A Gentle Shelf with Andrew Scheps (Adele, U2, Hozier)
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton (Scoobert Doobert)
Guest: Andrew Scheps
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Topics discussed
Host note
This is one of the deepest craft conversations on the show: Scheps connects trumpet-ensemble articulation (where notes *release*) to mix transitions, argues you should mix for feel rather than a pre-baked sonic picture, and walks through how parallel compression kept Adele’s delivery personal on delicate lines.
We also get rare detail on his England move, why assistant paths still matter (differently), immersive mixes as label deliverables vs. creative priority, and a clear-eyed AI segment: spectral separation tools that save impossible sessions, vs. the “pretty good” middle that may hollow out creative work.
Selected moments
- Every song lives in a world 0:00 Opens with Scheps’s frame for mixes as places the listener inhabits, not just L/R balance.
- Mix for feel, not a pre-decided sound 8:04 Source material dictates sonics; transitions between sections carry the emotion.
- Prep checklist while listening to the rough 10:23 How he decides what must feel bigger vs. what already works in the rough mix.
- Gentle shelf vs. Aphex-style top end 42:20 On dense mixes, synthesized air can read louder than a subtle EQ shelf.
- Adele, parallel compression only on vocals 53:00 Five EQs, no mix-bus processing; intimacy preserved on quiet lines.
- Where AI helps (and where it doesn’t) 83:40 Spectral separation on Low Roar vs. inference engines that can’t make leaps.
Selected excerpts
You shouldn't have a vision of how you want it to sound because that doesn't make any sense — the source material you've got is going to dictate how it sounds. You've got to be going after how you want it to feel.
For me, the first stage of mixing is I'm prepping a session and while I'm doing it, I listen to the rough mix… the checklist is how I want stuff to feel.
On a dense mix, you're going to hear that top end a lot more than you're going to hear a gentle shelf.
There is zero compression on her voice — there is only parallel compression… when she's singing delicately, if you start getting rid of the nuance, then you disconnect.
Why do you love music? Because there is nothing else that can make me feel the way music does — raw emotions in a safe space.
FAQ
What does Andrew Scheps say about mixing on Love Music More?
He argues mixes should target emotional feel and section transitions rather than a fixed sonic template, uses prep-and-rough-mix listening as a checklist, and discusses parallel compression, immersive audio, plugins, mastering, and practical AI tools like spectral separation.
Does Andrew Scheps discuss AI on this episode?
Yes, he separates helpful AI-adjacent audio tools (spectral separation, smart processors) from AI music generation and 'pretty good' middle-tier creative work, and discusses inference limits vs. human leaps.
Curated notes only — no public transcript. Listen on the links above.