Mixing a song on Reaper | My mixing process

[@thelastjokeralive]

I'd like to add one detail I've learned from someone: Before mixdown, listen to your song with both a loud volume and a quieter volume. Loud and quiet monitoring can reveal the unintended balance of track levels and that way you can find out if your mixdown is perfect.

[@NinisMhs]

This is a fantastic video. It breaks down the whole mixing process and skipping the details just enough so we don't feel overwhelmed. I now have a clear path to follow, thank you so much!

[@Coolcat3]

Wow I've watched so many videos over the years on mixing making music etc. But I finally understand what compression is thanks to you. Simple clear explanation

[@marrowsband]

Stage 4 is an interesting technique. If I have my static mix how I want it but need headroom I just Ctrl+A (select all tracks) and grab one fader to turn everything down equally.

[@Peavy123]

Thank you very much. Even 4 Years later it really helped me out 🙂

[@lambofmetallica]

This video helped my mixing SO MUCH! I was always fighting with levels and compression, and this layout was so similar to my base template that it was super easy to make the minor changes I needed to take my mix to the next level. A thousand thank yous!

[@Denizen-Unknown]

AMAZING step by step process. You actually covered so much of what I've been dealing with lately. I've been using Reaper for tracks for roughly four months now and it's great, but I have been running into a few issues which you've perfectly provided a remedy for. Thank you!

[@bartmastin3272]

Thank you Paul!

[@jonmatthews4254]

Top tips for a beginner to get you on the right road.

[@jeetray11]

Thank you very much for this video. Seems like a disciplined step by step process for mixing. Not complicated at all.

[@dell74877]

BRILLIANT!!! Amazing video!

[@marcosposse3750]

This is the most helpful video I've ever watched. I've been doing this all wrong ty so much

[@theryve1066]

Brilliant, mate. brief and to the point. Thanks!

[@leemendez7876]

Top class video my man. I'm a recording artist with my tracks on KZbin but currently in the process of mixing my own songs for the first time. This video has been helpful no end 👍

[@IsmaelMulti]

Amazing insights, mr. Douglas

[@jimmyjohnson6496]

Thanks. I get so used to finding an alleged successful process and then just blindly following it so thank you for the encouragement to trust my own ears and to give them a break often. At the end of the day, it's about making pleasing sounding music. At least for me. And if I can't trust my own ears then what?

[@faithbringer]

Great video! Nothing is too simple for the beginner. Thank you for taking your time! You explain everything perfect!

[@michakranixfeld706]

This was extremely helpful. Thank you so much for being such a good teacher. I feel like I have a great overview of the different possibilities now!

[@prykrocks6537]

Sir the video you made is so knowledgeable and your efforts towards making everyone learn to be able to mix and master a song on their own is preciously excellent... Thanks a lot for this... Keep up the great work...😇

[@modsleix6]

Thank you very much for making this video, Mr. Douglas! You have helped me out IMMENSELY! Very precise, quick and to the point! Again, thank you very much. Your video is digital gold...

[@genuinefreewilly5706]

thats a really good explaination of gain staging.

[@Shazbcfc]

I like ur style mate, easy to follow. Thanks for ur tutorial

[@actcoolable]

This video is great! Thanks for the clear explanation. I keep coming back to this for reminders.

[@Gil_zepp]

Wow.. Thanks for this video !!!

[@NKShooter-l4w]

brilliant help mate

[@piontybird]

Superb video, excellent information, like the intro it nearly gave me a heart attact when first played [being very delicate at the time]. I wish I had your energy. Love the work you put into the videos.

[@mattturnbull9875]

Great video man. Simply described and really helpful.

[@floridacrackerguitartips6004]

Amazing video. Thanks from Florida!

[@ttguitarstringstt1550]

Thank you for the very informative video.

[@charlieriffs478]

Thank you so much for this tutorial! Its really helping me understand more about mixing, ive always gone with whatever sounded good for me but its awesome to have a workflow for the process! ☯️

[@marcorodriguez7694]

Just the video I needed! This helps a lot!

[@junks727]

It's really helpful, thank you!

[@kebecois71]

Loved it, thanks Paul !

[@nieuweabnormaal5869]

Nice, I am just watching, and I see that you have exactly the same guitar as i have. So even the color is the same.

[@Alcocell]

Thank you, learned alot and got a good result. Now off to the Mastering video :-)

[@TheFendertak]

Paul that was simply one fantastic video I just watched, well done, I have reaper with a year now since lockdown and still learning, the issue I would very much appreciate if you can answer here or make it part of you next video as I'm sure it will help many, rendering the track you just did I notice really narrow wave lines, do this indicate your track will be really low, play in car stereo boost volume, eject and the radio come on and blow you out of it in volume, add to your Google drive, play it on your mobile and you can barely hear it, On the mixdown and rendering window I look for wider stereo wave forms by turning up the master fader firstly and avoid clipping, yes I know, this is wrong, totally wrong, and should never adjust master fader, and as you said create a master bus, never did, but now I will for future reference after watching this video, look forward to many more, Excellent job, well done 👏👍

[@KrzysztofChomski]

Great overview! Thank you so much!

[@Themis781]

Great video mate. I like your videos. Really informative and straight to the point. How brilliant is reaper.

[@UPEASTHAITIANZ]

Thank you

[@flasomtom6054]

Great job !! Thanks!!

[@samivuori6669]

Thanx a lot! Submix...nice. I'll use that.

[@javiergiacomone9861]

Great Paul!

[@jennikavaghela72]

Amazing video! You explained everything so well and clearly and it was really helpful so thank you!

[@MartyNo1]

Thanks! Extremely helpful.

[@katieolooney]

thanks

[@mmaatttttttt]

Thank you, lots of great advice

[@GrenadeGuitar]

YES, EXCELLENT!

[@FernandoBrizzi]

Really helpful, Paul! Thank you!

[@PaulRobinson1878]

Really appreciate this. Thank you.

[@CrCr-cl4rk]

Really good. Thanks

[@MickBrownFolksinger]

Brilliant lesson, thanks so much for sharing

[@lazmusic1]

Thanks for a great instructional video, Paul. Just one question if I may. Should I add all effects before mixing or afterwards? I have noticed in the past that reverb in particular tends to push the overall volume close to, or even above distortion.

[@bendangakumkichu8137]

Thank you so much!!!

[@allu5150]

Great video man! You should do one specifically on EQ, and another on compression. Would love to see those.

[@jazmanjef]

AWESOME tutorial!.... my two cents worth: [1] After you Gain Stage and have a 'rough mix', do a 'render' and listen to it on a bunch of systems before you start your mixing stage----this gives you an objective outside set of references to reflect upon when you're boosting and cutting things while building your final mix; [2] For 'Automation' use the 'Read' option so you can see the faders/controls actually move---any accidental/unintended 'ghost' automation that occurs will drive you nuts trying to find out what's happening if you can't see controls moving.

[@luisfarias134]

You must automate a lot of tracks. It is good advice nonetheless.

[@Gorillaz0327]

i learned a lot about mixing. Thanks!

[@willster7272]

these are good videos.. i wish i knew what windows your clicking open

[@fretbuzz4983]

Awesome video. Do you have any videos for beginners on how to double track guitar and how to make and use bus.. i'm new so it's a little confusing . any help would be great.

[@ryanreach3710]

Great video! The track is very chill too. Quick question, why route all the tracks to the submix via the way you did it, and not just drop them in folder track? Is there a difference?

[@cmccormick1996]

I'm also wondering that- also wondering why you can't just bring the master volume down a bit to avoid peaking? Isn't that the same as bringing a submix track volume down

[@NinisMhs]

Thanks for the video! II am not sure I understand the added value of the submix in this case: I understand that if master peaks out, it will create distortion, which we don't want. But if submix peaks out, we will have the same issue, isn't it ? It feels to me likes it's moving the problem to the submix. Or is there a subtlety of Master track that I am not getting ? I'd be grateful if someone could explain this to me!

[@BazzTriton]

Muito bem. Obrigado.

[@ezequieloncho]

genio

[@luisaucedo]

I wouldn't find it very necessary to have a submix unless I'm using a reference track in the same project What I really want is to have a visual track of the full mix so I can check easily for peaks silences, etc. Without the need to have to render the project so I can fix it quickly

[@TheDancareless]

iirc there's a way to add a colour visualisation of the peaks etc on each track.

[@slowdawnphmusic]

Thanks for this great tutorial. May I know what themes your using bro?Thanks

[@wodenoftheangles3339]

Thanks for the video. I was hoping for a segment on adjusting the spatial pattern of the mix though? Like panning guitars, and centering vocals etc? Is there a special feature for this in Reaper?

[@TnSn5]

I was wondering If one finds that raising a volume decreases other tracks volume does that mean they are linked in some way?

[@JMRSplatt]

I like those instrument icons in addition to the colors,,.. how do you get those? Very nice, thank you!!

[@TheTimeProphet]

Why did you send it to a bus instead of just changing the Master volume? I mean when I master mine I just use the Master volume track and add compression and a limiter to the master volume.

[@empinchen]

Great succinct video! The headroom step is completely unnecessary in a modern DAW like reaper. See Kenny Gioias videos on the topic. You can simply put a level plugin on the master itself and off you go.

[@mrjonbud1]

Great video!I’ve just converted to Reaper after many years using Cubase. Quick question, why do you need to create a submix to bring the overall volume down, why not just bring it down with the master fader?

[@lv9084]

I was thinking the same, making a submix for lets say drums/bass or guitar makes more sense.

[@nkronert]

Very clear and useful video! Thanks! Just one question - I hear this a lot - "play it on many different devices to make sure it sounds good on all of them". How does the latter part work? If it sounds crappy on one device and you change your mix, it may now sound acceptable on that one device but it will sound crappy on all others, right? Do professionals actually create different mixes for radio, streaming and classical media like CD or vinyl?

[@TobiaTesan]

Well, I suppose it's the art of compromise. Sometimes there are different mixes (for different media or releases -- eg single vs album), but not for this reason. You do get different masterings, however. And that's where the crappy cassette release from the 80s will go for a different compromise than the MSFL gold-plated CD. The latter can afford to do away with most compromises, knowing that the buyers will probably have a high end setup and a treated room.

[@dogeftw2821]

who tf is having 100-200 tracks ?!?!?

[@jazmanjef]

LOL ... that's what thought too!

[@nkronert]

Hans Zimmer :)