Music Mixing Process

WHAT IS MIXING IN MUSIC?

Mixing in music is the process by which various sounds are combined into one or more audio channels. In the music mix process, a source’s volume level, dynamics, panoramic sound position, and frequency content are both tweaked and enhanced. This critical, yet practical, and otherwise creative audio treatment is done in a particular way to produce a finished version that is appealing to listeners ears.

ROLE OF A MIXING ENGINEER

In the process of creating a song or an album, one of the most important steps is audio mixing which is performed by an audio engineer. Whether the audio engineer is mixing the music online or the artist does the entire recording in a home recording studio; mixing engineers sharpen the song and help to achieve perfect harmony between the instruments and vocals at a specific frequency spectrum. Essentially making it possible for listeners to hear the words of a song over the instruments (but of course, while also enjoying the beat and melodies of the instruments in the production process).

If you’ve ever previewed a song you’ve never heard before, you most likely know if the record will actually sound great before the first minute of the song. That’s because most of us lack the patience to see if the melody will speak to us or not through our speakers. Things like the lyrics and melody tend to take time before the build and are a very important step when checking a recordings sound. The sound, however does not. A skilled audio engineer understands this crucial piece of the music-making process which is called audio mixing.

We all make snap judgments when it comes to the great sound of a song. If it’s captivating, then we listen to the mixed song which sounds great on our ears. That’s essentially why you need to get a professional sound mixer to mix your music while you are still learning. One of the many benefits of audio mixing services is that they can help make your sound immediately grab the attention of listeners.

Mixing engineers have quite a few ways to help bring out the best in a performance and this is a skill developed over time by learning and mastering the trade. A talented sound mixer knows how to strengthen the intensity of vocals and bring out the breathlessness of one if needed. The best sound mixers can manipulate sounds and refine them, they know how to make instruments sound more explosive and where to place them.

To get this done, a mixing engineer does the following:

LEARN HOW TO MIX MUSIC?

One can learn how to mix music in many ways, but first one must understand that you may have the talent to carry your performance. However, a professional music mixer can provide the tender love and care to touch it up while smoothing those rough edges to create something refined.

To help you achieve this skill set and develop this unique sound we have compiled a how to guide on audio mixing. This guide is an extensive “how-to” tutorial on how to mix a song, how to mix vocals and a plethora of mixing tips and tricks for audio engineers. This guide can help walk you through developing the necessary skills needed to perfect your music mixing skills to further groom you to be a well-polished professional audio engineer.

If you would like to take your knowledge a step further, you can also sign up for our audio mixing lessons and learn what audio schools teach in years in just a few sessions. We offer these online mixing courses for a fraction of the price compared to most institutions. For more information on our online mixing lessons click here.

SHOULD I MIX MY OWN MUSIC?

While this is not essential if you are recording tracks with a microphone and pre-amps, or even using purchased sample packs, however learning how to mix music yourself is a very smart decision. This will allow you to take control of your creative and artistic vision and allow you to take your musical talent and production to the next level.

Having a professional sound quality is one of the main reasons why mixing your music is so important. We have crafted several articles which will help your mix as far as it can go, before seeking more specific resources such as myself.

Are you ready? Let’s get this class started… Below is a pricing graphic just in case you don’t have the available free time and patience to learn for yourself. We offer affordable rates without compromising our professional audio quality!

HOW MUCH IS MUSIC MIXING?

A single song mix using a professional mixing service normally starts at $99.99 and quickly goes up from there.  (Music Mixing Services Click Here)

Get in touch for a quote based on your project’s requirements as song mixing prices may vary. Music mixing rates typically cover vocals and 2 track beat, a beat, and instrumentation mix typically ranges from $100 to $200 depending on the amount of the songs tracks and stems.

If you are a producer with a beat already recorded and in the market for beat mixing services please referrer to the pricing graphic above or get in touch today for an accurate quote.

CHOOSING AUDIO MIXING SERVICES

When looking for audio mixing services to take your sound to the next level, the first step is finding a true music mixing company to make your music sound like what you hear on today’s radio. Does your music just not sound the same, is your audio dull and lifeless? Experienced audio mixing services develop unique sounds that take years if not decades to perfect, this is not a skill one can just learn from reading and why only a handful of successful mixing engineers account for the majority of today’s biggest hits.

What to consider when choosing the right audio mixing services company?

1) Style

2) Sound

3) Reputation

4) Budget

We have taken the time to compile a step by step guide to help you select the perfect fit. To view this article on where to mix your music online and how to choose the right mixing company click here.

THE 5 KEY BENEFITS OF AUDIO MIXING

You’ve already read about some of the positive results many different musicians have been able to achieve through audio mixing. Yet those aren’t the only benefits you can expect.

Here are the five biggest benefits of using a professional audio mixer to capture the quality sound you are searching for:

1) Saves both time and effort

We all know our time is limited in today’s fast paced world. Many independent artists just don’t have enough free time available to learn the extensive knowledge required to achieve the necessary skill set to achieve the sound they are after. Instead the rely on mixing engineers so they can focus on finishing music.

Finishing music is one of the hardest thing to do, all artists know what I am talking about. But it’s also the most satisfying part of creating music. In essence audio mixing is the finish line of the song making process.

Hiring an audio engineer is a great idea for any artist looking to finally finish their music… Our before and after results speak for themselves and will save you the time and stress of studying or attending class.

2) Provides Consistency

While working to enhance your tracks, the mixing engineer will also look to tweak how compatible and versatile your tracks are, so that your music will sound its best no matter where it is heard or played on.

A solid mix may sound great on the system you mixed it on. But a good mix should sound great everywhere across all platforms.

A mixing engineer will also work to make sure the volume levels from track to track stays consistent, and that there are no blaring jumps or drops in levels from one track to the next.

A talented mix engineer will also do the same for the frequency spectrum of your tracks, by making sure that the balance of bass and treble sound appropriate from track to track, while also respecting the natural differences in each recording during gain staging for example.

An audio mixer’s job is to find a way to make all the songs sound consistent across all platforms.

3) Creates a competitive edge

Nowadays, there are more musicians than ever making music so it is more important than ever that your music stands out from the rest. This becomes pivotal for you as a musician because your music is placed among thousands and thousands of songs all fighting for a listen. You don’t want your record drowning in a sea of mediocre music online.

Music mixing will give you a competitive edge when it comes to going up against others, make your music jump out by choosing an audio engineer who produces a unique sound. This is very important for a songs overall vibe as not all engineer’s music sounds the same, very few have the skills to create a unique sound of their own.

4) Maximizes your budget

In the end, we don’t have unlimited amounts of money in our pockets. Many indy artists may not have the budget to record their song in a high end studio as well as getting it mixed by a professional. Instead they end up doing the bulk of this work themselves without putting in the countless hours to obtain the extensive knowledge needed to achieve the particular sound the are after, which looks a whole lot easier than it is.

This is a pretty standardized approach to music production nowadays. So go the extra mile and hire a professional engineer to take your music to that next level, this will separate your music from the competition and act as your new secret weapon.

Lets not forget, at some point you will eventually need to buy your own audio equipment and we all know that it is not cheap. The studio equipment list is extensive to have what is required, high-quality audio gear is pricy and ultimately outweighs the less expensive route of outsourcing your audio mixing and this service is not needed if your only working on reference tracks.

Many engineers prices will increase with their success, this is not true here. At Mr Mix and Master our mixing services are priced at the same rate as before the success and awards. We offer affordable rates to stay affordable for all up and coming independent artist, come see why the stars choose us! We don’t make just good music, we make great music!

5) Provides a second set of ears

The music mixr acts as a second set of highly trained ears that can catch mistakes in your mix, also curating a cohesive listening experience and bringing your audio quality up to broadcast standards across all platforms.

All musical projects can benefit from an outside opinion such as a audio engineer, this is a great line of defense to serve as a back stop. After listening to the same mix for hours on end your ears become biased and you take the risk of not missing certain issues.

Thankfully the mixing engineer can catch these problems in your mix and fix them before anyone else hears them. Beyond just fixing problems themselves, they’ll often provide optional mix tips that you can improve on before they do their work including multiple rounds of revisions included with your purchase.

Not only will this improve your current track but it will simultaneously make you an improved mixing engineer in the long run. You’ll be able to use these pro mixing tips and apply this information to future music mixing projects before sending the song to get mastered.

AUDIO MIXING FAQ

Here are the most common questions we get related to audio mixing:

Do you recommend going to school to learn audio mixing?

If your passion is music, realize by choosing to enroll at a music school that the majority of what you’re going to be studying has very little to do with music. It’s a lot of technical jargon, basic audio knowledge, and different aspects of production which you may not have any interest in.

The majority of students drop out very rapidly when they find out they have to learn circuit diagrams as opposed to the anatomy of production.

A faster streamlined process would be to jump straight into s one on one lessons with a skilled audio engineer coach. You will achieve the same end goal for a fraction of the price by  cut straight to the point and obtain the same knowledge in just a few live coaching sessions. The process is streamlined, saving you both time and money.

How do I place my order for music mixing?

1) Create your music

2) Send us your files by uploading to our secure server

3) The engineer will then mix your record and email it back to you

4) Open your mix and give it a listen or two, send over any changes and we will revise and return

For a more detailed explanation of the audio mixing process click here.

What is the expected turn around time to receive my final mix?

Turnaround times vary based on how quickly you need your finished material back. Many mixing companies offer flexible turnaround times to keep their prices affordable for all independent artists.

For example, if you are on a budget and time is on your side go with a standard turnaround time as this is the most economical option. Express and Priority Services are available for those projects under a strict deadline and who need their mix back in a hurry. Needing your final mix back quickly may cost a premium but a reliable mixing company offers multiple options to keep prices fair and attractive to all musicians looking to get their music mixed.

How many revisions are included with my mixing order?

Every company has different rules regarding revisions and some even charge for this. Here for example, we assure you a day and night result as Vinny doesn’t just mix records he flip records. We will do our best to provide amazing results and remember you always have input into how your music ultimately sounds. If the client doesn’t like the original version, rest assured we can revise it until the client does!

Mr Mix and Master doesn’t stop until every client is happy and in love with their music. He offers a satisfaction guarantee, not a money-back guarantee just to clarify. This is why we offer revisions at no additional charge, in return guaranteeing you will love your final product no matter how many attempts it may take even if this involves tweaking a kick drum or bass guitar. This is one of the main reasons we are considered an industry leading song mixer, your work is in the hands of a trust worthy engineer when you choose us for any and all of your music mixing needs!

My vocals are out of tune, can you fix them?

Absolutely. We use AutoTune®, Melodyne® and Ableton Live® to manually mix you’re tracks to perfection. Don’t worry – a good mixing engineer is very skilled in this area, find the right one will make you sound like the stars… Still not sure what company you should choose? Try our online mixing services and lets take your music to the next level!

Do you still have some additional questions…? No worries, we have you covered, check out our FAQ Page for our most frequently asked questions.