How to Mix If You're Not a Mix Engineer

Introduction

Mixing music can seem daunting, especially for those who aren't professional mix engineers. This tutorial walks you through essential steps to create a great mix, focusing on practical techniques to organize, repair, and enhance your audio tracks effectively. Whether you're working with acoustic instruments or digital loops, these tips will help you achieve a polished sound ready for mastering.

Chapter 1: Organize Your Session

• Label Tracks: Rename all your audio tracks to be descriptive. This makes it easier to identify elements while mixing.
• Color Code: Assign colors to different instruments or groups (e.g., drums, vocals, guitars) for visual clarity.
• Group Tracks: Group similar instruments together (e.g., all drum tracks) to control their levels with a single fader.
• Use Templates: Consider creating a mixing template to save time on future projects.

Chapter 2: Repair Your Tracks

• Listen for Flaws: Check for pops, clicks, or dropouts in each track.
• Automatic Repairs: Use tools like iZotope RX's Repair Assistant to automatically detect and fix issues.
• Pitch Correction: Use Melodyne Essential or similar tools for tuning vocals and bass tracks.
• Treat Before Processing: Always repair tracks before adding effects to avoid amplifying unwanted noise.

Chapter 3: Polarity and Phase

• Understand Phase: Recognize that phase refers to timing differences in waveforms captured by multiple microphones.
• Adjust Polarity: Use the polarity switch in your DAW on double-miked sources (e.g., snare drum) to enhance low-end definition.
• Align Tracks: Manually align tracks based on a timing anchor (like the close mic on a snare) for a cohesive sound.

Chapter 4: Remove Dead Air

• Edit Tracks: Trim tracks to remove silence or unused sections, focusing on where the sound is active.
• Fade Edits: Use fade tools to prevent clicks and pops at the beginning and end of audio clips.
• Consider Spill: Decide whether to keep spill from other instruments; it can add warmth or create unwanted noise.

Chapter 5: Rough Balance and Panning

• Fader Mix: Adjust volume levels for all tracks to create a rough mix. Start with vocals at the front, followed by drums, bass, and guitars.
• Panning: Experiment with panning instruments in the stereo field to create depth (e.g., kick and snare centered, guitars left/right).
• Use Reference Tracks: Compare your mix to a professionally mixed track for guidance on levels and panning.

Chapter 6: Processing Tips

• Mix Bus Processing: Consider adding light compression on the mix bus to glue your tracks together.
• Individual Track Processing:
  • Drums: Use EQ and compression to enhance punch. Consider distortion for overheads.
  • Bass: Separate EQ for top-end and low-end from DI and amp tracks.
  • Vocals: Use Nectar for vocal processing, ensuring clarity and proper loudness in the mix.
  • Guitars: Apply compression and EQ while being careful not to over-process.
  • Keys and Synths: Use time-based effects and ensure they don’t clash with vocals.

Chapter 7: Mix Bus Processing

• Set Up Auxes: Create aux tracks for reverb and delay. Assign different effects to different auxes (e.g., vocals, background vocals).
• Send Signals: Route the desired tracks to the aux effects, ensuring that the effects are set to 100% wet.
• Experiment with Effects: Use various delay types and reverb settings to find what enhances the mix without muddying it.

Chapter 8: Don't Forget Automation

• Volume Automation: Adjust the volume for specific moments in the track (e.g., guitar solos, key lyrics).
• Effect Automation: Automate the sends of your auxes for dynamic effects throughout the song.

Chapter 9: Prepare for Mastering

• Get Client Approval: Deliver the mix to your client for feedback before finalizing.
• Maintain Quality: When bouncing your mix, keep the sample rate and bit depth consistent with the original files.
• Final Touches: Ensure all revisions are made and approved before sending the final mix to mastering.

Chapter 10: Keep Learning

• Practice Listening: Train your ears to identify mix elements and problems in other tracks.
• Experimentation: Mixing is an art; try different techniques and find what works best for you.
• Stay Updated: Follow industry trends and techniques to keep improving your mixing skills.

Conclusion

By following these structured steps, you can transform your mixing process into a more efficient and enjoyable experience. Focus on organization, repair, and thoughtful processing of your tracks to deliver a polished mix. Remember, mixing is a skill that takes time to develop, so keep experimenting and learning as you go. Happy mixing!