The 3 Simple But Boring Steps Guaranteed to Make Your Mixes Better

Published: Tue, 08/02/16

If you’re anything like me you’re probably always looking for the next quick trick to make your mixes sound better.

That's why I regularly log into the Dueling Mixes community.

I don’t just recommend it for no reason. I’m a raving fan of what Joe and Graham do for us mixing engineers.

One thing you get when you sign up is their eBook, The Path to Great Mixes. And to be honest, that eBook is worth the first month alone!

I tried out their method that they talk about in that book and it actually changed the whole way I approach my mixing.

It’s not that I hadn’t done all of the techniques they talk about. It’s the order in which they teach you to approach your mixing that’s so effective.

Here are the three steps that I thought were the most eye-opening. They might not be the glamorous tricks you were looking for but I guarantee they’ll change the way you approach your mixes.

1. Mix in Mono

I’ve talked about mixing in mono before but it bears repeating.

If you can make your mix sound good in mono then your stereo mix will sound amazing in comparison.

2. Mix the Loudest Part of the Song

If you can get a good static mix at the loudest part of the song everything else will be easier.

Vincent Dubroeucq, another Dueling Mixes member talks about the importance of a static mix in his post: 7 Simple Mixing Tips to Improve Your Tracks

3. Start With EQ

Forget about everything else before you’ve sculpted your tracks with EQ.

You’ll learn more from an EQ on every channel with all faders up trying to make everything fit than with any other mixing tool ever made. -Click to Tweet

Have Fun

Once your tracks sound good in mono and you’ve sculpted your tracks to fit together, the fun can finally start.

Actually, I take that back.

You should’ve had fun just working with the EQ! You should feel very accomplished if you can make all your tracks fit together with EQ.

But I know. I know. It’s fun to fiddle with reverbs and delays and compression and all that jazz.

But if you start with those 3 steps your mix should already sound good so you’ll have even more fun.

That’s just a tiny preview of what you get if you want to become a member In addition, you’ll receive:

Voting rights on which mix sounds better
2 tutorial videos that show you the secrets behind their mixes
New multi-tracks every month
A webinar where they answer your specific questions

And of course, my favorite: The Path to Great Mixes.