Mix Like A Pro
...Without Wasting Money On More Plugins
Are you mixing your electronic tracks inside a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) on your computer? Are you getting the results you're looking for? Do your completed songs sound like your favourite artist's?
Are you spending hours making adjustments and trying a bunch of plugins hoping to stumble on the sound you hear in your head? Are you considering upgrading to the latest DAW or buying a new software plugin in hopes that it'll have "that sound" to take your music to the next level of production?
Don't fool yourself into wasting more TIME and MONEY on endlessly searching for new plugins and the latest audio production gear.
Mixing (like Creating and Producing) is not about the gear, nor is it about an unattainable set of skills that top producers and mixing engineers have.
Even top level artists and producers started from the basics and like anything, this process can be taught, learned, repeated and perfected.
The Best Way Is the Simplest Way
The reason most beginners struggle with getting mixes that sound like their favourite artists is because they think mixing is more complicated than it really is. This is the furthest thing from the truth!
When you watch mixing engineers on YouTube it may seem like they have magical ears or mystical knowledge of how to put together a mix. In reality, they are using simple and proven techniques that you can learn too!
A Good Foundation Is the Best Starting Point
There are key lessons that should be the starting point to anyone's journey into making better mixes, whether you're just beginning or have been at it for years and struggling with how to improve your mixes.
Firstly. are your monitors in the best position to hear your mixes, ultimately affecting the final mix down?
And when you open a project in your DAW are you loading your tracks into your own template, with all of the mixing plugins that you use already set up and ready to use?
When your mixing project is loaded into your DAW template, the first thing you should do is gain-stage the individual tracks and groups to create headroom (which is making enough room to use effects processing, which will add or reduce the volume and power of each element of your mix).
It's also very important to understand your DAW's meters and how to read them so you can get the best possible sound from your plugins.
Set Limitations and Produce Results
Your favourite artists work using only a few tried-and-tested tools that they go to with every mix.
One of the biggest struggles with mixing in your bedroom or home studio is that there are no deadlines or pressure to finish.
A professional mixing engineer works under a deadline and is forced to make decisions and commit to their work during the mixing process (the same can be said about writing and creating beats and songs).
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Mixing with a deadline will change the way you work forever!
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Why your rough mix is likely the best version
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Working with limitations inspires creativity and provides focus
Have a Step by Step Plan and Stick To It
When you keep things simple, work with a template and set a deadline you are setting yourself up to Produce a Killer Mix right from the start!
Now it's time to put together a plan.
If you're starting out and don't know how to put any of this together, I suggest you check out my Beginner's Guide to Mixing. It walks you through these steps with easy to follow instructions on how to set yourself up for a successful mix.
If you have only limited time or can only mix after work, late at night, or when the baby is in bed, I suggest you take a look at my Mixing in Your Bedroom or Home Studio Guide.
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Your mixes sound thin and narrow and what you can do about it
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How using as few plugins as possible will save your mix and give you better results
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Compare your mix to your favourite track while you're mixing and save time
