The role of mixing
Let’s talk a bit about mixing - many producers get stuck in circles because they are focusing too much on mixing, hoping it will fix everything.
But is this the right approach?
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The Role of Mixing
Your song can - and should - sound great even with minimal plugins on the chain (with a few exceptions for certain styles).
In fact, if you're too focused on mixing, it might be exactly why you get stuck.
First, let's clarify: mixing plays an essential role in finishing great-sounding music. It can turn a “good” sounding track into a “WOW” sounding track.
But ONLY if you already have a clear, expressive concept in your project.
And this is where most people get stuck - they move to mixing before they have a solid idea or core sounds.
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The 4 Pillars of Music Production
Let’s revisit the 4 Pillars of Music Production.
๐๏ธ ***Mixing / Polish***
โจ ****Performance / Dynamics ****
๐ธ *****Sound Selection / Design *****
๐น *****Composition / Songwriting ******
Mixing is the very top - important only after you’ve done everything else.
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What Mixing Can't Do
Remember:
๐ A compressor doesn’t write your song.
๐ An EQ doesn’t make you remember a melody.
๐ A saturator doesn’t create an arrangement.
All these tools do is color, tweak, or shift the balance of what you've already created. Mixing a poorly crafted song is like painting a broken car and expecting it to drive.
This is why one of my pet-peeves is seeing mixing sold as the "fix-all" to why your music isn't "pro."
Making “pro” music is all about songwriting, sounds, and performance.
This is why some high-performance labels have dedicated mixing/mastering engineers for their artists - because they expect their artists to be incredible producers, not necessarily incredible mixers.
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Change Your Approach
If you’re going in circles, spending hours tweaking EQs or compressors and wondering why your song still doesn't sound good, it’s time to change your approach.
Turn all your non-essential plugins off, and come back to where your song actually is:
๐ต Chords, Melody, Bass
๐ฅ Drum patterns
๐ Sounds / VSTs
โ๏ธ Automations
Ask yourself:
- Is everything communicating together?
- Is there anything unnecessary you can eliminate?
- Is the songwriting and performance giving strong emotion?
- Are there automations or dynamics that could add interest to the performance?
Fix these issues until the song clicks into place more.
When it’s time to mix, try only focusing on:
๐๏ธ Volume (make everything clear to hear)
๐๏ธ Panning / Widening / Haas Effect (give elements space to breathe in the stereo field)
๐ Gentle Low Cut EQing (reduce low frequency build-up)
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Make It Strong At The Source - Then Go Nuts With Mixing (If You Even Need It)
After you focus on making sure your bottom pillars are strong, chances are you will be much closer to a great song than you were before, with much less plugins on the strip.
Then you can go nuts with all the plugins you want - if you feel like it.
Next time you’re stuck, keep this in mind:
What’s impressive isn’t how many plugins you have or how much you’re doing with them... it’s how few plugins you have and how good it still sounds.