Is there a secret recipe that would make that definitive change for your audio mixing?
We think – yes. Here’ s the coolest and also might be the most important tip from the producer who worked with the big names of the industry (e.g. Destiny’s Child, Snoop Dog). This approach to audio mixing and music production will change your game.
Mixing learning curve. ACCELERATED>>>
Remake your favourite artist beats.
Step 1.
Load that track into your daw, listen, dissect and note all the musical elements that you hear (Kicks, Snares, FX, Piano, 808’s..).
Step 2. One by one do your best to emulate those elements so that the outcome sounds as close as possible to the original.
Step 3. After you’ve recreated those samples, put them in a sequence of the original beat and mix with your headphones or studio monitors while referencing to the original beat track. Do it even simultaneously, by playing the reference track and your beat at the same time! Yes, it will sound messy, but human ability to focus on a sound element and determine the loudness of it is laser precise. So, for example, start with the kick. Check how loud it is on the reference track, and match that loudness for your kick. Then do the same with the snare, then hi-hats, then bass.
Your ears will get used to the volume ratio between lows, mids, and highs of those professional mixes. Just try to remake 3-5 of your favourite tracks. You will realise later, when producing your own tracks – making right mixing decisions come naturally.
Also, what’s cool is that it is not a problem if you don’t have expensive studio monitors or headphones.
By remaking your favourite artist beats and using these tracks as a reference, you’ll learn your equipment and how it sounds. You’ll train your ears to hear the balance with whichever headphones or speakers you have right now. Usually, samples and loops on the market are already provided in high quality and processed close to perfection, so all you need is to be capable of correctly balancing the volume of those sounds.
Get your ears trained with this technique and you’ll learn pro audio mixing quick. We promise!
