Analyzing the art of mixing

Music mixing is an in-depth and elaborate subject. There are many aspects you need to keep in mind when putting together a mix, from levels and panning to automation and feel.

There are many different styles of mixing out there and many different types of genres within those styles. Whether you are a rock fanatic who likes his guitars to go crazy in a mix or a hip-hop mixer that likes his rhythms to be tight and punchy, I hope that the information and articles below will be of help to you.

For me, mixing a song is incredibly enjoyable and something I can do for hours on end, or until my ears stop working.

I can tweak and experiment with different EQ's, compression, and effects until I hopefully hear on my monitors what I hear in my head.

Mixing

After recording all your tracks, I hope that you’ll have as much fun tweaking your mix as I do.

Rough mixing

The first order of business is usually getting a rough level of all the instruments in a track. This involves trying to level things so every element can be heard clearly without empowering other instruments or letting them jump out too abrasively.

This is done by simple fader riding and panning. For general articles on mixing (my thoughts and suggestions), check out the articles below:

Equalizing

Doing it in steps, I usually listen to what needs to be equalized next. Equalization is a very broad subject and everybody seems to have their own take on what they think sounds good.

Every opinion is valuable because if it sounds good to them, who am I to judge? I have put together some basic equalizing tips that you can read through and keep as guidelines whenever you feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of Hertz you have to plow through to get that sound you’re looking for.

Handling dynamics

Your mix is beginning to sound good, but it seems to need a bit more punch. Those drums aren't quite tight enough and those vocals seem to weave in and out of intelligibility.

That's when dynamics come in. The use of compressors and gates are invaluable when it comes to making your mix breathe. Handling the peaks of uncontrollable instruments or locking a tight driving drum sound are just examples of what compressors can do.

Gates do not only come in handy when you need to cut away excess bleed, but they’re also valuable in a creative way. Below I have written out some examples of what you can do with compressors and gates.

From basic compressor settings to creative gating, hopefully you can find something here that will help you get your creative juices running or pull you out of a rut.

Effects

So now your mix is finally up and running. It's been leveled up, panned around, filtered out, pumped up, and just sounds good overall. Now you have to make the mix great and really let it shine. So what's a better way to let your mix shine than with cunning and (sometimes) the subtle use of effects?

Effects such as chorus, flanger, and delay all help to make your mix more dynamic, whether it’s through the heavy use of a chorused guitar or simple vocal delay lines.

The rule of the game is to keep things interesting and although the song may be great, a little touch of subtle effects and post-production always helps.

Reverb

I wanted to put reverb in the effects category but I think it's such a diverse subject that it warranted a place of it's own on this page. Reverb is in everything – whether you like it or not – so careful consideration has to be taken when working with it.

That said, it is very enjoyable to hear otherwise dull elements come to life when you add the correct reverb. So here are some thoughts on the subject of the all-mighty reverb: