Your mixes will improve the more you practice, so without further ado, here are 5 key mixing tips that can help you understand how to mix better and achieve more professional results at your home studio.

1. Think of Your Mix as a Physical Space

When figuring out how you want your song to sound, close your eyes and picture yourself listening to it in a room. Where do you want each element of your song to sound like it’s coming from? Think about all dimensions – width, height, and depth; distance from you, and whether it is left, right, or center.

The type of song you’re making should inform how you want your mix to sound. Listen to songs you like and try to imagine what space or room they’re in. You’ll notice a pattern – singer/songwriters tend to lean towards an intimate sound, which can mean that everything sounds pretty close together, and close to the listener. Other songs, particularly movie soundtracks or ballads, sound grand and vast, like you are in a big open space that resonates well. Study the genre you make and take note of how large of a space you want to fill up – this will help you with panning, EQ/filtering, compression, and reverb/delay choices down the line.

The more you visualize while listening, the better you’ll be able to place where you want your sound sources to be. Typically, main vocals are in the middle, harmonies and adlibs are on the far left and right, and instruments are placed depending on genre, role in the song, and personal preference.

2. Leave Enough Headroom

In audio engineering, “headroom” is the amount of space between the level a track is in compared to the volume it will clip at. In layman’s terms, it is how much space you’re leaving between a track’s set volume and the volume it turns red at, in decibels.

Leaving enough headroom is key to having a proper mix, and your mastering engineer (or AI) will thank you for it. The mastering process involved lots of limiting and compression, but can only work well and make your mix sound louder if it has the room for it. No headroom means a greater likelihood for distortion and clipping when the mastering engineer boosts levels.

So what’s a safe amount of headroom? We recommend a minimum of 3db difference, but the more the merrier. If your tracks sit at a healthy -6db, your song may sound quiet during the production process, but will sound amazing once the mixing and mastering is done. 

3. Cut Unnecessary Frequencies

Every single sound has a specific frequency range. This means it has a presence in those ranges, and if too many elements sit in the same frequency areas, sounds will clash and it will be hard to make out each one. For this reason, every individual track of your mix should be EQ’ed of filtered.

EQs and filters allow you to boost, cut, or adjust the volume of certain frequencies. It is very important to know which parts of the frequency range you need and which you don’t, because messing with the wrong ones can significantly alter the sound of an instrument or vocal (don’t worry, this is reversible by bypassing the plugins).

If a sound lives primarily in a higher frequency range in your song, you can cut the low frequencies entirely to make space for your kick drum, for example.

Pro tips:

1. Cut the low-ends when possible and use high pass filters to leave room for your kick and basses
2. Cut frequencies you don’t need instead of boosting the ones you want to stand out
3. Put a high pass filter on your master when mixing the mid and upper frequencies

4. Use Panning Strategically

A good mix needs panning to create space. This is important because having multiple instruments placed in the same area can cause them to compete and sound muddy. Bad placement can also completely erase a quiet element if it is paired closely with a dominant one, and background vocals won’t sound very “background” if they feel like they’re closer to the listener than the lead.

Use panning to move elements left and right, EQ and compression to move things up or down, and reverb/delay effects or levels to change perceived distance. When leaving everything in the middle, your track will very easily sound confused, so separate instruments that use the same range of the frequency spectrum to clean up your sound.

When panning, do not hesitate to drastically drag instruments or vocals to the sides and play around with placement. This works for everything except the lowest frequencies instruments which should stay in the middle.

Also, remember to listen to the mono version of your track once you are done with panning (lots of sound systems in clubs are using mono signals).

8D audio is great example of how panning can affect how we perceive a music source’s placement in space. If you have headphones, give it a listen!

5. Stop Soloing Tracks

Mixing is all about how your individual tracks will come together. Soloing a track during your mixing process is rarely helpful, as changes need to be made in relation to the other tracks. Try avoiding it as much as possible and only solo a track when necessary.

Adding effects and changing levels while isolating a track will result in more work down the line – it will not sound the same with vs. without its surrounding elements.

What About Mastering?

You can check out our article about mastering here. We advise you to have a look to the platform LANDR which offers an intelligent mastering service on top of access to plugins, samples, music distribution… It’s worth exploring!

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Your mix is ready? Or do you need advice on it?
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L’article 5 Mixing Tips & Tricks: How to Make your Music Sound Good est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

It’s thanks to Groover that my music has been heard all over the world.

– Tommy Lunaire –

Tommy Lunaire and Electro Posé, can you present your respective projects in a few words ?

Tommy Lunaire, it is the creative and inquisitive mind that lets emotions flow freely to translate them into sounds and music. Without imposing any barriers or constraints on myself, I explore the universe of possibilities of electronic synthesizers and electro-acoustics.

Electro Posé is a YouTube channel created in 2013 which aims to highlight their favorite of electronic music artists (ranging from indie to house) in the French scene. The channel has more than 1.2 million subscribers and its playlists (Spotify / Deezer / Apple Music) are followed by more than 500,000 people.

Tommy Lunaire, how was your musical project born ?

In fact, from the moment I played my first notes on a synthesizer!

It’s such a personal project that I feel like it’s always been a part of me as a musician, and it constantly evolves along with me. Since my meeting with Jean-David and the creation of the Supersavant label, the project has materialized and I now feel ready to share my music with the whole world.

Credits: Louis Robert and Loodious

Electro Posé, what attracted you to Tommy Lunaire’s song Until I Melt, discovered on Groover ?

The song is already perfectly produced and we feel that all the instruments are mastered, there is no unnecessary surplus. The vocal chops are great and what appealed to me the most is obviously the progression of the song. We are entitled to a long intro of over a minute (which is less and less visible) which literally plunges us into the song with a dark enough atmosphere to end up with a very soft and catchy 2nd part. It was this 2nd part that really gave me that little crush I needed to be playlisted.

| Check out: How to get on Spotify playlists?

Until I Melt by Tommy Lunaire – Cover – Credits: Alexis Goncalves

Do you have some specific criteria for highlighting songs or do you operate solely on instinct and love at first sight ?

Honestly no, we don’t have any particular criteria, obviously there has to be a structure that makes sense and elements of a catchy melody that stays in mind, but the main thing is really to take us into a universe, to try to go a little outside the norm and to propose new ideas. We will especially assess the “sharpness” of the instruments and the mix, the melody and that universe comes after.

| Follow them on Instagram                 | Follow them on Facebook

Tommy Lunaire can you talk about your musical project ?

I produce music for several Quebec artists, including William Papillon who is also signed on the Supersavant label.

This next year will therefore, be the culmination of several projects on which I have worked on in parallel with my Electro project. I am also a live musician for rapper Vendou, and since the shows are slowly resuming, I have the chance to tour across Quebec. There will also be new digital art collaborations that I will post on my instagram page.

| Follow him on Instagram               | Follow him on Facebook

Tommy Lunaire – Full-length photo

Tommy Lunaire and Electro Posé, what would be your advice to young developing artists ?

Tommy Lunaire : You don’t need to have a lot of equipment to make great music, you can get started right away with a laptop and headphones. Have fun! Listen to lots of music, be inspired, be open-minded. Surround yourself with people who have the same passion as you and grow together, help each other.

Electro Posé : Treat yourself, get off the beaten track, find your universe and everything will be fine!

| Check out: Building a universe around your musical project

And finally, what do you think about Groover ?

Tommy Lunaire : The platform really made a huge difference during the release of my single. It’s thanks to Groover that my music has been heard all over the world. It just makes it easier to connect with music enthusiasts and people from the industry. With Groover there are no more borders, we suddenly find ourselves in the same room where we can all share our music and services.

Electro Posé : Groover is a great platform to discover new artists and give strength to deserving young artists. Groover is an indispensable tool for artists who cannot get feedback from professionals and who want to progress or receive visibility.

| Check out: How to Use Groover to promote your music with success?

– Translated by Betty Gonzalez – 

Do you want to enter a playlist and gain visibility? Try Groover now!

L’article Tommy Lunaire featured in an Electro Posé playlist thanks to Groover est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

Groover has been incredibly helpful in getting our music in front of new audiences through play-listing and radio opportunities, as well as providing us with honest feedback on our tracks.

– Low Island –

Low Island, can you present your musical project?

Hi! We are Low Island from Oxford, UK. I’m Carlos, I sing, play the guitar and the keyboards. There’s Jamie, guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocalist; Jacob, the bass player, and Felix, the drummer/percussionist. We all sort of muck in and cross-over each other’s roles at various points though, which I think is the same for most bands these days. We also self-manage and self-release all of our own music on our own label, Emotional Interference. I am the manager, Jamie is the producer, Felix and Jacob are in charge of the record label.

How was your project born?

It’s a convoluted history! Jacob and I played in bands together when we were 11 years old. Felix and Jamie started playing with us later on, but it wasn’t until about 5 years ago that Low Island came together. We all came from different musical backgrounds; indie bands, jazz, electronic music, classical music; Low Island was a way of pooling together all of those experiences.

Low Island

What kind of thematic do you like to explore in your music?

Love, loneliness, the challenges of growing up, hope.

| Check out : Storytelling: Building a universe around your musical project

You’ve just released a new album, could you tell us a little bit about it?

It’s taken a long time to put together – some of the songs go back almost 4 years! – but we finished it in a makeshift studio that we made in rural France at the beginning of last year. It’s a record about reflection and a feeling of lost youth; looking back over your twenties and wondering whether you’ve made all of the wrong decisions. I always liked this line from The Unbearable Lightness of Being where the narrator describes life as having no dress rehearsal. He says ‘we live everything as it comes, without warning, like an actor going on cold’. There is an inevitable feeling that results from that; of wanting to have another go at life, and to question whether if we had another chance, we’d do things better. This record is about indulging that moment of self-doubt, and trying to find resolution through love. As trite as it might sound, I strongly believe that love in all of its various forms is what makes life worth living.

Low Island’s ‘If You Could Have It All Again’ album cover

| Check out : How to choose a budget for your release?

Low Island, what are your plans for the coming year?

The main plan we have is finally being able to tour our record! Finger’s crossed, shows will be going ahead – we are doing a small UK tour in September. They will be our first shows in almost 2 years and most of the album we haven’t even played in front of an audience before. We are also releasing a load of remixes done by some of our favorite electronic artists as well as, working on new material.

| Check out : How to find a booker?

What would be your advice to young artists in development?

I think one of the most important things artists can do right now is to be as resourceful and self-sufficient as possible. The odds are stacked against us like never before; the aftermath of the pandemic, the challenge of making money from streaming and, if you’re from the UK or EU, the difficulties of touring after Brexit. We’ve taken the view that the more we can handle on our own, the more likely we are to survive as a band and make something out of this. If it works, we’ll let you know!

And finally, what has Groover brought you so far?

Groover has been incredibly helpful in getting our music in front of new audiences through play-listing and radio opportunities, as well as providing us with honest feedback on our tracks. Thanks for your support!

| Check out : How to use Groover to promote your music with success?

If you too want to gain visibility and promote your music successfully, try Groover now!

L’article Low Island gains visibility thanks to Groover est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.

Groover is a great platform that connects you to all players in the music industry and its artists! It is a platform that allows you to gain visibility and create unique opportunities for collaborations (Labels, radio stations, blogs, etc.). Thanks Groover!

– Myoon –

Inside Records and Myoon, can you introduce your respective projects in a few words?

Myoon: We are an independent electronic music duo. We are two brothers, accomplices and very complementary of each other. We grew up in Paris and have always loved wave synths and pop melodies. For these first songs we had the chance to record in Saint Germain studios and have had our sounds mastered by Chab and Alex Gopher.

Inside Records: Inside Records is an electronic music label created in 2015 by Thomas Massimi, manager of the YouTube channel Electro Posé. Joined in 2018 by Andrea Arnaud, the label aims to promote rising artists on the international electronic scene, more particularly, in France.

| Check this out: How to enter a label when you are an independent artist?

Myoon, how was your musical project born?

Myoon: We are two brothers from different artistic backgrounds, one is a composer and dj, the other is an actor and performer. A few years ago we tried things out for fun and it was a revelation! We started working on songs together and as a result of meetings and collaborations, it became more than just fun. Today, beautiful things are taking place and we are very grateful for them!

What are some of your aspirations for this musical project?

Myoon: So far, we have learned to be patient and to take pleasure in what we do. Especially when it comes to music, it’s a pleasure to be shared! We want to develop our future titles with Inside Records and introduce our music to the world. Tour when conditions allow for it and collaborate with other artists we admire.

| Check this out: How to find a booking and touring agent?

Inside Records, what are some of the strengths of your label?

Inside Records: We are from this new generation that has grown up with digital content. We fully understand the new challenges of streaming platforms and we take the opposite view of the bureaucratic system of the Majors. Being much closer to our artists and not offering too aggressive and engaging contracts for the future and this approach seems to be working since almost all the artists we work with are still here ☺

Do you sign a lot of artists? How is it going ?

Inside Records: We have drastically reduced our roster of artists in order to focus only on a few projects that we really believe in. Nowadays, we do not sign more than 2 or 3 acts per year.

Inside Records, Myoon is the first group you sign thanks to Groover, what attracted you about their music and their project?

Inside Records: We fell in love with a song they sent us called “Shining Light”, which we immediately shared on our channel and in our playlists. We liked the song so much that we asked them to send more demos to us by email. The quality of their  productions and dreamy electro indie universe immediately convinced us. Myoon brings a breeze of fresh air and a more indie pop touch that we have been looking for for a long time.

What came out of your first meeting?

Inside Records: We met quite quickly at our headquarters in Paris and the chemistry immediately passed. We were on the same wavelength and had the same ambitions on this project. No one is pressed for time, which really leaves room for creating beautiful tracks and a luscious universe.

| Check this out: How to create a universe around your musical project

Myoon and Inside Records, what are some of your projects for this upcoming year?

Myoon: Two new singles will be released in the next few months and we are currently working on making two music videos as well. We also have quite a few songs in development that we can’t wait to finalize and share with you.

| Follow their news on Facebook                | Follow their news on Instagram

Inside Records: The label continues to grow and we plan to expand the team to be able to meet all the demands of our artists and further solidify our presence in the French label landscape.

| Follow their news on Facebook               | Follow their news on Instagram

What would be your advice to young developing artists?

Myoon: Take pleasure in creating and persevere, in order to not to be discouraged despite the obstacles you may face.

Inside Records: Before worrying about how to promote your track, try producing for yourselves. “Do I want to listen to my own song?”. Above all, do not reproduce the recipes that work today because they will already be outdated tomorrow. Don’t try to add 1000 instruments to your song to fill in your gaps, focus on 5 or 6 tracks max and make each track sound perfect.
Good things come to those who wait, but if you don’t want to wait, send us your track on Groover and we’ll honestly tell you what we think ☺

And finally, what do you think of Groover?

Myoon: Groover is a great platform that connects you to all players in the music industry and its artists! It is a platform that allows you to gain visibility and create unique opportunities for collaborations (Labels, radio stations, blogs, etc.). Thanks Groover!

Inside Records: Groover is a great platform to discover new artists and give strength to deserving young artists. But also and more simply, Groover is great to give advice to artists who need it.

| Read also : Atalhos, the Brazilian duo who gains visibility, thanks to Groover

– Translated by Betty Gonzalez –

If you too want to get in touch with the best labels, media and pros in the music industry, check out Groover

L’article Myoon signs with Electro Posé’s label Inside Records thanks to Groover est apparu en premier sur Groover Blog.