I’m getting my brush wet, loading it off the soap bar, then mixing and adding a few drops of water. I’m not getting much foam to shave with compared to what I see on YouTube.....is it my soap, technique

I keep the bar separate and load some on my brush....should I just have a big chunk in my mug that I work with .....like a month supply size?

It can be a number of things. Soap doesn't all lather equally. Are you using a puck? If so, drop it in a mug and let it soak for a few minutes along with the brush. Then spend at least a few minutes loading. It could also be too much water.... Lather face well. Don't just apply.

Don't use youtube as a base. Most of those are way over the top. JMHO

Without knowing the specifics I'm not sure what exactly is going on. It could be you don't have enough soap or more likely you need to add more water or even you might not be working long enough to build the lather up. I'm really don't know. I do know that if you try to build the lather on top of the puck you will continue to load the brush as you try to make the lather which will make it a pasty consistency so it would be better if you didn't do that (that would be alright if you want to build the lather on your face, a.k.a. face lather but if that's the case why not skip the mug altogether).

What soap are you using?

How long are you loading the brush for? It is dependent on the soap and if you bloom it or not but I usually load for about 25 seconds.

It sounds as if you are trying to bowl lather, is this what you are trying to do?

How much time do you take to build your lather? Some soaps do take more work than others but I don't think you can ruin lather by overworking it.

What is the consistency of your lather (e.g. watery, pasty, whipped cream, yogurt)?

What size are the bubbles in your lather? They should start off getting big bubble which as you work the lather will get smaller as the lather thickens and stiffens.

Here's a couple of YouTube tutorials on bowl lather. I know you mentioned watching some already but I thought I'd throw them in just in case someone else had the same problem.

I’m using this....link

My method:
Put brush in mug with hot water. Then empty mug and squeeze brush.

I load my brush off the puck stuck in the bottom of a plastic bowl for maybe 20-30 sec.

I usually load twice and wipe in my ceramic mug....warmed.

Then I lather by adding a few drops of water and whipping it into a lather.....

The lather ends up with big bubbles and is too wet and thin. I have tried building it for several minutes without change.

I may just try building the lather on the puck!

I’m gonna watch some videos and try again.

Nah, build on the puck. It will be much easier to get the lather you want. Big bubbles mean not enough soap, too much water, not lathering long enough or any combination thereof. Probably more options as well.

Don't forget to let the puck soak too.

eta, are you using a boar or badger brush? Please don't tell me it's 'synthetic'. It makes a difference.

I could be wrong but with it being wet and thin with big bubbles it sounds like you need more soap/less water which is surprising because your using a glycerine soap which tend to load easier than milled soaps and it sounds like your taking plenty of time to load. It doesn't sound like your adding that much water but maybe the soap your using doesn't need much.

I would try loading longer (until the brush is frothy) but don't squeeze the water out of the brush just flick most of the water out. You need some water in the brush to help to load it. Start building the lather after you finish loading the brush. Don't add any more water to start with. Watch the consistency and the bubbles. If the consistency is to pasty it might need water (add water a drop or two at a time). If it is to wet try going back and load more soap. If it start forming bubbles, your almost there, keep working it until the bubble get smaller and the lather turns thick and creamy.

Water hardness plays a roll also. Some soaps don’t do well with hard water. Barrister and Mann makes some very good soaps that lather well in just about any water.

Very true. My water isn't hard but I'm told one of my favorites (Mitchell's Wool Fat) is pretty good.

I love MWF but I have to work it a little bit longer than any other soap I've tried to get a really good lather but the results are well worth it, a nice rich whipped cream like lather that's slick and cushiony  and leaves my face feeling good afterwards.

Don’t have an issue with hard water that we know of....

So, I’m thinking about trying another soap:

Taylor’s of old bond link

Barrister & Mann - link

Men’s soap company - link

Just get them all. You know you will sooner or later. Better clear a shelf and warn the wife though.

is bar soap 'better' than creme?  I use the Taylor of Old Bond Street creme and have no problem getting decent lather.  I lather on my face rather than whipping up a bowl full of lather.

Here are a couple more for you to consider.

TOBS Sandalwood Shaving Cream $11.07 + free shippinghttps://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-of-Old-Bond-Street-Sandalwood-Shaving-Cream-Bowl-5-3-Ounce/372624081986?epid=11027047276&hash=item56c2204442:g:cwAAAOSwTfBchYqP
As mentioned above super easy to get to lather but their are better products out their.

D R Harris Arlington Shaving Soap in a Beech Bowl $6.99 third party fulfillment by Amazon

This is a steal at this price. The lather it produces has a whipped cream consistency, it takes a little more work than Barrister & Mann soap you have listed above but I prefer the lather (the B&M soap I'm comparing it to is an older formulation). D R Harris is one of my favorites, if not my favorite soap.

I actually am getting better lather today off my current puck. I need more practice I guess.

Still, I would say my current puck is harder to use than the Taylor’s of old bond Creme I used to use. Maybe it has a narrow water band before breaking lather. It is also pretty dry after shaving. Maybe my hot washcloth after causes this too.

Shaving soap

Fix it. I build a little lather in the bowl to load the brush, then rub on face....add water by dipping the very brush tip and working it into my face.

Makes a nice adjustable wetness lather.

The real key though was switching to this soap.

FWIW, Mens Soap, the company that makes that soap, has a good video on their website under resources

https://www.menssoap.com/pages/how-to-lather-shaving-soap