Just like learning to play an instrument or make amazing cakes, mixing is a talent that needs to be developed.
It takes practice to become skilled; it doesn't simply happen. To improve your mixing abilities, you must put in the time. Here are some suggestions for how to put mixing into practice. Sometimes we make up reasons not to do something, but we just need to push through that and start honing our talents.
The average musician may today erect a passably good home studio on a relatively little budget thanks to the ubiquitous availability of inexpensive computers and potent music mixing software. Despite the software's immense power and versatility, suggestions for making a superb mix appear to be lacking.
So, without further ado, here are the 12 mixing tricks you can use RIGHT NOW to raise the caliber of your mixes:
1. Pay special attention to all of those plug-ins during mixing. If the output signal rises above the acceptable threshold level, they will all exhibit distortion. When the power cord is closed, the output meters are hidden from view, making it quite simple to miss the distortion, which can utterly damage your mixes.
2. To remove low frequencies from recordings that don't require them (such as frequencies below 100 Hz) to sound right in the mix, utilize the high-pass filter that can be found on many equalizers. These consist of keyboards, hi-hats, voices, etc. Naturally, everything hinges on the tune itself. To preserve some of the bottoms ends in the mix, for instance, you might apply a high-pass filter considerably further down, at about 40Hz, if the song is simply vocal, piano, or guitar. However, by removing frequencies below 20Hz, even the bass & kick drum can be enhanced. Because there are too many sounds vying for space in the lower frequencies, most project studio mixes sound horrible. Contrarily, a low-pass filter can be used on instruments like the bass and kick drum that doesn't require the impact of significant frequencies.
3. Experiment with compression to tame volume variances and regulate a sound's assault. A sound's body will be emphasized when it is attacked quickly, while its definition will be boosted when it is attacked slowly. Even though you should listen to all of your recordings both with and without compressing to determine which works best, bass, kick drums, and vocals typically benefit the most from compression. Keep an eye on the compressor's other settings, including Input, Release, Threshold, Ratio, and Output Gain, as these might significantly impact the outcomes you're going for. Additionally, it's critical to keep in mind that compression might amplify vocal sibilance (essssssss) and increase background noise levels in your mix. To address excessive sibilance, adding a de-esser after the compressor may be helpful.
4. Listen for tunes that benefit from having the frequencies between 150 and 300 Hz scooped out (lowered). In most tracks, this is typically where the "mud" may be found. However, be cautious because, on some tracks, this could also be the location of the meat or warmth. Do not scoop out a large portion of the track or your mixes will start to sound thin. Instead, listen for the track(s) that would benefit the most from this move.
5. Listen to your mixes ALWAYS IN CONTEXT! Even if the kick drum sounds fantastic on its own, it won't matter if the rest of the music is turned up loud. It is acceptable to momentarily solo a track to hear how the sound changes as processing are applied, but only for a few bars before returning to the track in its entirety.
6. A parametric equalizer is a very potent sound-sculpting tool used in signal processing. While you must always do what is right for a specific track, it is normally preferable to trim (lower) frequencies rather than enhance (increase) them. Start by making the recording sound dreadful (by substantially increasing a particular frequency and gradually moving over the spectrum as you listen), and then cut the frequency that sounds unpleasant to lessen the prevalence of the "poor" sound. Repeat this process using each band multiple times, listening to see if a cut or a boost is required, until either you run out of "bands" or you are done cutting/boost fixes. However, you shouldn't feel compelled to use every available band. Less processing generally improves the mix's overall quality when EQ and other processing units are used (i.e. less is more).
7. Avoid mixing totally in headphones or with your monitors turned up to their maximum volume. Mix at moderate to even low volumes, for the most part, periodically turning it up to check how things sound at those high energies. Try hearing your mixes on various headphones (which can pick up pops and clicks that aren't audible in the monitors), at various volume settings through the monitors, and if possible, on various monitors. The goal is to make the mix sound nice on all systems, not fantastic on some and bad on others, thus the mix will undoubtedly speak differently on the various systems. On occasion, move away from the monitors and hear your mix in a different room. This provides you with a different viewpoint on level imbalances that aren't obvious in your typical mixing context.
8. Pay attention to your mixes' busiest sections first. Your mixes are most likely to go astray at this portion, which could be the hook (chorus) or bridge. Determine the extent to which EVERY SINGLE TRACK and EVERY SINGLE LAYER IS REQUIRED to be in the mix AT ALL TIMES when you listen. To assess each track's impact on the song, muffle or unmute it and add or remove one at a time. If you want your mix to sound punchier and more lively, you might need to remove some of those layers.
9. Effectively utilize automation. Try segmenting your tracks into songs if that seems too challenging (depending on the expertise of your music mixing program) (e.g. VOCAL intro, VOCAL verse 1, VOCAL B-section, VOCAL hook, VOCAL verse 2, VOCAL bridge, etc). This is because a track's signal processing and volume/pan settings that are appropriate for one area of the song (for example, VOCAL verse 1) may not always be appropriate for another section (e.g. VOCAL hook). For the various song portions, in this case, you might need to adjust your EQ, chorus, compression, reverb, pan, & volume settings separately. Other instruments might also be subject to the same rules.
10. Tune your instruments frequently while you are recording, or at the very least, CHECK the tuning frequently. Remember that even the drums (kick, toms, and snare) need to be tuned to sound their best, even though this goes without saying for the bass and guitars. Out-of-tune instruments will distract the listener and contribute to the perception that the mix stinks, regardless of how effectively you process the recordings for the mix. Although it is occasionally possible to tune your instruments after the fact, that time would be better spent on other essential components of your mix.
11. Execute as much as you can
You're familiar with the adage "practice makes perfect." The more you mix, the better you'll get at it. You'll also become quicker. You won't be getting in the practice if you're not doing it consistently. Similar to anything else, it's a skill that must be cultivated.
12. When mixing, use reference mixes.
In my mixing studio, this was a revelation to me. Take a track from the same genre as the music you're blending, and then compare your mix to the expert mix. Describe the sound. Do the levels seem similar? Is the bass volume too loud or too low?
There you have it, then! Try out a few of these mixing ideas, and you'll soon be on your way to creating superior concoctions.