Mixing
During this phase, we want to answer the question: "Is our 8-bar loop good enough to proceed into an arrangement?". Some essential questions to answer are:
- Are our elements balanced relative to each other?
- Does each element have its own space in the mix?
- Is Reverb, Delay, EQ and Limiting used intelligently?
- How does it sound in a Mono setting?
- Have we compared our track with a reference track, and does our track satisfy in the comparison? → Referencing
We do this right now, because:
- A 8-bar loop is still manageable to compare and assess rather than a full length track
- Right now the 8-bar loop is the most condense it will ever be, so it's the best time to adjust anything that's wrong before the elements are arranged.
When mixing, imagine a box of three dimensions and where the track's elements are positioned inside these dimensions.
- Frequency (Low to High) → Frequency Spectrum
- Sound Stage (Left to Right) → Sound Stage
- Depth (Near to Far) → Depth
Each element is a sphere, its radius represents its presence in the room, usually growing larger the louder the element is.
Now to make matters a bit more complicated, you need to also understand that this 3D space is also moving on a 4th dimension: Time
During mixing, we want to intentionally place our elements within this space, use the dimensions to give some elements a higher priority than others and create a hierarchy of focus of the elements in our song.
The relative volume of the elements is the most effective balancing tool that you have. Before you do anything else, take a moment to re-balance the relative volumes of your elements!
Relevant Note(s): Composition