The Best Mixing Plugins? Why look beyond stock plugins?
Mixing music is something that many producers struggle with. There is an abundance of tutorials on YouTube that show you all the latest mixing hacks and secrets. While a basic understanding of audio is required to improve your mixing skills, having access to high-quality mixing plugins is another way to increase fidelity. But an EQ […]
3 Free Mix Plugins Every Producer Needs
I often catch myself using the phrase ‘Let’s have a look at how this sounds’. That’s a bit strange ain’t it? Well, in this article, I’ll actually show you 3 free mix plugins that will help you mix with your eyes. Voxengo Span Spectrum Analyzer Even though everyone says to ‘just use your ears’, that […]
Best studio headphones for mixing & mastering
Headphones are essential in the studio, not only for recording but also for mixing and even mastering. To achieve better-sounding music productions and mixes, you need an accurate listening environment. However, acoustically treating your room is an expensive endeavor that is not possible for everyone. Especially if you’re just starting out with music production, there […]
Why lack of gain staging makes your tracks sound bad
Gain staging is one of the most important aspects of a mix, yet it is often overlooked. If your mixes sound flat, lifeless or distorted, then you might want to take a look at your gain staging structure. What is gain staging? So what is gain staging? Or better yet, what is audio gain? Gain […]
Adding punch to your mix with parallel compression
Parallel compression is the perfect way to add punch to your mix. By using compression as a send effect you can use heavy amounts of compression to bring up all the little details of a track without ruining dynamic range. By adding an EQ after the compressor you can shape the sound even further. This […]
Production Basics #20 – Mixing with Inserts v.s. Send Effects
Now that you know a little bit about effects and how to use them, it’s time for some practical information on where to place them. Yes, there’s actually more than one position to put your effects. One is called an insert effect and the other is called a send effect also known as aux (auxiliary). […]
Production Basics #19 – Mixing with Distortion
In part 14 of this series about music production basics, we’ve introduced distortion & saturation effects. If you ever listened to rock or metal music you know that distortion is used on guitars all the time. But did you know that distortion is used in almost all types of music? Especially modern genres like EDM […]
Production Basics #18 – Mixing with Modulation Effects
In part 14 of this production basics series, we’ve introduced a few modulation effects. A modulation effect is basically every effect that is automated over time. Modulation effects are powerful tools that can add movement and interest to a mix. Let’s look at some examples. Chorus As we’ve seen previously, phaser, chorus and flanger are […]
Production Basics #17 – Mixing with Reverb & Delay
In the previous parts, we’ve learned how to mix with EQ and compression. This time, we’ll get to know reverb & delay. In part 14 we’ve seen a quick overview of different reverb & delay types. Now let’s dive a little deeper into the various parameters we can use. Delay Most delay plugins have the […]
Production Basics #16 – Mixing with Compression
In production basics part 15 we’ve learned some things about one of the most important mixing tools: EQ. Another tool that is used all the time when mixing is compression. Compression is often overused and misunderstood. I hope this article will clarify the mysticality’s of compression a little bit. What is compression? As we’ve discussed […]
Production Basics #15 – Mixing with EQ
In part 14 of this production basics series, we briefly went over the different types of effects. In the next couple of articles, we will dive deeper into each effect category. Let’s start by looking at one of the most important plugins that exist: the equalizer. An equalizer is a powerful tool that is often […]
Production Basics #14 – Effects
Effects are used everywhere in music production. Effects are found inside synthesizers, guitar pedals, and mixers. The sheer number of different effect types can be overwhelming. That’s why I want to give an overview of the different effects used in music production. The practical use of these effects will be covered in feature articles. Filtering […]
Production Basics #13 – Mixing
We’ve looked at music theory and synthesis so far. Now let’s look at mixing. Music producer and mix engineer used to be two completely different jobs. In fact, in traditional music, many people worked together to create an album. A songwriter would compose melodies and chord progressions while a lyricist would write the words, band […]
What is fader riding?
Many people use compression to reduce the dynamic range of a track. A compressor is nothing more than an automated volume control. In fact, before compression was even invented, real hands turned faders up and down during mixdown. A note that was a little too quiet could be turned up and notes too loud could […]
How to create a dub delay on an analog mixer
Computers are machines I couldn’t live without. But sometimes they tend to get in the way of creating music. That’s why I am currently working on a completely analog setup in the studio. I hooked all synth’s and outboard effects to an analog mixing desk and realized that the mixer too can act as an […]
Why do I need a mix template
Almost all of the great mix engineers in this world use a mix template. I wanted to make one myself for a long time but I couldn’t get my head around it at first. If you are just starting out with mixing music, the thought of creating a go-to mix template can be daunting. […]
Stock Plugins or Third Party Plugins
Each DAW is bundled with a huge amount of different audio processing plugins. With all these plugins at hand, why are people still buying third-party plugins? Don’t they have enough tools to play around with already? […]
What is mixing music?
Today I want to talk about mixing music. What is the difference between mixing and music production and what exactly is a mix engineer capable of? In this article, I hope to clarify some of the common misconceptions about what mixing music actually is. […]
The Importance Of Deadlines
When you start mixing for the first time the process may seem daunting. You have all these powerful plugins and effects at your disposal and you want to make use of every single one of them. You might focus on all the little details and soon you will be working on a mix for days or even months. […]
In search for that magic plugin
We all know those popular audio guru forums where people love to talk about their favorite piece of gear. There is, however, one subject that keeps returning time after time and it is often asked by people just starting out. […]
