When mixing drums, trying finding ways to both thicken the sound, and increase the detail of the transients. For example, bus compression with a super quick attack and release, as well as a hard knee, will distort transients in turn making them more prominent - it’ll also glue the sound.
When mixing vocals, use some unique techniques like multiband upward compression, or series de-essers to make your vocals sound better. One of the easiest ways to make a vocal sound better is to use multiband saturation, with which you can distort each frequency range for a specific purpose.
Keep Things Simple When PossibleUse Saturation for Multiple EffectsUse Compression MusicallyTry Series Compression on VocalDon’t Mix with a Limiter on the MixBusBe Particular with ReverbBPM Equation ExplainedKnow When to Use Linear PhaseTry Binaural Panning Instead of Stereo ExpansionUse Busses for Cohesion
When mixing vocals with a beat, we’ll either want to separate the two or blend the two more. To separate them we can boost frequencies on the vocal and cut those same frequencies on the beat, or maybe introduce even harmonics on the beat, and odd on the vocal.
When mixing high end, the main tool you’ll use is an equalizer, with which you can amplify the highs, and expand the highs if the EQ is mid-side. Other useful tools are frequency-specific saturation, a compressor with a short attack and release settings, and airy reverb.
When mixing male vocals, start with subtractive equalization followed by de-essing and compression - these 3 effects will attenuate aspects of the vocal you don’t want and control the dynamics. Then introduce additive forms of processing like exciting, distortion, delay, vocal reverb, additive equalization, and more.
If you want to make a fire mix, start with subtractive eq and saturation on your instruments, then focus on vocal and drum reverb. From there you can create vocal layers using a tuner, and affect your mixbus to create a full and impressive sound.
When making dark vocals you can use a high shelf filter to attenuate high frequencies, or you can use low tape speed emulation to attenuate highs while distorting mids. Another option for making dark vocals is to use reverb and isolate the reflections to the lows of the vocal.
7. Easy Limiter - EmRys 6. Limiter - Kilohearts 5. W1 Limiter - George Yohng 4. Frontier - D16 3. Barricade v4 - Toneboosters
When mixing background vocals, start with optical compression with a longer release, a high-pass filter, and sibilance dip, and then tune with high settings. When mixing background vocals, keep in mind that they should blend in with the lead, meaning they can be processed heavily without issue.
If you’re mastering and want it to sound better, try aligning the phase, expanding the transients on the side image, and upward compressing the mids using a parallel send. You can also do some experimental steps like normalizing a parallel track instead of using parallel compression.
When making lo-fi vocals, using processing that attenuates the low and high-frequency range, introduces analog and digital distortion, and emulates the sound of classic recording devices. A quick and easy way to make loft vocals is to isolate the mid frequencies with an EQ, then heavily saturate the signal.
When stacking compression, we’re creating a series in which multiple compressors are performing distinct jobs. For example, we can stack multiple forms of peak compression, or combine downward and upward compressors - additionally, we combine distinct sounds like the 1176 or LA2A optical compressor to create something entirely unique.
When mixing female vocals the main thing you need to keep in mind is how the pitch has shifted upward, and what this means for important frequencies. For example, the ranges for vocal clarity and sibilance have likely shifted higher, meaning you’ll need to equalize the vocal differently.
When equalizing a full mix, be sure to only make subtle changes to the frequency response - also, utilize mid-side equalization for subtle stereo expansion. You can also use other creative forms of equalization like dynamic eq or intelligent eq to subtly reshape your mix’s response.
