16 Deadly Mixing Mistakes

[@marcowillich7388]

Danke!

[@mixbustv]

Thank you Marco! 🙏

[@ToneDepthofficial]

I’ve been mixing in the industry for almost 30 years and I would recommend this channel to engineers from beginner to professional levels. The information is all correct and a lot of channels have no idea what they are talking about. Thanks for providing the next generation of engineers with the correct information! ❤🙏😊

[@mixbustv]

🙏🤘

[@RP-vq4wd]

Yes, I recommend as well

[@discowolf25]

@@mixbustv I mean, 15 years but, same sentiment. 💯 top 3 on KZbin. If you don’t say gain stage right away…nope.

[@RETCHED-METAL]

Awesome 🤘

[@seanrimada8571]

Yep, D is the ish as we call t

[@vektacular]

Yes, I like that….”see stopping as being hardcore!” Exactly…..I can only mix about an hour at a time but I can come back in 20 mins and catch it fresh to find all the problems.

[@TwstedTV]

8:15 This is true. A long time ago, before I purchased my own house, I used to live in an apartment. And every time I used my studio monitors, the cops were called on me. And it was not an elderly person calling the cops, but a mid aged person with teenaged kids. BUT YET, her children who were in their teens jumped around the apartment all day & night long, and all I heard all day was the ceiling caving in, but I NEVER called the cops on them. Even though I hated every time they stomped on the floor from 3pm to 2am and the weekends got worse and lasted longer. Anyways, when I was creating music and had my speakers on the volume was on 5, which was a decent level and not loud, 10 minutes later I hear a knock on the door and 2 cops standing there telling me I can't play music because neighbors were complaining. I knew who it was. I was stuck wearing headphones for everything for years, and I mean everything from watching movies, watching TV, making music, playing video games. ANYTHING I was forced to use headphones. I finally had enough and saved a lot of money and purchased my own house. And I promised myself to never live in an apartment ever again. There are millions of people that go through what I have gone through. They live in apartments and they can not use speakers at all. Not to mention that they can not soundproof anything, because it's not their property & the lease says you can't do it. Throwing foam on the walls is really not sound proofing. It's actually tempering the reverberations of the room. Sound proofing is actually tearing down the sheetrock walls, and putting in Rockwool within the walls, then installing 2 plies of 5/8ths inch QuietRock hooked onto [U]-channels, creating a room within a room. Anyway, sorry for the long post, just wanted to point out that not many people have the options of using speakers, and they are stuck only using headphones.

[@brockhard3555]

I swear this guy deserves his own comic book. Such a unique character. "The Adventures of Mixbus Man"!!!

[@Sundaydrumday]

YOUR COMPLETELY RIGHT, TOO MANY KZbinRS SPREADING BAD INFO, SINCE I FOUND THIS CHANNEL THE RESULTS IM GETTING ARE 10X BETTER. THANKS DAVID

[@KarasamaBeats]

it’s always such a pleasure when there ain’t any stupid B Rolls of the coffee brand you drink or some drone shots of your home surroundings , when the video is about music production 😌

[@thimovijfschaft3271]

"Don't ignore genre." The mixengineer who's gotta mix Igorrr: Please help....

[@ViktorNova]

LOLL mega props to the engineer that mixed their last album, gawd dayum

[@braddasseymusic]

This dude is DEAD ON. To the point, doesn't fuck around. Awesome! Thanks for the advice, bro. Brad Dassey from Wisconsin. Been producing since 1997. Thanks for your video.

[@wicky4473]

Your comments about work ethics is spot on. It’s the same for any business. After a certain amount of hours, productivity is reduced to the point where it just becomes time wasting. Great videos, I’m glad I finally discovered your channel.

[@viccucciamusic]

Awesome video man. Great mentioning the fact most people LOOK for problems, instead of listening and perceiving if there ACTUALLY is a problem; very fucking true.

[@shaunmaqproduction7215]

I feel like i should pay for this kind of infomation...this pro love us so much to tell us these points ...thank U Sir Dave....i salute You...

[@alessandrosummer]

Another mixing mistake you should mention is mixing in solo (especially EQing in solo is really bad, since you often end up carving the low mids on everything). And also regarding of mistake n.9: I'd say compress the tracks individually (I have a bus compressor just on the drum bus), Eq the tracks as a group more of the times, add special effects mostly as a group (e.g: I like having a chorus plugin on the gang vocals bus)

[@RAFDOG2k7]

God I need to have this video pop up at least once a month. It's all the lessons I've already learnt but occasionally forget and lose perspective on the a mix. Great, great video!

[@dextergondo]

You were talking to me this is so me especially micro managing everything ,I will submit my mix soon 😂 Thank you David

[@commonsense5188]

One point he mentioned that can not be stated enough, is over-analyzing your own mixes/songs. In my past I was EXTREMELY guilty of that. Back when I used to mix for local artists I also did my own music as well. When clients would come in, they would track, get a rough mix to leave with and then I would deliver the final mix very soon after, perhaps a day or 2 later. The mixes always sounded great and clients were happy. However, when it came to my own music, I would sit and over-analyze EVERY aspect. I would mix a song for a week, only to have it sounding worse at the end of that week, than it did on the first day I started mixing it. I would constantly second guess my decisions, revise certain aspects etc etc, and what it amounted to was ZERO released music and NO ONE heard my shit besides close friends. I say all of that to say this, after taking about 6 years away from music, I decided to get back into it this January. I bought all new equipment, built a brand new studio at home and I'm back to making music and the number ONE rule I have for myself is making logical mixing decisions, sticking to them and not mixing "fast" per say, but mixing vigilant with a deadline in mind and when that deadline is hit, that's it. Song is done. Being able to detach from your music while mixing is extremely important.

[@AnthonySigouin]

I personnally work on at least 3 or more different personal projects (often different styles (cinematic, EDM, ambient etc). One day I work on one, another day on an other etc. Working on the same track day after day after day for one week or two is indeed, not the best idea for the final result and your sanity unless you have no choice. I work back 3-4 times on a mix with some days between each sessions taking notes at the end of each about what it remains to be done for the next session. I also write new notes when going back to the session, if needed, during the first listening.

[@highbred]

Thanks for sharing this man. I'm currently struggling pretty bad with this, but reading your story has made me realize it's maybe normal to feel like this about your own work and I should try to move on from that. appreciate it man

[@Mevzuderin]

I have this problem too..ive been busy with 1 song for months now. But i dont know if the problem is that i overanalyse my song or its because i dont have enough knowledge about mixing yet. Every time i tweak things and it seem to sound good but the other day it doesnt sound good so i tweak again. At the end the whole mix sounds bad and overprocessed and so i begin from start again. This drives me crazy.. i hope one day i can do it like you😅

[@flipnap2112]

ha ha I just posted the same. it such an EASY trap to fall into. micromanaging everything and getting caught in the loop. about 9 years ago I had a personal piece that was important to me. you know I mixed it for 3 months. 3 months! just last year I was listening to all the takes from that session and my 3rd test bounce sounded like heaven. the final was an embarrassment. 3 months and I produced a pile of garbage. its just insane! but then again, I think all artists suffer from this. were all perfectionists but its an illusion. there was a famous sculptor (I think) who said something like "theres no such thing as a finished piece, just an abandoned project"

[@Victorcolongarcia]

You described me. I need to invent deadlines to force myself to let go. I am NEVER satisfied with my own stuff

[@juankplaysmusic]

3:40 Man, David, that´s crucial advice. You could spend forever (literally) tweaking your own stuff, specially if you don´t have a deadline or something. Gotta detach, find someone else to do it, or set a specific date to finish your shit lol.

[@sleepisoptional]

“these are ruining your mix!” should have a picture of my hands

[@mixbustv]

😂

[@icons2324]

Lol

[@cliftoncameron5632]

This is one of the most important pieces of sacred information for any artist, engineer, producer, and beyond. David, this is just incredible. Thank you for your passion, truth, and desire to make Earth a better place.

[@1loveMusic2003]

I agree about the template thing. I like the process of building the mix and it's different every song I don't want anything other than the song effecting my decisions.

[@peppercrybeatz]

this was the best 'mixing mistakes' video i have seen....thanks

[@b.hornetiii.6771]

"Automate everything, don't rellay only on plugins ..." Now that's a pleasant surprise, a real pro. 👏👏👏👏 Many so called pro's in my country say to me, why are you doing so much automation it's 2023, you can use that and this plugin ... It's a lot of work, but it pays of at the end. It's sad how many people just leave the levels as they are and then ask, why is this mix so boring ... :))

[@kaveiros75]

Well said, man. Well said, indeed. Especially no.6 is my most often argument with many sound engineers or know-it-all-musicians.

[@pauliedibbs9028]

Coming back to this video often seriously helps ground me out... anytime I get frustrated with a current project, or whenever I am feeling blocked... THANK YOU!

[@ProducedByChristo]

You channel is heaven sent, never stop making these videos

[@zacharybrown5150]

I need to come back to these video I'm smoking weed and I haven't slept and your voice make me fall asleep I forgot what I was even doing.

[@QuopCoup]

Didn't realize how much i liked your information and affirmations.. Right on point, keep it up, don't lose your passion ever. We need more down to earth and honest people like you in this format.

[@mixbustv]

Thank you!

[@ceed3d396]

On Point 100%

[@briansullivan3424]

One of the biggest tips in here is budgeting your time on the mix. Listening to something for hours and hours leads to so many issues. Like you said, we hear less and less high-end after a while, not to mention we will often lose context from one track to another, or the verse to the chorus, etc., so I know I've had songs where the first 32 bars and the second 32 bars both sounded pretty good, but didn't sound good together, because I lost sight of making sure it was one cohesive song. I spent too much time dialed waaaay in, that I didn't bother to pull back to make sure it sounded like one song. It was a very hard lesson for me to learn, but it's helped a ton... short, 5-6 hour mixing sessions with 10-15 minute breaks every hour or two worked so much better than just gluing myself to my desk and not moving until it was "done". If I have to come back to it a few days in a row, that's alright, because I'm coming back with fresh ears. Much improved compared to sitting there 10-15 hours straight, hangry, tired, and not terribly happy with the final product.

[@1loveMusic2003]

My worst mistake when I started was putting plugins on individual tracks first and in solo. Now I edit, static mix (level balance), set up 2 bus, then busses and then individual tracks if needed and automate everything so it gives the intended emotion. I'm sooo much faster now and the results are better and more natural sounding. You have been a great resource for good info David Thanks!

[@MrTunes333]

I find your tutorials and way of explaining shit very helpful, and you are good at getting things across. Subbed.

[@RelievedMusic]

Those were some really great tips. Thank you for your videos!

[@MKD371]

The reference mixes are what they are, a surface level observation. 2d, looking from the outside in, so using reference mixes will only get you a small portion of the way to understanding what a good mix is. To diagnose a real mix, you need to delve into it and know all the individual tracks and how each stem was mixed, and then glued together as a whole, then, how it was mastered.

[@WavetableMetaphysics]

The speed of the Intro flow is that of twista. Dropping jewels in the realm of Audio engineering. 🙏

[@djzoneymusic]

thanks man...

[@le-berry]

You are so right about gain and I hate the discussion which always seems to follow this topic about. floating point 32 bit they just don't understand (sweet spots of plugins) yes some processes wil not have problem within the floating point but I remember back in the day when I started understanding digtal mixing on a Yamaha O2R and once dropping gain to -9 the mix opened up and the main bus was loaded properly and the main fader could go up. Game changer and never looked back. It's a pity people prefer to argue instead of comparing it which should give instant result. People in DAW are confused bij loud softsynth and samples maximised to 0 DBFS the point is the sample or plugin don't care for your mix you should...... thanks mate you are the best !!!

[@AnimusInvidious]

Great set of tips. My 'elemental mixing' fx rack templates help a ton with #13. I don't fuck around with choosing plugins, having already familiarized myself with them deeply and placed on apt chains. I just drop on a given rack for whatever instrumental type or sound design goal, grab knobs and twist, occasionally swapping out certain plugins selectively if they aren't working for a particular thing.

[@arthur.monticelli]

Man you're doing God's work. Thank you so much

[@MeanTrainingMachine]

Best channel on KZbin hands down

[@byus6928]

Number 4 hits home for me. That REALLY kills ALOT of my songs. I hunt for resonances until it sounds like shit and then I just quit and move on to the next song which turns into a cycle. I just can’t unhear those annoying resonances

[@iimmyyyy]

This channel is a gem

[@mixbustv]

Thank you for the support!

[@RETCHED-METAL]

Good stuff Dave thank you I needed to hear this too. I'm still coming I've had a lot of things come up in my personal life but I'm coming to join soon.

[@MrAdrianloera]

Man really appreciate you. Straight to the point.

[@GeorgeKTM4String]

Criminally underrated Video. Thought it was gonna be click-bait-y, but EVERY ONE of these tips is GOLD. I'm gonna share this with everyone I know.

[@mixbustv]

Thank you, unfortunately there is only one way to make good content to be seen in KZbin, you gotta play the title/thumb game

[@mathewjohnofficial1061]

It's true what he said. Thank you for sharing this kind of information.

[@micheldequevedo]

If I made any of these mistakes??…. How about? all of them!! 😂 I’m really enjoying your videos, very informative, entertaining and best of all, useful!! Thank you! You’ll definitely hear from me again.

[@claytonlevibrown]

I like what you did there with the number scheme for mistakes. What about the fact of the number three in representation to the zodiac for people, perhaps someone, not me, born in 1967.

[@LoversinPH]

Tell me why is this not the best audio engineering channel? 🔥 🔥 This is the shit! no BS!

[@mixbustv]

🙏

[@Iseehennessey]

You sir are a real one man I hung on every word you preached thank you for spreading the knowledge the industry could use a few more of you for sure 🙏🏼 respect

[@atlas5926]

I'm struck by how good this actually is, this is my first time in the channel. I'm subscribed that's it. good job

[@marcoborge5208]

Precious advice, So thankful mate! Blessings

[@aungko7686]

This is treasure. Thanks David.

[@flipnap2112]

man, number 14 to me was the MOST important thing I ever discovered. deadlines aren't a luxury, its a necessity. I have wasted SO much time going for that perfect mix, changing my mind, going back over and over. at that point it just sounds different, not better, and most of the times worse. some of my earlier work that I used to think was gold sounds like an overproduced piece of garbage.When I discovered this, I was in preproduction on a song and thought "back in the day I only had 16 tracks to work with" so I limited myself to 16 tracks. I had to make tough decisions on when to bounce and that decision was final, I had to commit . I forced myself to be done in 2 days for the mix and a day to master. its one of the best songs Ive ever engineered. Thanks so much for these, definitely good stuff.

[@jimdukeproject]

All practical advice.

[@dysonmyson]

i really like the fast talking approach, thanks u the best mixbus

[@emanuel_soundtrack]

the discipline of pausing while holding the tension is a very especial one ☝️

[@MKD371]

Gian staging is possibly the most important aspect of mixing, post tracking process. Not only does it sort the levels out so there are no awkward peaking moments, the sweet spot is hit in the plugins, and it goes to getting a proper pro sounding mixing, which is balanced spacious, impactful.

[@zachary963]

Thank you for talking at a decent pace. So many videos I play at 1.25 speed because everyone speaks sooooo slow

[@Bring_MeSunshine]

Some great advice, as usual. Because I don't do this professionally, what's missing from my mixes, is a seasoned ear, but it's improving. I've been known to overwork a mix, by spending too long on it, for way too many hours at once. In light of ths, I now mix in shorter sections, and leave it alone for a few hours, even a day. It pays dividends and means don't sweat the small stuff, plus I'm making quicker decisions. I'm using less plugins, than I used to, and getting better results, and the static mix is always the foundation stone, as you say.

[@therealtblstudio]

I've been mixing/mastering for about 4 yrs now and stumbled upon Mixbus early on. I've been doing most of what you listed off because of your earlier vids and learned a couple new things. Just wanted to say thanks. I actually can charge a decent amount for a mix now and make a nice side hustle.💯👍

[@mixbustv]

Thank you! Happy to hear the video helped you!

[@schepperz]

That was a killer video David 👏"If you want to find a problem in your mix, you will find many problems" - so true 🙂 Big thank you!

[@mixbustv]

🙌

[@djerikfox]

..this is the reason why your channel is my no1 always about music production for so many years...straight forward always to the point , no b..st!!! RESPECT DAVID!!!!

[@mixbustv]

🙏🙏

[@97ezap]

That deadline tip is a key. Thank you for this.

[@KevyJBeatzBangerzfromBelow]

Dammit bro! Why did it take me so long to find these gems? Thank you! Glad I found made every mistake mentioned!

[@thetruthandbeyond1254]

really like your channel su is super professional and gets the message out in a clear way. you know about all these things but why not follow all the advice all the time. worked with a mix now one day a week for 3-4 months and do not get to the one I want. testing with different things all the time. it's a lofi hiphop type of song. much in the low register which should be more airy but still lofi and 7 tracks in low mid and a lower in mid high and too high in mid high. and on that there is singing from mp3 mobile and a lot of phase problems and super much noise in the recordings with dc offset m.m. it has ended with me fixing everything in rx9 which has been disruptive as well as a bit of balancing. and all the sounds in the lower register I have had to cut out from the stem so it is 3-4 kicks together with different bass sounds that lie like a carpet at the bottom. to balance it up the samples and gainstaga everything and put on extra samples and balance everything when you do not hear anything in the base in small headphones when you listen to the ipad. and the song is absolutely perfect and really nice and if I touch the vocals the least, the whole song is destroyed. so I have had to lighten up some extra ghost tracks with a little vocalshynt 2 and some track I have had to pitch up very low volumes to balance vocal out. have only cubase 12 and all izotope plugins when I invested in izotope as cubase and izotope plugins fit very well together. the problem is that I always go a little too far with the izotope plugin so it sounds too sharp, izotope are sick sensitive tools that are easy to screw a little too far. I've put the mix aside now. but got some taste again now that I was listening to this video. will drive through some sounds through mog matriarch a little eurorack and styrmon volnte and nightsky, to get a fog around villa sounds that will be easier to carve in without it sounding bad. as you say there are no shortcuts when it comes to mixing, it is hard work when it comes to some mixes that are bad material from the beginning. I have a fixed image of how I want it to sound. hard, soft, silky smooth, tight and airy, where the vocals are woven in the middle and a little in the background but still clear so that it is the main track in the song. is down to 17 tracks now, divided into the frequencies they work in. You make it så easy :) thanks again for an inspiring video.

[@tgholz1]

These are awesome tips man. great video. Definitely some of the best mixing content on KZbin. Good job.

[@cary3428]

All good points. My favorite was” all songs have they’re potential “ . The composition and arrangements are the biggest part of a great mix. The song is only as good as it was produced, and I haven’t got all day to be rolling your stuff in glitter. Same with vocalist/ players. They bring what they bring. Present it the best you can and keep moving. David is the best truth teller on YT in my opinion.

[@simeone8698]

Thanks boss

[@ultrajayme]

I love your content. I use it often for perspective and to keep things in check mentally. I've been making music for years. I think I'm finally going to take the leap and get into an audio engineering program. I'm looking at schools in Nashville. Hopefully 44 or 45 years old isn't too late to start as a professional. Mix engineering is my passion and what I want to do for people.

[@dekoto9817]

True story inside. Nice job !

[@wjniemi]

This is a terrific channel.

[@kauciontheboss]

Aye man this dude destroyed all these fake mixing videos 😂 instant sub idc if this a year old. This is GOLD. im watching ALL ya videos im destined to be better at mixing

[@croay]

I'm a bit glad that even tho I'm still a beginner I don't do these mistakes anymore (except the deadline thing, which I don't bother when I'm producing my own music)

[@seanrimada8571]

I’m still working on the deadline aspect, it really takes years of training to be as professional and confident to follow a precise calendar.

[@alexeikai]

these are gems. thank you! after watching your vids, feel like i have to redo all my old mixes. thank you for doing this. joined as well

[@yzcoruht3956]

You are the boss! Thank you so much!

[@ManCalledMif]

Thank you David. I’ve got too much gear in my tiny loft studio and am considering putting some into storage. Have you made a video on studio arrangement/ furniture to make best use of space? Thanks in advance

[@rickblackers88]

Yeah i'm work on this. Thanx!

[@aaronramseyproduction]

Thanks so much for the advice. Needed to hear it.

[@MerajTypeBeat]

Forever my fav mixing/music based channel 🔥🔥🔥

[@piyasirimusicproduction]

Very informative! Thank you!

[@heanz]

Thanks!

[@davidlajeunesse2168]

Thanks for another great video Dave! You dissect everything so well. Good guy with amazing tips

[@ThreeBeingOne]

If you can get “reference” projects and get to a point that you understand the why of all the plugins settings routing levels and automation then you can take aspect of that sound and apply your own parts/instruments. That way your parts are basically separated within the current context of said mix

[@mixbustv]

Before the Internet era, we learned by figuring out sounds and ways by listening to mixes. Finished products. We didn't have access to tutorials or someone else's sessions. This is how every engineer developed their style and uniqueness. Because you can only reverse engineer a mix so much, and by having to figure out things yourself, you came up with your version and your style

[@superhadouken]

I putted a check on everything you said we shouldn't do.

[@MeastrasElKachelino]

Amazing, as always 🩺

[@seanemmettfullerton]

Guilty: drilling down to a granular level and overlooking the boulders :) Ha!

[@Keroser1983]

These are golden and very very important. Doınt sleep on this guys. For me, I am very very guilty of Number 13!!!! I love experimenting my tools while mixing and I know it is wrong.

[@TheSignOfficial]

Hi David! Have you tried Jaycen Joshuas plugin the "God particle"? I always trust your opinion, and I'm curious because there is a big hype around it.ty

[@mixbustv]

I haven't

[@khashayarheidarimusic]

Many thanks, your advice is vital for me, especially on deadlines.

[@shinobi-1entertainment123]

This was great advice man. Still good to pick up some new tips.

[@MusokeMSK]

David is a legend

[@robfxdls]

Some very valuable suggestions here.

[@DJ_PROMO_PR]

I know I'm starting to sound like a fanboy, but these short tutorials are fuego! 🔥🔥🔥

[@onajurnee1700]

this guy is the real deal!!

[@onajurnee1700]

great advice and what a nice bloke

[@midnightsocean2689]

Great video. Thank you! #12 is particularly hard for artists because the passion of the creative process can and does keep many many people up all night working on a project till they are too tired to stay awake anymore. Mixing becomes a nightmare after a certain number of hours. Ear fatigue, loss of mental focus and loss of reference can all happen to anyone at any skill level. The brain and ears are organs. They are not designed to run at 100% overdrive for extended periods of time. Rest is just as important to mixing as working. #15 I’ve done production and mixing work on the same tune many times but I find that the best results are when it’s been a long time since I visited the tune. For example. I wouldn’t mix the same song twice in a month. I would work on the same song again if it had been a few years and I can then apply new knowledge, maybe new plugins and a fresher perspective. Maybe I’ve learned more realistic goals for the tune. Maybe I’ve put some distance between my feelings and the mix so I can be a little more aggressive with how I get the tune’s sonic signature under control.

[@mixbustv]

Well how long it will take to mix a song tho' :D years? That's why professionals hire engineers. There's a hard to swallow truth, which I myself had to learn the hard way when I was a musician (even tho' signed with Universal) being passionte about something doesn't automatically make you good at it. Everyone has passion for their music but the techincal side of it (mixing, mastering etc..) is not based on instinct and inspiration to the same extent as creating a piece of music.

[@TonyKilaBeatz]

Bro this video is underrated 💪🏽

[@CorwynsWorld]

Well it's refreshing to know I'm only making about 2 of these mistakes currently :) Another great video, David! \m/

[@seanemmettfullerton]

Ha! Good on you! Things could always be worse, right?! :)

[@Mixwarp]

🔥 thanks so much man, mixed my song for the 10th time this morning haha

[@djvoid1]

DPmeter by TB Pro Audio is a must for gain staging. Set up a macro for setting RMS using integrated for most stuff and momentary max rms for occasional sounds. It's free too

[@mixbustv]

Nothing other than your brain and a stock gain plugin is "a must have"" for gain staging