ill.Gates 80/20 of Mixing | Chapter 1 | Producer Dojo

Step-by-Step Tutorial: Mastering the Art of Mixing Music

1. Understanding the Concept of the 80/20 of Mixing

• The 80/20 of Mixing is a workshop that focuses on essential insights to improve your music production skills.
• The goal is to highlight key areas to focus on without delving into excessive technical details.

2. Embracing Innovation and Breaking Rules

• Recognize that in music production, there are no absolute rules.
• Innovations often arise from breaking conventions and repurposing tools creatively.
• Examples include the invention of scratching, sampling, and the use of drum machines like the 808 and tb303 in unconventional ways.

3. Exploring the Dimensions of a Mix

• Understand the importance of focusing on different dimensions in a mix, such as bass frequencies, mono signals, transients, and the pain zone (sensitive frequency range).
• Learn how to use visual analyzers like spectrum analyzers, phase correlation meters, and flux analyzers to enhance your understanding of these dimensions.

4. Creating Focus and Minimalism in Your Mix

• Focus on creating a clear focal point in your mix, such as highlighting vocals or lead instruments.
• Use techniques like compositional density, group processing, and group bussing to unify sounds and maintain focus.
• Employ imperfection, texture, and tone to add depth and emotion to your music while maintaining minimalism.

5. Enhancing Vocal Presence

• Utilize double tracking or short delays with modulation to enhance vocal presence and make vocals stand out in the mix.
• Experiment with creating a 3D effect by dimensionalizing vocals with short delays and avoiding excessive reverb.

6. Geeking Out on Effects

• Dive into creating your own chorus, flanger, or comb filter effects using short delays.
• Explore how different effects can add depth and character to your mix while maintaining clarity and focus.

7. Applying Wabi-Sabi Aesthetics

• Embrace imperfection and impermanence in your music, inspired by the Japanese aesthetic concept of Wabi-Sabi.
• Recognize that minimalism and simplicity can often lead to more impactful and emotionally resonant compositions.

8. Continuing the Journey

• Stay curious and open-minded in your music production journey, always seeking to learn new techniques and experiment with different approaches.
• Practice active listening, focus on enhancing the emotional impact of your music, and strive for clarity and depth in your mixes.

By following these steps and principles outlined in the 80/20 of Mixing workshop, you can elevate your music production skills, create more focused and emotionally engaging mixes, and continue to grow as a versatile and innovative music producer.