These Things Changed The Way I Mixed Forever!

Here are some tips that I wish knew about when I first started mixing.
Looking back now, I remember how much of a game changer it was when I started doing these things - which are now just second nature and part of my typical process. Save yourself years of tears and learn this stuff now!
(00:00) I Wish I Knew This...
(00:16) Tip 1
(02:57) Tip 2
(05:26) Tip 3
(05:56) Tip 4
(08:13) Tip 5
(10:50) Tip 6
(13:13) Tip 7
(16:43) Tip 8
(18:29) Tip 9
(19:37) Tip 10
Phase Aligning Drums:
• Make Your Drums PUNCH ...
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[@AndyGrover]

1) mix bus compression 2) parallel compression 3) grouping sounds 4) using reference tracks 5) understanding phase 6) using fx sends 7) cracking the compression code 8) masking 9) knowing when to do nothing 10) using drum samples

[@spinlightstudios]

🚨 Spoiler alert! 😂 make sure you watch and learn why these things will make a difference to your mixing 😉

[@Artec619]

As I watched your video I went back and forth from a mix I'm working on at the moment and it really helped me, thank you!

[@spinlightstudios]

That’s awesome, glad to hear it!

[@edwardkenemorales]

One of the things that changed my mixing is: DISCOVERING YOUR CHANNEL and discovering how nasty 6k is 🎉

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks man! 6K can definitely be nassssty!

[@loredanamassini9484]

​@@spinlightstudios on what source?

[@pooleymusic]

Very glad I found your channel. Currently tracking and mixing my own band's stuff and so far your videos have been a tremendous help.

[@spinlightstudios]

Great to hear!

[@Arden7one]

The only video you need on mixing! From here you can go anywhere! Phenomenal as always bud ❤️‍🔥 Thank you

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate!

[@zeevshaff]

That point on the release being like back and forth is brilliant!! My mind automatically thought of so many ways to implement this! You are amazing my man

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate!

[@angrybuzzy]

Excellent tips, SS. Especially your explanations and demonstration of different compression settings on vocals.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thank you :)

[@andrewnoyes4472]

Videos like this are what really make such a difference in overcoming beginner mistakes. Splendid as always Rhys.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks Andrew!

[@komobabo]

I have learned a lot of these watching your videos and your mix course you sell. Definitely cleared up a lot of the things that were completely lost on me. Parallel comp on drums is something I had not even considered and doing rock music I realized it is absolutely essential!

[@spinlightstudios]

That’s awesome mate! Glad I can help!

[@nigell.8705]

This was one of the best videos on mixing. The clear explanations, the examples, the flow of the video.. Superb.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks Nigel!

[@laytonkelly1108]

Exactly what i needed to see! Grest video and currently going over my mix while watching this. Thankyou! Great video.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks Mate!

[@ajs_channel]

Love the sample tip. I've been struggling with my drum recording and was resigned to the fact that I'd need to use samples. But you showing the blending of the sample in really helps me get over this mental blocker! Cheers Rhys!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks AJ! Honeslty, some people just like to act like if you use samples you can’t mix.. it’s some sort of superiority complex imo. Samples are just a tool to get a result, and if you like how it sounds in the end, that’s what matters!

[@GRAVYBEATS]

Brother you're my go to channel for mixing tips now. Thanks for sharing your knowledge 🙌💯

[@spinlightstudios]

Cheers mate!

[@hockinghillsalive3624]

Okay, out of dozens and dozens of similar videos, THIS ONE is fire. This has been a great help. Thanks, mate!

[@spinlightstudios]

Glad to hear it!

[@hockinghillsalive3624]

@@spinlightstudios I appreciate the effort you're putting into teaching others. It's a synergistic approach to also building your audience and channel. I like your style too. It's just clear and helpful in many ways.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate, trying to keep it authentic!

[@drewwilliams2411]

On point info. Phase is 🔑. I put more focus on phase and volume balance when mixing nowadays. Everything else seems to falls into place more down the line.

[@spinlightstudios]

So very important!

[@evandrobotti865]

Excellent Lesson! Thx!! Keep on Rocking!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks!

[@safaripedals]

Love this! Great tips!

[@spinlightstudios]

Cheers guys :)

[@blackjack2476]

Appreciate you sharing all this valuable information. Very helpful!

[@spinlightstudios]

No problem!

[@rvrfxmusic]

this is a super helpful vid, happy to have found the channel!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks! glad to have you here!

[@88KeysMan]

Great content! Very informative and helpful.

[@spinlightstudios]

Glad it was helpful!

[@golfmanbil]

I guess I have never really understood how to use compressors. I brought up a mix I am working on and used the exact settings and compressor plugins you use in this video. Honestly, I'm blown away! This is the first time I can actually sense the instrument changing depth in a mix and I can clearly hear how the release and attack are working on the individual instruments. The Slate Grey compressor is awesome and for once I have created a mix that sounds somewhat Pro level. Thanks RYYS very grateful

[@spinlightstudios]

That’s awesome mate! So glad to hear you took something away from this and were able to apply it!

[@jasonpintea2332]

Great Vid! Super helpful for a beginner like me! You very good at teaching and showing! Cheers from the U.S.!

[@spinlightstudios]

Stoked to hear that!

[@darlingtonpersonal]

I just want to say thank you for the knowledge you always share for free, your channel is Gold, every time I watch any of your video my skill level increase. And knowing you are on Logic proX makes its even more fun. Thank you very much

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks so much mate, happy to help!

[@mantis834]

There are a gazillion similar videos to this one on the toobz, but your calm and relaxed approach to explaining it all was great. I've been doing this a long time and am familiar with all of what you touched upon, yet I still found this video engaging and interesting to watch all the way through. What tipped the scale was your tip 9 - knowing when not to process or do anything to a sound. Just because we have the tools, doesn't mean we need to use them. This right there is so often overlooked and not discussed enough, so for that alone, hats off. As for the stereo bus question many seem to be asking... It's a good practice to route all your channels to a new created mix bus, which then feeds the stereo master output. As Rhys said, this way, should you want to import a reference track into your session, you simply let its outputs be automatically routed to the main stereo bus vs. your actual mix bus. Thus, any processing you put on your mix bus will not affect the reference track in any way. Well done on this video and happily subscribed. :)

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks so much mate! Glad you enjoyed my style! I know plenty of these tips are second nature to a seasoned audiophile, but to the newcomers it’s valuable knowledge :) appreciate your comment 🙏🏼

[@dinismateus5811]

Great video!!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks legend!

[@hv3485]

Great content man❤

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks very much!

[@ringomaharaj1268]

The compression on the mix bus is really awesome, I would like a video on input levels on recordings as well as what pluggin you use on mastering.

[@mrtalchik]

great tips!

[@spinlightstudios]

Glad you think so 😁

[@d.m.ebeats9013]

Mix bus compression is so cool,I was working on a master yesterday, I took an ApI 2500 plugin,added to master I was so surprised about the push my mix suddenly had.

[@spinlightstudios]

That compressor definitely packs a punch!

[@guitarplayer5932]

top down mixing was a game changer for me, sent everything to sub groups like you discussed and mixed there first

[@spinlightstudios]

Top down mixing can be pretty awesome

[@MattLunser]

Awesome video! Regarding reference tracks, that's how I'm learning more about drum recording. My son and I do YT drum covers and we'll pick songs that might be a bit simpler to play but would be fun to try and match a particular tone or sound in the original recording. We don't really achieve it, but it's helped us find sounds or effects that otherwise I doubt we would have on our own. Gives me a whole new appreciation for the original engineers and what they achieved on their own.

[@spinlightstudios]

That’s great! It’s always fun to try and achieve new sounds!

[@PoloBoyShawtyBeats]

The kramer tape - ssl comp going into the L2 on the mix buss made a difference for me!

[@spinlightstudios]

Kramer is great for shaving off some transients!

[@robdigital5920]

This is probably the best mixing summary tutorial I have ever seen.

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks!

[@DrProgNerd]

Wish I had seen this video a couple of years ago when I was getting started. It probably took a couple dozen videos to learn about all the things you covered in this one. I'm still working for that 'aha' moment with compression. I'm somewhere between knowing what I'm doing - and throwing sh*t at the wall - hoping I end up with the Mona Lisa. Lol !!! Great video, Rhys. Thanks.

[@spinlightstudios]

Haha love it. It’s still art in the end right?!

[@hockinghillsalive3624]

Liked and subbed 🤘🏽🤘🏽

[@peteroberransmayr]

Thanks for all this awesome content! One question to compression on the mixbus (tip #1): Any mastering engineer my band worked with always specifically asked to not use compression on the whole mix - have I been misled?

[@spinlightstudios]

Yeah man, you don’t need to remove mix bus compression for a mastering engineer, especially if you have mixed into the compressor and it’s part of the sound you have created, it makes no sense to remove it. If you had a slamming limiter on the mixbus also and they asked you to remove that, I can understand that. Unless they thought you were over compressing the mix, but then they should probably ask for a version with and without the compressor.

[@kwameassefuah1529]

First here🎉 Great stuff💯💯

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks mate!

[@TheDonzizi]

The best way I found to benefit from buss compression is to mix INTO the compressor. I use top down mixing and so put the mix buss compressor from the beginning. I use the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A and it sounds so good I can’t imagine mixing without it.

[@spinlightstudios]

Absolutely! Mix bus compressor is one of the first things I set up in a mix! I’ve got the plugin of that compressor too, really cool!

[@PrantoKoX]

BTW nice to see someone using the term "stems" the correct way, and explaining it so less people use wrong terminology. 👍🏻👍🏻 On the topic of terminology, funny barbershop slip there: "Filter combing" ✂️🤭😂 - you meant "Comb filtering". 😉😉

[@spinlightstudios]

Haha aaah seems I’ve created my own terms 😂😂

[@derekgage9323]

Comment for the algorithm!!!

[@spinlightstudios]

Let’s go!

[@shizumaruofficial]

Good god. Parallel compression instantly helped my drums from being underneath to in-yo-face. THANKS!

[@spinlightstudios]

Yeassh! Smash those drums 💪🏻

[@LyndonWesleyMusic]

Great vid as always. I notice you don't use the Stereo Out as your mix bus. There seems to be a myriad of good reasons why someone might favour this approach, but I'd like to know why you have adopted it? Cheers!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks! Main reason being if I want to drop a reference track into the session, it won’t be affected by processing on the stereo out so I can easily A/B!

[@LyndonWesleyMusic]

@@spinlightstudios Yes, that makes perfect sense. Do you ever use it as a way to check your mix in Mono, toggling between Mono & Stereo on the main Stereo Out?

[@lennylewismusic]

There’s that song again, I want to hear the whole mix lol!

[@gdnrecords]

Legend as always great video but I have an important Question. You mentioned that when you started mixing you used waves SSL and I saw that you use a lot of Steven Slate so recently I bought a VSX headphones from Steven slate and I was wondering if I should switch my main plugins which they are subscription bundle ALL plugins included from WAVES to Steven Slate and SSL Bundle. Do you recommend this? Maybe my only concern is the learning curve because I have used waves since ALL of my life, big hug from México 🇲🇽

[@spinlightstudios]

I don’t think it’s necessary unless you want to try them out. Waves has plenty of great plugins how are you finding VSX?

[@gdnrecords]

@@spinlightstudios spectacular!! Amazing technology game changer

[@spinlightstudios]

That’s awesome, definitely curious to try them at some point!

[@user-bo8ex4ji7n]

I've compared a lot of plugins to waves, to hardware, to UAD (albeit not slate)... Waves gets a bad reputation, but I think it's more because of their crappy business model and people just want to hate on it. Waves was incredibly close to hardware LA2A and hardware 1176LN... It was closer to my hardware LA2A than UAD was - UAD was much brighter - but they are obviously modeled off of different units which vary drastically from unit to unit. With that said, if you can't get a killer mix with Waves, you just need more experience. Another surprising find: IK Multimedia's LA2A sounded closest to my hardware unit under 15-25db of GR. The UAD fell apart along with many other emulations. Don't trust forums - just download trials and try it yourself. But for now, if you have waves, just focus on moving forward with it since it's excellent.

[@mikkomattila7444]

thanks for the vid. What's the reason using a Mix bus and not just the Stereo Output as a mix bus?

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks! Essentially the same thing. I like to use a seperate bus as the mix bus so if I drop in reference material it’s not affected by any processing that would be on the stereo out 😉

[@stevewoodyt]

Something that I feel like gets overlooked a lot. Turn it up. Listen to it loud before getting too deep into it. It will almost always sound better.

[@spinlightstudios]

Yeah you can hear if something is too harsh or loud when you crank it!

[@DaftFader]

I went and built my own DIY SSL clone G bus compressor precisely because I used to use the wave SSL G bus plug on my mix bus. xD I had the same revelation when I went to hardware compressors for he mix bus ... I was like woah this sounds SO much better than any plug in emulation I've ever used (and it's not even a real SSL, although it basically has the same circuitry as the old G comps, with a few mods).

[@spinlightstudios]

Hardware is definitely a nice option to have!

[@DaftFader]

@@spinlightstudios Yeah it's so expensive tho. I also had a similar revelation when I found out there's a bunch of DIY gear you can build ... I was like "Whoa, you mean I can build it myself for like half the price or less?!" ... :D

[@spinlightstudios]

@@DaftFader that’s definitely something I want to try! Just need a space the kids can’t destroy 😅😅

[@DaftFader]

@@spinlightstudios Haha, yeah soldering iron around kids is a bit of a nono, even I've managed to burn a few holes in my carpet by swiping the thing with the back of my hand by accident and knocking it off my desk. 😅 It is super fun though, and really rewarding and satisfying when you get the thing working. I think you get more of an attachment to that bit of gear as you built it yourself and are invested in it, which helps you start to learn and understand how it works (in an electrical sense).

[@lennylewismusic]

Auto align 2 works great on drums, must have plug in.

[@huberttorzewski]

actually it's pretty garbage, it makes all the transients blurry and the depth goes away. I've tried it on multiple raw drum recordings. Manual phase alignment is the way to go

[@spinlightstudios]

I’ve tried auto-align but find manual alignment quicker and better to my ears! But whatever gets the job done!

[@TommyrotLLC]

1176 on drum bus is 10/10 IMO.

[@spinlightstudios]

1176 on drums is 🔥

[@tommorton7211]

A shout out to the fact you can get the stems for this song at your store, mix it yourself, and then follow along with you while you mix it seems like a crazy omission from this video. I suspect you just didn’t want to sound salesy but that $12 usd exercise is likely a better way to improve one’s mixes than any new plugin. You will definitely learn about phase doing that! 😂❤

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks Tom! Yep plenty of value in that full mix vid! And plenty of phase issues to tackle through hehe that’s why I picked that song, everyone always works with great sounding tracks, but I wanted to show it was possible to make something sound great even if the raws have issues!

[@fredericauger2436]

I agree with all of that ;)

[@spinlightstudios]

That’s awesome! Thanks mate!

[@TommyrotLLC]

Interestingly, I prefer the example with the guitar bumped at 800. Vocals more buried in guitars reduces the overly pop feel of this song. More of a big guitar indie rock sound.

[@spinlightstudios]

Yeah for sure man, I mean - mixing can go so many ways!

[@user-zv1so8nm8n]

i would appreciate if you respond to this one. what are your suggestions for someone who records / mixes for himself using usually beats downloaded as MP3 from KZbin

[@spinlightstudios]

I don’t really recommend working with mp3s as the quality is not great. Surely there are other places to get beats that are full quality that don’t cost too much?

[@user-zv1so8nm8n]

​@@spinlightstudios not for my case at the moment but i would love to get the most out of it to keep creating without worrying about the quality.

[@busywl69]

I wonder how concert audio engineers handle getting that parallel processed sound on stage?

[@spinlightstudios]

I’m sure on their mixers they could create a send to do parallel processing on!

[@brycebswag]

What is the gear on ur desk

[@spinlightstudios]

I have a Behringer x touch control surface. Otherwise a bunch of preamps, compressors/rack gear :) I’ll have to do a rig run down video!

[@brycebswag]

@@spinlightstudios would be so mf down for that vid yo

[@brycebswag]

@@spinlightstudios listen to some my art tell me what you think if you have an moment to lend an ear @ eLLi bAnDs everywhere

[@redaktd_]

What did you do to get your mixes sounding more like Paramore?

[@spinlightstudios]

Turned the snare up to +1000db 😂

[@spinlightstudios]

It mostly just challenged me to EQ better, get better guitar tones while tracking. Listen to how everything sat together. The thing with references, it will never sound the same, but it helps you aim for something!

[@aletrejos]

👏👏👏

[@spinlightstudios]

🙏🏼

[@qua1ntZz]

21:15, what is this? a phase issue?

[@spinlightstudios]

Not at all, it’s a snare wire sample to add sizzle. There was no snare bottom mic. Everything is in phase 👍🏻

[@jsinproduction8466]

self taught.. Ditto

[@spinlightstudios]

If you’re passionate enough you can learn plenty on your own ☺️

[@Ytsssss364]

when you say learning about "nyc parallel compression" was an "eye opener" - just curious - which one? see what I did there? no... over *here* - sincerely, Weaver Beats 2 ghost acct.

[@django3108]

10:27

[@vin3421]

Try mix bus CLIPPING

[@spinlightstudios]

For sure - I do this already for some mixes - it does help with certain genres to get a louder master. Obviously not great on a gentle singer songwriter style mix - but good for shaving drum transients.

[@Ray_Wood_1984]

😃👍 🙇‍♂️🍀🎶

[@spinlightstudios]

🙏🏼

[@BukanIbuMu]

Glenn Fricker won't follow tip number 10

[@spinlightstudios]

Haha each to their own. I personally don’t understand people who get on their high horse over drum samples. They are a tool that can be used to salvage bad recordings or enhance good recordings. Always project Dependent, but shouldn’t be written off. Taking the mentality of drum samples being bad and fake. You’re never allowed to use midi again or guitar/bass VSTs. It’s not real/authentic either 😝

[@burakakan8341]

hey man fast attack on 1176 isn't the other way?

[@spinlightstudios]

Hey mate, fast attack is to the right! Slow to the left 😉

[@waynebaker2452]

Yes, the attack and release settings are reversed on the 1176 than most compressors.

[@squashbeatszw]

The 1176 controls are like a volume knob. It’s faster clockwise.

[@thirdeyetye]

learn how to hear lol. hearing to new engineer is like the jab to a new boxer they never utilize it. when I use to pay for lessons from audio engineer tutors who for the most part skipped all my hq paid plug ins tole me to use stock. they all told me the same thing after they would watch me make a big change on the trk wit a plug in to help me check my mix and what it needs. To Harsh, to muddy, to weak, and/or to dry. for me repeating those questions as I mix got me though hell because it was like a map for me to the end of the mixing maze when those questions are all answered by no then your def in a good place. chefs tase is his greatest tool even more than the stove cuz taste the soup to see just how much more seasoning he needs and dont over do it similar to audio engineers we hear the "sound soup" to see how much seasoning processing we need to make the perfect audio dish and not over do it cuz its so easy to over do it.

[@spinlightstudios]

Agree, that’s a skill that takes a long time to develop!

[@Vossflying]

You guys in the box you have all the same sound it’s crazy…. Man listen the way you use compression in your mix, it’s sounds plastic on drums and the mix has no personality. The mix is good, it’s clean but you sound like all the people in the box…. Find your personality and when you having drums like that use layers of snares it sound better a single snare with compression

[@spinlightstudios]

Hey man, mixing is subjective so you can totally have that opinion. I’m happy with my work and so are my clients!

[@maxanlikermusic]

Great video!

[@spinlightstudios]

Thanks legend!