15 Years of Mixing - Should You Mix Your Own Music?

[@spinlightstudios]

Links to the songs and track names in the description above! Hope you guys found this interesting!

[@azizalami835]

Did "The Patriots" change their name to "Auxfire"?

[@spinlightstudios]

@@azizalami835 yeah actually that’s right! How did you figure that out?! 😂

[@azizalami835]

@@spinlightstudios I searched for "The Patriots - Flowers In Long Grass" on Spotify but it didn't come up. Then I just wrote the title and it gave me "Auxfire" with the title name, I gave it a try and there you go, I thought maybe they changed their name in the meantime... :)

[@constantinranis]

In my opinion you should mix your own music BUT be honest to yourself, if you dont have the skills to release a professional sounding product, pay someone who knows what they re doing, but keep on mixing your music to learn how mix works, the more you learn the better your communication will be with your mixing engineer and eventually you will get there at some point where you can mix and release your own music .

[@spinlightstudios]

Yeah for sure! That’s pretty much what I said too, if you’re mixing isn’t up to standard, keep practicing - even if someone else is doing your mixing for you, you can still keep developing your skills!

[@derekv9710]

I really liked this video. Progression is always a great feeling!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks so much mate. I also found It interesting to look back over the years!

[@matthewwood642]

Great work Rhys! I've quietly been following your work for a while, and it's great watching your channel grow and get more attention. You're very talented and I appreciate you sharing your gifts. Keep going and we'll keep listening and watching. :)

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks Matthew! Appreciate your comment and that you’ve been checking the channel out!

[@paydirt_music]

Thanks for taking us on your mixing journey Rhys and tips as always. Your 2023 vs 2011 mix comparison is a great advertisement for any artists considering if they should work with an experienced mixer when they can 'do it themselves'. You can't beat experience. I'd be interested to hear how you could bring one of my tracks to life next time you are taking submissions, though you have probably been inundated with tracks.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks man! Yes sometimes just because we can do it ourselves - doesn’t mean we should 😂 but it’s all part of the journey! Next time I do some reviews definitely send something through!

[@GeorgeAmodei21]

Very cool to see us progress over the years. Great Job 👏 George ☺️🎚🎧

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks heaps George!

[@thebitterbeginning]

Re-doing an Old Mix: Awesome segment. Thanks for sharing this insight into your experience/history. It hurts to go back and look at early work, but we are ALL in that same boat. It's the same in all disciplines as well; not just audio production; looking back at computer code I've written 15 years ago can be quite embarrassing. Your videos are great.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks legend! Yes it’s painful… but definitely all part of the learning curve - unfortunately 😂

[@hobosapiensaudio]

Thanks for sharing! Nice to see the whole journey.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks Mate! Hopefully inspires others to keep at it, the mixes get better eventually 😂

[@davidhanslik4047]

Hi, really enjoying your content :) I think it isn't only the learning curve (it is mostly), but what I see and listen is that mixes are more open and defined and loud In the same time, even more than before. For Example Serbans' mixes from the 10 years before are so different that what I hear now from him :) Even Serban is better mixer over time :)

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks David! Yeah for sure! It’s a journey! Thanks man

[@fattmusiek5452]

Really cool video- lot to be gleaned from it.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@Mike_Benz_]

Man everything you said from the mixing your own music point and onwards I relate to a lot.

[@spinlightstudios]

Glad you got something out of it!

[@iamjacktaylor]

Good video man! It does take allot of trial and error when you have your first experience at something, like mixing. I started mixing back in 2018 and my mixes, especially the guitars I make, sounded absolutely garbage lol. I'm surprised over the first mix you did back in 2009, you never forget you are born to add life to the music! :)

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks Jack! Yes there is a lot of hit and miss in the early stages and even from project to project - as I mentioned it can really come down to the foundation and if the source tones and performance are any good as to what you can achieve with them! Trial and error is definitely a rite of passage and helps us to learn and become better at what we do!

[@DrProgNerd]

I hate my guitars in my mixes....and I've been a guitar player for over 40 years !!! You'd think I have that part locked up. Nope. Lol !!!

[@dagovevareberg]

Great video, this is content that is very useful! Definitely inspiring to listen to your development- and I like that you dare to share your mixes that your not so happy with, makes this a lot more authentic and real world. Suggestion for part 2: Please tell us how many mixes you did each year and if possible, where did you started charging for your mixes? Have you had mentoring along the way? Thanks again for very useful content - and big congrats of your 20k subs, fully deserved! 👑

[@spinlightstudios]

I’ve always charged, but it was peanuts in the beginning - very cheap and affordable, so probably made up for the fact it was a little average sounding to begin with. But most of the bands/artists I worked with in the beginning weren’t wanting to spend much money and were happy to do anything. I honestly have never kept count but it’s ALOT of mixes every year haha not all of my early mixes were terrible, but I thought it worth sharing some of the not so good ones to keep things real! I haven’t had any mentoring but I have watched a few lessons and just always experimenting and grinding at trying to be better. Working on my own music always gave me something to do between projects too, I could improve my song writing / producing skills as well as mixing skills by working on my original music. Thanks so much mate!

[@dagovevareberg]

Thanks!@@spinlightstudios, I resonate a lot with what you're saying and demonstrating. Having and developing production skills are a great way to get better at mixing - almost for 'free' as you can avoid a lot of mixing issues and solve them in the arrangement/production.

[@burado1974]

Great vid, I'm def in the hobby zone. I love just writing songs, having a crack and putting it out there. In saying that your videos have helped immensely. Thank you.

[@spinlightstudios]

That’s great! Glad to be of help!

[@storiesfromgem]

That is so true! Love your content! 🙏

[@spinlightstudios]

Thank you 🙌

[@DrProgNerd]

I stopped gigging a few years ago and within the last couple of years, I decided to try home recording - just as a hobby. I don't have dreams of music stardom (anymore) and I don't plan on mixing/recording anyone else. I just do it because it's interesting and fun. Among a long list of things to learn, I'm working on balance. Back as a young guitar player, I'd get a new distortion pedal and crank the drive to 10 - or - a reverb pedal, then my guitar would be drowning in reverb - or - I'd buy a chorus pedal and my sound would be washed in sea-sick chorus. It took me a while to figure out the subtleties of effects. Recording/mixing is that times a million. I'm still learning my tools. I just started playing around with Melodyne this past weekend (so cool). This process has been equal parts frustrating and fun. This video was awesome. Very inspiring. A much needed shot-in-the-arm.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate! Yes - so much is about learning how to use things In moderation and knowing when to go all out on an effect. When time is not an issue and you can experiment - that’s the best part of recording and mixing! Keep going! :)

[@lebcaleb8692]

Wow 8 years to finally sound pro 😮😮😮.bravo!!! Good Job

[@spinlightstudios]

Haha well, I think it was sounding decent after 5 years or so 😉 thanks!

[@fwscoringmusic6670]

Love your channel buddy. Love the fact that you are doing it within Logic Pro like me. Keep on Rockin Bro 😊🤘

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate! Logic is pretty solid 🙌🏻

[@rockboy360]

For what I heard here you never sucked unlike most of us lol

[@spinlightstudios]

Haha ah, thanks mate! I definitely had room for improvement and am still always welcome to improvements!

[@1loveMusic2003]

Low end takes a long time to get right. David Gnozzi has been a huge help for me.

[@spinlightstudios]

Definitely a tricky part of mixing

[@audiolego]

I give up on mixing. I decided to take all the audio tracks to an engineer. I found Zoom recording in Los Angeles. It's a treated room with an experienced electronic music engineer. 3 to 4 hours I want to try. It will be 260.00. I want to be in the studio so I too can learn to what the engineer is doing.

[@spinlightstudios]

Don’t give up! But it’s okay to use a mix Engineer if it gets you the results you’re chasing while you’re still improving your skills!

[@fivebyfivesound]

Super insightful, and a very helpful reminder that advancing in the craft is a gradual process. Thanks for being willing to share. May we have the names of the artists, in case we’d like to check them out?

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks! Yes I’ll put together a list of the songs in the description today.

[@fivebyfivesound]

Thank you 🙏🏽 Keep up the amazing content! I’ve learned a lot from your channel.

[@RufusJacson]

The only problem with the 'SHOULD' you mix your own mixes, is if you just don't have any financial choice. 😕

[@spinlightstudios]

I understand! Obviously, you gotta do what you gotta do!

[@RufusJacson]

...that said, learning from people like yourself is the next best thing! Appreciate the vids 👍

[@fa0179]

Time is also a valuable resource though

[@spinlightstudios]

@@fa0179 absolutely. Time will grow your skills!

[@jimdukeproject]

I’m cheap and don’t want to spend money having someone do it which is the main reason I learn how to do my own. However I know the value of an outside ear and it should be considered. Besides I’m practicing on my own to get to a place I can maybe do something for others. Your bad mixes might still be better than some of my good ones.

[@morizanova]

I would argue if you're a musician or artist it's better if you are spending time in other areas which need more attention. Like making better music or marketing stuff

[@spinlightstudios]

Exactly! Marketing is so overlooked as an artist.

[@sojournous]

Thanks for the info! Are you planning to delve into ATMOS mixes?

[@spinlightstudios]

Hmmm I haven’t decided yet. Will wait and see where it all goes. I’m not sold on it yet. Maybe if there is a good way to do it within headphones.

[@MrAdrianloera]

Respectfully: hope much of your work comes produced and you pick it up from where they leave and hope many projects do you receive were were starting from ground zero?

[@spinlightstudios]

I would say 95% from the ground up. Occasionally I get sent projects where some processing is done, but the general consensus is they aren’t attached to it and want what’s best for the mix.

[@WaBoo78]

Thanks for the insight into your long journey ☺️👍🏻 What was the name of the song you mixed in 2014? he sounds really cool!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks! The song is called earthquake by the sunset heroes

[@WaBoo78]

@@spinlightstudios thanks ☺️🙏🏻

[@brownsnakestudios277]

That’s cool, but life changes and music equipment changes and now this digital age. What equipment was you using at the start… mine was a tascam to a zoom r24 and then a computer with Allen Heath Zed, its keeps changing 😂

[@spinlightstudios]

Oh for sure, over time your gear gets better as does your knowledge. I continually kept reinvesting into my studio. Started with a presonus firestudio and then moved to a mackie 1640i FireWire desk. It was pretty cool.

[@OnyxSkiesXIX]

That 2018 song sounded sick! What band was that?

[@spinlightstudios]

They are called NYU. Links are in the description now to the tracks :)

[@ThePiercingLight]

How many mixes a year were you working on when you were just starting out? There was a big improvement from the 2010 mix to the 2011 mix. Also who was the artist for the 2011 ghosttown song?

[@spinlightstudios]

I never kept track. But I was mixing regularly! And when not working on others music I was dabbling with my own. The song is by a local guy who went be the name “shirts for Matthew” probably find his stuff on bandcamp. Fred from taking back Sunday played the lead guitar on that song! Pretty cool.

[@ThePiercingLight]

@@spinlightstudiosThat's awesome. Unfortunately it looks like he no longer has a bandcamp or any other online presence, so I won't be able to listen to that song. But on another note, the time you invested def payed off cause your mixes are sounding clean. Out of curiosity, whats your rate to mix/master a song?

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks man! Shoot me an email and happy to discuss rates :) should be able to find my email or a contact form on my website!

[@MrAdrianloera]

Are you implementing and drum kontect addictive drums etc.

[@spinlightstudios]

Mostly I work with real drums and implement trigger samples. If I use midi drums it’s usually Steven slate drums or getgood drums.

[@komobabo]

I would be too embarrassed to show anyone my very first mixes lol mainly because I would not even call it mixing. Over the last year or two I can now say I have mixed before then it was just poop 😂

[@spinlightstudios]

Haha yeah… there are mixes before these - of my own songs. They will come to the grave with me 😝