Question whether Dale was just bored and wanted someone to talk to. Sounds like solid advice but Ive been grinding the same way for years and my fingers are still attached. Maybe you just needed a break from the monotony more than a new technique.

Ugh, that 6dB thing is so real it hurts. I had the same flip with a bass track once, I kept cutting it to "make room" for the kick and it just sounded like this hollow, limp noodle of a song. Then I cranked it like 4dB and suddenly the whole bottom end had this weight that made the drums hit harder without even touching them. It's funny how we treat levels like they're some kind of math problem when really it's just, like, what does the song need to breathe. Once you hear the vocal sitting on top instead of hiding in the weeds, you can't unhear it. That friend of yours is a keeper, that's a lesson that sticks.

Question whether this is actually a big deal. I mean, you caught it in 30 seconds, right? Sure it's annoying, but that's what a quick skim is for. Like, I've sent way worse emails fully sober and human, so honestly a funny typo from a robot is kind of a win.