Mixing is an art and not a science. Professionals spend a considerable amount of time mixing a song, simply because it can make such a difference.
How did we get to this stage in the evolution of music technology and the performing arts?
A song that hasn’t been mixed very well has next to no chance today of making it to the charts. The time has changed. In the ’70s and ’80s a song didn’t necessarily have to be well mixed, as long as it had a good melody and a well-known vocalist singing. A song might even sell simply because that $25,000 sampler was used, which only studios can afford.
That all changed in the mid to late ’90s. As equipment got cheaper, everyone could record a song in their bedroom using a computer, a few sound modules, and a decent sound card. As more people were able to produce professional-sounding tracks, the competition intensified. And the requirements increased. Everything had to sound extremely professional, simply because it was technically possible. Accordingly, more attention was paid to the overall combination. The advantage of using expensive equipment was gone, so if you could produce a good mix, you had an advantage over those who couldn’t. And that is where we are today.
One of the most successful pop music producers, with dozens of songs in the top ten charts around the world, he said in an interview that he spends about a week mixing each song. So even professionals have to sit down with each song they produce to check what needs to be done in the mix.
No song is the same as another, as the complexity of the mix will depend on which instruments the song uses, how much bandwidth each instrument occupies in the frequency spectrum, and whether competing instruments for the same frequency spectrum interfere with each other. .
Also, one mix might contain mostly non-velocity sensitive synths that don’t add much dynamics to a mix, while another song might have multiple instruments that change their dynamics a lot. In the latter case, you’ll need to spend more time getting these instruments to fit into the mix without destroying their dynamics too much, a fine art that takes time to learn.
The fine art of mixing covers territory such as levels, panning, filters, what order to do things in, compression, reverbs, effects in general, vocals, cymbals, adding punch, sending or inserting effects, commercial styles, listening to the end. result, mix and much more.
If the levels are not correct, the listener will judge the recording as unpleasant, if they don’t know exactly what is wrong. It will just be a feeling they have.
Incorrect panning can create problems in certain situations, listening to a recording on headphones, which has strange panning, will be too unpleasant.
Too much treble on certain drum sounds will not work. A common trick is to lower the treble on the snare and raise it on the hi-hat, but it also depends on the genre.
Instruments that have not been compressed jump up and down in the mix. This is one of the most important factors when producing a commercial mix; make use of compressors.
Too much reverb can drain instruments into a mess that makes it difficult to separate instruments or even individual notes on an instrument. The limited use, or even the absence of reverbs, can make your mix sound sterile and artificial (although sometimes that’s really the desired effect).
The vocals may need de-essing or perhaps simple filtering to remove bass regions. Or you may want to boost the mid region to bring the vocals closer to the listener in the mix, without increasing the overall volume.
Cymbals that are mixed too loud can disturb the overall impression of the song. Typically, the cymbals are subtle and are used as a kind of base for the remaining instruments.
Almost all commercial music today uses compressors to add punch. Most drum sounds are compressed, and often the other instruments are too.
There are a lot of tricks to keep in mind. We have already revealed a few in this article. If it sounds exciting, you might want to read a book on mixing. Or search the internet for mixing techniques or mixing tips.