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Goals of Mixing Cheat Sheet 1

The two main goals of mixing are balance and emotion. Balance refers to achieving good volume, frequency, and dynamic balance between tracks using equalization, compression, and volume faders. Emotion involves enhancing the artistic intention through techniques like volume and effects automation to direct the listener's attention. While balance aims for objectivity, emotion allows a mix to go from good to great by bringing out subtle details that add feeling.

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389 views2 pages

Goals of Mixing Cheat Sheet 1

The two main goals of mixing are balance and emotion. Balance refers to achieving good volume, frequency, and dynamic balance between tracks using equalization, compression, and volume faders. Emotion involves enhancing the artistic intention through techniques like volume and effects automation to direct the listener's attention. While balance aims for objectivity, emotion allows a mix to go from good to great by bringing out subtle details that add feeling.

Uploaded by

comealot
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GOALS OF MIXING CHEAT 


SHEET 

 
2 Main Goals 
● Balance​ & ​Emotion 
● There are a lot of other, smaller things that go into a mix, but these are the most 
important 

Balance 
● Associated with the mix sounding good 
○ Good volume balance 
○ Good frequency balance 
○ Good dynamic balance 
● The more objective side of mixing 
○ We can use spectrum analyzers to check things 
○ In general vocals should be the loudest part of a mix etc. 
○ There is still some subjectiveness in this area, but less so than the emotion 
side of mixing 
● Main tools to achieve this 

www.musicianonamission.com 
○ EQ 
○ Compression 
○ Volume Fader 
● Techniques 
○ Volume Balancing 
■ This is where most of your “Balance” comes from  
■ Start with the most important thing and slowly bring up other 
tracks to the appropriate volume 
○ Using References 
■ Use professionally mixed tracks to compare your mix to 
■ Listen for the low end, mid-range, and upper frequency spectrum 
■ Decide how best to fix these issues (mix buss EQ, individual tracks, 
etc.) 
○ Compression 
■ Leveling the dynamics a bit to keep balance 
■ Vocals are a very important element you want to keep consistent  

Emotion 
● The subjective side of mixing 
○ This is where a mix can go from “good” to “great” 
○ Enhancing and exaggerating artistic intention  
● Main tools to achieve this 
○ Automation 
○ Effects like reverb and delay 
○ Any other crazy effects! 
● Example techniques 
○ Volume Automation 
■ Use automation to bring out different parts 
■ If one instrument drops out for a bar, listen and see if there is 
another instrument that takes over. Subtly turn this up to direct the 
listener’s attention to it 
○ Vocal Automation 
■ Bring out ends of words 
■ There is a lot of emotion hidden in the ends of phrases that you 
wouldn’t normally notice 
■ This can help achieve a hyper-realistic sound 
○ Vocal Delay 
■ You can add delay to the ends of words on a vocal 
■ Set up a delay track and send your vocal to it 
■ Fine tune the length of the delay and then automate it so that it 
only happens when you want it to 
■ This can fill in space and help guide the listener to the next section 
of a song 

www.musicianonamission.com 

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