The Basics of Starting a Mix - Setting Levels - Warren Huart: Produce Like A Pro

➡️➡️The Basics of Starting a Mix - Setting Levels: bit.ly/32pgEPc
In this episode, we’re going to concentrate on the basics of starting a mix. This is a good thing for beginners but it’s also an amazing discussion point for anybody who’s intermediate or advanced.
For me, the best way to start a mix is to open it up and get the balances and panning right. - So let’s get going.
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[@Producelikeapro]

Now you know how I start my mixes. How do you start your mixes? Do you want to see more videos like this? Let me know below!

[@BloemanStudio]

Thank you so match, i need to improve my mixes to the next level!You are all invited to listen my music!

[@devinunderwood9039]

Well.....I start them the exact same way...since that's what you taught me duh ;p

[@ajadrew]

I'm glad I watched this! I'm similar but you've presented it in a polished & professional manner from which I've learnt so cheers! And you were mixing on the phones? I didn't plug my phones in until you'd started the drums so I rewound the tape & of course, I could actually hear what was happening...;-))

[@RogerBrenon]

I start my mixes with "Oh crap, my recordings suck. Gotta do em over" LOL

[@guitarfreekin]

Yes sir more please, from here on what is your workflow, do you go to eq first or compression?? Stuff like that... Thanks a million in advance

[@networkunplugged]

I start my mixes like this... I ruin them always later :-)

[@Producelikeapro]

Hi Network Unplugged haha we all do my friend!!

[@ProducerGio]

lol it hurts so much

[@ejaybrand]

@@ProducerGio l

[@lahattec]

Warren, you do realize that you have raised the bar for what all other 'KZbinrs' must strive for.

[@Producelikeapro]

Aw shucks thanks ever so much! There will 50 like this within the next week or two my friend! Haha

[@lahattec]

@@Producelikeapro Nice. :)

[@marcelbr815]

True

[@LingKai]

agree. he's a real professional

[@phadrus]

No, no hasn’t. This is vague and poorly explained and generally a disappointment. Seriously, I’ve tried to watch many of his videos and he is one of the worst at explaining mixing concepts.

[@SkankVideosTv]

This is pure gold. Warren, is there a chance to have another episode with the continuation of the same mix?

[@nichttuntun3364]

It's pure logic too. I am also interested in seeing the further mixing steps with track and 2 track handling. Cheers

[@basbakker]

Would like that too!

[@Producelikeapro]

SkankTv RO Thanks ever so much my friend! Yes, I’m excited to keep going with this mix!

[@SkankVideosTv]

@@Producelikeapro Can't hardly wait! :D

[@project1265ffo]

@@Producelikeapro thank you very much Warren, hope to see the next episode about this video :)

[@winterjps]

If I get tracks to mix that I didn't record, one of the first things I do, even before volume and levels, is "track housekeeping," where I name, group, and color the tracks in a way that suits my workflow. I will also created busses and/or VCAs for the groups so that I can easily change levels on multiple tracks globally. During my second pass at volume and levels I like to place markers to identify the sections of the arrangement. Checking the overall levels is important in the beginning as well in order to leave enough headroom for mixing. If I get my kick and snare peaking at -18dBFS after processing I can be pretty confident in that regard. That's my yardstick to get everything else in the ballpark. I generally go drums, bass, lead vocal(s), guitars, keys, etc.

[@noahofficialmusic]

Is that -18dbfs with the kick and snare combined? Do you use a VU meter set to -18dbfs?

[@gagsmedia]

Warren, Your generosity is beyond compare....You really are a diamond in the internet! Love you man G xxxxxx :)

[@Producelikeapro]

Hi gagsmedia you’re very kind my friend! I’m so glad to be able to help!

[@michaeltablet8577]

There's that song again, I'll be whistling it again for days. Cool tune. Love the videos. Keep em coming. Thanks for taking time to teach.

[@leeyeager8413]

Excellent!!! Really love the audience perspective tip on panning!

[@jasonsimmons7479]

What a great teacher you are!

[@paulie_g_]

I watch this video every time I'm starting a new mix. It's so valuable to be reminded of the basics.

[@Producelikeapro]

Wow!! Thanks ever so much

[@Studiossoundgarage]

Thank you so much. Very useful.

[@magicdrummer411]

Absolutley a great way to start. The best I have seen on this. I spent hours on a song my band recorded, I sampled drums, eq on each guitar and the even the bass. I then hated what I had. I done this to the same track and it is like day light and dark on the sound. Thanks!

[@ragingchimera8021]

Thanks for the tips Warren! More "ground up" videos like this would be great.

[@kevinbutler94]

Excellent video/tutorial Warren, keep em coming!

[@JeffArend]

I love these hands on mixing videos! Do more!!

[@Producelikeapro]

Deal Jeff!

[@AnyDrug]

A very relatable demonstration of basics and yet another excellent example that mixing is the art of subtraction.

[@drummerjeroensimons]

I always love your in detailed videos, I highly recommend them to everybody open to learn...:)

[@jurgenschuler8389]

What a magnificent video! Awesome!

[@nostaticatall]

Love what you do, Warren. Thanks for sharing this.

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much my friend!! Glad to be able to help!

[@sylfan1]

Thanks Warren, I think I've been just loading my mix sessions up and diving in, this helps to remember to take that step back and start from the most simple part!

[@ricklachaine5406]

For someone like me exploring writing, recording, producing music at home, these videos are fantastic and much appreciated. Thank you very much for your efforts.

[@alexeysoloviev2924]

Thank you so much Warren! Really nice video! It’s always great to learn from you! You Rock! 😀👍

[@JazzIsInTheHeart]

Great video! Thank you!

[@Producelikeapro]

Glad you liked it!

[@debbarber1]

I love your videos Warren! So much to learn from you! Thank you

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much!

[@kieran0000]

Brilliant lesson Warren, thanks !

[@TheFeelButton]

Love this! I start with the basics every time because it's all I know. Good stuff Warren!

[@cortical1]

Thanks, Warren! Sending SoCal love up the 5 from San Diego!

[@Producelikeapro]

Thank you my friend!

[@alexbooyse9053]

One of my favourites you’ve done.

[@DanielGittinsStone]

These videos are soooo helpful!! I watched your mixing basics episodes, and learned a ton! I really appreciate how you provide a rationale for each mixing decision. I have a much better idea of how to make decisions about eq and compression in my own projects. Thank you!!

[@ShiningHourPop]

Very well explained in a simple, clear fashion. You are a great tutor Warren

[@adamcohen7086]

This was really great...so informative! Thank you!!

[@Kineticartist]

Excellent tutorial thank you sensei best part is watching you bop to the music as you mix

[@radiobikini6429]

Great revision of the basics.

[@sak7530]

Very big THANK YOU. Many years of playing guitar but just started down the road of recording and mixing. All the info out there can get confusing for us beginners. You are a awesome teacher!!

[@EricGPLAP]

Back to the basics! Great video for both beginners and even those who are already experienced on just where to start and how!

[@theuniversityoflife8704]

Love this approach to the start of mixing.

[@stephanieleclercq890]

Thanks Warren for this new video

[@necrodogs]

This is so great. I bought Mixbus 5 a week ago and this is exactly what I've been doing since. Adjust volume, pan stuff around, get rid of excess tracks, create groups and assign tracks to buses (and turn the drive/tape saturation UP). Bonus: I started working on this exact song last night. Now I know a bit more about what to fix and how to do it. Thank you :-)

[@985live]

Short sweet and straight to the point. I love it

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much!

[@edwincrain986]

Thanks for the knowledge.

[@limetones5429]

Thank you! Your mix decisions really helped.

[@jasonsimmons7479]

A little imperfection in the vocals! Nice. The fact that I was able to hear it and that you used it is awesome!

[@Producelikeapro]

Absolutely my friend! We love the imperfections!!

[@jasonsimmons7479]

@@Producelikeapro you're the best mate!

[@marksextonmarkeaux4181]

Thanks Warren and Thanks Eric I know you had a hand in this! you guys do fantastic work!

[@aipsong]

Great lesson - live music is just that - people and their instruments spread across the stage - it helps to remember that when mixing!

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much my friend!

[@lumpumgoolawsh7605]

Amazingly helpful video exactly what I needed!!

[@vimaxtube]

Thank you, Warren, so very much. This is an excellent tutorial, as everything that is coming from you.

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much Max!

[@corbanboutot293]

This completely blew my mind. Thanks for sharing!

[@Producelikeapro]

Corban Boutot Thanks ever so much my friend!!

[@jimglunt9864]

I am continually trying to find methods to improve my mixes on this journey. This video reminds me that one of the best ways is to go back to the basics and begin the mix correctly. Thank you!

[@quickturnmusic]

these videos provide so much information and confidence in my personal mixes. Thank you

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much my friend

[@andyhep]

This is awesome. Thanks Warren. Love your videos

[@PurpleMusicProductions]

Thank you so much Warren. Your videos have really helped me improve my mixes in a short period of time. I really really really appreciate you sharing your experiences and knowledge.

[@krisgotstuff1315]

Brilliant. In this world with endless amounts of plugins and tutorials on how to sound like this and that, bringing it all back to basics is a serious reality check. Thank you for this video Warren.

[@GILLESSAISSI]

Great... Respect Mr Warren.

[@ronbalentine2905]

Excellent tutorial for the beginner and expert. Cheers.

[@stephenzeagman9985]

Did not want this video to end! Wow, very helpful. Would you consider doing a second part to this video, showing the next steps with any eq or compression? Thanks Warren, this was a really, really helpful video.

[@blissiplin]

Hey Warren Thank you so much for great tutorials. I've dabbled in demos for decades and am not in a jam, having to do my own final mixed on my first big solo song release. Your videos got me into awesome shape. Thx again. -Kerry Furlong

[@bvri9956]

Love this dude. Thank you

[@MrTimdriver]

Wonderfully informative, cheers Warren.

[@roydominicmacasero4597]

It's been a few months since my journey in music production and while I think I should've watched this first, I think I'm able to appreciate these "simple" steps more that I've tried doing stuff like these myself. As always, thanks Warren!

[@Zilmayjaink]

Warreeeeeen! You're the best! This was marvelous man, really. As a beginner sometimes overtweaking stuff in my mixes and getting overwhelmed by the results. Seeing a pro like you getting a mix ready in such a simple way, is eye opening for me. This kind of walkthroughs of mixing are the kind of content I've been seeking in the internet the whole time man, keep em coming! 🤟🏼

[@rogerclemens826]

Thank you Warren!!

[@leaningtower73]

Superb explanation of how to start a mix. I am glad I do more or less the same thing in the early stages of a mix. Have a marvelous day sir!

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much my friend!!

[@coyungemach2225]

Thanks for this! It helps to know that what I do aligns with the the thinking of others, especially those much more experienced than me. I also appreciate the drum mix 'perspective' statement as I was just having that conversation with my drummer last week at his studio Really no hard and fast rules in my mind when it comes to that and I tend to think that it may be advantageous to vary the perspective dependent on what other elements of the song are sharing the hi-hat or ride space in the mix.

[@A3Lazar]

That was great!! This is what it's all about.

[@devinunderwood9039]

Thank you Warren...always a good idea to revisit the basics.

[@Producelikeapro]

It is Devin! haha

[@camdendebruin6667]

I almost always do drummers perspective when panning. As a drummer, I sometimes feel really unsettled when things like the hihat are on the right. Especially when you have a lot of toms.

[@Producelikeapro]

Interesting!

[@cbrooks0905]

I always had a feeling this would be the case, because I always see them (in my mind’s eye) from audience perspective, and it always throws me off, at first, when I hear it from Drummer’s perspective. Solution: MONO DRUMS! 🤠

[@FakingANerve]

I have always mixed from a drummers perspective, although i'm not a drummer, when in the studio. Whenever I mix live (my day job), I mix audience perspective. 😐

[@rileyjordan8114]

IMO drummers perspective is the best because only drummers will really notice what the panning is, so you might as well pan how they would prefer

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much Camden for sharing!!

[@bobholland3810]

Thank you. This was very helpful.

[@markl8094]

Informative as ever, Warren, and thank you for another great vid.

[@wildcustoms]

very interesting video. Thank you.

[@madmac66]

I’m still very much learning and finding my own best practices, but what I’ve learned over the last 3-4 songs is this. I’m a composer/producer so I’m always working on my own music soup to nuts, and not somebody else’s, so this is obviously a bit of a difference to yours. I start with a tracking file in Cubase. Get all the scratch vocals, guitars, bass and drum loops written. Then sequence them with the arranger track until I get a layout I’m happy with. Duplicate the file which is now my arrangement project. I’ll track the final vox in context to the full song now. Record overdub guitars where needed. Ad drum fills and other little bits and pieces. I’ll render all the stems out to WAVs and bring them into a mixing project template which has all my eq and compression plugins instantiated and control surface mapping in place. I’m really glad you mentioned baking any FX from the tracks into the stems as I’ve long hummed and hand over this. I’m going to take your advice and give that a shot on my current track. The delay and mod and verbs and even compression added during arrangement are a part of the sound design, so I can see now that they should be treated as such and baked into the mixing stems. I also export all my stems at 0db so all volume faded mixing is done in the mixing project. I don’t like having a backing synth track so quiet with the fader at 0db in the mix. Thanks for another great lesson

[@TheFinalGamerRN]

Awesome video!! Thank you sir!

[@theyellowone]

Very informative. Thank you Warren!

[@billyhughes9776]

Great stuff as always Warren -- thanks.

[@karth1kts]

Simple yet invaluable 😀

[@geetarman513]

Great video. Thank you Warren.

[@michaelorourke5848]

Thank you Warren, Great info as always!

[@ryKirwan1]

Always Helpful. 🎧🎹🎸🎼👍🏻

[@tlgondatrack4820]

I will use this! Thank you, Warren!

[@damein5469]

Videos like this are crucial to us!!! Thank you for I learned a great deal. I went to a private university to learn audio recording, and I learned and understood you better than my professor. Awesome job and Thank You so much!

[@hansdampf7397]

Thanks - great tips - ...as ever. I would like to hear your final mix of the song!

[@bradsmith5136]

I really loved this video!

[@ivol85]

Thank you sooooooo much 😄 you don't know how much helpful your videos are to me 😁😁👌

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much! I really appreciate it

[@TallyTechandTroubleshooting]

EXCELLENT explanation, Warren and MUCH appreciated! If you could, please consider Craig Sanderson request as there are quite a few of us that DO get mixes that are, well for lack of a better word, in a state of dismay. Thank you ever so much for your continued sharing of knowledge and audio mentorship (PLAPer)...

[@sonicunfoldment4715]

Thank You Warren!! You are very appreciated!

[@nikhillekhra]

I have learned the most important things in production and mixing from you. Thankyou 🌻 🌻

[@topsyduo]

Thanks for this Lesson

[@kevfly21]

That's good Warren, saves time in the long run. I've seen people work on individual instruments (eq, compression, effects etc.) first, then bringing them together. They usually have to go back and work on the instruments individually again!!! This way we've got the big picture from the start. Cool!!!

[@CRXYTV]

Definitely going to try this with dancehall and rnb to get levels right need to do more panning

[@stevegeorge7773]

Very good example. Thanks Warren!

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much!

[@darlenesheffield9835]

Amazing info!!

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much!

[@mrpurple1513]

Great video 😁 this is how I start my mixes also. . it's also good to remember to check your mix in mono because people tend to listen to things on Bluetooth speakers now so this needs to transfer to that .. thanks again for another awesome video . 🙏

[@MarcBecker_Music]

Awesome video. Thank you ever so much, Warren. I guess I tend to do too much too soon.I use to apply EQ and compression to e.g the drums as soon as I balanced them and move then on to the bass and other instruments. This video is an eye opener for me. I try to have the discipline to get a good overall balance and panning at my next mix before I start to do anything else. I'm curious how it will work for me. I think it's a very good approach to follow your example, especially when there's no rough mix available to listen to to get a first impression,

[@Kaissa13]

Thank you Warren, as a beginner this video is wonderful! All was simple and well explained. Love it! Will you continue with more episodes of this mix, pleaseee? Like: The Basics of Starting a Mix - 2.Equalitation then 3. Compression........

[@upstairzstudio8480]

Great well explained starting steps. thanks a million

[@justinmontoya4506]

Hey Warren! I watch your videos all the time whenever I have an issue or just looking for some more knowledge. I can't say how many I've watched but it's a lot, and very beneficial for me. I have always had a question about this particular subject that I’ve been told I should do when starting my mixes. (I use Pro Tools.) I was told to grab a VU meter (I use VUMT by Klanghelm) and clip gain down starting with the bass so it’s not going over zero on the meter, then continuing with the kick, snare, hh, and so on to include pads, piano, gars, and melodies. Mainly because I was told this is how you get your tracks super loud and comparable to current pop, hip-hop songs, etc. nowadays. Also because I was told back when everything was analog that’s how they did it to keep the volume controls closer to zero so there won’t be any unwanted noise if they went too low. Now I don’t know how true that is because I’ve only mixed in the box. Is using the VU and clip gaining down any better than just using volume controls or is it the same and I will get the same results in the end? I’ve been doing my mixes like this for a while now but I’m starting to wonder more about this step because after I use the VU meter I still find myself adjusting the volume knobs as well too. After all, some of the stems I get still take over too much of the track that I don’t need loud. I hope this all makes sense and doesn’t confuse you, I spent about 30 minutes trying to make it less confusing to myself.

[@maidenthe80sla]

The video is a great reference tool and also a perfect foundation for a beginner such as I to use. I say more videos such as this in the future would be much appreciated.

[@xaosnox]

Warren, you've done it again! Brilliant video. As a relative beginner, the hardest thing is getting started, but you bring your fun-loving, positive attitude to the table and give us an example of how to fly through the opening stages of a mix. This is a great thing for those of us who tend to be perfectionists and/or over-thinkers. Love it!

[@Producelikeapro]

Hi X S thanks ever so much my friend! That really means a lot! I am so glad to be able to help in any way I can my friend!!

[@ArielAndChristian]

This is so helpful!

[@shawnmelody8346]

Very informative! bookmarking this video. thanks!

[@Kineticartist]

I start very much the same way getting it leveled volume and pan wise so I can Lke you said make an informed decision on the steps I take next I love how yo break down your work flow sometimes with a more complicated song its easy to get lost in the complicated parts so starting with the basics is vital As wealso do recording here and not just mixing and my mix sessions are from the recorded sessions I add in gain staging as one of the first steps usng the HoRnEt MKIII plugin saved my butt a couple of times Rarely do I get stereo tracks so I mix mostly in mono so panning alonfg with sidechaining later in the mix session really helps out Again thank you for being so generous with your time and knowledge