The 10 Best Mixing Tips for INTERMEDIATE Mixers

[@Dylan99781]

10:24 "you're never truly mastering your own mixes, you're just mixing, and then making it loud enough to release" dude thank you for saying this. I didn't even consider this, but this is exactly what I'm doing

[@lippi2171]

Recently I managed to master my EP quite well. Treated it as a regular mastering, matched the overall tone of the different songs, adjusted the levels a bit. But to do that I had to let go of the mixing stage completely. I'm not saying it's not a risky undertaking though.

[@zeclomal2265]

After 7 years of learning the best advice i can give is: get the best tracks you can get from the very beginning. Mixing and mastering is great but man, I heard raw tracks that Jordan and other pros mixed that sounded even 100 times better than the ones that I had once I mixed them. My recording wasn't that good, so all the mixing tricks I tried were useless and could never compare with their sound when they mixed their track a little bit.

[@aaroncastleman1310]

Garbage in, garbage out.

[@sonidojamon]

The struggle is real. I love MIXING, not FIXING!!!

[@yvesfellay4343]

Shit in shit out, it s true. But the MOST key is the performer... He(she) will make sound every kind of instrument on every kind of room 😊

[@j-station]

you ain’t wrong

[@the13thTone]

This is the biggest "secret" in the industry. It took me quite some time as well to realize what I was chasing the entire time was simply great capture of a great performance :)

[@michaelmilano2998]

Not mastering your own work is so important. I'm definitely an intermediate level mixer, maybe towards the upper end of that, but definitely know there's things I need to work on. When I started getting my work professionally mastered, I not only learned more about my problem areas, but I also realized that my work wasn't as far away from "commercial quality" as I originally thought. Hearing my work and how it was actually much closer to my favorite songs than I thought was a MASSIVE confidence boost to keep working harder and get closer on the next project!

[@Popskull_666]

BTW I cant thank you enough for your videos, sometimes I get so overwhelmed in my head you have a way breaking things down that makes things seem doable. That's the mark of a great teacher

[@sundancesound]

I'm an odd duck in the studio world. I have over a decade of experience as a live engineer, but these last 3 years of engrossing myself in the studio has taught me my ears are amazing, it's just learning how to use and implement an absolute metric ton of VST's that just aren't used by your average FoH engineer. There's Waves...but I'm not a fan of their UI.... When you're used to stock console FX and Dynamics, using The Oven with odd parameter labeling or a Kirchhoff EQ with 12 points when you're used to 4-6 w\passes... It's honestly like being a kid in a candy store. Especially without the rush of live time constraints. Recently subbed and your videos have been a good reference for me, in that, I'm right where I should be. Looking forward to more.

[@guitarzilla555]

This has become my favorite channel for mixing. Not that I haven't learned useful things from other channels, but I find a lot of very practical advice here and appreciate your overall attitude and vibe. THANK YOU for taking time to share knowledge, it's helping us bring more good music into the world.

[@simong8527]

Totally, learning from pro + not mastering my mixes - those two are actually combined. Since I started hiring pro to master my stuff as a bonus I started receiving some feedback, which sped up my learning. He randomly mentions things that I might come across watching another 30 tutorials or not. Great video as always.

[@craigpollock8714]

Hey Jordan...went with your advice way back when, and swapped out my Yamaha HS5's with HS8S sub for Avantone CLA 10A's. TBH..when I first lit them up, I hated them..not much detail in the lows or highs. Buuut..when I had the Yamahas...those 2 areas were the areas where i was obsessing over in my mixes..and spending far too much time for little to no payback. Since the switch..I don't really hear those areas so much now - mostly low mid and mids. Now my mixes sound so much better - they translate well..and have the power I have always chased. I still check the low lows and high highs on headphones...but don't obsess over them anymore. What a load off and complete paradigm shift! Took me a while to get used to. Instead of my mixes sounding amazing in the studio, and crap outside..I have the polar opposite - average in the studio, and stunning everywhere else

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Awesome, that’s exactly my experience!

[@pedrosilvaproductions]

Tip n4 is EXTREMELY important. One thing I learned about a course I was taking was "start with the simple stuff before going into complex things". What he meant is: instead of startin to compress something, messing up with FX, start by adjusting the volumes of things, then EQing what you DON'T like from the sound. If it's still not sounding like you want it, start by adding EQ again. Then maybe compress, then maybe saturate if you need. But first and foremost, have everything at perfect volumes how you like it. Another thing I learned is, the mix has to sound "decent" first. The best mixes are the ones where you don't do too much, you just do small snippets to make it sound great

[@observrgxlded]

I learnt the “don’t master your own mixes” from one of your courses long ago and it stuck with me. I couldn’t agree more.

[@joewilmot]

Great, great advice. Thank you so much! Just subscribed. I do solo a bit, but it’s kinda like dipping in there for a second just to hear the change I’m making and immediately step right back to hear how that change affects the overall mix.

[@septemberwalk]

I agree with your point about having someone else master your music in theory, but I've tried a few different pros who have worked on music that I think sounds really great and for some reason I just never liked the way they made my music sound.

[@BeautyInAPlasticBag]

The best thing about this video for me is seeing that I have all these things figured out already. Sure, I’m not at that pro level yet but I’m inching closer. Thanks for somewhat restoring my confidence, haha.

[@markushassel2737]

This dude is legittttt

[@Gino_567]

the last point on mastering really sold it for me. I was a bit on the fence for a while because obviously mastering costs money, and at the moment, my music is a hobby that makes no money. It only costs money. SO, that needs to be taken into consideration. But you're right. I think a different perspective is crucial. Would you say, mixing/mastering to a point where you can get it loud enough to be competitive, and then exporting the raw file out without any processing on the master, and giving it to an engineer is the right approach?

[@jwalters8498]

Your videos sir have taken me to another level, I was getting so frustrated, this guy on YT cut this another guy no boost it. I am doing way less eq cuts and and not afraid to boost over 4 db, I am also compressing things I would not compress before. Thank you mixing is fun again!

[@ttboadd]

Fantastic information.

[@reiamusicgroup]

Great info. Thx 🙏

[@dfnymusic3396]

Phenomenal video and perfect tips

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Grab your free Mixing Cheatsheet to learn the go-to starting points for EQ and compression in heavy mixes: hardcoremusicstudio.com/mixcheatsheet

[@hrmt_anon]

SSL_ERROR_INTERNAL_ERROR_ALERT

[@shaunmaq]

Thank you Mabradah...🎚🎙🎧🎹🎤

[@audiobunny1767]

Thanks 🙏 Jordan, I value your experience and can relate totally. I've only really recorded and mixed for the bands I've been in and the hardest thing is trying to make other band members understand the mindset behind what we do. I guess the results need to speak for themselves hence I intend to join enrol and invest in your course asap. Thanks again🙏

[@fernandogiroldomix]

tanks for your videos,I`m from brazil!!!

[@TheGaryHughes]

people being afraid to put themselves out there can apply to everything in life lol. great tips!

[@mdmn8160]

❤ from Burundi 🇧🇮

[@vonplate]

Very helpful, thanks.

[@FrankPalangi]

Trying ya cheat sheet soon :) :) thx for the free advice

[@kevinbatchelor9566]

As always, these are really helpful tips. Thanks, Jordan. Only thing I have a different preference for is on monitors. I think if you can learn NS10's you can learn better sounding monitors and better sounding monitors will always be more enjoyable (for me) to make music with. I use ATC's and the mid range they provide is so clear to me and I feel that they don't overhype bass or high end frequencies. Anyway, thanks for the super helpful tips!

[@amonchhetri1053]

Which atc model and how much for it?

[@TylerFoleyAudio]

Great tips. The 'Solo' tip is a big eye opener for me. Although I do a lot of mixing in context, hitting solo less can definitely help!

[@just2comment2]

I have everything on Solo usually then it's too much trouble undoing them all to have one track on Solo lol

[@TimOost]

Having someone master my three proper tries give me a great ballpark feeling for how much low end I should allow. Its like polish on a car

[@bryandubon9665]

bro you hit me on every spot... fuuuu

[@MarcelloDiLorenzo]

Hi Jordan! I signed up. I really like your suggestions. I don’t want to be a professional sound engineer (ie one who mixes other people’s work) but I do want to produce my music well. For some time now I’ve preferred to use virtual tools and program rather than record. My question is: do Vsts also need Eq or are they already “perfect?” Why don’t you ever give advice about keyboards and piano (instruments very present in rock)? A greeting and thanks.

[@dfgvjnkjdsnbkjsbdvjkhdsb]

wow dude how did u know that this video is exactly for me?

[@bryandubon9665]

bro i need this on God, felt like you were speaking to me.

[@jnoelcook]

Been in the studio since I was 17 and still cannot EQ or mix to save my life. 51 Now. I wish I could do it myself so I didn't need to pay. Here's my question: The best studio I ever recorded in was when I was 17. Every other studio has been crap. I am trying to figure out why the others fail, cause I think it has to do with my own poor mixing. Here's my example and I hope you could help. In my 20's, I showed up at the studio and the engineer said, "I have a question for you." I said "ok". He said he just recorded a band and after a week they brough the CD back into the studio with other bands CD's. They said, "these don't sound the same." He then asked me, "do you think my recording is professional, or am I just fooling myself." I told him that his mixes were great. But then I went home and compared myself and they were crap, no comparison. So here's my question, I have been mixing a song for over a week and comparing it in my headphones with songs I like through the same headphones. There's no comparison. My mix, no matter what I do, sounds boxy and harsh, just like the guy I recorded with. What the heck is the difference, Is it the tracks as they are laid? What gives?

[@MoreMeRecording]

Your Logo reminds me a lot of Raincity Recorders :)

[@heikohesse4666]

Hi, your videos are super helpful - what is that 8xFader-Bank device on the desk?

[@PolaroidSpiff]

Im finna be lit .. Thanks

[@martinthe3rd664]

I think a lot of these advice are a bit one-sided. Yes, it's important to reference and go through your mix in "lesser" monitoring systems but mixing the entire song in NS10s or AirPods seem crazy to me, it's like painting an entire canvas with sunglasses on. Same thing with checking things in solo vs full mix - obviously do both - the error some beginners do is doing all the processing in solo then just setting the level in the mix. I start out like that but then backtrack and modify the processing. Because the better mixer you become, the more you understand how to solo process an instrument so it fits in a certain soundstage - and making that processing in solo obviously allows for more fine-tuning of it. Mixing is a lot of back and forth since everything you do affects everything you've done.

[@craigpollock8714]

One other comment I would also add..is all mix decisions should always be made to serve the song - not the engineer, nor the individual artists. Serve the song. Simple

[@JWVLL]

Question for you man: I have been struggling for years now with my low mids for about 200/300 - 1khz, it always end up lacking to say the least, and when I try to fix it, things get muddy and sound even worse. I went back and looked at your mixing cheat sheet and noticed that literally nothing "lives" or is accentuated in that range, rather, it's cut, which is counterintuitive to my delimma. Any advice?

[@asdfasdf917]

I think the mastering-argument deserves more attention, because I always die of cringe when I hear someone say "I mixed and mastered this song". You can't master your own mix, because mastering is about getting the perspective of a second person and not about making shit loud or the tools. If you add EQ and limiting and stuff to your whole mix you're still mixing and not mastering.

[@TheAbsoluteTruth334]

What about top down mixing? Is that not pretty much mixing into a mastering template from the get go? Thats the way I started out learning and thats the way ive always thought of it. I dont seperate the concepts of mixing and mastering. To me its all one big mix like you said. Im not professional by any means but ive also become increasingly more satisfied with the final results over the years. I use reference tracks that are obviously mastered already so the end goal for me has always been getting it in the ballpark of my reference tracks in one foul swoop. Maybe im seeing it wrong or maybe theres just another perspective to look at it from. Im curious what other people on here think and if anybody has the same perspective on it that i do or am i just in left field somewhere?

[@VENOMONA]

I own a pair of CLA 10A , whats the setting you use on the VTPC that got you closer to the NS-10's? 🤔 thank you! And great videos! 👋🏼

[@jiznak2000]

I definitely will be buying your course but I need to save for it because I live paycheck to paychek.

[@andreisidro6544]

I master my own mixes not so much because I want to but because 90% of the time if I recommend bands to master elsewhere they'll say something like "we think the guy you recommended is out of our budget so we'll go with the guitar player's cousin who has a pirated copy of Logic a Behringer interface and will do the whole album 10 bucks a song" I'll take a "loud mix" over THAT as any day

[@joesmith5617]

Do a review on the free daw cake walk and try mix something with stock plug-ins to show everyone you don’t need expensive outboard gear or plugins

[@joesmith5617]

Being looking for a video like that for a whileee

[@josephschmizzo1595]

The problem w this idea is that u do need some expensive tools to achieve a pro sound. Ppl who say “u can mix on anything” are typically people who’ve spent years in great listening environments on expensive gear so they understand so much nuance that a bedroom engineer never had the opportunity to experience. The goal shouldn’t be to find out how to compete in this industry via NOT spending money. I promise u…its a hamster wheel of trial and error, regret and doubt… Invest as much as u possibly can and build as high quality of a toolbox as possible.

[@aeonic_drums]

Investment into your learning is definitely a HUGE one. From experience, it's much easier to recoup the money than your time. I guarantee that if you put aside a decent amount of money into your learning, you will gain A LOT more value.

[@amonchhetri1053]

Could please advice any reliable online site or someone I could learn production n mixing please..need to go advance now..

[@sounds_like_matt]

Hey Jordan. I'm curious, on the "have someone else master it" front, how do you go about communicating that to the client? If you're hired to only mix, do you have it mastered before delivering and not mention it to the client, or do you credit the person mastering? Do you yourself offer mixing + mastering or do you tell clients it doesn't make sense to have the same person do both? Just wondering how to stay honest / transparent and give credit where it's due without

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Right at the quote stage I say "I don't do mastering, but I have a go-to guy that I use and his rate is $X per song." Client pays the mastering engineer. Never had any pushback!

[@sounds_like_matt]

@@hardcoremusicstudio Thanks a bunch for the reply! So when you say the client pays them, do you mean that you actually have them send money to your guy or just that you bake it into your price?

[@Popskull_666]

For a punk song how many tracks should I have? I have Guitar L Guitar R, Bass, Drums, Lead Guitar, Vocals L Vocals R , Backing Vocals and Master Track????

[@Cola.Cube.]

"I know nothing about music". Rick Rubin.

[@bobrobertsNotUrBob]

I say Mute instead of solo

[@JSSTUDIO-wr2jq]

🙂👍

[@Popskull_666]

You start by using compression before you record your song? I dont understand

[@marktuure6313]

I dont think I'll ever master my own songs. My master engineer is like a validation test. If something is off and hurting my mix, he will tell me and then I have the opportunity to fix it before we settle on a final master.

[@martywitzberg]

Only thing I had contention on is sending it out to master. What if wewant to learn how to master ourselves? Is it not a worthwhile skill?

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Maybe, but you'll do a better job mastering other peoples' material I think. Also consider the cost of trying to master two fairly different skillsets rather than go all in on one.

[@Jazzguitar00]

@@hardcoremusicstudio There's quite a few people who do both and do it quite well. I think most of them do it after getting good at mixes but then feeling like the masters they received back don't actually help their tracks enough (Jens Bogren, Joey Sturgis,Lawrence Mackrory). I'm not trying to nitpick your channel because it's been really helpful for me but saying that mixers *never* master their own material is wrong, especially when I can think of three heavy hitters who do it off the top of my head.

[@josephschmizzo1595]

@@Jazzguitar00so then try it and see of it works, do ur own master but have a mastering engineer master the same track and see how urs stand up. Some ppl can do it but most of the ppl who do have decades of experience on high level equipment in high level rooms…

[@elevateaudioengineering4892]

O-F-F-E-N-S-E, D-E-F-E-N-S-E...geez....

[@Mix3dbyMark]

Why did you show Cubase when you spoke about intermediate mixers? Hmm? 👀

[@dooshnukem32]

Probably just stock footage lol

[@dennisvanopstal7360]

So what?

[@AnthonyGreenMountain]

I would add an 11th tip that, to be fair, works for pretty much any mixing engineer: remember that mixing is also an art, not only a technical process. Take all the stuff that you learned, deconstruct it, and shape your own techniques and tricks. Try making more decisions with your guts, stop thinking way too much, and avoid spending 10 hours TRYING to find problems in your mix: if your ears can't hear it, it's probably not that big of a deal. Move on, be faster, be bolder. Don't try to be a robot, IA is already better than us at it.

[@mofateam1]

Thank you, the advice you give here is great, but going to this generic website of yours reminds me more of pushy sales practices you find on places like Recording Revolution, It´s even impossible to figure out what the program costs before subscribing. Loads of testimonial talk from Alf A. to Zack Z., and cliche-selfmotivational "be the best you can"-phrasemongering. So yeah - hardcore, you try to sell so hard, but thank you anyway.

[@xicoamc]

I don't like to have to jump through hoops to even know how much your course costs. I can't even see the contents or chapters and you ask all sorts of questions

[@mentalprogram5256]

The new Apple AR. Thats why Atmos.

[@tvtime1505]

#2 he chose CLA10's?

[@tommy9951]

#2 question for Jordan - I had the same breakthrough with Auratones, originals I picked up super cheap. Best results I had from a Crown D75 and a Yamaha AS700 was from the Crown - it was just so goddamn dry everything sounded awful haha! I recently ditched all my outboard and bought the new active ones for more desk space, portability etc. The new ones still have the same window into the midrange but nowhere near the same transient definition. Have you found the same thing with the old vs new ns10s?

[@MrMockigton]

as someone who is still just mixing as a hobby and not making any money off it, i have to stray away from having my mixes professionally mastered - i just skip that stage alltogether by mixing pretty loud and using a clipper on top. other than that, great advice

[@fescolfaro]

Everybody has a different process. All these "tips" videos either resonate with your process or not, in which case you should disregard whatever it was that was said.

[@dfgvjnkjdsnbkjsbdvjkhdsb]

#1 don't get addicted to guitar solo or han solo?

[@billbradleymusic]

Lol...pro tip; send it to a pro

[@jimorgain63]

i go back 30 years my old recordings when i knew very little sound great, i have been studying youtube mixing tech for ten years and the more i learn the worse it gets lol, cant hardly record the simplest of things, then hours later messing with signal chain, eq, compressors, busses, channels, takes, editing, jeeze i miss my four track recorder, am i missing something? you guys make this horribly confusing, like mixing is everything, how about us musicians who are just trying to get work done?

[@whosyabobby]

If your corses we’re not 4000 dollars I would have already signed up. I’ll pay monthly or something but I can’t drop 4K.

[@peterfrench2379]

AAAAAAAHHHHHH

[@tvtime1505]

How much do you make mixing vs selling your course? Hmmm...

[@MrDddrrrggg]

The choose you monitors wisely is such a bad take.

[@Popskull_666]

If you're insecure about your mixe's how the hell are gonna get put an album or single out for public consumption.

[@timball8429]

On the mastering issue, why would you pay for the mastering if the song isn’t yours? If you were mixing your own music it would be an expensive exercise to pay for mastering if you’re still learning to mix. In my opinion it would be better to mix other people’s music and have the artist pay for the mastering, particularly when you’re not training to be a mastering engineer and the sheer variety of mixing other’s music would hone your skills far faster.

[@FredDeMassiveAlambic]

Can we have tips for.. let's say a dude knowing all of these tips perfectly and not doing this kind of mistakes, working in a well treated room with decent speakers and some outboard gear, and still sounding like sh*t ?

[@josephschmizzo1595]

What speakers do u have and whats generally wrong w ur mixes?

[@FredDeMassiveAlambic]

@@josephschmizzo1595 I'm half trolling, speaking for many engineers that never find their mixes perfect.. while everyone is just vibing to their music. In fact, I'd really like to find content for intermediate-skilled engineers, who have already watch the whole youtube content lol There's probably not a lot to tell And listening on Focals, with mixes lacking that few% extra from the best I can hear lol, nothing to complain about