5 Things You Should Always Do While Mixing

1. Take Notes

Legendary mixer Bob Power once told me that every time he returned from a listening break, he
would force himself to listen to his mix from beginning to end. Instead of stopping playback
when he heard the first thing he didn’t like, Bob would keep listening and write down each
problem he heard. Only after making a complete pass through his track would he start
addressing each note.

Bob taught me an important lesson about valuing my objectivity. Whenever you are approaching
your work with fresh ears, it’s an opportunity to hear your mix in a new way. Make the most of
these moments. Be fully present and engaged during playback, and listen from beginning to
end. By doing so, you’ll move more quickly through the mix process, and ultimately craft better
mixes.

2. Focus On What Matters Most

The Pareto principle​ states that 20% of your efforts generally produce about 80% of your
results. Applied to mixing, this means that majority of your sound comes from a few key moves.

Find out what those are and focus on them.

If you ask an average person to pick out the instruments in a 200-track pop production, you’ll
likely get the following answer: “Uhh…the vocal and the beat?” If you’re mixing a typical pop
song, 80% of the quality of your mix is determined by how you shape these two key elements.
Get them right and the rest is gravy.

Focus your efforts on the actions that will produce the biggest results. You’ll achieve
better-sounding mixes in a whole lot less time.

3. Use The Volume Knob As A Tool

Your ears perceive frequencies differently at different volumes. At lower volumes, your ears are
much more sensitive to midrange frequencies. At higher volumes, your ears become more
sensitive to the low and high frequencies (shoutout to ​Harvey Fletcher and Wilden Muson​ for
figuring this out in the 1930’s).

You might be aware of this phenomenon already. But do you use it to your advantage when
mixing?
Use the volume knob as a tool to help you zero in on various areas of the frequency spectrum.

If you’re trying to balance the kick and bass (which have a lot of low end information), turn your
speakers up. This will help you to hear the low end more clearly. Conversely, if you’re focusing
on riding vocals (which sit primarily in the midrange of your mix), turning your speakers down
and mixing at low levels will allow you to make better balancing decisions.

4. Work In Concentric Circles

Bob Power describes the process of mixing as a series of concentric circles. The beginning of
the process is represented by the largest, outermost circles. As you move through the mixing
process, the circles get smaller.

This way of thinking about mixing is incredibly useful. When you’re starting a mix, focus on
making broad, gross movements. Don’t dwell too long on any one track. Remember – you’re in
the outer circles. Move quickly and impulsively through the mix. Be aggressive with your fader
moves and EQ decisions. Focus on the big picture versus the small details.

As you move through the mix, start narrowing your focus. Circle back over your previous
settings and hone them in. Pay closer attention to fine details. These are your inner circle
moves.

If you jump too quickly to the inner circles, you’ll likely end up retracing your steps later on.
Spending two hours EQing a kick drum in solo at the beginning of your mix is a mistake. How do
you know whether your decisions will work in context with the rest of the mix? How do you know
whether or not the kick is even important at all?

Don’t waste too much time making fine adjustments when you first start a mix. Instead, start with
broad strokes and gradually narrow your focus as you move through the mixing process. This is
a much more efficient way to work, and it’ll help you achieve a better mix with less time and
hassle.

5. Use Subtractive EQ

This technique has made a greater impact on my mixing than just about any other. If you want
to learn how to incorporate subtractive EQ into your workflow, ​my how​-to article​ is a great place
to start. ​Dave Moulton’s website​ has a great tutorial as well.

For more mixing tips, visit ​BehindTheSpeakers.com​.

Mix By Design is an online training course that will teach you
how to mix like a pro. You’ll discover a simple, step-by-step
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the creative flow, and make your best mixes yet.

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