Mixing

Headroom is a foundational concept in audio technology that is often overlooked in the age of digital recording, especially among beginners. Understanding the fundamentals of audio, including the definition of headroom, will enhance your knowledge and, ultimately, your skill when working with audio. There’s much more to headroom than this broad definition, and headroom can…

Creating a sense of dimensionality is critical when mixing. Depth is one of the most important dimensions to get right in the mix. Even in mono mixes, which by definition have no width, the dimension of depth is key, and even more so because of the lack of width. In this article, we’ll discuss the…

Signal flow is one of the most important concepts to understand in music production and audio more generally. It’s the basis of how all audio systems work. Whether you’re just starting out or you want to deepen your knowledge of signal flow, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss audio in…

Mixing is primarily about balance, and a big part of the overall balance of a mix comes from its “dimensionality”. The concept of mix dimensionality can be both straightforward and difficult to get right, and so I want to share some winning strategies in this article to help you make your mixes more dimensional. Of…

Noisy multitracks often lead to poor mix results, either from the unhindered passing of that noise into the mix or through the inappropriate processing we apply in trying to minimize the noise. And while noise often can’t be eliminated entirely, there are strategies we can employ to reduce noise and achieve clearer, more professional-sounding mixes….

Vocals are often the most important element of a song and mix, while compression is certainly one of the essential mixing tools. When it comes to compressing vocals, there are no simple step-by-step instructions; no vocalist, performance, or mix is the same. However, there are certain considerations we should take into account when compressing vocals,…

There’s a lot that goes into mixing, and it can be difficult to make the right mixing decisions consistently. A/B testing can help us to improve our decision-making when mixing and quickly course-correct when we may not be on the right track. In this article, we’ll discuss A/B testing in more detail, its importance in…

It’s no secret that compression is one of the most important processes in mixing. However, dynamic range compression remains somewhat mysterious to beginners, and many aspiring mixers don’t use it to its fullest potential in their mixes. In this article, I’ll present you with what I believe to be the top 11 best compression tips…

Faders are perhaps the most important tool for mixing and are often taken for granted. If you’re interested in learning more about these fundamental controls in the world of audio, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll discuss faders in greater detail, comparing them to knobs and considering their usage across both…

We all know that equalization, or “EQ,” is one of the most important processes in mixing. However, it’s often difficult to get the most out of EQ in our mixes, finding ways of using just the right amount for great balance across the frequency spectrum. In this article, I’ll present you with what I believe…

Mix clarity is ultimately about separation, and in many cases, it’s about sculpting the frequency content of our tracks and then not overdoing processing that has the potential to reduce the clarity within our mix. It’s simple, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy. However, with these tips, I hope I can help you craft…

Want to mix like the pros but don’t know where to start? I struggled for years, trying different techniques to improve my mixes. Eventually, I did become a professional audio engineer and really had to hone my mixing skills. Today, I want to share 22 tips to help you get to professional mixes, too! Here…