5 Things I Wish I Knew About Mixing
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton (Scoobert Doobert) · Solo episode
Listen
Topics discussed
Host note
"Reference tracks are overrated. You're making your own damn song." I sent so many files to mix engineers scared to have an opinion, and that fear cost me. The mix engineer can only work with what you give them, which means the producer's job doesn't end before the mix; it defines it.
Saturation pulls out what makes a sound like itself, a saturated guitar sounds more guitarry, not just louder. I cover that, why printing your decisions matters rather than leaving them open for someone else to undo, and what it actually means to be the pre-mixer instead of treating yourself as a completely separate step in the chain.
You have to do this around a hundred times before it clicks, there's no shortcut. But knowing what you're actually trying to do speeds the learning up considerably.
Selected moments
- You are the pre-mixer 0:54 The producer's role doesn't end before the mix, it defines the mix.
- Importance of saturation 3:07 What saturation does to audio and why it makes things sound more like themselves.
- Print what you like 5:22 Make decisions and print them before handing off tracks, don't leave it to the engineer.
- Overrated reference tracks 6:07 Why chasing a reference track can undercut originality.
- Hands-on experience 8:16 Why you have to do this a hundred times before you get good, no shortcuts.
- Decide on your own sound 10:35 Make decisions because it's your music, even if you're scared of them.
Selected excerpts
You are the pre-mixer. As a producer, don't think of yourself as being completely distinct from the mix.
What saturation does is it pulls out that which makes the thing different. So when you saturate a guitar, it sounds more guitarry.
If you like something, print it. If you like the reverb, print it, make decisions, and give it to the mixing engineer.
Reference tracks are overrated. You're making your own damn song. Make your own damn song.
You got to do this like a hundred times before you're going to get good. Like, I'm sorry.
Make decisions because it's your music. And then other things probably give it a shot, even if you're scared of it.
FAQ
What are five things I wish he knew about mixing?
1. You are the pre-mixer. 2. Saturate your audio. 3. Print what you like. 4. Reference tracks are overrated. 5. You need to practice repeatedly to improve.
How can saturation improve my music mixing?
Saturation pulls out harmonic frequencies and makes the audio sound richer and more like itself, enhancing its character.
Curated notes only — no public transcript. Listen on the links above.