler directing the band with what he wants to do live, it just feels so ad-hoc and real
Josh actually came to my college and gave an hour long talk that was essentially this video streched to an hour, and he even showed his DAW files for the mac miller and .paak concerts Real cool guy
@@CatFish107 wasnt, and I believe it was to his request because he showed us some stuff (like the mac miller and paak daws) and told us beforehand "please dont record this"
Andy Paak's TDC was a transcendent musical performance. It single-handedly raised the bar for how live performances ought to be captured and enjoyed. I have never felt more captivated and engaged in a virtual recording once I heard that. It's seriously the closest thing to the live feel of being in an audience
Couldn't agree more. One of the most exciting recordings I've ever heard. I want an album of it. The rhythm section (and the way it's captured of course!), it's just mind blowingly good, it's infectious. I _love_ his drumming on that session
i think what helped with that feeling was paaks loose approach to it. it really felt like seeing a gig where the people performing are just going with the flow and dont have it all planned out, but do have the skills to back up whatever they decide to do
the caroline polachek is one of my favourite tiny desks, her vocals in the acoustic setting are immaculate! also the mistki tiny desk concert where she screams the "class of 2013" chorus into the guitar is just a spiritual moment to me
She's one of those people who really embraces the whole "your voice is your instrument" aspect of being a vocalist. She's honed her instrument so that all she needs is a space to play and it will sound good. I think a lot of people out there have probably heard her flipping techniques and still don't believe it's not an effect. She brings the autotune with her - she must be hiding it in her voicebox.
The way the video was titled, I thought Michael Snarington was implying that NPR Tiny Desk concerts have gotten worse and that we miss the old ones. Glad to know they're still considered just as great!
I love how every artist seems to genuinely feel relaxed in a Tiny Desk concert~ Like they're there to have fun with their friends. It's intimate, but energetic.
So many great performances but one of my favorites is the Sesame Street concert. As a 60 year old I was part of the first generation to benefit from the program. It was such a joy to sing along with the friends and songs that give me such fond childhood memories.
NPR Tiny Desk is a perfect example of two fundamental sound rules: capturing the sound within the room AND capturing the performance. I have worked with so many engineers straight out of college looking to perfectly isolate every instrument and build the sound from there; only for the mix to sound completely stale. I have also worked with industry engineers that are afraid to tell the performer how their performance is affecting the environment: If a drummer is playing too loud, you HAVE to tell them; no amount of mixing or recording technique will make it sound ideal. Josh is more than willing to communicate with the performer in how to give the best performance for both of them. A performer that is comfortable and aware of how they sound will perform best. Josh's work should be a case study for all sound engineer courses on how to capture a performance.
Besides the T-Pain one, I LOVE the Hadestown Tiny Desk Concert. I think it really gets the energy of the show even in its most basic, boiled down state. Also, I have literally directed people to Chappell Roan’s Tiny Desk Concert when people tell me they don’t “get” her. It was my first exposure to her and it was literally one of the best first impressions I have ever gotten from an artist.
As a live sound mix engineer myself I can really appreciate the idea that it's not about the perfect mix but rather capturing the "lightning in a bottle"....those magic moments of live art. Love it!
Can’t give a higher compliment to the audio engineers than to say that I often listen to artists on Tiny Desk in preference to their own albums. Genius!
I really appreciate these types of videos where you shine a light on people who don't often get their flowers, this was really interesting and informative!
One tiny desk that will always be special to me is the one of Tank and the Bangas. The magic, the chemistry they create. The musical journey. Feels like an hour and it's just some minutes. Absolutely stunning
I have to point out the moment in the Mac Miller tiny desk where the keyboard player shakes his head in pure disbelief of Thundercat's bass fill. 9:40 lol
One amazing thing about the Tiny Desk is them bringing not only English speaking artists but all around the world. It makes me feel reaaaal proud whenever I see someone from Latin America there. Even if I don’t listen to that artists music, I’m happy that we have so much to share and NPR being a great outlet for it.
shoutout tinydesk for lowkey reinventing my music taste in the span of a few months. Not even from watching them and finding new artists but literally because i watched the Kenny Beats one and the Freddie Gibbs x Madlib one and noticed they both had the same bass player (Shoutout Nick Movshon) which introduced me to El Michels Affair which got me into Black Thought which got me into Danger Mouse and not 2 months later im wearing a Cheat Codes hoodie typing fanatically in a mic the snare comment section about new york soul groups
Brother that's your excellent taste! All of those Tiny Desks are absolutely bangers though, the Scarface one from last year is also a milestone in soulful live band hip-hop
I was showed Tiny Desk Concerts while smoking weed in the sunroom of the environmental house on my college's campus during my freshman year. It was 2013 and I listened to Chris Thile and Michael Davies perform records off of "Sleep With One Eye Open" - I wasn't a fan of bluegrass/folk/country at the time, I was mostly only listening to hip hop like Chance, Kendrick, Meek Mill, J. Cole. I was instantly hooked on the 6 song set. I downloaded the audio and put it on my phone. I went on to discover Thao Nguyen, Avett Brothers, Yo-Yo Ma, Chvrches, Tallest Man on Earth, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Phoenix, Esperanza Spalding -- All of which were subsequently downloaded and played on repeat. I now make it a point to listen to every Tiny Desk Concert that comes out - recently I've noticed just how many artists talk about how much they love to watch them, and how it has become a dream to perform behind Bob's desk. I've watched the trinkets stack up on the shelves behind the artists. I've watched the venue become a career landmark. I now own the Mac Miller Tiny Desk Concert vinyl pressing. Tiny Desk Concerts are absolutely invaluable, imagine if we had a tiny desk concert recording of Frank Sinatra or Louis Armstrong and could hear them candidly laugh with the crowd and share a story about the writing behind a certain song. Thank you for shining a spotlight on Josh!@ A truly talented individual, and this quick commentary on Tiny Desk Concert was an enjoyable watch!
I thought I was going to click off this pretty quick but your telling of the story is very compelling and the edit of the interview really puts it together. Well done.
I discovered Anderson Paak and Tank and Bangas from NPR. And went to Paak's concert. NPR is like music education, or a catalogue for you to find your type of musics.
The MUNA tiny desk concert is my absolute favourite, not just because they're my favourite artist, but also because they adjusted the versions of the songs they played for the set. The comments particularly praise the mixing of it - you can hear all the harmonies, even Jo's, which doesn't usually come through on other mixes. I love it. The Tiny Desk version of Stayaway can still make me cry.
Seeing Nile Rogers+Chic in a more intimate setting was a revelation. The energy, the tightness, the talent of each member of the band, and the fact that they were all visibly having a great time performing, made it one of my favorites.
This has to be one of the best TH-cam videos I've seen in a while. It's informative, entertaining, to the point, motivating. You ticked all the boxes. Excellent work.
The thing I love most about Tiny Desk is that it doesn't matter who you are, you're all in this really low-fi (looking) space and on the same level. Global Popstars like Taylor Swift and Harry Styles are in the same space as the most niche band you've never heard of. It brings everyone down to the same level and highlights the thing that matters - their talent.
Tiny Desk is how i fell in love with Chappell Roan. I had been hearing about her for over a year but had never gotten around to listening to her music until i saw her Tiny Desk Concert & i decided to finally dive in
One of my faves is the Stromae one. Especially the juxtaposition of the opening song being filled with synths and finishing the set with a totally acapella track.
Chappell Roan's Tiny Desk got me into her earlier this year. I'd heard Pink Pony Club in 2023, but somehow missed her album drop that September. The Tiny Desk inspired me to go listen to the whole album, and now she's my top artist this year. Thanks NPR!
Man that Fred again tiny desk makes me cry so much. The way he performs is so personal and the tiny desk environment was perfect for making him think outside the box. Legendary performance imo
You should take a look at C Tangana's tiny desk. It was during the COVID pandemic so it was filmed at another location (I guess it was his house). But it is like listening to a baroque painting, the lightning, the sounds, and the whole environment is so good, that makes you want to go inside the video and just hang out with them. It is based on a traditional Spanish custom called Sobremesa, which is a time after a meal where you stay at the table and spend time talking, playing music, and basically enjoying the small moments
Do yourself a favor and seek out his latest album. It’s all covers. Check out his rendition of Black Sabbath’s “Warpigs”, but tape your socks on first cause he’s gonna have a go at knocking them off.
Check out the TH-cam live performance by T-Pain - On Top Of the Covers (Live from the Sun Rose.) includes his version of Black Sabbath’s War Pigs, The Guess Who’s American Woman, and more.
Wow! Audio engineering explains so much. Tiny Desk has been my biggest introduction to new artists as an adult. Often times, I prefer the Tiny Desk performances over the recordings for sale. I even saw the Max Miller video when it came out and was captivated.
I remember stumbling across Tank and The Bangas Tiny Desk Concert and getting blown away. The way Josh captures and mixes sounds to create the perfect intimate context is so incredible
There are a lot of incredible tiny desk concerts but one of my favourites is Sampha's in 2017. Hearing him perform with just his voice and his piano and the way his songs are stripped down is just so intimate and breathtaking. The audio and sound mixing is so well done and it all sounds so rich and raw in the best way possible.
Tiny desk and Triple J are doing a great job of brining live music to youtube. Triple J is less stripped down, but still pretty raw. Love seeing artists perform live in these contexts.
My #1 Tiny Desk concert has to be Juvenile. At first he had no idea what the hell it was, but after some convincing and logistics, dude delivered an absolutely amazing set alongside Mannie Fresh. The Tiny Desk version of "Rodeo" with The Amours is absolutely amazing.
This changed my perspective of Tiny Desk Concerts. I knew there's a lot of work to make that audio work but to specifically see it this way is really insightful.
The global Tiny Desk concerts remind me of Blogothèque's Take Away Shows from about 15 years ago. They did some absolutely beautiful location recordings with artists just wandering around Paris while they performed.
In 2019 I went to a Vince Staples concert and after he walked off they played the video of mac’s tiny desk behind the stage. It went from a party to an emotion fest SO quick. Everyone in that venue singing along and crying.
The two I think about the most is Tyler the Creator’s concert (and how exposed he was at this pivotal time) and Daniel Johnston’s performance (there’s something MAGICAL about seeing him) Extreme props to you getting this interview, btw. Phenomenal insight from the man who started it all.
This is soooo fascinating! Tiny Desk truly is so magical - every one I've watched sounds like velvet and everyone involved deserves to be so proud. Heck, last year's Wicked Tiny Desk even inspired me to fly from Chicago to NYC just to see the show! But thankfully we don't all have to go that far for good music, as it really is all around us. Thanks for giving me yet another reason to appreciate music and humanity 😊 hope you're doing well!
This is magnificent. This man is a national hero and will go down as a massive contributor to music over his decade+ of service. Thank you for your service.
This is the beauty of TH-cam. Independent creators creating. I've always loved Tiny Desks for theur magnificent sound mixing and variety of music. Wu Tang, Cranberries, Portuguese Guitar. Without a doubt one of the most ecletic venues on the planet!!! AND this glimpse into the BTS is magical and eye opening. Chefe kiss!
It would've been interesting to hear about how they tackled the tiny desk home series. Considering they wouldn't have had the same acoustic environment they were used to and not being able to direct the bands like he did with Nile Rodgers. Follow up video?
I believe they left it up to the artists. From a few that come to mind: Cory Henry, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Jacob Collier, all these people did completely different setups and each one worked amazingly.
Hey prior to TinyDesk, I always love a little acoustic jam, and as a musician it was one of the way you would compose/create song. Usually when it sounded good as an acoustic it will translate well in the studio with electric as well. One of the channel that I like or started this was WatchListen&Tell. It feels raw and intimate just as Josh said it, there's an element where although slightly unpolish it felt genuine and natural. That's why one of the way to best enjoy music is going to a LIVE show, and depending on the venue it creates different feels and atmosphere and provided difference experience.
I've watched a lot of them and I knew they sounded great, but I wouldn't have thought THAT much work of the kind he describes goes into it. Thanks for spotlighting him.
Meshell Ndegeocello's TDC was a transformative, religious experience. The Roots was very urgent and on point. Gogo Penguin showed musicianship out of this world. Anderson.Paak's was pure joy. Noname's first TDC was mindbending in her vulnerability.
I think the Soul Glo video hits on Josh's idea of capturing a moment in time. Soul Glo is a hardcore punk band that relies on raw, unrestrained energy. About halfway through, Pierce Jordan, the lead singer, sort of forgets there are microphones and cameras and climbs on the desk to sing directly to the gathered crowd. On a technical level, it's a disaster; he's nearly inaudible on the last two songs while the production crew desperately tries move the mic to compensate. But at an emotional level, it captures the band's energy so well and it's still great to watch. The crowd almost starts moshing in the small space, and the crowd chanting "who gonna beat my ass" in the final louder than the singer probably hits the vibe better than a "perfect" recording.
This is the most validating video I’ve ever watched, love hearing another sound junkie, arguably THE sound junkie, break down these performances I’ve gushed over for years. Your videos inspire me consistently!
I think Chappell Roan's Tiny Desk Concert might go down in history as an important one because it was right after that performance that she really started blowing up.
I'm so glad I stumbled on this video, so well done and so informative. I didn't really know much about Tiny Desk Concerts until 2014 when I saw Suzanne Vega's TDC. I've always loved artists material stripped back, the subtle details, the occasional rawness but most of all a small audience usually brings out the best in an artist. Nice work.
8:56 is I think the best "elevator pitch" summary of what Tiny Desk is. It's not just a small performance recording; it's a "capturing of a moment in time" where the goal isn't to simply record a performance, but to capture a representation of that artist.
I love Tiny Desk, Idles is one of my favourites. I never really thought about the mixing side and how much of a headache it must be for the engineers, but goddamn, you’re right. Will pay more attention to it now, thank you!
So glad they mentioned Anderson Paak when talking about those 3 important Tiny Desk concerts. That performance was what really made me an Anderson Paak fan and lead me to understanding what a musically gifted individual he is.
This video was very well done. Extremely intriguing view behind the scenes. Loved learning about the focus and purpose around mixing. Refreshing to hear the end goal was not to get it perfect, but to capture a moment in time that captivates the ear’s of the audience in an journalisticly intimate way.
it's so interesting hearing josh mention the vocal/drum balance in the anderson .paak tiny desk -- i honestly think one of the reasons it was so successful is because of the incredible upfront clarity of the drums, making it feel almost like a live album and driving home the hip-hop/soul lineage of the music
For the spanish speakers, C. Tangana's Tiny Desk Home Concert is up there with the bests. The whole setting, recreating a spanish sobremesa, just wow. If you haven't heard it, just go, thank me later. It is AMAAZING
This kept popping up in my recommended so I finally caved to the algorithm. I always tell people about a few Tiny Desk performances in particular when they are new to the series and that's Mac, TPain, Paak, and Juve. When you talked about three of those four I got chills again and now I'm going to go watch and appreciate them all like many times before. I respect your work here, thanks for sharing!
I am stunned that he struggled or was concerned about the first AP concert. It being #1 for many years does not surprise me, I am sure I, like many others, contributed heavily to that view count.
this is truly an amazing insight, thanks so much for this, josh rocks! also might be a bit too soon to say, but i honestly believe doechii's tiny desk concert is among the greatest, it was such a well thought out performance and musicianship
I really love the Tiny Desks that feature smaller/indie artists from around the world. Sure, it's cool seeing big stars do their thing in a different setting than the one we're used to seeing them perform in, but I've discovered so many amazing and cool artists though Tiny Desk that I would otherwise have zero to no exposure to otherwise. Two of my all time faves are the Tank and the Bangas one, and SsingSsing.
I love casting them to my TV which is connected to a good two chanel sund system. It feels like the concert is happening in my living room. My favorite concert was Tash Sultana.
Hey everyone! One minor update - in the week since this video released, Josh has also launched his own Patreon! If you're at all interested in his future projects like Global Sound Concerts and Ghost Light Concerts, definitely consider supporting him. Link's in the description. Thanks for watching!!!
Just had to let you know that Mackie is NOT know for their speakers. They are known for their mixers, of which I've had two. They are rather excellent! Great video BTW, I enjoyed the Tiny Desk coverage. PS- I am an audiophile to the max.
I'm stunned that it's an actually decently regarded company with real, extant products sponsoring a youtube video, rather than VC funded slop services. Outstanding!
Thanks for all the love folks ❤ and please subscribe @globalsoundconcerts to see what’s next!
Thanks everyone 🙏
One minor detail that probably goes unnoticed for most Tiny Desk Concert viewers is the video descriptions. They often contain interesting anecdotes about the artist or the concert itself or, indeed, the audio engineering that makes them sound so good. It's just a small detail but I appreciate it nonetheless, and it adds to the journalistic approach to live music that was mentioned in the video as well.
They are the best part for me!!!
How has it been around for 15 years?? Im 37 and only discovered it a year ago.
I use it as an example to show what good writing really is.
This is so true. It's underrated how it transformed the standard for live music journalism
@@thatdamnwoman lol, I'm 43 and have been watching/listening from the beginning but it still feels like I just discovered it a year ago.
tiny desk is the new MTV unplugged
It's even better
It’s almost like an MTV unplugged 2.0… wait…
I've been saying this for years. And in that respect, Mac Miller's TDC is basically his Nirvana Unplugged.
Indeed
OMG you're right!!!
The biggest proof of Josh’s professionalism is in fact the sound of his voice during this zoom interview. Magnificent.
I swear I noticed that but couldnt put it into words. Yeah, sounds insane.
Thought I was the only one that noticed. Dude sounded like butta.
I was just looking for this comment! His voice is so crisp!! Love it
Tiny Box
What? There's a shit ton of sibilance.. very annoying
1:49 "recordings of voodoo rituals and festivals from Togo and Benin, in West Africa" is probably the most NPR subject I've ever heard
Smithsonian: 👁️👁️
👄
Yeah, I agree because of the deep racism implied. Terrible!
@@Randomjackass135 Nat Geo: 👁🫦👁
@@kronik907 Smithsonian actually had a record label that released tribal music, spiritual music, and folk tales. To my knowledge Nat Geo was just a print magazine. So my comment had a point.
I've loved it since i was a kid
Also shoutout to KEXP in Seattle for producing amazing recordings as well. NPR Tiny Desk and KEXP sessions single-handedly turned me on to modern music and artists
Was looking for this comment. They are the only other sets that rival Tiny desk in production. But they often have smaller musicians on than NPR. Most of my favourite artists I have found through KEXP sets.
You can really tell KEXP got insane engineers and producers the way they made king gizz performances
Yeah, love KEXP! Auditotree and The Current are very good too. Admittedly The Current is local to me so there is bias there, especially since I can see performances from local faves because it's local.
@@noonmoom9615 Gizz actually mostly handle their own sound, Stu does all the mixing. But almost every other session is done by the KEXP in house people and they're equally as amazing.
@@isaiahnunez7319 same here kexp live and colors
I love that tiny desk concerts shows these artists as musicians, and not performers. You can see they love music, and enjoy making live music, with the band and the small crowd. It almost feels like you're watching a rehearsal. To me, the breaks where they speak to the crowd and drop the "performing" look is what makes TDC so great.
But also, the performances gotta be great because the tone is so raw. There are amazing performances on there. They don't have all the gloss of most recordings to lean on, but that's what's great. You really gotta be on your game to sound good.
@@dreaminginnoother yes!
One that I think demonstrates that well is Tyler, the Creator, the way they adlib some of the songs, the way they stretch 3 songs into an entire 20 minute performance, when Tyler himself messes up on the piano and makes an annoyed sound at himself and continues going, Tyler directing the band with what he wants to do live, it just feels so ad-hoc and real
Josh actually came to my college and gave an hour long talk that was essentially this video streched to an hour, and he even showed his DAW files for the mac miller and .paak concerts
Real cool guy
Dang, was the talk recorded? That sounds like quality education.
What's his DAW of choice? (just outa curiosity)
Bumping for both of those questions lol
@@CatFish107 wasnt, and I believe it was to his request because he showed us some stuff (like the mac miller and paak daws) and told us beforehand "please dont record this"
@@ablmedia3721 FL Studio
Andy Paak's TDC was a transcendent musical performance. It single-handedly raised the bar for how live performances ought to be captured and enjoyed. I have never felt more captivated and engaged in a virtual recording once I heard that. It's seriously the closest thing to the live feel of being in an audience
Couldn't agree more. One of the most exciting recordings I've ever heard. I want an album of it.
The rhythm section (and the way it's captured of course!), it's just mind blowingly good, it's infectious. I _love_ his drumming on that session
i think what helped with that feeling was paaks loose approach to it. it really felt like seeing a gig where the people performing are just going with the flow and dont have it all planned out, but do have the skills to back up whatever they decide to do
yeah it made a fan out of me. He's having such a good time, and that carries through to his more recent work with silk sonic
I love the way they "Mic The Snare" in particular Tiny Desks
I read that in several voices, some of them rather creepy and frightning...
Need the snare from St. Anger on tiny desk.
the caroline polachek is one of my favourite tiny desks, her vocals in the acoustic setting are immaculate! also the mistki tiny desk concert where she screams the "class of 2013" chorus into the guitar is just a spiritual moment to me
Same
YES! Caroline Polachek's Tiny Desk concert remains my favorite by far to this day, i keep coming back to it
A friend showed me her tiny desk, now I'm hooked on her music
She's one of those people who really embraces the whole "your voice is your instrument" aspect of being a vocalist. She's honed her instrument so that all she needs is a space to play and it will sound good. I think a lot of people out there have probably heard her flipping techniques and still don't believe it's not an effect. She brings the autotune with her - she must be hiding it in her voicebox.
This is mine, along with Willow's
The way the video was titled, I thought Michael Snarington was implying that NPR Tiny Desk concerts have gotten worse and that we miss the old ones. Glad to know they're still considered just as great!
I read it the same way!
Same! 😂
Awful clickbait title
@@Myacckt Pretty obvious it wasn't on purpose.
I know! Great video ruined by a painfully clickbaity title.
I love how every artist seems to genuinely feel relaxed in a Tiny Desk concert~ Like they're there to have fun with their friends. It's intimate, but energetic.
So many great performances but one of my favorites is the Sesame Street concert. As a 60 year old I was part of the first generation to benefit from the program. It was such a joy to sing along with the friends and songs that give me such fond childhood memories.
NPR Tiny Desk is a perfect example of two fundamental sound rules: capturing the sound within the room AND capturing the performance. I have worked with so many engineers straight out of college looking to perfectly isolate every instrument and build the sound from there; only for the mix to sound completely stale. I have also worked with industry engineers that are afraid to tell the performer how their performance is affecting the environment: If a drummer is playing too loud, you HAVE to tell them; no amount of mixing or recording technique will make it sound ideal. Josh is more than willing to communicate with the performer in how to give the best performance for both of them. A performer that is comfortable and aware of how they sound will perform best. Josh's work should be a case study for all sound engineer courses on how to capture a performance.
Thinking about these small intimate performances as a form of journalism is fascinating, I'm going to be chewing on that one.
Besides the T-Pain one, I LOVE the Hadestown Tiny Desk Concert. I think it really gets the energy of the show even in its most basic, boiled down state.
Also, I have literally directed people to Chappell Roan’s Tiny Desk Concert when people tell me they don’t “get” her. It was my first exposure to her and it was literally one of the best first impressions I have ever gotten from an artist.
Tyler the Creator's Tiny Desk was brilliant. Taylor Swift's was great in showcasing her range(this was during her Lover era before she went folk).
LOVE Hadestown Tiny Desk. The Broadway ones are often hit or miss for me but the Hadestown performance is basically perfect
@@sarahgilmour7699 agreed!!
The hadestown one was so so beautiful to watch!
@@sarahgilmour7699 i think another great broadway one is little shops!
“The way it’s recorded is a form of journalism,”
Sums it up nicely.
Great video.
As a live sound mix engineer myself I can really appreciate the idea that it's not about the perfect mix but rather capturing the "lightning in a bottle"....those magic moments of live art.
Love it!
I will be forever impressed by anyone recording drums/vocals at the same time in the same space. Drums are so loud and vocals are so quiet.
They have software now that does it pretty easily. It is called "gate"ing But yeah. I agree it is cool.
here after the crazy frog tiny desk announcement
Unfortunately I looked this up
real???
@@huskylluvr hes going on hot ones next week!
I'm sorry what
@@ianthehimbo yes it's real just trust me it's real
Can’t give a higher compliment to the audio engineers than to say that I often listen to artists on Tiny Desk in preference to their own albums. Genius!
Josh has the most NPR voice to ever voice NPR
Audio engineering superhero. I'm thnakful that you guys featured this!
I really appreciate these types of videos where you shine a light on people who don't often get their flowers, this was really interesting and informative!
I love Tiny Desk concerts because they've gotten me into so many bands
Real. They've become such a key way for me to 'find' new-to-me artists across all kinds of genres.
Very cool to hear just a Tiny bit about how much work goes into the sound and meet the brains behind it. Had no idea!
One tiny desk that will always be special to me is the one of Tank and the Bangas. The magic, the chemistry they create. The musical journey. Feels like an hour and it's just some minutes. Absolutely stunning
Yeah totally my favorite, not just the sound but the overall performance. Not my normal jam either but yeah magical!
Agreed!!!! That one sticks with me too.
I have to point out the moment in the Mac Miller tiny desk where the keyboard player shakes his head in pure disbelief of Thundercat's bass fill. 9:40 lol
Wasn't that at 6:27 ? 9:40 shows laufey for me
of the Mac tiny desk not this video!
ahhh i gotchuu ty for the elaboration
One amazing thing about the Tiny Desk is them bringing not only English speaking artists but all around the world. It makes me feel reaaaal proud whenever I see someone from Latin America there. Even if I don’t listen to that artists music, I’m happy that we have so much to share and NPR being a great outlet for it.
shoutout tinydesk for lowkey reinventing my music taste in the span of a few months. Not even from watching them and finding new artists but literally because i watched the Kenny Beats one and the Freddie Gibbs x Madlib one and noticed they both had the same bass player (Shoutout Nick Movshon) which introduced me to El Michels Affair which got me into Black Thought which got me into Danger Mouse and not 2 months later im wearing a Cheat Codes hoodie typing fanatically in a mic the snare comment section about new york soul groups
Brother that's your excellent taste! All of those Tiny Desks are absolutely bangers though, the Scarface one from last year is also a milestone in soulful live band hip-hop
Small criticism that’ll probably get buried at this point: I really wish all the clips had artist names! Great video nonetheless.
Most of the clips are from the most popular episodes there.
I was showed Tiny Desk Concerts while smoking weed in the sunroom of the environmental house on my college's campus during my freshman year. It was 2013 and I listened to Chris Thile and Michael Davies perform records off of "Sleep With One Eye Open" - I wasn't a fan of bluegrass/folk/country at the time, I was mostly only listening to hip hop like Chance, Kendrick, Meek Mill, J. Cole. I was instantly hooked on the 6 song set. I downloaded the audio and put it on my phone. I went on to discover Thao Nguyen, Avett Brothers, Yo-Yo Ma, Chvrches, Tallest Man on Earth, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Phoenix, Esperanza Spalding -- All of which were subsequently downloaded and played on repeat.
I now make it a point to listen to every Tiny Desk Concert that comes out - recently I've noticed just how many artists talk about how much they love to watch them, and how it has become a dream to perform behind Bob's desk. I've watched the trinkets stack up on the shelves behind the artists. I've watched the venue become a career landmark. I now own the Mac Miller Tiny Desk Concert vinyl pressing. Tiny Desk Concerts are absolutely invaluable, imagine if we had a tiny desk concert recording of Frank Sinatra or Louis Armstrong and could hear them candidly laugh with the crowd and share a story about the writing behind a certain song.
Thank you for shining a spotlight on Josh!@ A truly talented individual, and this quick commentary on Tiny Desk Concert was an enjoyable watch!
Still obsessed with Lianne La Havas’ session
I thought I was going to click off this pretty quick but your telling of the story is very compelling and the edit of the interview really puts it together. Well done.
I discovered Anderson Paak and Tank and Bangas from NPR. And went to Paak's concert. NPR is like music education, or a catalogue for you to find your type of musics.
The MUNA tiny desk concert is my absolute favourite, not just because they're my favourite artist, but also because they adjusted the versions of the songs they played for the set. The comments particularly praise the mixing of it - you can hear all the harmonies, even Jo's, which doesn't usually come through on other mixes. I love it. The Tiny Desk version of Stayaway can still make me cry.
Love that one too
Seeing Nile Rogers+Chic in a more intimate setting was a revelation. The energy, the tightness, the talent of each member of the band, and the fact that they were all visibly having a great time performing, made it one of my favorites.
This has to be one of the best TH-cam videos I've seen in a while. It's informative, entertaining, to the point, motivating. You ticked all the boxes. Excellent work.
The thing I love most about Tiny Desk is that it doesn't matter who you are, you're all in this really low-fi (looking) space and on the same level. Global Popstars like Taylor Swift and Harry Styles are in the same space as the most niche band you've never heard of. It brings everyone down to the same level and highlights the thing that matters - their talent.
Tiny Desk is how i fell in love with Chappell Roan. I had been hearing about her for over a year but had never gotten around to listening to her music until i saw her Tiny Desk Concert & i decided to finally dive in
One of my faves is the Stromae one.
Especially the juxtaposition of the opening song being filled with synths and finishing the set with a totally acapella track.
Guys my dad works at Mic the Snare. He doesn’t want you to know this but the next Deep Discog Dive is on Nav 🐐
Finally He’s covering real music
Clipping's tiny desk concert with miniature instruments/mics was exactly what I needed during covid lockdown
I still listen to that one almost every day. The show into nothing is safe is so good
Chappell Roan's Tiny Desk got me into her earlier this year. I'd heard Pink Pony Club in 2023, but somehow missed her album drop that September. The Tiny Desk inspired me to go listen to the whole album, and now she's my top artist this year. Thanks NPR!
Man that Fred again tiny desk makes me cry so much. The way he performs is so personal and the tiny desk environment was perfect for making him think outside the box. Legendary performance imo
💯
Fred Again is my favorite tiny desk. I watched it with very low expectations and it blew my mind. Dude is a genius.
Tyler is my favorite. The way he works with his band is just so cool. Hope he makes an album with them in the future tbh
Love to hear from Josh, you can tell music, location, and culture are his passions, and I'm glad he's getting to go global with his inspirations
You should take a look at C Tangana's tiny desk. It was during the COVID pandemic so it was filmed at another location (I guess it was his house). But it is like listening to a baroque painting, the lightning, the sounds, and the whole environment is so good, that makes you want to go inside the video and just hang out with them. It is based on a traditional Spanish custom called Sobremesa, which is a time after a meal where you stay at the table and spend time talking, playing music, and basically enjoying the small moments
I love this one the sound is so huge and warm
Glad Thundercat got a mention! His solo Tiny Desk is also legendary.
Say it with me: "I didn't know that T-Pain could siiiiiiing!"
exactly cause like. it's not his fault y'all weren't paying attention lmao
Nah I did know, no one can sound that great with autotune without being able to sing
Do yourself a favor and seek out his latest album. It’s all covers. Check out his rendition of Black Sabbath’s “Warpigs”, but tape your socks on first cause he’s gonna have a go at knocking them off.
@@markraich2076Came here to say this, brilliantly put
Check out the TH-cam live performance by T-Pain - On Top Of the Covers (Live from the Sun Rose.) includes his version of Black Sabbath’s War Pigs, The Guess Who’s American Woman, and more.
making multiple instances of a mic and EQ'ing them differently is such a cool trick.
It's actually unnecessary but conceptually it probably makes it easier and quicker to get the results you need.
Wow! Audio engineering explains so much. Tiny Desk has been my biggest introduction to new artists as an adult. Often times, I prefer the Tiny Desk performances over the recordings for sale. I even saw the Max Miller video when it came out and was captivated.
I remember stumbling across Tank and The Bangas Tiny Desk Concert and getting blown away. The way Josh captures and mixes sounds to create the perfect intimate context is so incredible
and they are nominated for a grammy this year
That was my first Tiny Desk as well. No idea what I was watching but it was just so captivating. They deserve to be way bigger.
@@pablomedinah that's fantastic! I had no idea so this has made my day 😁
100% listened to them a lot though while nothing I saw after was as good as that performance, it was still great.
Agreed!! That one really sticks with me.
There are a lot of incredible tiny desk concerts but one of my favourites is Sampha's in 2017. Hearing him perform with just his voice and his piano and the way his songs are stripped down is just so intimate and breathtaking. The audio and sound mixing is so well done and it all sounds so rich and raw in the best way possible.
Tiny desk and Triple J are doing a great job of brining live music to youtube. Triple J is less stripped down, but still pretty raw. Love seeing artists perform live in these contexts.
My #1 Tiny Desk concert has to be Juvenile. At first he had no idea what the hell it was, but after some convincing and logistics, dude delivered an absolutely amazing set alongside Mannie Fresh. The Tiny Desk version of "Rodeo" with The Amours is absolutely amazing.
This changed my perspective of Tiny Desk Concerts. I knew there's a lot of work to make that audio work but to specifically see it this way is really insightful.
3:56 HIS FINAL FORM
Lmao 😭😭😭
“Capturing a moment in time to share our collective human experience” 🙌🏼
Big fan of the Lizzy McAlpine tiny desk. Her immaculate vocals combined with Tiny Habits intricate harmonies is just sublime
One of my favourites too - beautiful vocal harmonies
My favorite tiny desk is definitely Tank and the Bangas, what an amazing time 🔥
I never really thought about just how immaculate the audio is in Tiny Desk concerts. NMIXX's Tiny Desk is probably my favorite.
Josh Rogosin: I'm Gosh, an audio enthusiast, producer, capturing music from all over the world to tell people's stories through sound ✨
The global Tiny Desk concerts remind me of Blogothèque's Take Away Shows from about 15 years ago. They did some absolutely beautiful location recordings with artists just wandering around Paris while they performed.
Been reading comments hoping someone else thought of a take away shows
In 2019 I went to a Vince Staples concert and after he walked off they played the video of mac’s tiny desk behind the stage. It went from a party to an emotion fest SO quick. Everyone in that venue singing along and crying.
The two I think about the most is Tyler the Creator’s concert (and how exposed he was at this pivotal time) and Daniel Johnston’s performance (there’s something MAGICAL about seeing him)
Extreme props to you getting this interview, btw. Phenomenal insight from the man who started it all.
Bro is a master of his craft, and has brought me countless hrs of joy with his work. Thank you sir
This is soooo fascinating! Tiny Desk truly is so magical - every one I've watched sounds like velvet and everyone involved deserves to be so proud. Heck, last year's Wicked Tiny Desk even inspired me to fly from Chicago to NYC just to see the show! But thankfully we don't all have to go that far for good music, as it really is all around us. Thanks for giving me yet another reason to appreciate music and humanity 😊 hope you're doing well!
love the wicked tiny desk. that makes me so happy.
Love tiny desk concerts! I always learn about new artists and they always are mixed so well
This is magnificent. This man is a national hero and will go down as a massive contributor to music over his decade+ of service. Thank you for your service.
This is the beauty of TH-cam. Independent creators creating. I've always loved Tiny Desks for theur magnificent sound mixing and variety of music. Wu Tang, Cranberries, Portuguese Guitar. Without a doubt one of the most ecletic venues on the planet!!! AND this glimpse into the BTS is magical and eye opening. Chefe kiss!
It would've been interesting to hear about how they tackled the tiny desk home series. Considering they wouldn't have had the same acoustic environment they were used to and not being able to direct the bands like he did with Nile Rodgers.
Follow up video?
I believe they left it up to the artists. From a few that come to mind: Cory Henry, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Jacob Collier, all these people did completely different setups and each one worked amazingly.
Hey prior to TinyDesk, I always love a little acoustic jam, and as a musician it was one of the way you would compose/create song. Usually when it sounded good as an acoustic it will translate well in the studio with electric as well. One of the channel that I like or started this was WatchListen&Tell. It feels raw and intimate just as Josh said it, there's an element where although slightly unpolish it felt genuine and natural. That's why one of the way to best enjoy music is going to a LIVE show, and depending on the venue it creates different feels and atmosphere and provided difference experience.
I've watched a lot of them and I knew they sounded great, but I wouldn't have thought THAT much work of the kind he describes goes into it. Thanks for spotlighting him.
Thanks for creating/sharing this!!!!!!! I’ve been wondering about the tech people & behind the scenes of the Tiny Desk series for quite a while.
The first one I watched and pushed me into the world of Tiny Desk was Maddison Cunningham’s performance. Amazing opener
2:41 So glad he goes this! Makes the specialness of live performances much more elevated when you highlight different parts like this.
I love the The Mountain Goats one. The fact that its only 7 pixels makes it more on brand.
Meshell Ndegeocello's TDC was a transformative, religious experience. The Roots was very urgent and on point. Gogo Penguin showed musicianship out of this world. Anderson.Paak's was pure joy. Noname's first TDC was mindbending in her vulnerability.
I think the Soul Glo video hits on Josh's idea of capturing a moment in time. Soul Glo is a hardcore punk band that relies on raw, unrestrained energy. About halfway through, Pierce Jordan, the lead singer, sort of forgets there are microphones and cameras and climbs on the desk to sing directly to the gathered crowd. On a technical level, it's a disaster; he's nearly inaudible on the last two songs while the production crew desperately tries move the mic to compensate. But at an emotional level, it captures the band's energy so well and it's still great to watch. The crowd almost starts moshing in the small space, and the crowd chanting "who gonna beat my ass" in the final louder than the singer probably hits the vibe better than a "perfect" recording.
This is the most validating video I’ve ever watched, love hearing another sound junkie, arguably THE sound junkie, break down these performances I’ve gushed over for years. Your videos inspire me consistently!
I think Chappell Roan's Tiny Desk Concert might go down in history as an important one because it was right after that performance that she really started blowing up.
I'm so glad I stumbled on this video, so well done and so informative. I didn't really know much about Tiny Desk Concerts until 2014 when I saw Suzanne Vega's TDC. I've always loved artists material stripped back, the subtle details, the occasional rawness but most of all a small audience usually brings out the best in an artist. Nice work.
This just makes me appreciate Tiny Desk even more
8:56 is I think the best "elevator pitch" summary of what Tiny Desk is. It's not just a small performance recording; it's a "capturing of a moment in time" where the goal isn't to simply record a performance, but to capture a representation of that artist.
Mac Miller’s Tiny Desk performance will always be my favorite recorded performance🩶
Same here amazing last performance him
Every time I think about him it hurts my heart 💔
I've watched it so many times now! Most dope, 92 til infinity ❤️
So many great Tiny Desk shows. Some of my favorite performances. Love that channel.
I love Tiny Desk, Idles is one of my favourites. I never really thought about the mixing side and how much of a headache it must be for the engineers, but goddamn, you’re right. Will pay more attention to it now, thank you!
love the idles tdc
Snapshot in time yes! That's so real. You look at Samphas first performance and then look at the secont one. Two completely different persons.
0:40 is that a shofar? shofar sho good!
So glad they mentioned Anderson Paak when talking about those 3 important Tiny Desk concerts. That performance was what really made me an Anderson Paak fan and lead me to understanding what a musically gifted individual he is.
Seeing Bob Boilin without a beard feels like I've glimpsed into a star trek style mirror universe lmao.
This video was very well done. Extremely intriguing view behind the scenes. Loved learning about the focus and purpose around mixing. Refreshing to hear the end goal was not to get it perfect, but to capture a moment in time that captivates the ear’s of the audience in an journalisticly intimate way.
it's so interesting hearing josh mention the vocal/drum balance in the anderson .paak tiny desk -- i honestly think one of the reasons it was so successful is because of the incredible upfront clarity of the drums, making it feel almost like a live album and driving home the hip-hop/soul lineage of the music
For the spanish speakers, C. Tangana's Tiny Desk Home Concert is up there with the bests. The whole setting, recreating a spanish sobremesa, just wow. If you haven't heard it, just go, thank me later. It is AMAAZING
This kept popping up in my recommended so I finally caved to the algorithm. I always tell people about a few Tiny Desk performances in particular when they are new to the series and that's Mac, TPain, Paak, and Juve. When you talked about three of those four I got chills again and now I'm going to go watch and appreciate them all like many times before. I respect your work here, thanks for sharing!
I am stunned that he struggled or was concerned about the first AP concert. It being #1 for many years does not surprise me, I am sure I, like many others, contributed heavily to that view count.
this is truly an amazing insight, thanks so much for this, josh rocks!
also might be a bit too soon to say, but i honestly believe doechii's tiny desk concert is among the greatest, it was such a well thought out performance and musicianship
I really love the Tiny Desks that feature smaller/indie artists from around the world. Sure, it's cool seeing big stars do their thing in a different setting than the one we're used to seeing them perform in, but I've discovered so many amazing and cool artists though Tiny Desk that I would otherwise have zero to no exposure to otherwise.
Two of my all time faves are the Tank and the Bangas one, and SsingSsing.
I love casting them to my TV which is connected to a good two chanel sund system. It feels like the concert is happening in my living room. My favorite concert was Tash Sultana.