How to Prep a Track for Mixing

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

Hope this helps you guys and gives you a good framework to follow to make sure your productions are totally ready to go! Also - I do this even when I am mixing my OWN tracks! I act like I am sending myself the session so I can completely focus on mixing and get into the mixing "mindset" - so it's a great thing to do even if you mix your own material.

[@nickd.9882]

I'm new to mixing and that's my current plan for what I'm working with. THANK YOU for this vid!

[@xNoelxLeonx]

I absolutely love this video, thank you! Ever since I heard you mention in a video that you mix in a separate session I was wondering exactly how you go about that as I'm wanting to try doing the same. This was helpful 1000%! You always have some of the best and most helpful music content on here

[@pretentioushab]

OMG, THANKS!! I was literally gonna mix the song! thank you so much notification squad

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

Notification squad for the WIN!!!

[@kalelisuperman]

LETS GOOO!! NEW VIDEO!!

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

You know it!!

[@mb9ether]

Great video ...clear cut and concise

[@definfected]

Excellent vid!! This will surely get bookmarked for reference. Much ❤ Nathan!!

[@conrow1157]

What if I like my mix already but always need a technically correction mix? Would you send it the same way but leaving all the plugs on? Cheers

[@HarikrishnanSrinivasan]

OMG this was super insightful thank you so much

[@tmoney-xr7uh]

Nathan nice video. I would be interested in hearing what the songs song like before and after the mix engineer does his thing. I hear some songs that come out of production that don't even sound like they need mixing. For instance your producer challenge between you and Forest sound like they did not needed mixing. Can you comment on that?

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

Sure! I mean that's the goal right? A production should already sound awesome and should be "easy" to mix in a perfect scenario. At that point it really is about polish and putting that final touch on. This production I demonstrated with is still getting mixed and we are working on revisions - most of the comments I have a subtle and almost all of it is personal preference. It sounds awesome but there are things I want highlighted or things that need small tweaks. So - ultimately a pre mixed track should already sound really good - that's the best case scenario. There are times I don't like mixing a track I worked on cause I feel "too close" and want another creatives' take on it.

[@brocktpate]

Thanks so much, this video has been an absolute game changer for helping me get my track ready to send to my mixing/mastering engineer. Question: I have seen some suggest that I should deliver all of my tracks peaking at around -12db. Is that a good practice or should I stick with my levels as they are? Would love your insight on this. Thanks again.

[@jj4404]

Nathan - always amazing videos - thanks so much! I'm a noob.. What is the point in adding all the automation, effects etc. in the first place if you are going to rip them out again ? Even if they weren't core to the sound, they give some important context, vibe etc, that you felt important in the production, which made it good enough for you to hand over to a mixer. So still export them, but label them as optional/suggestion in the filenames ? Then mixer could could choose to ignore or improve on. Thanks again for your great videos.

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

You can send one processed and one dry if you want - that's something I've done before. Usually when I add processing that I take off, it's just to allow me to get somewhat of a better "rough mix" and I'll send that to my mix engineer so they can hear what was in my head and the overall "sonics" I had. But if you have a fully processed vocal you send - most mixing engineers aren't gonna thrilled about that.

[@Jisooee]

Yes.. Almost a hundred thousand subscribers!

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

So close!!!

[@SandhuSaab-nv6vc]

great man

[@Rakthaksh]

Great one.. Really enjoy your content!

[@JasonFerguson1283]

Thanks, my dude.

[@redburner]

So what about the db levels for each tracks? You just leave those as is with various levels or do they have to be all the same?

[@conduets4939]

I have a question. I’m working with a song that has a lot of dynamic changes. For example, different drums are used in different sections. Different instrumentation and pads on different verses. Even different vocals and chops. In this setting, would it still be best to categorize / group according to drums, bass, mids, and vocals? Or do you think it might make more sense to almost categorize according to section with those groups as sub groups within the section? Example: VERSE 1 GROUP (sub group of bass, mid, drums, vox) and then CHORUS (bass, mid, drums, vox)? I noticed this feels more organized to my brain but it obviously takes longer since I’m having to mix each individual section with their sub groups accordingly. Yet on the flip side, if I have ONLY the broad group stacks of bass, drums, mids, vox - I run into the issue of mixing the drums for verse 1 but then those general group effects applied don’t translate well to the drums in the chorus… and so on… does that make sense? What are your thoughts on this? 🤔

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

@@conduets4939 good question. Generally speaking if I have things that are very different from one another I put them in their own groups, especially if there's a wide, dynamic difference or sonic difference.

[@conduets4939]

@@NathanJamesLarsen oh ok. Have you ever divided it up by section such as verse, chorus, bridge due to the differences in each?

[@vewilli]

Great video, 👍🏻👏🏻💪🏻

[@HrishikeshHonawad]

hey how do we make a song dynamic with the piano alone

[@dwaaaiii8757]

Different octaves, chord changes, imaging automations, filter automation, melody on top

[@LeDrummerDu88]

VERY INTERESTING ♥

[@borisvillar]

I think it’s important to track a song properly from the beginning. The better it’s recorded and arranged from the beginning the better the final result. Although I recently sent a song out to be produced by someone else I wanted to see what someone with a different perspective would do. I have to say I was actually very disappointed. I find that some producers today have become very lazy and want to do the very minimum when it comes creating a good product. If someone is paying to you to produce a pro track and can’t please turn down the project.

[@daniel.ferraz.music.youtube]

The background sound was a bit loud! Thanks for the content ✌️

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

My computer hiss -- ughhhh I know. I didn't realize it was an issue until later when I'd already filmed. I'm aware of it - and def trying to make sure that doesn't happen again.

[@daniel.ferraz.music.youtube]

@@NathanJamesLarsen nope, the background/entertainment music was a bit loud competing with vocal, i had to force my attention to not lose the focus while you "teach us". But just a detail ✌️

[@HITMAN1er]

People need to know the difference between a tracking and mix engineer. Sometimes they are the same person. I often am both.

[@nixonvonnixon]

you missed leveling and gain staging...

[@RogerTRiche]

Hi!

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

ROGER!! YOOOO

[@rdake4542]

Me as a home musician who doesn’t have a engineer: interesting

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

I do this even with my own tracks, actually. So this is 100% relevant even if you mix your own stuff! I don't mix in the same session as I produce!

[@rdake4542]

@@NathanJamesLarsen I normally mix as i record, trying to get the guitars and stuff to sound like the reference track.

[@dwaaaiii8757]

@@rdake4542 umm that's not mixing, that's getting the "right sound"

[@my_kuuh]

i guess all mix engineers do things differently

[@akarshmohan1842]

1st..!

[@ElectricEddieDaus]

Why would anybody possibly need a hundred tracks or more that sounds so ridiculous and such Overkill... Can somebody explain why you need a hundred tracks??? Usually 24 Tracks is more than enough for most songs if you know what you're doing and you know your instrument and get your track down on one track instead of having seven different tracks for one lead line. I never need more then 20 tracks generally. Can somebody explain why you need that many tracks???

[@TheHansjulius]

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