Mixing Isn't Magic! Learn The "Secrets" Of Audio Mixing

Those quotation marks around “secrets” are meant to be ironic. There seems to be a train of thought among beginning recording musicians (and a bunch that aren’t beginners!) that somehow a great audio mix comes about due to some secret audio alchemy known only to a few. The truth is that a great mix is not a mystery. More often than not it’s the result of a lot of critical listening and applied skill. It’s true that some engineers seem more gifted than others, but that’s mostly a function of devotion to the craft.

I’m going to share with you a few bits of craft I’ve picked up over the years, tricks that help me bridge the gap between my ears and my hands on the faders. None of the tips I’ll share qualifies as a secret—well, maybe one, which I’ll share at the end—but I hope they will stand the test of being good advice.