How To Mix And Master? 14 Steps On Mixing And Mastering

PREPARATION

• Listen to the unmixed track and make sure it already sound clean from recording.
• Fix production issues before starting mixing.
• Check sample selection (quality and key).
• In case of having drum racks, ungroup the sounds.
• Export production stems.
• Make another session for mixing.
• Import production stems.
• Organize stems by busses and colors.
• Mark track sections.
• Mark track sections.
• Select a reference track(s) (use Isol8, spectrum analyzer and place it at -6.7 db).
• Identify most important elements of the track.

INSIDE SESSION

1. Balance every stem (gain staging):

• Loop the loudest section of the track.
• Turn the faders all the way down.
• Listen to a few reference tracks to prime your ears.
• Bring up channels in order of relevance.
• Check for phasing and polarity issues.
• Once all the channels are up, spend at least 10 minutes adjusting the balance.
• Take a short break and listen again.
• Automate volume.

2. Clean tracks by aplying high-pass EQ filter on them.

3. Low end mixing (kick and bass):

• Make bass mono.
• Make sure kick is around -9db to -12db and bass around -4db to -6db in relation with kick’s db.
• If needed, add extra sub bass. Recommendation: Waves’ RBass.
• EQ them to fit together:
  • Filter at 30hz on kick and bass.
  • Lower bass frequencies where kick is predominant and vice versa.
• Use A1 Stereo Control’s on kick:
  • Safe Bass (302Hz).
• Use saturator (place it before the EQ).
• Use harmonic exciter on kick (if needed).
• Sidechain bass.
• Compress on kick and bass.
• Balance low end levels.
• EQ again.
• Use a glue compressor on the low end buss.
• Rebalance volume if needed.

4. Do corrective EQ on the rest of the stems.

5. Compress stems if needed. Recommendation: Waves’ CLA-2A (Adds warmth to vocals and instruments).

6. Panning.

7. Create depth with aux tracks:

• Delay. Recommendations: HDelay (useful for pianos and synths), MondoMod (useful for making vibrato, widening the stereo field and panning).
• Reverb. Recommendations: Waves’ Treverb and IRL.

8. Wider (width vst).

• Use it on build ups to create tension before releasing the drop/chorus.

9. Group mixing.

• Use Bark of Dog (frequency exciter).
• Compression.
  • Mid/Side compression.
  • Parallel compression: for drums
    Recommendation: Waves’ HCOMP.

10. Sidechain compression:

• Almost every stem. and vocals.
• Aux channels.

11. Creative EQ. Recommendation: Waves SSL.

12. Check mix for phasing issues. Recommendation: Waves’ Paz Analyzer.

13. Automate:

• Volume.
• Reverb.
• Delay.

14. Get a -6db peak level.

REVIEW P1

• 1. A:B Test:
  1. a. Compare mix with reference track(s). If necessary, make changes.
     1. i. Use ISOL8 and SPAN to compare its parameters.
• 2. Rest 1 day (at least) from the mix.
• 3. Listen again to the mix and, if necessary, make changes.

EXPORTING P1

• 1. Select:
  • Sample Rate: 44100.
  • Depth: 24-bit.
• A. Type: WAV
• B. No Dither.

REVIEW P2

• 1. Check mix on mono.
• 2. Check mix on:
  • Headphones.
  • Monitors.
  • Car.
  • AirPods.
• 3. Take notes, in case of having to make changes to the mix.
• 4. If necessary, make proper changes to the mix.
• 5. Ask for feedback on the mix.
• 6. If necessary, make proper changes to the mix.

EXPORTING P2

• 1. Same exporting process as “EXPORTING P1”.
• 2. Send mixed song to a master engineer.

QUICK TIPS:

• Remember using saturation and compression in busses, this will glue like elements to together and provide a bit more headroom.
• Mix at low volume; take care of your ears and prevent on falling into the Fletcher-Munson Curve.

The Chain Behind the Steps

These fourteen steps trace the whole audio engineering arc: noise reduction and editing protect the source, balance and sound design build the song, stereo imaging and spectral balance refine it, and the mastering chain — EQ, dynamic range control, limiting — finishes it. Follow the order and each stage makes the next one easier.