Mixing is a vital part of the music production process, whether you are mixing your own song (or mixing someone else’s).
Learning to mix can be tricky, though (and practise makes perfect), so I’ve put together my top 14 mixing tips to help you understand how to mix from home with nothing more than a laptop, cheap software and a pair of headphones.
These mixing techniques will help you achieve clear, loud mixes, regardless of your genre and regardless of the DAW you use. You can use these mixing techniques in Logic Pro, FL Studio, to Ableton Live or any other DAW.
For my top 10 mixing plugins, click here.
- Spend time getting the right sounds that work well together first.
- Check your mix in mono (often)
- Gain staging – making sure adding plugins isn’t making your signal clip anywhere in the chain.
- Check your mix and low levels and high levels.
- Mix fast and /or take breaks to avoid fatigue and losing objectivity.
- A/B test every move.
- Have an intention – put plugins on for specific reasons.
- Check mix on multiple sound systems
- Use reference tracks.
- Mix the loudest section first.
- Mix the most important elements first, then bring everything up around them.
- Balance the levels first.
- Automate volume on gain plugins (rather than on the channel faders).
- Stick up a mixing guide close to your monitor to remind you of steps to take.
