In music production, crafting a great-sounding mix is both a science and an art. It requires a deep understanding of technical tools and sonics, balanced with creative and intuitive decision making. The journey from transforming a raw track into a polished, professional-sounding masterpiece can be arduous and intimidating, particularly for newcomers to the world of mixing.
But that’s why we’re here to help. We have cultivated the seven most essential mixing tips for music producers. And with the advancement of AI technology, we’ll also share inventive ways you can use the Moises app to level up your mixing abilities.
1. Start with a great performance and recording
When it comes to mixing a song, everything begins with capturing a strong performance with a high-quality recording. There's only so much even a seasoned producer can do to make a song sound great if it is poorly arranged, performed, or recorded. So before diving into the rest of the tips below, be sure the songs you plan on mixing are performed well, and recorded with quality equipment and proper mic placement. And remember, not all high-quality equipment needs to be super expensive. Today, an incredible recording can be made within your bedroom walls with affordable gear.
Pro tip: When setting up your mix, group instruments based on their roles (e.g., rhythm, melody, harmony) to make it easier to mix them cohesively. Use the Moises app’s stem separation feature on your favorite songs to see how a track can be separated into distinct categories.
2. Trust your ears
Sure, you can get yourself the most high-end equipment and the latest and greatest plugins, but the truth is, you already have your most valuable asset when it comes to making a great mix: your ears. A common mistake when mixing is to place too much emphasis on what you are seeing, like meters or spectrum analyzers, and not enough on what you're hearing. When you can start listening critically, mixing becomes a lot more intuitive and, let’s face it, a lot more fun. Over time, you can train your ears to recognize balance, frequency clashes, and dynamic shifts. When something doesn't feel right in the mix, trust your instincts and adjust accordingly.
Pro tip: Mix in a well-treated room to ensure clarity in sonics and frequencies. Most mixing engineers agree that a properly treated room is worth more than any fancy speaker setup.
3. Find balance in volume levels
Setting the volume balance of a track is a critical first step when mixing. Before moving into EQ, effects, and processing, make sure the volume levels of each instrument within a mix are balanced. Your goal when mixing is to curate a well-balanced sound, making sure every instrument is sitting naturally in the mix. Again, trust your ears and avoid the common mistake of making everything too loud. Instead, identify the most important elements in each section of the song and prioritize them with a little more volume.
Pro Tip: Mix at the lowest volume possible while still being able to hear the song clearly. Your judgments on balancing will be sharper and your ears will fatigue much slower. Also, use the Moises app to isolate particular instruments in your mix to fully dial in the right volume level.
4. Create space and dynamics with EQ and compression
EQ and compression are two of the most powerful and often used tools in a mixing engineer’s toolbox. And for good reason. EQ, also known as equalization, is used to shape the tonal balance of the track and to carve out the perfect amount of space for each instrument. Like setting volume levels, it's all about giving each element of a song its proper place within the entire mix. All instruments, including the human voice, have their own frequencies and with EQ, a great mix engineer can find equilibrium to balance them all.
Compression is an essential tool used to control the dynamic range of each individual track in a mix as well as the entire mix itself. By using compression, you can prevent unwanted volume spikes or drops, creating an even and cohesive sound and letting each instrument stand out in the mix as needed. Just don’t get too heavy-handed with your compression. Too much can make a track sound automated and lifeless. Finding the sweet spot for both your EQ and compression levels will get your mix sounding professional.
Pro Tip: Use the Moises app to loop specific sections of a song. For producers, this is incredibly useful when adjusting EQ, compression, and other mixing tools.
5. Use a reference track
One way to know you're on the right track with your mix is to use a reference track. Choose a song that’s already professionally mixed and mastered that shares a similar style and genre to the one you’re mixing. Listen and compare throughout the process to ensure your mix stays consistent with professional quality.
Pro Tip: Use the Moises App to separate songs into stems—vocals, drums, bass, guitar, and more. This feature is perfect for producers who want to study professionally mixed tracks. You can also use the Mastering by Reference feature to easily achieve professional-quality sound. Simply load a reference track and let the app make the automated adjustments needed to take your song to the next level.
6. Create depth and dimension with delay, reverb and panning
Okay, now for the fun stuff. Processing effects like delay and reverb can add incredible levels of depth and dimension to your mix. And panning is crucial for creating width and separation. There’s an art to knowing when, where, and how much of these effects to use, but when applied in the right ways, they can bring your mixes to the next level.
- Delay: A time-based effect that replicates the sound of an audio signal by playing back a copy of it after a specified time interval creating an echo like sound. Use subtly on vocals and instruments to add width and rhythm to your mix.
- Reverb: An audio effect that simulates the natural reflections of sound in a physical space adding depth and atmosphere to a mix. Add reverb to vocals to create warmth and haunting moods or to instrumentation to create lush and dreamy backdrops.
- Panning: The deliberate placement of a sound within the stereo field, determining whether it is heard more from the left, right, or center speaker (or headphones). Keep your low-end elements (like bass and kick) centered, while panning higher-frequency elements (like hi-hats, guitars, and background vocals) left and right for a more immersive experience.
Pro Tip: Use the Moises App to change the tempo and pitch of a song without affecting sound quality. This is a great way to experiment with different speeds or keys during the mixing process.
7. Give those ears a rest
Because mixing a song can often be an engrossing and engaging process, it’s pretty easy to get “lost in the mix,” so to speak. While it's sometimes tempting to spend hours upon hours working on a song, mixing can be an exhausting experience for your ears that will inevitably lead to ”mix fatigue.” Even the most seasoned mixing engineers will begin losing their ability to hear with clarity and nuance after just two hours of mixing, making it that much harder to judge volume levels, EQ, and other effects. We recommend taking frequent breaks to rest your ears and learn to recognize when it’s time to step away from your mix for the day. You’ll be surprised at how differently you hear things with fresh ears after a good night’s sleep.
Mix it up
Getting into the mixing game can be an exciting albeit intimidating step for a musician or producer. It takes time to learn the different tools and plugins, train your ears, and trust your instincts as a mixing engineer. We hope that this list of essential mixing tips will help you focus on the most important aspects of mixing so you can hit the ground running. And with the help of the Moises App, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll be able to get your tracks sounding professional and radio-ready. Good luck!
●●●Written by Jesse Stanford, Company Cue
