Mixing A Song - Start To Finish

Take a look behind the curtain of mixing a song from start to finish as I take some raw tracks and show you how to polish them up into a balanced and exciting mix!
Watch as I go through everything from the session set up, routing, levels, panning, processing, FX sends and automation.
If you enjoy this video, please hit that like button and subscribe to the channel, your support means a lot!
If you're feeling extra generous, consider supporting my channel by using the "thanks" link above.
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[@brunopradomusic]

Let's help this channel grow commenting that we love mixing videos from start to finish. This guy is great at mixing in the box and deserves way more views and subs

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate! Every comment and like helps!

[@rome8180]

I really appreciate all the editing you did on this video. I can tell the raw footage was a lot longer. I'm sure all the cuts you did took a lot of time. But they really improved the watchability, so thanks for that. Also, this is my favorite kind of video to watch on a mixing production channel. While I like stuff like "How to make your kick drum more powerful" or whatever, I find simply watching someone mix a song to be even more useful. You get to understand each move in context, rather than as an abstract "trick."

[@rome8180]

Thinking a little bit more about this, I think this is what we've lost in modern audio engineering. People used to come up in the studio system, and they'd get to learn under an expert, and they'd spend hundreds of hours just watching what that expert was doing before they ever recorded or mixed a song of their own. Nowadays, we're all learning on the internet, and the information comes at us more piecemeal. So it's nice to have a holistic tutorial like this one.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks so much man. Yeah.. let’s say 3hrs+ of footage condensed to half hour haha it was definitely no small task 😅 cut away all the stuff I deemed unnecessary to convey the process! Agreed, showing how you mixed something post, isn’t quite the same as doing it In the moment. It’s much more raw and no smoke and mirrors. Thanks for your input man

[@rwstudios3351]

You are very right

[@rwstudios3351]

@@spinlightstudiosyou are a good man

[@rwstudios3351]

Please what headphones are you using in this video???

[@michaelbasseyworld25]

This is beautiful and sincere. Thnk You for building us

[@spinlightstudios]

My pleasure 😊

[@AlmogBenAri93]

I love your content buddy , I literally take notes 📝

[@spinlightstudios]

That’s awesome mate!

[@Tr1s]

Dude this is so helpful thanks a lot

[@spinlightstudios]

Glad it helped

[@marktenzer2253]

Wonderful!!!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks so much

[@WaBoo78]

Thank you very much for this video ☺️🙏🏻 Learned so much about using Slade plugins in such a short time! perfect! I hope you'll post another tutorial where you mix a song soon! It's so uplifting to just watch the song get better and better!

[@spinlightstudios]

Definitely planning to do more! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@golfmanbil]

Just discovered your channel. Very impressive video! Thank You. Gives me hope😄

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate! Hope you enjoy the videos!

[@TylerFoleyAudio]

Have never mixed in Logic before, but I loved the look of that 'track stack' feature. The scissor tool too... Great vid Rhys, would love another one with a more rock oriented track. Been really enjoying your drum mixing content. - Tyler

[@spinlightstudios]

Track stack is so good to quickly make a bus/group/folder. So handy. Absolutely man, I have a track planned out that I will get to soon, a kind of indie rock/pop song. Thanks for watching man :)

[@rome8180]

I can't recommend Logic strongly enough for workflow purposes. I'm sure you get used to any DAW, but I love all the functionality of Logic.

[@caseymclane1972]

@@spinlightstudios I wish Cubase had this, because instead it has group tracks like what you'd see on a console, and track folders so you have to create two tracks to fulfill the same purpose as this one thing in Logic

[@CryptoTruthBombs]

I’ve learned so much from you man. You’re awesome!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate!

[@gcpagliari]

Muito obrigado! Sempre aprendendo!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks!

[@danthemanmillan]

Awesome job as usual! Would love to see mixing a metal track from scratch!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks Daniel, it’s definitely on the cards!

[@akeyzstudio6620]

thankyou so much you actually hear your subscribers

[@spinlightstudios]

There will be more to come, different genres etc :) hope you enjoy mate!

[@psychologygallery]

Great video! Much appreciated!!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks!

[@macmacmedia8453]

Youre such a good teacher! My finger automatically clicked subbed! Very very good and very very clear!! Please!! Can you do a mixing of a “live” recording of a band outdoors? Where all kinds of “bleeds” goes in the vocal mics and how to “clean” those up? Much appreciated!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate! I’ll see if I have any live material I can dig up 🤔

[@macmacmedia8453]

@@spinlightstudios broooo you the best! Cheers!

[@edwardkenemorales]

Is this a wish come true? Thanks so much for doing this! Pop punk/heavy stuff next 😅?

[@spinlightstudios]

Haha thanks Edward! I’ll definitely get to some heavier mixes soon 🤘🏻

[@edwardkenemorales]

@@spinlightstudios thank you! And if you can also take longer time to explain what are you listening for when you are clearing out the mids, it would be awesome. I picked some ideas when you did that to the snare and the acoustic guitar. Awesome stuff!

[@JakeDaveyOfficial]

Love your work mate!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks so much man! Always a pleasure to work with you!

[@ameeththomas]

Dude you are fucking good :)........... I love the way you work. Simple and straight !!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate!

[@fojeba]

Thank you for your tutorial. Wondering if same result could be achieved with Cubase 11.

[@spinlightstudios]

You’re welcome :) Certainly! It’s just a matter of learning the ins and outs of the functions within your DAW. Logic, pro tools, cubase, studio one, all seem pretty capable of the same things.

[@bradallen3888]

Hey Rhys... great video, very helpful in the workflow. But on future videos it would be really awesome if you could discuss the levels (on the Master fader) you are going for at various stages of the mix? i.e. kick drum + bass and at end of mix what LUFS are you trying to reach (handing off to mastering)? Thanks again. Awesome work!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks Brad, appreciate the feedback. I will keep that in mind for the next one. Usually aiming to keep my mixes anywhere around -3 to -6 db on the mix bus. Having the trim in VMR makes it easy for me to make sure the mix buss never gets too hot. Lufs while mastering varies depending on the client. Usually my masters land between around -8 to -6 lufs 😅 most people still like them loud and all the big labels are still pumping out loud “competitive” masters.

[@clintyoung9902]

Great vid. Have one on your process for vocal editing?

[@spinlightstudios]

Thank Clint! I do actually, if you take a scroll back through my videos there is one on vocal editing :)

[@kavindagihan8167]

Whats mix softwre

[@silveramateur571]

Hey im new to your channel, what is your vocal chain with the 103 ? I like how it’s sound i have the same mic One new subscriber here cheers 🥃

[@spinlightstudios]

Hey mate! I’m just running it through the Apollo twin with the 1073 preamp emulation. Then a touch of UAD 1176E, some little EQ cuts around the low mids and into Fab filter ProL2 for some limiting

[@silveramateur571]

@@spinlightstudios I really appreciate that you answer, I have already seen 6 of your videos, keep creating that excellent content mate…

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks heaps man! Appreciate you checking it out!

[@abhinavprabhakar455]

not gonna lie I actually liked you mixing without the vocals on.

[@spinlightstudios]

I like the vocals :)

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

Any chance that you want to create a "Checklist" for us?

[@spinlightstudios]

Like a mix checklist? Things you should do kind of thing?

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

Yes please,@@spinlightstudios. And also some things to try to identify... for example, you move across your approach in this video so organically. It was like watching a jaguar hunt... very sleek, decisive, smooth. But I was a little lost to things (such as) how do I know where the drum levels should be, the guitar, etc?

[@NasaRecordsTheHitFactory]

where can i find this song

[@spinlightstudios]

I’m not sure if the acoustic version has been released but the full band version is by “Jake Davey” called “Count On A Country Song”

[@NasaRecordsTheHitFactory]

@@spinlightstudios I love to hear this version

[@spinlightstudios]

@@NasaRecordsTheHitFactory have a look on Spotify, might be there!

[@NasaRecordsTheHitFactory]

@@spinlightstudios this one u mixing I meant I love the one u mixing

[@spinlightstudios]

I’ll have to ask Jake if he has released the acoustic version yet