All too often, mixing engineers particularly those fairly new to mixing get the levels they want for each instrument in a mix and call the mix done. However, nearly all mixes benefit from some sort of subtle modifications of those levels on each track as the song goes on. We’ll look at how modifying these levels can improve your mix in another article, but here we want to look at how these modifications easily can be made in your home recording studio.
When recording was all analog, these volume changes were made to each track by adjusting the faders manually during the mixdown. However, if even one level change was off during this process, the entire mixdown had to be repeated. But over the past couple decades it became possible to automate those movements in the board so the level changes didn’t have to be made by hand at the final stage of the mix.
Today, nearly every DAW software has the ability to perform this automation. There are typically two different ways to add automation to your tracks.
Add Automation by Adjusting the Level in Real Time
The way you add automation depends upon your hardware setup (and your preferred method of working), though there are essentially two ways to do it. If you have a physical mixer, then the process of automating tracks is similar to the aforementioned manual changes -- you adjust in real time. If you do not have a mixer, you can adjust the levels in the mix window on your DAW software as the song plays. The actual process varies slightly in each DAW, but the process is fairly similar in all.
You’ll typically change the mix parameter to “Write” mode and then make any changes as the song plays. These changes most often involve volume levels, but also can include panning and other features if the song calls for it. Once you are done, you’ll turn the “Write” mode off, and the changes you made will now occur automatically.
Add Automation in Your Edit Window
Another way to add automation is in your edit window. Though the actual process will once again vary slightly depending on your DAW, all software will typically have a way for you to enable the automation paths for volume levels and panning in your edit window.
From there, you can tweak the levels as needed throughout your song. This is a great way to make highly precise edits to the automation, and allows you to re-edit any automation you may not have gotten quite right.
Similarly, this method can also be used in addition to the adjustments you made in real time. Unlike the old days, your manual changes are not set in stone. Once you’re done adjusting the track(s) in “Write” mode, you can make more modifications in your edit window to make sure you have the best sound possible for your track.
So, Why A Membership?
Let’s face it — trying to create professional mixes without the correct knowledge, tools, services, and network is like playing a concert with a broken instrument to an audience of no one.
That’s where the Sage Audio membership comes in — the membership gives you everything you need to create professional mixes consistently.
The membership is the secret to your success — it’s the difference between the 1,929,999,999 of poor-sounding mixes and the .00000002% of mixes that make people say 'WOW!"
There are 7 unique value-points included in your Sage Audio membership.
Let’s go over each one so you can decide if the membership is right for you.
1. Sage Audio University
- SAU Flagship Mixing Course: 23-video in-depth mixing course that reveals the little-known secrets of mixing and matches the needs of the new music industry.
- SAU Flagship Mastering Course: 19-video in-depth modern mastering course that dives into every nuance of making professional-sounding masters.
- SAU Pre-Mastering Course: Concise pre-mastering course that details the latest industry standards for preparing your mixes for mastering.
- SAU is designed for every experience level, ranging from budding mixing engineers to advanced engineers. The techniques and concepts taught can be applied to any DAW to create industry-leading mixes without expensive software or plugins - and free plugin alternatives are suggested throughout each course.
- Each SAU course includes Start-to-Finish session walkthrough lessons for multiple genres so you can follow along with your preferred genre.
- SAU Certification Document, which can be downloaded and showcased on your website and social channels.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
2. Private 1-on-1 Mentorship
- The Sage Audio private 1-on-1 Mentorship gives you direct access to us for advanced mixing feedback, in-depth discussions, and customized guidance that's tailored to your specific needs.
- Unlimited private access to us for advanced mixing feedback, where we provide detailed suggestions for improvement.
- Unlimited private access to us for in-depth discussions to help you improve every aspect of your mixes and masters.
- Customized guidance that’s tailored specifically to your needs.
- Fast communication so you can improve your skills quickly.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
3. Unlimited Mixing Feedback
- Unlimited professional mixing feedback directly from us so you can consistently improve your skills and create professional mixes.
- Mixing feedback is invaluable, and the Sage Audio membership gives you continual direct access to us for real-world feedback so you can improve every aspect of each of your mixes while you're in the process of mixing.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
4. 50 Free Mastered Songs Per Year
- 50 free mastered songs per year with your own dedicated professional mastering engineer so you can get all your mixes sounding like professional songs.
- You get your own dedicated Sage Audio mastering engineer to create custom masters that are specific to you and sound exactly how you want.
- Unlimited revisions with your dedicated mastering engineer. As a standard of our service, we are not happy until you are happy with the sound of your masters.
- All masters are delivered as commercial, industry-standard high-resolution 24-bit HD WAV masters so they will sound clean and clear on every platform.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
5. Community
- The Sage Audio community is a tight-knit community of passionate audio engineers who can provide you with additional real-world mixing feedback, meaningful discussions, networking, collaborations, and more.
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6. 70+ GB of Curated Sage Audio Downloadable Content
- 36 multitrack sessions spanning multiple genres for mixing practice.
- 57 un-mastered mixes spanning multiple genres for mastering practice.
- 62 Recommended Free Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 39 Recommended Paid Plugins List (vetted, tested, and approved, so you don’t have to).
- 71 Sage Audio custom plugin presets to improve your mixes and masters.
- Sage Audio Membership Badge to showcase on your website, social channels, and portfolio.
Yes, I want to join the membership now >
7. 800+ Video Catalog
- Access 700+ in-depth Sage Audio mixing and mastering videos - curated and organized into categories so you can easily take a deep dive into all aspects of audio engineering with thousands of hours of concise, expertly crafted Sage Audio videos to continually improve your skills at your own pace.
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