Hey, I hope you’re keeping well! This week, I want to help you sidestep some of the most common mistakes I see in home mixes — the ones that stop good songs from sounding great.
1. Over-processing
Many people think they should be making huge EQ changes or applying heavy compression to mix their songs. In reality, a great mix is often built on many tiny adjustments. Build your mix gradually using small, careful changes.
2. Mixing in solo
While it’s useful to check elements in solo to hone in on changes like EQ and compression, remember the goal isn’t to make an instrument sound great on its own. The goal is to make it sound great in the context of the mix. Make your final decisions based on how each track sits in the full mix, not in isolation.
3. Mixing too loud
Loud monitoring can make everything sound exciting — we perceive more low and high end when music is louder. But what happens when you mix at loud levels, and a listener then hears your mix at a quieter level? It doesn’t sound as good. Because all your mix decisions were based on the mix at a louder level. Mixing at more moderate levels ensures your mix will sound great both loud and quiet.
4. Skipping breaks
Ears fatigue quickly. When you lose perspective, it’s harder to make good mixing decisions. Step away regularly to rest your ears — when you return, you’ll spot issues instantly.
5. No reference tracks
Use reference tracks to give yourself concrete goals for your mix. Be specific — check how the vocal sits in relation to the guitars, or how much high end the mix should have overall. Use these detailed points to anchor your mix decisions.
Avoiding these simple mistakes helps move your mix closer and closer to professional quality.
Give it a try on your next mix, and I’d love to hear which of these tips makes the biggest difference for you
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