8 Reasons Your Mixes Sound Thin and Muddy (and How to Fix Them)

►► Download my Essential Mixing Guide here [FREE]: bit.ly/3ESeQSq. Do your mixes sound muddy, thin and unclear? Here's why…
Clarity and separation is what we're all after in the mix, so we need to know what's giving us a muddy mix - and how to fix it.
Whether you are mixing drums, mixing vocals or mixing synths, there are 8 key reasons why you still can't get a clean mix.
In this mixing tutorial I share with you those 8 key reasons, and the solutions you can use if your mix is still sounding muddy.
In this video, we go deep into:
00:00 - Intro
00:45 - What a muddy mix sounds like
01:28 - 1. Sound Selection
02:47 - 2. Composition
04:23 - 3. Phase Cancellation
06:46 - 4. Frequency Masking
09:41 - 5. Mono switch
11:17 - 6. Low End Roll-Off
12:21 - 7. Auxiliary Channels
14:10 - 8. Top-Down Mixing
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📝…And here's the blog version of this tutorial, for anyone who prefers words and images: www.edmtips.com/8-reasons-of-...
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Cheers, and happy producing!
Will
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#mixingtutorial #abletonlive #musicproduction

[@EDMTips]

Let me know what you think of this video in the comments below. If you liked this video don't forget to smash that subscribe button so you don't miss out on any of my upcoming tutorials! 🔥

[@aloahe4807]

i love your vids with the fundamental tricks to sound much better - short effective and for beginners - just here i learned that the radio ready sound doesnt came from an expensive plugin, no!, it comes from learning basic skills from the pros.

[@baconpizzawcheese4506]

What song is this?

[@jaynaidu03]

Amazing you cleared so much of my mental blocks in my mixing :) Thank you for the video ..

[@Noah-DeWilde]

Can u do a video on sound selection

[@gregbrookman]

Can't say I'm a fan of this type of EDM, but your videos are really well explained and I can apply the learnings to the music I produce. I love as well the way you provide examples. Top notch stuff.

[@prod_by_gabe9972]

love that you took an actual example and fixed it, very helpful

[@flyoverfredusa]

on the phase cancellation - far easier way to do it - remove the fundamental on your "wide bass" (edit wavetable, process, remove funadamental) then just add the sub in the same serum with direct out - steady as a rock

[@EDMTips]

Love it! Great tip 🤙

[@FaithlessFlight]

Best way to do this with vital or wavetables?

[@colmcq]

I just clone my bass layer- set high pass to 30-50 depending how it interacts with kick, and make mono.

[@johnbaprac]

@@colmcq isn't it the same than adding in just 1 bass an Utility, setting it up mono for frequencies upper 100Hz or something?

[@axoplanet6081]

@@johnbaprac Always better to split it in layers. Way better as to do it in 1 track and with a plugin, because you can also put a chorus on the mid bass layer for example.

[@Jobobaboss]

Producing can be very frustrating and can be making me insecure about my abilities. But you’ve just breathed some new fresh confidence into me, and suddenly i can’t wait to continue my music hobby. So thanks a lot man. Great video, for real. It’s very appreciated what you did here. ❤️💪🏻

[@SamanInTheMachine]

This is some top level content! To the point, laser focused, spreading valuable info. Hats off, Will and thank you for sharing your treasure!

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome...Thanks as always for watching and supporting!

[@FairianEdw]

This is golden, nicely enriched my how to knowledge side so, hey thanks! 😊🌸 Can't wait to apply that to my prods!

[@crazygooner3398]

Great video! Thanks for providing definitions, examples, and easy-to-follow instructions!

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, glad it was helpful!

[@HisRoyalSelf]

You have a really smooth and concise style in explaining things that can take people years to understand. While these are obviously very basic concepts and are to be expanded upon to garner their full effect. They are all extremely important foundational fundamentals everyone should begin with. One thing i would alter sometimes is to not “hard cut” all mid/high freq tracks but rather use a shelf filter instead, to subtly remove the mud and avoid jarring frequency clips within the mix. Whilst they are usually hard to hear to the untrained ear. They can be a noticable problem when finishing a track in its final stages if there are too many hard cuts in those same 100k-200k areas. Potato, potàto, but its something ive started to do and i feel like it helps keep things smooth.

[@sonicindustries227]

Outstanding Will. Struggled with some mixes of late (I do dark techno via Logic/Maschine) and there's some really good pointers here. Keep them coming

[@chucksl21]

Love the way you explain things so clearly! That's a gift!

[@EDMTips]

Thank you!

[@showsteph7792]

Thanks bro...Very Helpful...Keep up the good work

[@snipingspiker3]

Great video! Super engaging, really nice personality for tutorials. Some people are knowledgeable but they just don't sound good so I watch with the sound off and captions on but this isn't the case for you! keep up the good work!

[@EDMTips]

Thank you for your kind words of support, and I am glad you enjoyed it! 🙂🙌🏻

[@anastasiya5156]

Will I cannot thank you enough for your work. I released my first track last month and I am working now on my first EP. Your videos help a lot, I am very impressed by the excellence of the content.

[@EDMTips]

Rock on! You're welcome! 🙂

[@djpapakuma]

Excellent video and tips, Will! Thx!

[@d05music17]

Yo Will! This was super rad to watch and made me remember some of the basics again. More videos like this, maybe dissecting more tracks from yours and students and fixing the mix? Anyway great work man

[@EDMTips]

Great suggestion!

[@kristiernay5684]

Amazing tips, thank you so much! :)

[@zyberbob]

Can't wait to watch this later, always good with a video to help get a more clean mix

[@EDMTips]

Cheers, and hope you enjoy!

[@BeatMachinery]

Pure Gold here! FANTASTIC!

[@midcam]

Glad I found this channel! Thanks!

[@dullastonishment]

Great stuff as always. Appreciate always being able to learn something new with your videos.

[@EDMTips]

I appreciate that! Glad it was helpful! Is there anything else you're struggling with?

[@dullastonishment]

@@EDMTips I’m struggling with bass sounds. I make drum & bass and whenever I send my tracks to my friends, the one thing they consistently tell me is that the bass needs to be improved. Doesn’t feel like Ableton’s bass sounds are gritty enough for that genre but I also struggle to make sounds in either Wavetable, Operator or Serum.

[@ko_3x335]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Always right on the point and and entertaining same time. Love your Channel

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, and thanks for the support! 🙂

[@Batlex]

Bro, your tips are priceless

[@kingchr5]

This was a real helpful video. Thank you.

[@Robertopazmusic]

Exelent tutorial Thank you 💪🔥🔥🔥

[@Keroser1983]

This is amazing Will. Thank you very much. Please bring more like this. We sometimes underestimate how important the basic or simple things.

[@EDMTips]

Really glad you liked it! Anything else in particular you’re struggling with?

[@Keroser1983]

@@EDMTips I strongly believe that content like this one would help the channel. For example, you do " how to " videos which a bdeeper and of course great. You can also add simple tips for every topic, like arrangement, sound design, mastering. So we as your followers can benefit from both deep dive stuff and more generic / top level stuff. These are my thoughts of course. Apart from those, everything from you is all welcome :))

[@Jvssvl]

I wholly agree with keroser1983. I really love your how to videos but it’s videos like this that you should make along with them. I would love to see videos where you take only stock sounds and instruments and turn it into a pro level track. You could show us what’s your mindset when you choose your sounds and how you go about sketching your track. Thanks Will.

[@EDMTips]

@@Keroser1983 Thanks for the suggestions! Much appreciated :)

[@EDMTips]

​@@Keroser1983 Thanks for the feedback!

[@martincraig2453]

Excellent tutorial as usual !!

[@EDMTips]

Cheers Martin! Anything else you’d like to see me cover?

[@3D1ofakind]

Showing before and after examples really elevated what you were talking about. You're an awesome teacher!

[@EDMTips]

Thank you so much for your kind words, really appreciate it! 🙂🙌🏻

[@DeltaWhiskeyBravo13579]

Great info on mixing. Thanks for the tutorials. Sending to a stock compressor plug-in with ducking (with dry vocal channel as the sidechain key) to a delay and reverb FX send was a pointer I latched onto several weeks ago. It truly does give me much more control of that reverb. I can mix each plug-in on this reverb channel full wet and use the fader itself to mix it in as I see fit. And I think it sounds far better than beforehand. I also do an FX send to an EQ and a Waves stereo widener plug-in, setting the EQ to low cut below about 250 Hz. It's adding a bit to side mid and high frequencies, and it seems to fit decently into my target sound. PS I'm sending each of these FX sends as prefade so that my dry fader doesn't affect the FX channels.

[@godzib4065]

Excellent tutorial, techniques clearly explained and easy to understand. Going to employ this rather quickly, game changer!

[@EDMTips]

Cheers, glad it was helpful! Anything else you're struggling with?

[@abrarfahimmusic]

Loved it, dropping my album with no hassle now~!

[@CristianCifuentes61]

Awesome tips, thanks for sharing !

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching and supporting the channel :)

[@haiiahmusic]

I love your videos, they cut right to the chase and really helpfull tips. I feel i learn more with you than in my 3 years of classes

[@EDMTips]

Appreciate the support! 🙌🙏

[@VictorWilsson]

Excellent video, you gave some of the best mixing advice around

[@EDMTips]

Awesome, I am glad you found it helpful! 🙌🏻 Anything else in particular you’re struggling with and would like me to cover on the channel?

[@mikeymusic1]

Wonderful, sincere and presented in a clear and accessible way, I just subscribed 🙌🙌 you got a great vibe 🕺🏻💃🏻👍👍🎹🎧🎤🎼

[@EDMTips]

Appreciate it! Thanks for watching and for the kind words of support :)

[@theuntouchman4007]

The "auxiliary channel" tip changed my mind!! Thanks so much for this precious tricks! Subscribed 🙌🏻

[@EDMTips]

Welcome aboard, the Untouchman. Glad you found it helpful :)

[@djerikfox]

omg...one of the best mixing tutorials i'v ever seen...RESPECT!!!

[@EDMTips]

Thank you!

[@mixedatmidnight]

Awesome info Will! This is GOLD.

[@EDMTips]

Thank you, glad it was helpful! 🙌🏻

[@ahmedfarazkhan8375]

wow those are awesome tips brother. you are simply great :)

[@stoxxhunter]

Great tips here. Love the compressor to duck the aux reverb channel on vox. Keep em coming Will!

[@editdolce]

Thank you! I have been struggling with this topic and your video helps me understand what I’m doing wrong. 👍🏾

[@EDMTips]

Glad it was helpful! Is there anything else you're struggling with?

[@R1PPA-C]

Great advice 💪🏻

[@EDMTips]

Thank you, glad it was helpful! 🙂 Anything else you're struggling with and would like me to cover on my channel?

[@darrenrobinson8317]

These are all great tips and a great video, thanks mate!!!

[@EDMTips]

You’re welcome! Anything else you’d like me to cover?

[@darrenrobinson8317]

@@EDMTips You have covered so much so its quite hard to think of anything!!There is a rubber kind of bass sound i am trying to master, something like charli XCX uses in good ones, or maybe create an 80s vibe sound,like the weekend uses. Apologies if you have covered these, Thank you for all your knowledge you share, it helps me and everyone else a great deal!!

[@YinpoLee]

Always a thumbs up Mr. Darling!

[@EDMTips]

Appreciate it! 🙌🙏

[@martinparidon9056]

Really great video. Thank you for sharing it!

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, Martin, glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

[@entheomusic]

solid video! Love the clear format and just really useful tips! I'm curious if that clicking on the sidechain compressor on the bass line affects the overall mix ?

[@martingauthier738]

Awesome advices!

[@mohammadkanaan6697]

Great explanation and straight to the point, thanks !

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, glad you found it helpful! 🙌🏻

[@henrrydj_]

Amazing, god bless you man!!

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, glad you found it helpful! 🙂

[@robertmills8401]

Thanks!! Especially on the reverb aux channels, I didn’t know that it cuts the reverb part . also putting the track in mono to listen out for things. always learning . every little helps 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@EDMTips]

Glad it helped!

[@tape_end_productions]

Loved this tutorial!

[@EDMTips]

Thanks for watching! Any other subject you’d like to see covered?

[@tape_end_productions]

@@EDMTips love to see one on the aux channels specificly and how you set that up. Also a mastering tips video like this would be good

[@future62]

This has to be the most helpful video on mixing I've ever watched. Thank you

[@EDMTips]

Thank you so much, I am really glad you liked it! Any point in particular you found useful?

[@AugustineKizis]

Thank you for the tips!!! Great info!!!!!!!

[@EDMTips]

You’re welcome!

[@sbrown9020]

Thanks for this

[@adwind3055]

As always, Will, most useful and pleasantly pragmatic. Thanks a million, great work.

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome...Thanks as always for watching and supporting!

[@Twistedbackwards2010]

Brilliant and very useful tips there! I've written 25+ pieces of music in the past few years and have always struggled with the final mixdown in it sounding thin and washed out - which is so frustrating having put hours into it. I never gave a second thought to the obvious issue that maybe I need to space the octaves out somewhat for individual tracks - the penny has dropped! Thanks Will.

[@EDMTips]

Very glad it helped! :)

[@joeyramonelookalike]

This is really good. Thanks!

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, Joey, glad you found it helpful! 🙂🙌🏻

[@richiestarks6163]

The fact that you gave a before and after audio of muddiness and clarity is gold. I cant ever explain it in words. I can always show this video for an example.

[@EDMTips]

I am glad you found it helpful 🙌🏻

[@lepraxronik]

This video is absolute gold for all producers of any skill level. Much appreciated 🙏

[@EDMTips]

Awesome, I am stoked you found it helpful! 🙂🙌🏻

[@Iceferno]

Muddy mixes are something I struggled with, and I've gradually realized some of these tips over the years, but thanks for highlighting the rest. I think my only other obstacle is exporting. When my tracks get played on internet radio, which broadcasts at 128kbps, there is often some unwanted limiting or even audio tearing in high frequencies.

[@tredfxman]

Get *Eventide SplitEQ* - it will revolutionize your mixing life !!! 👍

[@Iceferno]

@@tredfxman I'll look into it. Thanks!

[@sandwich-breath]

I found learning simple mastering techniques helped me and gave me a target to work towards

[@EDMTips]

@@sandwich-breath Great point! Here's a vid on mastering if anyone's interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4e0g5SDfL-DsLM

[@Iceferno]

@@EDMTips Thanks, will check that out. :)

[@rubenrojano2837]

Excellent tips as always Will

[@EDMTips]

Thank you, really appreciate the support! 🙌🙏

[@mcdan2696]

Excellent tips!

[@EDMTips]

Thank you, glad you found it helpful! 🙂

[@yomoney2871]

Thanks for the tips💪, I'm going to apply them right now to a song I made.

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, glad you found them useful! 🙌🏻

[@Salkinmusic]

Great video! Thanks for the tips, some of them I already use but I needed more tools. As a selftaught producer and musician this is golden 🔥

[@EDMTips]

Great, I am glad you found it useful! Thank you for watching and supporting the channel! 🙌🏻

[@Salkinmusic]

@@EDMTips No worries bro!

[@HenningUhle]

Wow, didn't know that. It looks pretty easy. And you are right, you can receive a much more clearer mix. Thank you for sharing.

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, glad it was helpful! 🙌🏻

[@franksilval]

This is amazing...thank you

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, Frank, glad you found it helpful! 🙂

[@Sa11eT4mp3r3]

Thanks a lot, Will! Really great tips!

[@EDMTips]

Glad it was helpful! Anything else you're struggling with?

[@yokelectronic]

Excellent video... I do some of these things, but you've mentioned some techniques that I'm not doing. This will definitely bring up my sounds. I've subscribed... Thank you.

[@EDMTips]

Well, looks like I've done my job then! 😉 Thanks for subscribing and I hope you continue to enjoy the content! 🙌🏻

[@yokelectronic]

@@EDMTips I will be spending some time around here! Thanks for the reply 😉

[@RBmusic2000]

So good. Love your channel

[@EDMTips]

Awesome, I am glad you enjoying my videos! 🙂🙌🏻

[@jean-sebastienlantz9164]

thank you very much, clear and straight forward. Bravo

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, glad you found it useful! 🙂🙌🏻

[@eugenejohannis5570]

This video helps me alot 👍🏼🔥😎 thank you so much 😁😁😁

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, I am happy to help!

[@Quufe3]

You're a legend Will. Well done again

[@EDMTips]

Cheers!

[@Problembeing]

Very clear and super helpful! Subbed.

[@EDMTips]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching and for the support :)

[@mrwiswas]

This was great! Thanks!

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, glad you found out helpful! 🙌🏻

[@gadeonmusic]

Amazing video as usual

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome...Thanks as always for watching and supporting!

[@theglide7464]

Great great advises!!! Thanks so much🤩

[@EDMTips]

You’re very welcome!

[@farhadg8113]

Great tips as always Will

[@EDMTips]

Glad you like them! :)

[@tom_something]

Thanks for this guide. So much helpful stuff. People who are relatively new to music production and who are primarily familiar with Ableton will know "auxilliary channels" as "returns" in Live. I'm one of those relatively new people, and you've given me another reason to love aux channels.

[@EDMTips]

Great point, Tom! Glad you found the video helpful :)

[@aaronjaggan]

YEAAHH BOI!! thats's what I'm taking about! Vital tips!

[@andrewdunleavy2749]

excellent advice brother thank you for sharing, its cleared a lot of my concerns about getting my projects to sound well THANK YOU....p.s. love the tune

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, and thanks for the support! 🙂

[@redburner]

Amazing video, thank YOU!

[@EDMTips]

You’re welcome :)

[@thecylinderblockheads2999]

After watching this i went and revisited my old stuff from 8 yrs ago on soundcloud and have a renewed interest in applying some of the tips here and rework them. I don't have the original tracks anymore so its going to be a total rebuild but using your tutorials and hints in Ableton will make things a little easier. Cheers will Regards spike the bloody

[@EDMTips]

Glad you found the video helpful. Go for it, Paul!

[@kiland3d]

8 points... simple... efficient! Thanks

[@EDMTips]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching and for the kind words of support :)

[@djfabinhowus]

Will always on top. Best EDM TIPS channel on KZbin!

[@EDMTips]

🙌🙌🙌😎

[@CyanBlackflower]

Great advice.

[@EDMTips]

Glad you found it helpful! 🙂

[@_damota]

This is gold 👌

[@EDMTips]

Glad you like!

[@lillehammerexperimental]

You're the boss... thanks man!

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, glad it was helpful! 🙌🏻

[@pan_panergy_]

This video brought me to the next level. I thought by changing sound selection was letting the mixing process “beat “ my art 😂but once I acc changed a baseline and pads on a certain song it made the mix have much more clarity ! It took me YEARS. Thanks ! #knowledge

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, I am glad it was helpful 🙂🙌🏻

[@jt1765]

Man I have the same problem. If I get set on a sound it’s hard to let it go and end up trying to force it to work. Gotta start being more selective when choosing sounds in the first place, that’s a tough one!

[@ianeastwood4837]

Great content 👍

[@EDMTips]

Cheers, Ian, I am glad you like it!🙌🏻 Thanks for watching and supporting the channel 🙂

[@EDMTips]

Cheers, Ian, I am glad you like it!🙌🏻 Thanks for watching and supporting the channel 🙂

[@JuanManuel12345]

Hey man loving your videos! Thanksss, very good tips and my mixes are getting way better! I have a small question… currently I sidechain almost everything to the kick, so this tip on sidechaining keys to the vocals is great! What will be the proper sidechains for the basic elements? Kick, snare, hithats, bass, synths, fx and vocals? Hope this question is not asking that much. Thanks!

[@shaunsprogress]

Three of your videos taught me about 500% more than 2 years at ACM doing music production. Thanks!

[@EDMTips]

Rock on! Thanks for watching and supporting the channel 🙌🏻

[@exhibz6288]

Great explanation very useful

[@EDMTips]

Really glad you liked it! Anything else in particular you’re struggling with and would like me to cover on the channel?

[@oguzozgul492]

An excellent and easy to follow (and easy to apply) tutorial for me, thank you very much! One thing I haven't been using so far is the seperate bus or aux channel for effects, now I will try this with my next remix and am hoping to get great results. Most of the effect plug-ins already have frequency cutting and db tweaking support, but why to confine myself with what the plug-in offers while I will be able to do whatever I want with the effect signal on a seperate channel, great!

[@alek8410]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p17XmWqHpMeCbas

[@emmyclinton4756]

Thank you so much sir

[@evenmind7283]

Very helpful, thanks a lot!

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome...Thanks as always for watching and supporting!

[@sskmusicofficial]

Great Tips Will💯👍🏻

[@EDMTips]

Appreciate it! 🙌🙏

[@QBellowMusic]

Thanks man!

[@EDMTips]

Happy to help! Anything else in particular you’re struggling with and would like me to cover on the channel?

[@santiagodelafuente211]

The best music production channel in KZbin

[@em8969]

Thankyou brother!

[@EDMTips]

A pleasure!

[@aaronrennz]

Amazing tips! Thanks

[@EDMTips]

You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed :)