Thoughts on Mixing
Recording mixing tips & advice
- Gainstage (quickly) to approx -18db = 0dbfs as a first step - fader levels in mixing will make sense and vintage emulations will work better.
- Aim for unity gain for the entire mix initially. (Where the output level is equal to the input level).
- Quickly set overall volume levels for all tracks initially. Just get it sounding about right, in mono, first. This should be your main primary goal.
- Use VU meters for gain staging (https://www.tbproaudio.de/products/mvmeter2)
- Try automating gain staging (https://www.hornetplugins.com/plugins/hornet-vu-meter-mk4/) create a track template that includes a utility plugin and a VU.
- Work fast with intent. A valid cliché. Experiment later, try to get things sounding appropriate quickly.
- Check against to reference tracks throughout the process. Reference tracks will reset your hearing perception and should be tracks you are very familiar with. (Metric A/B is a good plugin for this https://www.plugin-alliance.com/products/metric-ab).
- Use a spectrogram (spectrum analyser) to check lowest frequencies, compare to the energy levels in your reference track. (https://www.voxengo.com/product/span/) Set the spectrogram to visualise changes slowly.
- Take a short break during mixing; where you are not listening to music. Reset your hearing perception.
- Minimise the amount of processing on most channels. Focus on getting the best sound at source.
- If you have built an overly complex chain of effects on a channel and it still doesn’t sound right. Delete or mute all the plugins and try using a single EQ and perhaps a compressor to start with - don’t chase your tail tweaking.
- Use channel strips for speed and character.
- Save channel settings combinations of plugins as a preset if you use particular combinations frequently (Racks in Ableton live).
- Place a pre amp emulation on every channel. This could be via a vintage style channel strip (e.g. Voosteq N Channel for Neve style https://www.voosteq.com/model-n-channel/ ) or a separate plugin.(e.g. kazrog True Iron https://kazrog.com/products/true-iron/ or similar) Keep it subtle.
- Mix in mono initially.
- EQ after compression most of the time for reasons of simplicity and speed. EQ before compression can lead to needing more EQ afterwards. As ever, it depends on the source material.
- Automate volume rather than relying on (perhaps multiple) compressors. Particularly for vocal tracks.
- Don’t worry about what looks right in EQ; simply what sounds right in the mix.
- Avoid reliance on the visually orientated EQ plugins - EQ with ears not eyes.
- Lean towards cutting rather than boosting in EQ.
- Ask yourself what you want to achieve before applying EQ.
- Does the channel actually need EQ or compression? Leave it alone if it sounds fine.
- If a plugin has auto gain on output make sure it is turned on.
- Many mixing issues can be solved in the arrangement, not in the mix.
- If a plugin has oversampling control, turn it on. (At least for final rendering).
- Avoid EQs that are known to have EQ cramping. (https://youtu.be/lqOBgt4DX20?si=IIJT7vUElwgbr_Gn) At least, be aware if the EQ you use often cramps.
- Any frequency can sound awful if boosted enough. Don’t sweep frequencies to find what to cut.
- Remember to high pass channels appropriately. Do this in the mix not in solo.
- Don’t sit in solo for too long, make changes in the mix.
- Check detail with headphones; use a headphone processor (Dsoniq Realphones etc.).
- Listen to the finished mix on various systems likely to be used by your typical listener. Earbuds, bluetooth speakers - whatever is current etc.
- After a plugin is added, try to level match the output to avoid the "louder is better" trap. Many presets will boost volume - look out for this.
- Bounce MIDI tracks to audio for mixing. Commit.
- Look away from the screen for a moment and just listen. Close your eyes when using headphones.
- Does the mix sound good from another room? What’s the loudest channel that stands out?
- What’s the last channel you hear if you slowly fade out the mix in the middle of the recording or on the chorus?
- Don’t ignore applying occasional binaural effects. Many of your listeners will be using headphones or earbuds.
- Set the level of reverb so you can hear it clearly, then turn it down a little.
- Master through a high end (Studer 80 type) mastering tape machine emulation. Subtle high quality settings; head bump etc.
- Ensure enough high frequencies are present in bass sound to enable small speakers to produce some indication of the bass track (check on phone speakers).Often the attack of a bass note can be enhanced which achieves this balance.
- Don’t bother with compression on heavily distorted guitar tracks.
- Use reverb consistently to hold together a number of tracks - same acoustic space. E.g. ideally plugins that emulate a recording studio live room such as those from IK Multimedia, UA, Softube etc.
- Use outlandish reverbs as an insert for emphasis occasionally - e.g. EOS2, Supermassive, Blackhole
- Use the “Abbey Road trick” on reverb sends. EQ out the lower <600Hz and higher freq. >10kHz prior to the reverb on the send channel.
- Try atypical, illogical combinations of effects reverb into a delay into a fuzz etc. Experiment.
- Learn to hear compression by using extreme settings and variations on drums, percussion and bass. Compression is more about transients and feel than volume management (use mix fader automation for significant volume management).
- Bus together the main groups of instruments. Shape the mix using the bus faders. Limit the amount of effects you place on each bus channel - don’t over process.
- Be consistent in the use of effects avoid having a different character EQ or vintage compressor on each track.
- Choose period appropriate effects. According to the genre and style of the track. E.g. RE201 delay, Lexicon reverbs for eighties, Gates Sta Level, Pultec for sixties etc.
- Remember effects on each track build across the whole mix - use saturation sparingly if set on every channel.
- Have in mind what you want the mix to achieve - for the genre of the track. Aggressive? Relaxing? Exciting? Sad? Mix to that goal.
- Create and use templates.
- Monitor at low levels. Only occasionally check the mix at loud volumes.
- Back everything up. Try backing up to the cloud automatically as you work (e.g. Dropbox or similar)
- Use versioning, either manually rename during mix stages, or use your DAW’s particular system.
