Always keep in mind that mixing and mastering is just psychology

hacking , you’re manipulating sounds with the goal of making a

track more enjoyable. So before you get caught up in the
technical details and self doubt, remember that it’s a creative
process that’s supposed to be enjoyed…
 MIXING

Equalization.................................................................................. 13

Mid-Side EQ........................................................................................................ 19

EQ Automations............................................................................................. 24

Compression...................................................................................................... 31

Upwards and Downwards Compression.......................... 41

Multiband Compression....................................................... 44

Parallel Processing.................................................................................... 54

Parallel Compression.............................................................................. 59

Harmonic Saturation................................................................................ 65

Multiband Harmonic Saturation................................................ 67

Panning And Stereo Placement...................................... 75

Vocal Mixing.................................................................................83

Vocal Layering.......................................................................... 112

808s And Low End Management........................................... 123

Sibilances And Managing Harsh Frequencies.......128

Sidechaining Techniques.................................................. 135

Layering For Texture And Depth............................................. 146

Phase Alignment and Coherence.......................................... 150

Microphones and Interfaces........................................................154

Recording Techniques......................................................... 159

Common Recording Mistakes........................................ 162

 MASTERING

Mastering EQ...................................................................................................166

Maximizing Loudness.......................................................................... 171

LUFs................................................................................................. 176

Pultec EQ.............................................................................................................. 179

Compression While Mastering.......................................182

Multiband Compression..................................................... 186

Harmonic Excitement...........................................................191

Multiband Saturation Automations............................. 194

Adding Width And Dimension......................................... 196

Limiting.................................................................................................................. 201

Addressing Common Issues And Goals

Make sure to apply the concepts in your own
tracks as you read them right there and then
to make the most out of the book.
 INTRODUCTION

If you feel like you’re confused and drowning in all these mixing and mastering
concepts, as if its some sort of rocket science, you’ve found the right book. This
book will simplify everything and significantly boost your confidence

Ultimately sound mixing and mastering is about adding and taking away
frequencies consistently.

They take your bare recordings and turn them into sleek finished songs that
represent how you want to sound. When you mix your song, combining the
different elements of audio (vocals, instruments and sound FX) into one piece
that is balanced and interrelated.

This differs from mastering, where you want to make your mix sound as good
and as loud as possible on any playback system.

With everything sounding pretty much right, what is with the need to understand
mixing and mastering? In other words, these are the processes that can make or
break your music. Mixing and mastering a track properly can take your work to
the next level, imbibe it with emotional depth, and make sure it stands out amidst
all the noise in the music industry at large.

They are there to make sure you are able to share your music proudly instead of
doubting yourself and feeling insecure about the quality of your own craft.

You are about to learn pretty much every concept you need to know to be able to
make professional sounding music.

That too in the most straight forward and no bullsh*t way. So let’s go throug these

concepts one by one..

MIXING
Gain Staging
Think of gain staging like the foundation of a house. If the
foundation itself is weak, no matter what you add later on (EQ,
compression, other effects effects), the whole house is bound
to fall apart.

In mixing, gain staging makes sure that your audio levels are
balanced and clear before you start adding effects. It’s about
setting your tracks up for success while avoiding distortion
and harshness while keeping them clean and professional.

To put it simply gain staging is controlling the volume of your

audio at every step. Your goal should be to keep the levels
healthy but not too loud or too quiet. Loud signals can distort
and sound harsh, while quiet signals might disappear into the
background.

It’s an important to maintain a good quality in your track and

avoid distortion further on when you layer the sounds and add
a bunch of effects.

Especially when the listener turns up the volume it can be easy

for your track to sound harsh and unbalanced if you haven’t
balanced out the volume of every single sound…
1. Start with the Source

Before you even open your DAW check your recording levels.
Aim for peaks around -12 to -9 dBs to leave enough of
"headroom" (space before clipping) and give yourself the
flexibility to mix properly later on.

For example while recording a vocal take, if it’s too loud, you
risk distortion and it becomes nearly impossible to get a good
quality mix. It’s better to record it on the quieter side because
you can always bring it up while mixing and avoid clipping.

2. Keep an Eye on the Input Levels

Once your audio is in your DAW, check the levels on each

track. Turn down anything peaking too high and bring up
anything that’s barely visible. Use your track meters to guide
you.

Don’t just rely on your ears here. Your ears could maybe trick
you but the meters don’t lie.

3. Watch Out for the Plugin Chain

Every plugin in your chain affects the signal’s volume. An EQ

boost might make a track louder, while a compressor might
lower it. Always check the input and output levels of each
plugin.
4. Check the Master Bus

Your final mix should have peaks around -6 to -9 dBs on the

master bus. This gives the mastering stage room to work. If it’s
peaking higher, lower the individual track volumes instead of
just turning down the master fader. You can also check if any
particular sound is causing the peaks to hit higher because in
some cases a snare might be a little too loud and it might lead
to eating up a lot of headroom. So make sure your sounds are
balanced.

A Fun (But True) Gain Staging Analogy

Imagine gain staging like driving a car. Your car’s speed
represents the audio signal. If you speed (too loud), you might
crash (distortion). If you go too slow (too quiet), you’ll never get
anywhere (weak signal). Gain staging is like setting your car to
cruise control : steady and efficient.

Here’s a tip : mix at low volumes. When you mix quietly, your
ears pick up imbalances better. If a mix sounds great at low
volume, it’ll sound incredible when turned up. Plus, it saves
your ears from FATIGUE. Trust me you don’t want your ears to
go through fatigue for a long duration of time. Save your ears.
 Equalization

With an EQ you’re basically sculpting sounds. Imagine you’re

working with a block of clay (your audio), and EQ is the chisel.
It lets you to carve out the unwanted frequencies and enhance
the details you want. With them you can balance your mix,
make individual elements stand out, and have everything work
together harmoniously, prevent cluttering of frequencies, deal
with muddiness and harshness and a few more things that
we’ll talk about but let’s first divide the whole frequency
spectrum into its 7 main parts.
Sub-Bass (20Hz-40Hz): This is the lowest end of the spectrum, felt
more than heard. It adds weight to your mix.

Bass (40Hz-100Hz): This range holds the body of the bass

instruments. Too much boost in this range, especially from
overlapping sounds, can make your mix sound boomy and
undefined.

Low Mids (100Hz-500Hz): Important for the richness of sounds

like guitars / harmonies / drums . When done right, this range
adds fullness and depth but if mishandled it can make your mix
sound muddy quite fast.

Midrange (500Hz-2kHz): The heart of most instruments and

vocals. Clarity and presence sit in this range, but too much can
sound harsh or boxy.

High Mids (2kHz-4kHz): This range can add a sense of attack to

drums and clarity to vocals, but boosting too much can cause
listener fatigue.

Presence (4kHz-8kHz): Enhances the detail and definition of your

mix, adding brightness.
Brilliance (8kHz-20kHz): The top end of the spectrum, adds air
and sparkle. It can make a mix sound open and airy. But again, you
overdo it and it will ruin your mix and make it harsh.

EQ is not just about making things “sound good”, its more about
making things fit together by cutting and boosting different
frequencies and carving out a perfect environment for your track
where every sound has room to breathe and is not fighting for
space with other sounds. Which leads to a more enjoyable and
clean experience for the listener.

Here’s the 3 main scenarios where EQ is used :-

1. Cutting unwanted frequencies :

EQ can often be used to clean up unwanted frequencies that

don’t at all contribute to the clarity or quality of a sound. Like
for example, when recording vocals, you might pick up some
of that weird low-end rumble from your air conditioning or
the way you handle your mic or even some random
background noise. These frequencies aren’t part of the
performance and can muddy up the mix. Using a high-pass
filter to remove everything below 80 hz you can clean up the
vocal track without affecting the warmth or its body.

Similarly, harshness in the higher frequencies like around 2-4

kHz can make vocals or instruments sound really sharp and
fatiguing to the listener so a nice gentle cut in this range can
smooth out those harsh tones and make the mix more pleasant
and professional and listenable…

2. Boosting the right frequencies :

Similarly it is used to enhance the character of a sound, by

bringing out its best qualities. So let’s say you got a vocal track
that sounds a little too thin or lacks depth and bass, so adding
a slight boost in the 100-300 Hz range can really introduce
some warmth and richness, making the vocal feel fuller and
deeper.

But on the other hand if you want to give the vocal or lets say a
cymbal track a sense of high end air and sparkle, you can boost
the 8-12 kHz range. This wont just make the sound brighter it
also adds a polished and professional quality that lifts the track
in the mix. The key here is subtlety, small adjustments often
make a huge difference without making the sound feel
unnatural.

3. Boosting the right frequencies :

One of the MOST important uses of EQ is to create space in a

mix. In a busy mix, multiple instruments and effects can
compete for the same frequency range causing them to clash
and sound messy and cluttered and borderline irritating for
the listener. For example a vocal and a guitar might both
occupy the midrange around 1 kHz. By slightly cutting the
guitar in that frequency and letting the vocal shine there you
give each element its own space to breathe. It really ensures
that every instrument and sound has its moment in the song
while also working together. When used thoughtfully it really
is like organizing a room because you’re finding the best spot
for everything so it all fits perfectly without overcrowding.
 Resonance Control using the EQ Sweep Trick : -

Resonances are certain frequencies in a sound that stand out a

little too much, they sound harsh and sort of ringing. These
problematic frequencies can make your mix feel unbalanced
and fatiguing to listen to so controlling resonance makes sure
your tracks sound listenable and not fatiguing.

So while EQ’ing you can use this EQ Sweep method to get rid
of the harsh resonances in the sound.

Basically what you do is you create a really narrow EQ band,

you boost it significantly, sweep it around all across the
frequency spectrum until you find that one annoying
resonance, then you cut it out using the band to get rid of it
and prevent harshness. It’s as easy as it sounds. Just make sure
you don’t cut too much and kill the energy of that sound. Cut
gently. Use your ears.
 Mid-Side EQ

In mid-side processing the signal is basically split into two components:

● Mid (M): The 'mid' channel controls the mono ( middle )

information in the mix or everything that's panned dead center
suchh as vocals, bass, kick drums, or snare drums.
● Side (S): The 'side' channel contains the stereo information or
everything panned left and right, such as stereo synths, pads,
guitars, and reverb tails.

Mid Side EQ lets you EQ the mid and the side channels independently,

providing a whole new dimension of control.

 Use Cases for M/S EQ :-

1) Widening the Stereo Image: One of the most common uses of

M/S EQ is to enhance stereo width. For example, you can boost
the high end of the side channel to make cymbals, guitars, or
reverbs feel more expansive, while keeping the mid channel
focused and tight. Conversely, you can cut the low end of the side
channel to ensure that bass frequencies stay mono, which is
especially important for vinyl mastering or club tracks.
For example boosting only the sides around 8kHz-12kHz can add
air and sparkle to a mix, making it sound more open and wide,
while maintaining clarity in the center.
2) Fixing Frequency Clashes in the Mid Channel: Sometimes,
elements that live in the center (like vocals and bass) can clash or
fight for space. With M/S EQ, you can cut specific frequencies in
the mid channel without affecting the stereo width. For instance,
if a vocal is competing with a bass guitar around 200Hz, you can
make a precise cut in the mid channel on the guitar, creating
space for the vocal.
3) Controlling Reverb and Effects: Another powerful application of
M/S EQ is managing reverb and delay. If your mix has too much
reverb in the sides, you can reduce the low and mid range
frequencies in the side channel, making the reverb feel more
subtle without losing the sense of space. This technique is useful
for making sure your mix stays tight and focused.
My preferred plugin for mid/side EQ’ing is generally Fabfilter
Pro Q3 but there’s more affordable options like the Waves F6
Floating-Band Dynamic

Remember, these techniques require careful listening

and a proper understanding of your track's sonic
needs. Over-using any of these methods can lead to an
unnatural or disjointed mix, so always listen in
context and make small, intentional changes. The goal
is to enhance your track, not overpower it. With
practice, these advanced techniques will become
second nature, allowing you to mix with precision and
creativity
 EQ Automations
Unlocking Dynamic and Creative Potential

Automating different EQ knobs is one of the most powerful techniques that

brings life and movement into your mix. It's not just for fixing problems,
automating EQ knobs can open up creative possibilities that can add
emotion, energy, and depth to your track.
1. Automating Frequency Bands

One of the most common autommations in Eq is frequency movement.

By automating frequency changes over time you can create dynamic
effects that evolve throughout your mix and make your track sound
more interesting and moving.

● Sweeping Frequencies for Movement: Sweeping a frequency

band can create a filter-like effect which is commonly used in
build-ups or breakdowns in electronic music. Like for instance
you can start with a low-pass filter that cuts off high frequencies
and then gradually open it up as the energy of the track builds
which adds excitement and anticipation.
Example: A synth pad or vocal can start muffled (with the high
frequencies cut off) and slowly become brighter by automating a
high-shelf boost from 2kHz to 10kHz over the course of a
build-up.
● Shifting Midrange Focus: You can also automate a specific
frequency range to change focus during different parts of the
song. For example, during a verse you might want to emphasize
the midrange (500Hz-2kHz) to give vocals more presence and
then reduce those frequencies right when the chorus commes in
to let other elements like guitars or synths to take the spotlight
and become more noticable.

2. Automating Gain for Dynamic Control

Automating the gain on individual Eq bands is another super effective

tool because this allows you to emphasize or de-emphasize certain
frequencies at specific points in a song which gives your mix nice
dynamic shifts and contrasts.

● Boosting or Cutting for Impact: You can automate boosts or cuts

to emphasize different moments of a track. Likke for example
reducing the bass gradually right before the chorus, and then
immediately boosting it back when the chorus starts can make
your chorus sound so much more hard hitting.
● Controlling Harshness Over Time: You can also automate cuts to
deal with frequency-specific issues that arise only in certain
sections of a track. For instance, if a vocal becomes real harsh
during loud parts you can just automate a gentle cut in the
3kHz-4kHz range only during those sections.
Example: Automating a 3kHz cut on vocals when they reach a
louder dynamic range can smooth out harshness, saving the ears
of your listener so that they dont turn your music off due to the
irritating high frequencies. ( Speaking from experience :) )

3. Automating Q (Bandwidth) for Precision and Character

Automating the Q or bandwidth of an EQ band gives you control over

how broad or narrow the frequency cut or boost is which can create
subtle or dramatic changes to your sound.

● Narrow Q for Surgical Precision: If you’re automating a cut to

remove problematic frequencies (like resonance or feedback), you
can start with a wide Q and gradually narrow it to become more
surgical as the frequency becomes more prominent. This helps
you maintain the tonal quality of the sound while removing
unwanted noise.
Example: If a snare has a ringing resonance around 1.5kHz you can
 automate a narrow Q cut to reduce the ringing only during
certain sections where it’s themost noticeable.
● Wide Q for Character Shaping: On the other hand automating a
wide Q boost can give your sound more of an overall warmth or
brilliance. You can gradually widen the Q during a build-up to
make the track feel like it’s growing in size and warmth, then
tighten it again when the drop hits for a punchier, more focused
sound. One of my favorites.
.Example: In a chorus, you could automate a broad Q boost
around 800Hz-1kHz to add some clarity to the vocals and then
narrow that Q during verses to let other instruments come
through.

4. Automating Filter Types for Creative FX

Many EQs allow you to automate filter types, such as switching

between high-pass, low-pass, band-pass, or shelving filters. Automating
these can create sweeping, filtering effects that can give your mix
dynamic transitions and unique textures.

● Low-Pass and High-Pass Automation: Low-pass and high-pass

filters are commonly automated to create filter sweeps. These
effects are frequently used to remove or introduce high-end or
low-end frequencies building tension and excitement during
transitions. Automating a low-pass filter on synths or drums can
make them feel submerged or muffled, thhen sweep the filter
open for a dramatic impact when the track drops.
Example: Automating a low-pass filter from 500Hz to 20kHz on a
synth during a breakdown can give the impression that the sound
is "coming out of the fog ( imagine it ) " building energy for the
drop.
 ● Shelf Filters for Gradual Changes: Shelving filters can be used to
subtly automate brightness or bass over time. By automating a
high shelf, you can add a gradual increase in air or brilliance as the
song progresses, making the mix feel more open and dynamic.
Example: Automating a high shelf (starting at aroun 8kHz) on a
vocal can give it some sense of clarity as the song builds but
without the need for drastic EQ changes.

5. Automating Stereo Balance (Mid-Side EQ)

With Mid-Side EQ automation, you can adjust the stereo width of

individual frequency bands adding depth and dimension to your mix
over time.

● Expanding and Contracting the Stereo Field: Automating the side

channel in M/S EQ lets you control how wide or narrow certain
frequencies are. For example you can automate a high frequency
boost in the side channel during a build-up to make the mix feel
widerr and then reduce it right before the drop to bring focus
back to the center elements.

● Creative Stereo Manipulation: You can also automate stereo

elements like reverb tails or background effects. By automating
cuts or boosts in the side channel you manipulate the perceived
width of these effects. This creates movement and shifts focus
between the central and peripheral elements in the mix…
 Using Dynamic EQs

One of most convenient feature in a dynamic EQ like Pro Q3 is the

dynamic range knob. It is a game changer for precise frequency control
unlike static EQ adjustments that stay permanent and apply a constant
boost or cut, dynamic EQs adjust their gain based on the incoming
audio signal. The dynamic range knob allows you to set how much the
EQ reacts dynamically to the signal which offers a solid balance
between static and responsive EQ changes.
For example:

● For harsh Sibilance in Vocals: Set a dynamic EQ to reduce

frequencies around 6–8 kHz only when sibilance peaks.

● For a boomy Low-End in Kick Drums or Melodies : Cut around 60

Hz dynamically to control occasional low-end buildup without
thinning the sound.

● Resonance Control: Tame harsh miid or upper frequencies in

instruments like guitars and strings without permanently cutting
their tonal character.

People often make the comparison of this Dynamic feature to

multiband compressors since they both seem to do the same effect but
thats not the case. Multiband compression comes with several other
components such as attack , release ( We’ll get to that later ) etc which
makes it better for broader adjustments. While dynamic EQ is better for
surgical fixe like taming harsh peaks or resonances without impacting
the overall dynamics of the sound.

Another kind of EQ that is extremely effective is the Pultec EQ, but we’ll
get to the details of that in the Mastering section.
 Compression

I know people who have been mixing for years and they still don’t know
what compression is. It’s easy to be scared of it since it seems so
technical but its not, let me simplify it for you.

Imagine you're watching a movie. During the action scenes things get
super loud—explosions, shouting, all the damn chaos. But when the
characters are whispering or there’s soft music you can barely hear it,
so you turn the volume up. Then BAM another explosion and you’re
scrambling to turn it back down.

A compressor is like a remote control that automatically adjusts the

volume for you. It turns down the loud explosions so they don’t blow
your ears off and gently raises the quiet whispers so you don’t miss a
word. It keeps everything balanced so you can enjoy the whole movie
without touching the remote.

In music, compression does the same thing, makes sure every sound is
clear and nothing is too loud or too quiet. It’s like a smooth experience
for your ears.
1. Threshold:
○ This is like setting a rule for your remote: “Don’t touch the
volume unless it goes above this point.”
○ If the sound gets louder than your set level, the compressor
steps in and lowers it. If it’s quieter than that, it leaves it
alone.

2. Ratio:
○ The ratio just decides how much the volume is gonna be
turned down once it gets too loud.
○ A 2:1 ratio means for every 2 dB over the threshold, the
volume only increases by 1 dB.
○ Higher ratios (like 10:1) are quite stricter meaning more
compression taking place.

3. Attack:
○ This is how quickly the compressor reacts after the sound
gets too loud.
○ A fast attack is like instantly turning down the explosion’s
volume. A slower attack lets the boom of the explosion come
through a little before reducing it.

4. Release:
○ This basically controls how long it takes for the compressor
to stop lowering the volume after the sound gets quiet again.
○ A fast release means the volume goes back to normal quickly
and a slower release keeps it gently lowered for a while,
making transitions smoother.
5. Knee:
○ The knee controls how smoothly the compressor starts
working when the sound crosses the threshold.
○ A “soft knee” is like gradually turning down the volume, so it
feels natural. A “hard knee” is more abrupt, like slamming the
remote button as soon as the explosion starts.

6. Makeup Gain:
○ After turning down the loud parts, you might feel like the
overall volume is quieter. Makeup gain boosts everything
back up so the whole scene feels balanced and at the right
level again.
○ It’s like saying, “Okay, the explosions aren’t deafening
anymore, but now let’s make sure the whispers are loud
enough.”

7. Sidechain:
○ This is like letting one sound control the volume of another.
For example, imagine the movie lowers the background
music every time someone talks—this is sidechaining.
○ In music, it’s often used to make the kick drum punch
through by lowering the volume of other instruments when
the kick hits.
When to Use Compression
Compression isn’t really always necessary but it’s super helpful in these
scenarios:-

● Vocals: Keeping the performance consistent by taming loud peaks

and lifting thequieter parts.
● Drums: Adding punch to the kicks and the snares while tightening
up the overall drum sound.
● Bass: Controlling the dynamic jumps so it sits evenly in the mix
without overpowering other instruments and sounds and etc
● Mix Bus: Glue your entire mix together with some light
compression to make everything feel cohesive and fitting..

Common Compression Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

1. Over-compression:
○ If everything sounds squashed and lifeless you’ve gone too
far. Dial back the ratio or adjust the threshold for a more
natural sound.
2. Too Fast Release:
○ This can make things sound unnatural and jittery. Slow it
down if you hear pumping or choppiness.
3. Not Using Makeup Gain:
○ After compression plaes don’t forget to bring the volume
back up so it matches the rest of your mix.
4. Using the Same Settings for Everything:
○ Every sound is different. Adjust your compressor settings
based on what’s in front of you. Dont think using the same
settings is going to work everytime just because it sounded
good once.
COMPRESSING DRUMS

How compression affects drums:-

● Punch: Makes the transients (the initial hit of a drum) stand out
more.
● Control: Tames loud hits so they don’t overpower the mix.
● Glue: Brings the entire drum kit together making it sound like
one cohesive unit.

Kick Drum:

● The kick drives the low end, so compression keeps it consistent

and impactful.

- Threshold: Set it to catch the loudest hits without

overcompressing. Focus on controlling the low-end boom while
keeping the transient (the “thump”) intact.

- Ratio: Use enough to smooth out dynamics but avoid squashing

its power. You want consistency, not a dull kick

- Attack: A slower attack lets the transient hit hard, giving the kick
punch. If the attack is too fast, you’ll lose that initial impact.

- Release: A fast release keeps the energy flowing, ensuring the

kick doesn’t sound choked.

- Tip: Listen for a tight, controlled low end that still feels punchy
and alive.
 Snare Drum

● The snare often drives the groove, so it needs to snap and stay
upfront in the mix

- Threshold: Catch the peaks of the hardest snare hits without

overly squashing them. The goal is to control dynamics, not
flatten them

- Ratio: Use a moderate ratio to bring consistency while

preserving the snare’s natural feel.

- Attack: A medium attack keeps the transient sharp and punchy.

Too fast, and the snare loses its snap; too slow, and it might sound
messy.

- Release: Use a medium to fast release to maintain the snare’s

natural decay, ensuring it doesn’t feel cut off.

- Tip: Aim for a snare that pops in the mix but doesn’t overpower
everything else.

Hi-Hats and Cymbals

For them make sure the compression is really subtle and transparent.

-Threshold: Set it to gently smooth out the occasional harsh hit

rather than compressing everything.

- Ratio: Keep it light. The goal is control, not flattening.

 - Attack: A fast attack catches sharp peaks, taming overly
aggressive hits

.- Release: A fast release ensures the hats and cymbals retain their
natural rhythm and shimmer

- Tip: Be careful not to over-compress, as it can make cymbals

sound dull and lifeless and sometimes really harsh.

Drum Bus

The drum bus ties all the drum

elements together makingthe kit sound
cohesive while adding energy.

-Threshold: Set it to catch peaks

across the kit without
overcompressing quieter details.

- Ratio: Use a gentle ratio to glue

the kit together while keeping
individual elements clear.

- Attack: A slower attack lets the

transients of all drums shine
through

.- Release: A medium-to-fast
release maintains the rhythm and
flow of the kit.

- Tip: Use drum bus compression

sparingly—just enough to glue,
 not enough to squash the life out of the kit…

Choir Vocals

Choir vocals can have a wide range of dynamics. Compression helps to

smooth them out without losing the natural feel.

● How to Compress Choir Vocals:

○ Threshold: Set the threshold to catch the loudest peaks but
alsoleave some of the natural dynamics.
○ Ratio: A gentle ratio (like 2:1 or 3:1) helps maintain the choir’s
dynamic flow.
○ Attack: A slower attack will preserve the natural rise of the
vocals.
○ Release: A slower release helps maintain a smooth and
cohesive sound.
○ Makeup Gain: Adjust the gain to make the choir sit well in the
mix.
● Why?
○ Choir vocals need to stay smooth and cohesive, and
compression ensures no single voice stands out too much while
maintaining the overall consistency of the sound.
 Compressing live-recorded instruments

Compressing the live-recorded instruments like guitars and drums and

other instruments requires a decent balance between controlling
thedynamics while also preserving the natural feel of the performance.

For guitars compression helps smoothen out the uneven strumming or

picking in acoustic tracks a lot where a slower attack retains the initial
pluck detail and a medium release makes sure the natural decay isn’t
lost.

With electric guitars compression can add sustain to the solos or tame
aggressive pick attacks, while distorted guitars obviously dont need
that much compression due to the natural compression in the
distortion itself.

Drums benefit from a tailored approach: kicks need a slower attack to

let the thump through and a fast release to maintain the energy, snares
shine with medium attacks that let the transient crack while smoothing
the body, and overheads or room mics require gentle compression to
control peaks while retaining the airy and ambient type quality.

Bass guitar compression often ensures consistent low end presence by

controlling dynamic jumps without squashing the foundational role.

The goal is always subtlety—enhancing clarity and cohesion while

maintaining the character and dynamics that make live performances
feel real and engaging.

Just make sure when you apply compression to anything you use your
ears properly. Don’t blindly turn the knobs. Come back and read the
knob definitions again if you have to. We havent yet covered vocal
compression but we will do that in the Vocal Mixing module.
 Creative Uses of Compression
Beyond the technical aspects compression automation can be
used really creatively to enhance the emotional flow of a track.
For example:

● Building tension by gradually increasing the ratio or

lowering the threshold as a song approaches a big drop or
chorus. This will subtly squeeze the sound making the
transition into the next section feel bigger.
● Creating contrast by automating more aggressive
compression during energetic sections, then pulling back
the compression for a more open and relaxed sound in
quieter sections.

Automation gives you the flexibility to adapt the compression

to the specific needs of each element in your mix, making your
tracks sound polished and professional. It’s all about
responding to the musical dynamics, rather than forcing a
single setting to work everywhere.
 Upwards and Downwards
Compression

Downwards Compression

Downwards compression is the classic compression that we all know. It

brings down the volume of the louder parts to make them closer in
volume to the quieter parts. Which smooths out any spikes in volume,
making the sound way more consistent.

● How it works: When the audio goes above the threshold, the
compressor kicks in and just pulls the volume down, based on the
ratio that you set….
● Why use it? To control peaks and keep a sound from
overpowering the mix. It’s really great on vocals and drums and
pretty much anything that might get too loud.

Upwards Compression

Does the opposite. Instead of pulling down the loud parts it lifts up the
quieter parts so they match more closely with the louder parts. This
can make a sound feel more “full” without making it louder.

● How it works: When the audio is below the threshold, the

compressor lifts the volume up, adding intensity to softer
sections.
 ● Why use it? To bring out the details and add warmth to sounds
that feel too soft or thin. Perfect for things like acoustic guitars or
background vocals.

Key Differences

● Downwards = Tames the loud stuff.

● Upwards = Boosts the quiet stuff.

When to Use Each

● Downwards Compression: Use it on sounds that need to stay

controlled and consistent, like vocals, drums, or bass.

● Upwards Compression: Use it on sounds that have good

dynamics but need a little more presence or richness without
making them overpower the mix.

Both types of compression help you keep control over dynamics

but in opposite ways. They’re like volume adjustments that make
sure your mix sounds balanced and cohesive.
 Multiband Compression

A regular compressor controls the loud and quiet parts of the whole
sound. But a multiband compressor splits the sound into separate
frequency ranges like lows and mid lows and mid highs etc and lets you
compress each range independently. This gives you a lot more control.

For example:

● You can tighten the low-end (bass) without messing with the
brightness (highs).
● Smooth out harsh midrange vocals without affecting the punch of
the drums.
HOW IT WORKS

Multiband compression works by splitting the audio signal into

different frequency bands as I said, each with its own independent
compressor. Most multiband compressors allow you to divide your
signal into 3-6 bands. Once the signal is split, you can apply different
compression settings to each band.

Each band usually has controls similar to regular compression:

● Threshold – Sets the point at which the compressor starts

working for that specific frequency range.

● Ratio – Determines how much compression is applied once the

threshold is crossed.

● Attack and Release – Controls how fast the compression reacts

and recovers.

● Makeup Gain – Allows you to adjust the volume for that frequency
band after compression.
 When to Use Multiband Compression

1. Tightening the low end :-

The low end of a mix (typically below 250Hz) is where the bass and kick drum
live and if this area is way too loose or boomy it can make the mix sound
muddy and lack definition. So a multiband compressor can help tighten the
low end making sure that it’s punchy and controlled without overwhelming
the mix.

How to Apply Multiband Compression to the Low End

1. Set the Crossover Points:

○ Isolate the low end by creating a band between 20Hz and 150Hz
(for bass-heavy tracks) or 20Hz and 250Hz (for a more general
low-end range). This allows you to compress just the low
frequencies without affecting the midrange or highs.
2. Threshold:
○ Start by setting the threshold so that it only compresses the
louder parts of the low end, like when the kick or bass hit hard. A
good starting point is around -10dB to -15dB, depending on how
much control is needed.
3. Ratio:
○ Use a moderate ratio of 3:1 or 4:1. This will tighten up the bass
without completely squashing it. If the low end is particularly
loosee you can increase the ratio to 5:1.
4. Attack:
○ Set a slow to medium attack time, like around 30-60ms, to allow
the punchy transients of the kick and bass to come through
before compression kicks in. This keeps the attack of the low-end
elements intact.
5. Release:
○ Use a fast release time of 50-100ms to quickly release the
compression after the low end hit. This ensures that the
 compressor isn’t holding onto the bass too long, which can make
it sound dull or overly compressed.
6. Makeup Gain:
○ After compressing the low end, you may need to add some
makeup gain (1-2dB) to bring the volume back up without letting
it dominate the mix.

Example

Imagine a track where the kick drum is overpowering the rest of the mix, or
the bass guitar is sounding too boomy and undefined. By compressing the
low-end frequencies using the settings mentioned above, you can tighten the
bass while preserving the impact of the kick drum.

2. Smoothening the high end harshness :-

The high frequencies (typically above 2kHz) are crucial for the clarity and
brightness of a mix, but they can sometimes become harsh or piercing,
especially with certain instruments like cymbals, vocals, or synths. A
multiband compressor can effectively tame these harsh frequencies without
dulling the overall brightness of the mix.

How to Apply Multiband Compression to the Highs

1. Set the Crossover Points:

○ Create a band for the highs, typically from 2kHz to 20kHz. This
range allows you to target the harsher frequencies that can cause
listening fatigue while leaving the lower frequencies unaffected.
2. Threshold:
○ Set the threshold so that compression only kicks in when the
high frequencies become too pronounced. Start with a threshold
around -15dB to -20dB, adjusting as needed based on the source
material.
3. Ratio:
 ○ Use a gentle ratio, such as 2:1 or 3:1. This will help smooth out the
highs without overly compressing them, ensuring that the clarity
and detail remain intact.
4. Attack:
○ Set a fast attack time, around 5-15ms. This quick response will
allow the compressor to catch and reduce harsh peaks in the
high frequencies effectively.
5. Release:
○ Use a medium to fast release time of around 50-100ms. This
setting allows the compressor to quickly recover after
compression, which helps maintain a natural sound.
6. Makeup Gain:
○ After compression, you might need to add a small amount of
makeup gain (1-2dB) to maintain the volume level of the high
frequencies in the mix.

Example

Imagine a scenario where your snare drum or cymbals sound overly bright
and sharp, causing discomfort in the listening experience. By applying
multiband compression to the high frequencies with the settings outlined
above, you can smooth out those harsh peaks while retaining the brightness
and clarity needed for a polished soun.

3. Controlling vocals :-

Vocals are often the focal point of a mix, and achieving a balanced, clear
sound can be challenging, especially when dealing with dynamic variations in
volume. Using multiband compression allows you to target specific frequency
ranges in the vocals, helping to control harshness, sibilance, and overall
dynamics without sacrificing the vocal's natural character.
How to Apply Multiband Compression to Vocals

1. Set the Crossover Points:

○ Create bands for the vocal range. A good approach is to have a
low band (20Hz-200Hz) for controlling the low-end boom, a mid
band (200Hz-2kHz) for clarity and presence, and a high band
(2kHz-20kHz) for sibilance and air. This way, you can target
different aspects of the vocal sound.
2. Threshold:
○ Set the threshold for each band to react only when the vocals get
too loud or harsh. For example, the low band might start around
-15dB, the mid band around -10dB, and the high band around
-20dB. Adjust these based on the specific vocal performance and
mix context.
3. Ratio:
○ Use a moderate ratio for the low and mid bands (around 2:1 to
4:1) to maintain vocal presence while controlling dynamics. For
the high band, consider a slightly higher ratio (4:1 to 6:1) if you’re
dealing with excessive sibilance.
4. Attack:
○ Set a medium attack time of around 10-30ms for the low and
mid bands. This setting allows transients, like consonants, to pass
through while still controlling the overall dynamics. For the high
band, a faster attack time of 5-10ms can be helpful to catch sharp
sibilant peaks.
5. Release:
○ Use a fast to medium release time (50-100ms) for all bands. This
helps the compressor recover quickly, ensuring that the vocals
remain lively and dynamic.
 6. Makeup Gain:
○ After compressing, you may need to adjust the makeup gain
(1-3dB) to maintain the vocal's presence in the mix without
bringing back unwanted peaks.

Example Scenario

Imagine a vocal track where the singer's delivery fluctuates

significantly—some notes are powerful, while others are soft, leading to an
uneven mix. By applying multiband compression to the low, mid, and high
frequencies of the vocals, you can achieve a more consistent sound.

● Low Band: Control any unwanted low-end rumble, which can make the
vocals sound muddy.
● Mid Band: Enhance clarity and presence, making the vocals sit well
with instruments.
● High Band: Tame sibilance without dulling the brightness of the vocals.

4. Controlling mid range clutter :-

The midrange (typically between 500Hz and 2kHz) is where most of the key
elements of a mix—like vocals, guitars, and snares—tend to overlap. This can
lead to a cluttered or muddy sound, especially in dense mixes with lots of
instruments. Multiband compression can help tame this by reducing
excessive midrange energy, allowing other parts of the mix to breathe.
 1. Set the Crossover Points:
○ Create a band from 500Hz to 2kHz to isolate the midrange.
○ Ensure that your other bands (low and high) are split
appropriately (e.g., low below 500Hz, highs above 2kHz) to keep
the midrange band separate.
2. Threshold:
○ Start with a threshold setting that allows the compressor to only
react to the loudest parts of the midrange. Typically, setting the
threshold to around -15dB or -20dB works for controlling
midrange clutter without over-compressing.
3. Ratio:
○ Use a moderate ratio like 2:1 or 3:1. This will gently control the
peaks in the midrange without squashing the dynamics too
much. If the midrange is particularly dense, you could try going
up to 4:1.
4. Attack:
○ Set a medium attack time around 10-30ms. This ensures that the
transients, like the attack of a snare or guitar pluck, are
preserved while the body of the sound gets compressed.
5. Release:
○ Use a fast release time around 50-100ms. This lets the
compressor quickly recover after compressing, preventing the
midrange from sounding too compressed and lifeless.
6. Makeup Gain:
○ After compression, you might need to add a slight boost with
makeup gain (1-2dB) to maintain balance in the mix. Be careful
not to undo the benefits of compression by boosting too much.

Example Scenario

Let’s say you have a mix where the vocals and electric guitars are fighting for space.
By using multiband compression on the guitar around 500Hz to 2.5kHz range, you
can slightly compress the midrange frequencies during louder sections where these
elements clash the most. This will create more space for the vocal and keep the mix
sounding clean and open.
 Common Mistakes While Using Multiband
Compression and How to Avoid Them

1. Over-Compressing

One of the most common mistakes is applying too much compression, which
can lead to a lifeless and flat mix.

● How to Avoid:
○ Start Subtle: Begin with gentle settings and gradually increase
compression as needed.

○ Use Your Ears: Always listen critically to how compression

affects the sound. If it starts to sound unnatural, reduce the
settings.

○ Check for Pumping: Ensure that the compressor isn’t creating

unwanted pumping effects by adjusting the release time.
 2. Ignoring the Crossover Points

Incorrectly setting the crossover points can cause overlapping or gaps

between frequency bands, leading to an unbalanced mix.

● How to Avoid:

○ Use Clear Divisions: Set clear and logical crossover points based
on the elements in your mix (e.g., keeping bass below 200Hz,
mids between 200 Hz-2k Hz, and highs above 2kHz).

○ Listen for Artifacts: After setting crossover points, listen for any
strange artifacts or gaps and adjust accordingl
 Parallel Processing

Parallel processing is all about adding effects to a duplicate of your sound

instead of directly on the original. This lets you blend the "dry" (unaffected)
signal with the "wet" (affected) signal, giving you total control over how
intense you want the effect to be. It’s like having the best of both worlds—you
keep the original clarity while adding some extra punch, depth, or texture.

How Parallel Processing Works

In a parallel setup, you take your original sound (like a vocal or drum
track), and then:

1. Send it to a separate track a “bus” or a “send”).

2. Add your effect (compression, reverb, saturation, etc.) to this

duplicate track.

3. Blend the two tracks together using the fader to control how
much of the effect you want mixed in.
Why Use Parallel Processing?

Parallel processing allows you to:

● Maintain Clarity: Keep the original sound intact while

adding only as much of the effect as you need.

● Increase Depth and Richness: Combine subtle effects

without losing the sound’s character.

● Get More Control: Fine-tune the balance between the

dry and wet signals for a polished, professional sound.
Parallel processing is great for situations where you want the
impact or color of an effect but still want to preserve the
original sound’s dynamics and clarity.

For example if you’re processing drums, you can create parallel

sends for effects like distortion / saturation / compression /
low feedback slap delays or room verbs / modulation effects.
All these effects can have significant changes in the original
sound which is why putting them on a parallel send is crucial
as it gives you the ability to control the levels.

Another benefit is being able to process each effect on its own.

For example, adding reverbs can come with a little bit of
muddiness in some cases, so if you add the reverb on the main
channel itself you no longer have the ability to get rid of the
muddiness in the reverb. Which is why you need to add the
reverb on a parallel send so that you can process it
individually. You can EQ out the lower range or the sibilance
range as per your preference so that only certain frequencies
of the reverb are present in the mix instead of the entire
frequency spectrum.

Adding distortion or saturation can easily lead to over

distortion and clipping of the sounds which is why parallel
sends help you add these effects and keep them at extreme
settings and still not clip the entire sound because you have
the ability to control the volume of the parallel send
individually.

One of the most convenient tricks is to create a group bus for

all the reverbs and delays in your vocal or drums or any other
sound, and then put a compressor on that group bus with
moderate settings. What this does is it brings out all these
effects in the mix and makes them more prominent.

You can also make a sharp EQ cut in the low end ( below 100Hz
) in the same bus to get rid of the unwanted low end rumble
from all the delays and reverbs.

Besides that you can create more parallel sends for that group
bus to process the reverbs and delays and make them wider
using modulation effects like flangers or choruses. These type
of elaborate chains are what make your mixes stand out more
and sound more detailed and layered.
 Common Mistakes with Parallel Processing

1. Overdoing It: Adding too much of the parallel signal can

make the mix sound muddy or unnatural. Start with
subtle blends and build up as needed.

2. Ignoring Phase Issues: Not using linear phase EQ or

checking for phase issues can lead to frequency
cancellation or reinforcement, affecting clarity.

3. Using Unfiltered Low-End on Effects: Not high-passing

reverb or delay in the parallel chain can create unwanted
low-end buildup. Filter out lows to keep it clean.

4. Overlapping Effects: Applying multiple parallel effects

(e.g., reverb + delay + saturation) without proper control
can make things crowded. Balance each effect to keep the
mix cohesive.

5. Skipping Level Matching: Failing to match levels can

make the parallel track overpower the original, adding
unnecessary volume rather than enhancing the quality.
You never want to do that.
 Parallel Compression
What is Parallel Compression?

Parallel compression is a technique that combines a heavily compressed

version of a sound with the original, uncompressed sound. This allows you to
add the benefits of compression—like increased punch and
presence—without losing the natural dynamics of the original sound. It’s a
great way to make your mixes sound fuller and more powerful while keeping
them lively and dynamic.

Why Use Parallel Compression?

● Enhances Punch and Presence: Adds weight and clarity to instruments

like drums and vocals.
● Maintains Natural Dynamics: Keeps the original sound’s natural feel
while adding compression benefits.
● Adds Depth and Fullness: Makes sounds feel richer and more
immersive in the mix.
How to Set Up Parallel Compression

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to setting up parallel compression in your

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW):

1. Create a Duplicate Track:

○ Start by duplicating the track you want to apply parallel
compression to. For example, duplicate your drum track.

2. Apply Heavy Compression to the Duplicate:

○ On the duplicated track, add a compressor.
○ Set the compressor with heavy settings to really squash the
sound. Here are some starting points:
■ Threshold: Low enough so that most of the
signal is being compressed (e.g., -20dB).
■ Ratio: High ratio (e.g., 8:1 or higher).
■ Attack: Fast attack (e.g., 1-5 ms) to catch the
transients.
■ Release: Medium to fast release (e.g., 50-100
ms).
■ Makeup Gain: Increase the gain to match the
original track’s volume.
3. Blend the Compressed and Original Tracks:
○ Lower the volume of the compressed (duplicate) track so it sits
underneath the original track.
○ Adjust the mix by slowly raising the volume of the compressed
track until you achieve the desired balance. You should hear the
added punch and fullness without the compressed track
overpowering the original.
When to Use Parallel Compression

● Drums: To add punch and sustain without making them sound too flat.

● Vocals: To make vocals stand out and sound fuller while keeping their
natural expressiveness.

● Bass: To add weight and presence to the bass without losing its natural
groove.

● Guitars and Other Instruments: To enhance the body and depth of

guitars or synths without making them sound overly compressed.

Tips for Effective Parallel Compression

● Start Subtle: Begin by blending the compressed track lightly with

the original. You can always add more if needed.
● Use a Bus: Instead of duplicating individual tracks, you can send
multiple tracks to a single bus (group) and apply parallel
compression there. This can save CPU resources and create a
more cohesive sound.
● EQ the Compressed Track: Sometimes, the compressed track
might need some EQ adjustments. For example, you might want
to reduce some low frequencies if they’re too boomy or add a bit
of high-end for brightness.
● Automation: Automate the level of the compressed track to add
more punch during certain parts of the song, like the chorus, and
less during verses
 Common Mistakes to Avoid

● Over- Compression: Adding too much compression can

make the sound lifeless and unnatural. Always aim for a
balance.

● Ignoring the Original Track: Remember that the original

track should always be present. The compressed track should
enhance, not replace, the original sound.

● Not Adjusting Makeup Gain: Failing to adjust the makeup

gain can result in the compressed track being too quiet or too
loud compared to the original.
 Harmonic Saturation
Harmonic saturation is like sprinkling magic dust on your sounds to make them
richer, warmer, and more alive. It mimics the natural “color” and warmth you get
from old school analog gear like tape machines and tube amps andd vintage
consoles. It doesn’t just make things louder it also adds character by enhancing
the harmonics which are subtle overtones in your sound.
 What Is Harmonic Saturation?

Imagine you’re listening to a song, and it feels flat or lifeless. Saturation takes
that sound and adds texture and energy, like painting over a black-and-white
photo with vivid colors. It creates extra harmonics, which are like “hidden
notes” that weren’t there before, making the sound fuller and more exciting.

Saturation happens when audio gets pushed beyond its normal limits. Instead
of just distorting or clipping harshly, it softens the edges and creates
harmonics, which are subtle frequencies added above the original sound.
These harmonics give the sound more body, depth, and presence.

There are different types of saturation based on the gear it emulates:

1. Tube Saturation: Adds warmth and smoothness, perfect for vocals or

bass.

2. Tape Saturation: Adds a soft, compressed feel with a hint of distortion,

great for drums or full mixes.

3. Transistor/Analog Saturation: Adds grit and edge, perfect for

aggressive sounds like guitars or drums.
 Multiband Harmonic Saturation
Multiband harmonic saturation takes this idea further by allowing you to
apply saturation to specific frequency ranges instead of the entire signal. This
is like having a chef perfectly season different parts of a dish so each
ingredient shines.

Why Multiband?

1. Targeted Enhancement:
○ Boost the warmth in the low end without making the highs harsh.
○ Add edge to the mids (where vocals or guitars live) without
muddying the bass.
2. Fixing Problem Areas:
○ Sub-bass too boomy? Add subtle saturation to tighten it.
○ High frequencies too brittle? Use saturation to soften them.
Practical Applications of Saturation

Adding Warmth to Vocals

When vocals sound too thin or lack presence, tube saturation can
add warmth and fullness. This works because tube saturation adds
even harmonics, which are pleasing to the ear and make the sound
feel richer and more natural.

1. Choose a Tube Saturation Plugin: Use a plugin like Waves

Abbey Road Saturator, which is designed to emulate the
warm, analog character of tube equipment.

2. Set the Drive (5–15%): Start with a light drive setting. This
ensures the harmonics are noticeable but not overpowering,
keeping the vocal's natural clarity intact.

3. Blend Using the Mix Knob: Use the mix knob to combine the
processed (wet) and unprocessed (dry) signals. This helps you
retain the original vocal's detail while subtly enhancing it with
warmth.

4. Why This Works: Even harmonics make the vocal feel more
emotionally engaging without sounding unnatural. Blending
 with the mix knob ensures you’re enhancing the vocal
without losing its original tone.

Enhancing Drum Transients

Drums often need punch and energy to stand out in a mix. Tape
saturation is perfect for this because it softens the harsh peaks
(transients) while adding subtle harmonic distortion that enhances
the drums' punch and presence.

1. Use Tape Saturation: Choose a plugin like FabFilter Saturn 2

and set it to "Warm Tape" mode. This mode mimics the
characteristics of old tape machines, which naturally
compress and warm up sounds.

2. Push the Drive Slightly: Increase the drive just enough to

round off the harsh peaks of drum hits and make them
punchier. A drive setting of 10–20% is usually sufficient.

3. Apply Multiband Saturation: Target specific frequency

ranges with multiband processing:
○ Boost low-end harmonics (40Hz–100Hz) to make the
kick feel fuller.
○ Enhance high mids (1kHz–3kHz) to add crispness to
snares and cymbals.
 4. Why This Works: Tape saturation glues drum elements
together, making them feel more cohesive while giving each
hit more impact without sounding harsh.

Thickening Bass
Basslines often need extra weight and clarity to stand out,
especially on smaller speakers. Saturation enhances bass by adding
harmonics that make it more audible across different playback
systems.

1. Apply Transformer Saturation: Use a plugin that emulates

audio transformers to add subtle distortion in the low end.
This emphasizes the fundamental frequencies and adds
warmth.

2. Use Multiband Saturation: Focus the distortion on the

midrange (200Hz–1kHz). This range helps the bass cut
through the mix while avoiding muddying the sub frequencies
(below 100Hz).

3. Blend the Effect: Use a mix knob to balance the saturation,

ensuring the bass remains powerful without overwhelming
the mix.
 4. Why This Works: Adding harmonics to the midrange allows
the bass to be heard clearly on systems that can’t reproduce
deep sub-bass, while the transformer saturation enhances its
weight and body.

Gluing the Mix Together

A mix can feel disconnected if the individual elements don’t blend
well. Tape saturation on the mix bus helps "glue" everything
together by adding subtle compression and harmonic warmth.

1. Add Tape Saturation to the Mix Bus: Insert a tape saturation

plugin, such as FabFilter Saturn 2, as the final processing
stage before limiting.

2. Keep the Drive Low (2–5%): Use a gentle setting to avoid

over-coloring the mix. The goal is to subtly enhance the track
without introducing distortion.

3. Blend with a Wet/Dry Mix (20–30%): Use the mix knob to

apply the effect sparingly. This ensures the mix retains its
clarity and dynamic range while benefiting from the cohesion
saturation provides.
 4. Why This Works: Tape saturation naturally smooths out
transients and emphasizes harmonics, creating a cohesive,
polished sound that feels more "finished."

Creative Effects
Saturation isn’t just for subtle enhancements—it can also be
pushed to create bold, creative effects for unique textures and
dynamics.

1. Use Extreme Saturation Settings: Crank up the drive knob to

create lo-fi textures or gritty distortion. This works well for
breakdowns or sections where you want the sound to feel raw
and edgy.

2. Automate the Drive Knob: Create dynamic changes by

automating the saturation intensity. For example:
○ Increase saturation during a breakdown for a lo-fi effect.
○ Gradually reduce it as the track builds back up to its full
clarity.

3. Why This Works: Extreme saturation adds character and can

make parts of your track stand out. Automating saturation
keeps the mix dynamic and engaging, giving listeners a sense
of movement and contrast.
Experimenting with saturation can lead to unlimited creative
possibilities. Don’t be hesitant with going off grid and trying some
things that might not seem right technically, there’s always
something you end up discovering while experimenting and trying
things.

One of those “experimental” tricks I ended up coming across is the

saturating of highs on your 808s or Bass sounds. But not directly.

First you take out a lot of the high end using an EQ.

And THEN you add a saturator to saturate only the high end of the
bass.

When you bring out the highs of the 808s/bass through saturation
it adds harmonic content to the sound making it sound richer and
way more interesting than an EQ, because boosting the high end
using an EQ only makes those frequencies louder. Whereas with
saturation its adding overtones and harmonics.

You can do the same with some kick samples or use the similar
technique to bring out mids or lows only using saturation. Fabfilter
Saturn 2 and Waves Abbey Road Saturator are two of the best
options to achieve this sound.
As you can see we took out the high end first, then brought it out using
saturation…Makes the sound way more interesting, type of sound you cannot achieve
with a simple EQ boost…
 Panning And Stereo Placement

Why do you even need to pan your sounds ?

The first reason is to create more space. When you pan your
sounds all across the stereo field, you create more space and
dimension to your song and give it more life. Sometimes
panning is also important to create space for your main lead
vocal. The main lead vocal generally sits in the mono section of
your mix. So panning your hi hats / percussions / synths /
keys in different directions makes them get out of the way of
the main lead vocal, making it sound more prominent and
clear in the mix. It basically makes your entire mix sounds less
cluttered and messy.

Another reason to pan your sounds is to get that “3D” sound and create
more movement. It’s important to pan as many sounds as you can even
if you pan them very slightly, because when you master the song these
panned sounds pop out more and end up enhancing the overall
dimension of your entire song making it sound more 3D and full. It
makes the overall listening experience way more enjoyable.
There are ways to pan your sounds creatively instead of just using the
default pan knob. One of those ways is using this free plugin called
Panagement.

Pan your sound to any direction. And reduce the stereo width.

Then route that channel to a new channel ( parallel send ) and

throw a reverb with little decay on that channel.
Now add panagement on this channel and pan it in the
opposite direction, with zero stereo width.

What this does is it makes the reverb reflections hit the

opposite direction of the panned sound making it sound way
more full and 3D. You can use this to pan some additional
vocal layers to increase the overall body and width of your
layered vocals. You can also use it for subtle percussion layers,
pre drop snares, synth plucks, pads etc. But try to not use it on
sounds that are supposed to be really prominent in your mix
because this technique is only for light sounds that are there
just to compliment the mix lightly instead of being the main
sound.

You can also add a valhalla supermassive on a parallel send to

make the reflections from your panned sound hit really wide.
Keep the feedback generally to the lower side to avoid too
many reflections and making it sound sloppy, and have a fast
delay, generally below 100 ms , cut out some of the lows to
avoid muddiness or low end rumble.

This can be really good for adding width to the main or choir
vocals, snares, overall drum bus. Just make sure you do it on a
parallel send and not the main track, so that you get more
control over the amount of delay applied on the sound.
Remember that while mixing, its a complete 360 3D space, so
panning is not just left and right. Its also panning to the front
and the back of your head.

Panning to the front basically just boils down to having a lesser

stereo width to your reverb. Most reverb plugins come with
the “stereo width” knob, the more MONO your reverb is, the
more in the front and far away your sound sits. Making it
sound like its in a distant spot. This effect can be really good
for sounds that you don’t want to be very noticeable like some
adlibs or some percs or additional vocal layers to add richness
to your group vocals or choirs. Its a good way to add more
textures and effects and sounds while making them less
noticeable.
How distant the sound gets also depends majorly on the mix
level, if you want completely faded far away sounds then going
with a 100% mix and close to 0% stereo width can work really
well in some scenarios especially for distant adlibs and vocal
layers.

Similarly you can also pan the sound in a way that it stays
behind your head. And you can achieve that effect basically by
doing the opposite and using early reflections.

Early reflections are basically the first set of echoes that occur
in any space when thesound waves bounce off nearby surfaces
(like walls or ceiling or floor) before reaching the listener.

These reflections are distinct from the direct sound and from
the reverb tail.
That’s how you get that 3D type panned sound. You can
achieve that using Wave TrueVerb.

Take out the “Direct” signal completely, use early reflections

and adjust the reverb knob depending on how wet you want
your sound to feel. Increase the room size and the distance
and have a really low decay if you dont want the sound to be
too reverby and wet.
Even after applying these reverb settings to your sounds
whether its the front panning or the back, you can still play
around with the left and right panning knob in your DAW to
adjust the positioning even more. Because you might want the
sound to be sitting further away in the front but also to a little
bit to the right side, which you can achieve by combining the
reverb settings and the default panning knobs letting you take
advantage of the entire stereo field and create spacious and 3D
sounding mixes like the pros.

These panning techniques let you unlock whole new

possibilities when it comes to layering your sounds and
especially layering your vocals. You can create a really
immersive and “bigger than life” sounding mixes if you use
them effectively.
 Vocal Mixing

Step 1: Tuning
Tuning involves correcting the pitch of the vocal to
ensure it aligns perfectly with the song's key and melody.
This step is crucial for achieving a professional and
harmonious sound.

Choose a Tuning Tool

● Auto-Tune:
Industry-standard for
pitch correction.
● Melodyne: For detailed
pitch editing.
● Waves Tune: versatile
option with real-time
correction.
● Built-In DAW Tools:
Some DAWs have native pitch correction plugins.

Let’s take a look at the Antares Auto Tune for example ,

here’s a breakdown of the main knobs and what they do,
explained simply:
 1. Retune Speed
● This is an obvious one , it basically controls how quickly Auto-Tune
corrects the pitch. A fast retune speed gives you that robotic, obvious
Auto-Tune effect, while a slower speed makes the correction more natural.

2. Humanize
● This helps make long, sustained notes sound more natural. If you're using
fast retune speeds, the humanize knob keeps longer notes from sounding
too robotic.

3. Flex-Tune
● This allows some notes to stay untouched by Auto-Tune. If you want
Auto-Tune to correct only off-pitch notes but leave closer-to-correct ones
alone, Use it very subty..

4. Key & Scale

● You set the key and scale of your song here. Auto-Tune corrects notes
based on this setting. If your song is in C Major, set it to C Major, and it will
tune everything to match the right notes.

5. Vibrato
Vibrato is that natural wobble or variation in pitch when a singer holds a note.
This knob lets you control how much vibrato Auto-Tune adds or smooths out.
 AUTOMATING DIFFERENT PARAMETERS

After setting up the ideal settings for all the knobs

mentioned above there can still be many parts of the vocal
that might seem imperfect and possibly a little too tuned
or not tuned enough.

In that case automating the knobs can help you achieve

perfection.

For example you might want the auto tune to be almost

not noticeable in most parts, so automating the retune
speed in a way that makes the vocal get tuned significantly
only in chosen parts can help you achieve that.

*Automating the retune speed can cause a doubling /

phasing type sound if you make gradual changes , so I
would recommend making really sharp automated cuts for
this particular knob only to avoid any issues…
 MANUAL NOTE CORRECTION

Manual note correction gives you way more control and

precision over your vocals compared to automatic pitch
correction tools. Here’s how it works and why it's useful:
 Key Features for Manual Correction

1. Pitch Shifting: You can drag notes up or down to the

perfect pitch. This gives you control over every note,
fixing only what needs correction.

2. Time Stretching: If a note is too short or long, you can

stretch or shrink it to fit better with the beat.

3. Formant Control: This allows you to shift the pitch of

the note without making it sound weird or unnatural. You
can maintain the natural tone of the vocal while adjusting
the pitch.

4. Correction Strength: You can apply more subtle or

stronger pitch correction on specific notes based on how
off they are.
 Why Use It

● Manual note correction is perfect when you

want a polished, professional vocal sound but
still keep the human feel. It’s especially helpful if
some notes need only slight adjustments or if
you want to fix just certain parts rather than the
whole track.

With plugins like Newtone ( Stock Fl Studio Plugin ) , you have

full control over each note, making it great for detailed pitch
correction work.
 Step 2: Vocal EQ Correction

When focusing on vocal EQ it's important to understand the difference

between the additive and subtractive EQ. Both techniques help shape
the vocal to sit perfectly in a mix but they work in different ways.

Subtractive EQ (Cutting)
This is about removing unwanted frequencies to clean up the vocal.

● Low Cut (High-Pass Filter): As before, cutting the low-end

frequencies (below 80-100 Hz) removes unnecessary rumble
and noise.
● Muddiness: If the vocal sounds boxy or muddy, you can cut
around 200-400 Hz. This makes the vocal cleaner and less
congested in the mix.
● Sibilance Control: Sometimes, the "S" or harsh sounds in
vocals (around 5-8 kHz) can be piercing. A slight cut in this
range helps tame those sharp sounds.

Why Subtractive EQ is Important: Cutting unwanted frequencies

clears space in the mix, preventing your vocal from clashing with other
instruments and keeping it clean.
Additive EQ (Boosting)
This is about enhancing certain frequencies to make the vocal
shine and stand out.

● Presence: To make the vocal more present and clear, you

can boost around 2-5 kHz. This is where the vocal clarity
and intelligibility live.
● Airiness: If you want the vocal to sound brighter and more
open, you can boost around 10-12 kHz. This adds that
polished, professional "air" to the vocal.
● Body: To add some warmth and fullness, you can boost
slightly around 100-200 Hz, but be careful not to add too
much, or it can make the vocal sound muddy.

Why Additive EQ is Important: Boosting specific frequencies

enhances the character of the vocal, making it sound more
polished and helping it stand out in the mix.
You might want certain frequencies if your vocal to go down or
go up only in certain parts of your song , in that case you can
use Pro Q3 to create a band around the frequencies of your
choice , then reduce or boost the dynamic range and adjust
the gain knob until it sounds perfect to you. This is an
incredibly powerful feature in Pro Q3.
 Step 3: Vocal Compression

Compression on vocals is used for controlling dynamics, making

sure that quieter parts are audible and louder parts aren't
overwhelming. It helps create a consistent and polished vocal sound
in your mix. Here’s a quick breakdown:
 Threshold

● This controls when the compressor kicks in. When the vocal
exceeds the threshold, the compressor reduces the volume.
Setting this right is key to taming loud peaks without squashing
the vocal.

Ratio

● The ratio determines how much compression is applied once the

threshold is crossed. For vocals, a ratio around 2:1 to 4:1 is
common. This keeps the vocal controlled but still dynamic.

Attack

● Attack controls how fast the compressor reacts to the vocal. A

slower attack (10-30ms) lets the vocal's natural transients (the
initial sharp sounds like "T"s and "P"s) come through, keeping the
vocal punchy. A fast attack will smooth out those transients,
making the vocal softer. Keep it at medium levels.

Release

● Release is how quickly the compressor stops working after the

vocal drops below the threshold. A quicker release (50-100ms) lets
the vocal breathe naturally, while a slower release holds onto the
compression longer, giving a more controlled, even sound.

Makeup Gain

● After compressing, the overall vocal volume might drop. Makeup

gain allows you to bring the level back up to match the rest of the
mix, so the vocal still stands out.
My go - to Pro C2 compression settings while mixing vocals :

Threshold Medium ( Around -20 dbs )

Ratio ————
Style Vocal
Attack Medium ( Around 20ms )
Release Medium ( Around 200ms )
Gain Boost until it sounds balanced

What this does is keep your vocal in one place instead of coming in and
out of the mix and sounding imbalanced.

The thing about Pro C2 is when you set the style to “vocal” and adjust
the attack knob, the faster the attack the more “in the face” and closer
the vocal sits, and the slower the attack the more further away in the
mix. Which makes it extremely convenient to use. If your vocal is really
dynamic and has some loud peaks, I would suggest keeping a slower
attack so you push it further back in the mix. A slower attack can also
be effective if you want to use significant parallel compression on the
vocal because it will avoid distorting the vocal.

Keep in mind these settings are very subjective and might or might not
work perfectly for your vocal, so experiment with the knobs until it
sounds right to you.
Another good option to instantly bring out the life in your vocal and
make it way more prominent and clear is using Waves RVOX.

Its really simple plugin with only 3 settings but is extremely effective.

1. Gain

This is like the "volume knob" for your vocal. It makes your vocal louder
or quieter before any other processing happens.

● If your vocal sounds too soft, turn this up.

● If it’s already loud, leave it alone or turn it down a little.

2. Gate

Imagine this knob is like a doorman for your vocal. It decides which
sounds get through and which ones don’t.

● If your vocal has background noise (like room sounds or hiss),

turning this up can make the noise go away when you’re not
singing or talking.
● But if you turn it up too much, it might accidentally cut off soft
parts of your vocal, so use it gently.

3. Compression

This knob is like a coach for your vocal, keeping it steady and balanced.

● It makes quiet parts louder and loud parts quieter so your vocal
sounds smooth.
● The more you turn it up, the more it evens out the vocal. But don’t
go crazy—too much can squash the life out of the performance.
In Short:

● Gain: Makes it louder or softer.

● Gate: Removes background noise.
● Compression: Smooths out the loud and quiet parts.
 Step 4: De - essing

De-essing is like telling your vocal to stop hissing too much. It focuses
on those sharp "S," "T," or "SH" sounds that can hurt your ears or make
the vocal sound harsh. A de-esser is the tool that helps you fix this, and
it’s super easy to understand.
Its basically a type of compressor that targets just the sibilant
frequencies. When these harsh sounds get too loud, the de-esser
automatically reduces them, leaving the rest of the vocal unaffected.

Why you NEED it:

● Smoothens Vocals: Tames harsh sibilance without affecting the

clarity of the vocal.
● More Natural Sound: Keeps the vocal from sounding too sharp,
especially at higher volumes.

Split Band: Ideal for retaining vocal clarity and detail.

Wide Band: Useful when sibilance dominates and needs broader

control, like on harsher or louder tracks.

Set a medium threshold, then select the “ALLROUND” mode, and then
adjust the range until it sounds perfect

I’ve covered De-essing and sibilances and harsh

frequencies in detail in a seperate chapter, check that out
for a thorough explanation.
 Step 5 : Verbs

Short Reverb
● What It Does: Adds a subtle sense of space without pushing the
vocal too far back in the mix. It creates the feel of a small room or
tight space around the vocal.

● When to Use: Short reverb is great for giving vocals a bit of room
without losing intimacy. It makes the vocal sound fuller without
muddying the mix.

● Effect: Keeps the vocal up-front and direct, but with a touch of
warmth and presence.
Long Reverb

● What It Does: Adds a more dramatic, spacious effect, making

the vocal feel like it's in a large hall or big room.

● When to Use: Long reverb works well for creating atmosphere

or adding ambience. It's often used in breakdowns or slower
sections where you want the vocal to sound dreamy or far away.

● Effect: Pushes the vocal back in the mix, adding a sense of

openness and creating a wider, more epic feel.
Blending Short and Long Reverb

● Why Blend Both: Using a combination of short and long reverbs

helps balance the vocal’s presence and depth. You get the intimacy
of short reverb with the space of long reverb, allowing you to craft a
vocal sound that sits perfectly in the mix.

● How to Blend:
1. Short reverb first, to add clarity and keep the vocal punchy and
direct.
2. Add a touch of long reverb to give it some depth, especially in
chorus or atmospheric sections.
3. Adjust the wet /dry mix to make sure the vocal stays clear while
benefiting from the reverb’s space.

● Effect: This blend creates a vocal that is both intimate and

expansive—the short reverb keeps it upfront, while the long reverb
adds a sense of width and emotion. It gives the vocal a
three-dimensional quality, making it feel like it’s in a real, dynamic
space.
Some Recommended Reverb Plugins:
1. Valhalla Room
○

2. Waves H-Reverb
○

3. FabFilter Pro-R
○

4. Lexicon PCM Native Reverb

○

5. Eventide Blackhole
○

.
 Step 6 : Delays

1. Slapback Delay
○ A very short delay (usually between 75-150 ms) that creates a
quick echo effect. It adds thickness without creating a distinct
repeating sound.
○ Often used in rock and vintage music, slapback can help vocals
sound fuller and more present.

2. Ping-Pong Delay
○ This delay alternates the echo between the left and right
channels, creating a stereo effect.
○ Great for adding width and space to vocals or instruments,
making the mix feel more expansive. It can also help create
rhythmic patterns that enhance the groove.

3. Tape Delay
○ Simulates the warm, saturated sound of vintage tape delays,
often with a bit of modulation that adds character.
○ Excellent for vocals, it adds warmth and depth.

4. Digital Delay
○ Provides precise control over timing and feedback. This delay can
be very clean and clear, perfect for rhythmic applications.
○ Useful in electronic music, where syncopation and timing are
critical. Digital delay can be set to sync with the tempo of the
track.
Creative Applications of Delay in Vocals

1. Thickening Vocals
○ Use a short delay with low feedback to create a subtle doubling
effect. This can help the vocal sound fuller without losing its
intimacy.
2. Rhythmic Interest
○ Experiment with ping-pong delay to create rhythmic patterns
that can drive the song forward. Sync the delay to the song's
tempo for a more cohesive sound.
3. Atmospheric Builds
○ Long delays with high feedback can create lush, atmospheric
builds in a breakdown or chorus. This can enhance emotional
moments in the song.
4. Transition Effects
○ Use delays to create smooth transitions between sections. For
instance, you can delay the end of a vocal phrase to carry it into
the next section, creating a seamless flow.
5. Layering with Reverb
○ Combine delay with reverb for added depth. Use a short delay
with reverb to give a sense of space and movement. This layering
can make the vocal feel more immersive and dynamic.
You can take experimentation on a whole different level
with delays. Automating different knobs in any delay
plugin can lead to really unique sound textures.

You can also add a really small amount of slap delay to

random sounds such as hi hats or percs or vinyl crack fx
or even your snare to create sort of a room effect and
also make them sound just a little more 3D and less
digital.

You can create a really cool ambient effect on your vocals

by using a medium feedback fast delay , and then putting
it in 70-80% mono.

¼ or ⅛ delays can also really help in filling out blank

spaces in between your verses.

You can fade out your delays by boosting the “diffusion”

knob, making your delay act almost like a reverb, but not as
wet as a normal reverb. It can add width to your vocal.
Some Recommended Delay Plugins :

1. Soundtoys EchoBoy

2. FabFilter Timeless 3

3. Waves H-Delay

4. Valhalla Delay

5. Eventide UltraTap
Step 7 : Distortion
Using plugins like Soundtoys - Radiator and Soundtoys -
Decapitator to apply distortion on your vocal through a parallel send
can help give your vocal a very metallic and sharp character. Although
overdoing can easily cause your vocals to clip too much especially
when you get to mastering which is why using them on a parallel send
and adjusting the volume knob until the effect is triggering very subtly
is extremely crucial.

You can also go further with your experimentation and widen the
distorted signal with microshift , and then take out the low end of that
signal with a sharp EQ cut to prevent the mix from getting muddy.
 Step 8 : Parallel Compression

It’s crucial to end this vocal chain with some parallel

compression. We have covered parallel compression in
depth already so I won’t get into the intricacies. But add a
significant amount of compression on your parallel send to
glue this entire chain together and make your vocal stand
clear and audible in the mix while also carrying all the
effects..

Every vocal is unique, and each mix presents its

own set of challenges and opportunities. By working
on a diverse range of vocal tracks, you'll not only
refine your technical abilities but also discover your
own creative preferences and signature sound. So,
dive into as many mixing projects as you can, and
embrace the learning journey—it’s through this
hands-on experience that you'll truly become a
confident and effective vocal mixer
 Vocal Layering

1) Recording the Main Vocal

Look at the main vocal as the foundation on which all other layers are
built...

1. Warm Up:
○ Perform vocal warm-up exercises to make sureyour voice is
ready.

2. Positioning:
○ Sit or stand comfortably. (I’d suggest standing)
○ Maintain a consistent distance from the microphone (usually
6-12 inches).

3. Recording:
○ Use the "Main Vocal" track.
○ Record multiple takes of the main vocal line.
○ Aim for a clear, emotive performance. Don’t record half
heartedly..

4. Choose the Best Take:

○ Listen through your recordings and select the best take.
○ Alternatively, compile the best parts of multiple takes for a
flawless performance. Thats what all the top artists do.
 2) Adding Harmony Layers
Harmonies complement the main vocal by adding different pitches that
enrich the overall sound.

Steps:
1. Understand Harmony:
○ Harmony lines basically follow the chords of the song.
○ Common harmony intervals are thirds and fifths above or below
the main vocal.

2. Create Harmony Tracks:

○ Add new tracks labeled "Harmony 1," "Harmony 2," etc.

3. Recording Harmony:
○ Listen to the main vocal and sing the harmony parts.
○ Focus on staying in pitch and rhythm with the main vocal.

4. Experiment:
○ Try different harmony intervals to see what best complements
the main vocal.
 3) Creating Double and Ad-Lib Layers
Double layers involve recording the same vocal line multiple times to
thicken the sound. Ad-libs are more of spontaneous vocal
embellishments.

Steps:
1. Double Layers:
○ Create a track labeled "Double 1."
○ Record the main vocal line again, aim for slight variations in
timing and tone to create a natural thickening effect.

2. Ad-Libs:
○ Add tracks like "AdLib 1," "AdLib 2."
○ Record spontaneous vocal phrases, runs, or expressive sounds
that enhance the song. Use your intuition, there’s no rules for
this.

3. Placement:
○ Use double layers subtly to avoid a cluttered sound.
○ Place ad-libs strategically, such as during transitions or
instrumental breaks.
 4) Editing Your Vocal Tracks
Editing ensures all vocal layers align perfectly and sound
cohesive.

Steps:
1. Comping:
○ Combine the best parts of multiple takes to create a
perfect main vocal track.

2. Timing:
○ Adjust the timing of each layer to ensure they are in
perfect sync.
○ Use quantization tools if necessary, but maintain a
natural feel.

3. Pitch Correction:
○ Apply subtle pitch correction (like Auto-Tune or
Melodyne or Newtone) to fix any off-pitches.
○ Avoid over-correcting to retain natural vocal expression.

4. Cleaning Up:
○ Remove unwanted noises, breaths, or clicks by setting
the declicking mode of your vocals to “Smooth”
○ Use noise gates or manual editing to clean each track.
 5) Mixing the Layers
Mixing blends all vocal layers into a
harmonious group sound.

5.1) Volume Levels

1. Establish the Main Vocal Prominence:
○ Start with the Main Vocal: Set the
main vocal track at a reference level
where it sits comfortably in the mix.
○ Relative Balancing: Gradually bring in
harmony, double, and ad-lib tracks, adjusting their volumes
so they support rather than compete with the main vocal.
2. Use Automation for Dynamic Control:
○ Volume Automation: Automate volume changes to
emphasize certain phrases or to ensure consistency
throughout the track.
○ Fades and Rises: Create smooth transitions by fading
tracks in and out where necessary.
3. Reference Levels:
○ Use Reference Tracks: Compare your mix with
professionally mixed songs in the same genre to gauge
appropriate volume levels.
○ Monitor Peaks and Averages: Ensure that your overall
mix doesn’t clip (exceed 0 dB) and maintains a healthy
dynamic range.
4. Gain Staging:
○ Proper Gain Staging: Adjust the input gain of each track
to prevent unwanted distortion and to maintain headroom
for processing.
○ Consistent Levels: Aim for a consistent input level across
all vocal tracks before any processing.
 5.2) Panning
Panning places each vocal layer within the stereo field, creating a
sense of space and width in your mix.

1. Main Vocal Centered:

○ Keep the Main Vocal in the
Center: Pan the main vocal
hard center to ensure it remains the focal point.
2. Harmony Layers:
○ Slight Panning: Pan harmony tracks slightly to the left
and right (e.g., Harmony 1 at -10° and Harmony 2 at
+10°) to widen the stereo image without causing phase
issues.
○ Avoid Extreme Panning: Keep harmonies within a
reasonable range to maintain cohesion.
3. Double and Ad-Lib Layers:
○ Subtle Placement: Double tracks can be panned
slightly left and right for thickness, while ad-libs can be
panned more creatively to add interest.
○ Creative Panning: Experiment with wider panning for
ad-libs to create a dynamic and engaging mix.
4. Stereo Imaging Tools:
○ Use Stereo Enhancers: Tools like stereo wideners can
help enhance the spatial placement of harmonies and
doubles.
○ Maintain Mono Compatibility: Ensure that widening
effects don’t cause phase cancellation when the mix is
played in mono.
 5.3) Equalization (EQ)
EQ shapes the tonal quality of each vocal layer, ensuring that
frequencies complement each other and avoid muddiness or
harshness.

1. High-Pass Filtering:
○ Remove Unnecessary Low Frequencies: Apply a
high-pass filter to each vocal track to eliminate low-end
rumble (typically starting around 80-100 Hz).
○ Preserve Clarity: Ensure that essential low-end
frequencies for the vocals are retained.
2. Frequency Carving:
○ Identify Key Frequencies:
■ Main Vocal: Enhance presence around 1-5 kHz for
clarity and intelligibility.
■ Harmonies: Slightly adjust frequencies to differentiate
them from the main vocal, avoiding frequency
clashes.
■ Double Layers: Use EQ to subtly vary the tonal
character from the main vocal, adding richness
without overpowering.
3. Cutting Problematic Frequencies:
○ Address Muddy Areas: Reduce frequencies around
200-500 Hz if vocals sound muddy.
○ Tame Harshness: Gently reduce frequencies around 2-4
kHz if vocals are too sharp or piercing.
4. Enhancing Desired Frequencies:
○ Add Airiness: Boost slightly around 10-15 kHz for a sense
of air and openness.
○ Warmth: Enhance around 100-250 Hz for a warmer vocal
tone, if needed.
5.4) Compression
Compression controls the dynamic range of your vocals, ensuring
consistency and enhancing presence.

1. Set Compression Parameters:

○ Threshold: Set the threshold so that compression
engages during the louder parts of the vocals.
○ Ratio: Use a moderate ratio (e.g., 3:1 to 5:1) for natural
sounding compression.
○ Attack Time: Fast attack (10-30 ms) to control peaks
without squashing the vocal’s natural transients.
○ Release Time: Medium release (50-100 ms) to allow
the compressor to recover between phrases.
2. Parallel Compression:
○ Blend Dry and Compressed Signals: Mix the
compressed signal with the uncompressed (dry) signal
to retain dynamics while adding thickness.
○ Use a Bus: Send vocals to a separate bus where
heavy compression is applied, then blend with the
original tracks.
3. Multi-Band Compression:
○ Target Specific Frequency Ranges: Apply
compression to certain frequency bands without
affecting others.
○ Enhance Clarity: Control problematic frequencies
more precisely.
5.5) Additional Effects

1. Chorus:
○ Subtle Thickening: Apply a gentle chorus effect to add
richness and movement.
○ Settings: Use a low depth and rate to avoid making the
vocal sound too modulated.
2. Flanger and Phaser:
○ Creative Texture: Use sparingly to introduce swirling or
sweeping effects.
○ Application: Best suited for specific sections like intros
or transitions.
3. Saturation and Distortion:
○ Add Warmth or Edge: Apply mild saturation to
enhance harmonics and add warmth.
○ Controlled Distortion: Use gentle distortion for a gritty
or aggressive vocal sound when appropriate.
4. De-Esser:
○ Control Sibilance: Reduce harsh "s" and "t" sounds
that can be unpleasant in the mix.
○ Settings: Target frequencies typically between 5-8 kHz,
adjusting the threshold to only affect problematic areas.
5. Auto-Tune and Pitch Correction:
○ Subtle Correction: Use tools like Auto-Tune,
Melodyne, or Waves Tune for minor pitch adjustments
to maintain a natural vocal performance.
○ Creative Pitch Effects: For stylistic purposes, employ
more pronounced pitch correction settings for a
modern, polished sound.
6. Automation of Effects:
○ Dynamic Changes: Automate effects parameters (e.g.,
increasing reverb during a long sustained note) to add
interest and dynamics.
○ Section-Specific Effects: Apply different effects
settings to verses, choruses, and bridges to
differentiate sections.

7. Delay:

● Types of Delay:
○ Slapback Delay: Single, quick repeat for a retro feel.
○ Ping-Pong Delay: Alternating left and right repeats for
a spacious effect.
○ Tempo-Synced Delay: Delays that sync to the song’s
BPM for rhythmic repetition.

Setting Delay Parameters:

● Delay Time: Match the delay time to the song’s tempo (e.g.,
eighth notes, quarter notes).
● Feedback: Control the number of repeats (low for subtle
effect, higher for more pronounced echoes).
● Wet/Dry Mix: Start with a low mix level (10-15%) and adjust
to taste.
To achieve a professional-sounding vocal mix, consider
these additional tips:

1. Use Reference Monitors and Headphones:

○ Consistent Listening Environment: Ensure your mixing
environment is treated acoustically to reduce unwanted
reflections and standing waves.

2. Stay Organized:

● Label Tracks Clearly: Clearly name each vocal track and group
to streamline the mixing process.

3. Trust Your Ears:

● Avoid Over-Processing: Apply effects and processing

judiciously, prioritizing natural sound over excessive
manipulation.
 808s And Low End
Management

A lot of people struggle with mixing the 808s in their tracks

because they don’t understand what could be the correct way
of boosting them or making them more present in the mix
without making the entire song too muddy or bass-filled.

But a lot of times in mixing its not about “boosting”, sometimes

its about simply creating space.

If there’s a 100 different sounds in the mix you can’t just keep
boosting all of them one by one and expect to get a good mix,
you need to use EQs and gain staging and reverbs and panning
to create space for all the elements and let them all breathe.

In the case of mixing an 808 or a bass, one of the most crucial

steps to do while the mixing process is cleaning up the low
end in your song.

As you mix, keep the habit of removing the unnecessary low

end rumble from all the sounds that dont need it by using
either sharp EQ Cuts or even partial EQ attenuations
depending on the sound.

<< sharp EQ cut

Attenuation >>
Another way to control the low end of the sounds individually
or even the entire track is to use Multiband compressors to
have an automatic reaction to the excess low end.

Just create a band somewhere in the low end where you feel like
you need more control and reduction and adjust the threshold and
gain reduction until it sounds balanced to the point where there’s
enough reduction but not too much, making it thin.
Managing and cleaning up the low end does NOT mean getting
rid of the entire low end of your track by over doing it. This is
also a mistake a lot of beginners make.

Your track needs a proper frequency balance, the low end and
the high end need to be balanced and get a somewhat equal
distribution of prominence and presence.

One of the most common issues is also 808s not hitting hard
enough. A good way to tackle that is removing the very initial
part of the 808 , and replacing it with a really tight and
controlled kick with low release.
If your kick is longer and has too much release it might
interfere with the 808, making it sound muddy overall. So
make sure you either pick a sample that has shorter release, or
you can also use a transient processor to get rid of the excess
release of the kick and if needed also boost the attack slightly.
 Sibilances And Managing Harsh Frequencies

Sibilance is just the excessive presence of high frequency sounds, in vocals

typically produced by “S,” “T,” and “SH” sounds. It usually occurs between
4kHz and 10kHz generally and can become way more pronounced due to EQ
boosts and compression and poor microphone technique and saturation etc

Identifying Harsh Frequencies

Harshness in a mix comes from the excessive energy in the high range as I
said so these frequencies can clash, causing unpleasant resonances especially
in vocals, guitars, cymbals, bright synths. If they add up from all these sounds
it can lead to a very unpleasant and irritable listening experience for your
audience, ESPECIALLY when they turn up the volume.

So there’s a few ways you can deal with that to make sure you avoid this issue
and take certain steps while the mixing process that keep your mix protected
and smooth.
The first and the obvious way is to use a De esser, preferably Pro
Ds. The “ ALLROUND ” setting in the plugin is extremely effective
in dealing with the sibilances. It pretty much solves the issue for
the most part when applied to any harsh high end filled sounds
whether its your vocal or a cymbal or hi hats or the entire track
too.

Ina lot of cases, setting the mode to “ALLROUND” is much better than
setting it to “SINGLE VOCAL”, especially if the harshness is really noticeable.

The ALLROUND mode is way better at dealing with the harshness than the
SINGLE VOCAL mode because it has a broader detection range of the sibilant
frequencies. In my experience the SINGLE VOCAL mode is very rarely
effective, especially when im dealing with cheaper mics.

Even after using a de - esser there can still be higher frequencies in your
vocal that just sound a bit harsh / unpleasant / rough. But there are ways to
fix that as well. The first method is , volume automations. Create a really
small automation cut during the sibilance of the vocal to make it less
prominent in the mix. Make sure to not overdo the cut to prevent the vocal
from sounding like its getting cut.
Another way to fix it is chopping the vocal around the sibilance part , and then
setting the De Clicking mode to “Smooth (bleeding)” to make the in and out cuts
fade in and fade out. And then make the sibilance part of the vocal fade in to make
it sound smoother

Recording Tip :-

There’s an important step you need to take before you get to mixing the
vocals if you want to avoid harsh sibilances in your vocal. And that step is to
record a certain way-

Whenever you record the “s” and “sh” sounds into the mic, MAKE SURE you
are not recording them directly into the center of the mic, because thats
what leads to that harsh sound in the first place.

Tilt the mic just a little bit upwards and then record. You can also turn a little
bit sideways when recording the “s” and “sh” sounds.

Use a quality pop filter to reduce those annoying plosive sounds

.
Also, distance yourself from the microphone during the sibilant parts to avoid
overemphasizing high frequencies.
For particularly vocals another good option is also the Waves Sibilance to deal with
those sharp "S," "T," and "SH" sounds that can stick out unpleasantly in a mix.

Similar to the Fabfilter Pro Ds it also comes with the WIDE and SPLIT band modes
to let you control whether you want an all around control in a quick and natural
way ( wide ) or a precise and targeted processing when dealing with more
pronounced sibilance. ( split )
Using Multiband Compressors also plays a major role in making
sure your high end frequencies are not overlapping towards the
point of harshness

Creating frequency bands around the upper mid range or the high
range to control those sections on your cymbals or vocals or even
the entire mix is an effective way to maintain a smooth high end.

Set a moderate range to ensure that the reduction is not too much,
you don’t want to kill the energy of your song by taking out too
much of the mid and high range.
This is pretty much all the things you need to know to deal with
the harsh high end in your track.

Follow all the tips in the chapter and you won’t have to deal with
that issue here on.
 Sidechaining Techniques
Sidechaining is one of those techniques that sounds fancy but is actually pretty
simple once you get the hang of it. It's super useful for helping certain sounds cut
through the mix or creating that cool "pumping" effect, or adding a lot of groove in
your tracks.

What is Sidechaining?

Think of sidechaining like a volume control

that reacts to another sound. Basically, you
tell one sound to get quieter whenever
another sound plays. Most of the time, this
is done with a compressor, but instead of
it responding to the sound it's on, it listens
to another sound and reacts to that.

For example, the classic use is

sidechaining your bass to your kick drum.
Every time the kick hits, the bass ducks
out of the way for a second, so they don't
clash and get all muddy.

Steps to sidechain your sounds using Pro C2 ( same for any compressor ). For
this example lets sidechain the kick and the bass in a way that the bass gets
ducked when the kick hits.
First you need to sidechain the kick channel to the bass channel .

Then add Pro C2 or any other compressor to the bass channel.

Go to the Processing section in the VST wrapper settings of
the compressor and then select the “KICK” channel in the
Stereo Side Chain.
Turn on lookahead. Turn off Auto-Gain. Keep the
oversampling to 4x. Turn down the attack and release knob all
the way. Turn down the knee and turn up the lookahead all the
way. Select the style to “Punch”

Now go to the sidechain section and select “exterior”.

Now you can control the sidechaining using the threshold , attack ,
release and the Sidechain Level knobs.

The Attack knob in the compressor sets how quickly the compressor kicks in
once the sidechain signal (e.g., the kick drum) crosses the threshold. When
you’re using it for sidechaining, the attack time basically controls how fast
the ducking effect happens.

● Fast Attack (low value): The compressor will start ducking almost
immediately when the sidechain trigger (like your kick) hits. This is
good if you want a tight, punchy feel where the ducking effect happens
right as the kick hits.
● Slow Attack (high value): The compressor will wait a bit longer before
ducking, allowing some of the bass or other sound to come through
before it gets quieter. This can make the effect feel more natural, but it
may not give as clean a separation between the sounds.

The Release knob controls how long it takes for the compressor to stop
ducking the sound after the sidechain trigger (like a kick) has finished. In
sidechaining, the release time affects how quickly the sound comes back up
to its normal level after the trigger hits.

● Fast Release (low value): The sound will quickly return to its normal
volume once the kick or trigger stops. This can be great if you want the
ducked sound (like bass) to come back immediately, giving it a tighter
and more rhythmic feel.
● Slow Release (high value): The sound will take longer to return to its
original volume, creating a more gradual “rise” back up. This can make
the effect feel smoother but might make things sound a bit “washed
out” or less defined if it’s too slow
The Threshold knob is like the gatekeeper for when the sidechaining
effect kicks in. It sets the volume level at which the compressor starts
ducking the sound based on the sidechain input (like a kick or vocal).

● Low Threshold (high ducking): Setting a lower threshold means

the compressor will start ducking at a quieter trigger level, so
you’ll hear more of the sidechain effect (more ducking). This is
great if you want a strong pumping effect or need to make sure
two sounds don’t clash.
● High Threshold (light ducking): With a higher threshold, the
compressor only kicks in when the sidechain trigger is loud. This
results in a more subtle ducking effect, which can be useful if you
want a gentler separation without completely cutting down the
volume.

The Ratio knob controls how much volume reduction happens when
the sidechain signal (like your kick) crosses the threshold. In other
words, it sets the intensity of the ducking effect.

● Higher Ratio (strong ducking): A high ratio, like 5:1 or more, will
heavily duck the sound whenever the sidechain trigger hits. This
can create a more dramatic, obvious pumping effect, where the
sound really drops out and then comes back.
● Lower Ratio (light ducking): A lower ratio, like 2:1, makes the
ducking more subtle, so the volume drops a little but doesn’t
completely fade. This is useful if you want a bit of separation
without a big, noticeable dip in volume.
The Lookahead setting lets the compressor "see" the sidechain
trigger slightly before it actually hits, which can help it react faster
and avoid any abrupt or "choppy" sounds.

● With Lookahead Enabled: The compressor starts ducking

right before the kick or trigger actually plays. This is useful if
you want the effect to feel tight and precise, especially with
fast-paced tracks.
● Without Lookahead: The compressor reacts right as the
trigger hits, which might make the effect feel slightly delayed,
depending on the attack time. This can still work, but
lookahead can be helpful for a cleaner, more instant effect.

Lookahead is especially useful if you're trying to get super clean

ducking without any "clicks" or harsh sounds from a sudden drop
in volume.

The Knee setting affects how gradually the compressor kicks in when
the sidechain signal crosses the threshold. It controls whether the
transition into compression is smooth or sharp.

● Hard Knee (Low Value): With a hard knee, the compression kicks
in suddenly once the sidechain signal passes the threshold. This
makes the effect more immediate and punchy, great for very
rhythmic, on-beat pumping.
● Soft Knee (High Value): With a soft knee, the compressor
gradually ramps up as it approaches the threshold, creating a
smoother and less abrupt ducking effect. This can make the
sidechaining feel more natural and is useful if you want a subtle,
gentle ducking effect.
Sidechaining is super versatile, and there are plenty of creative ways to use it
outside the typical kick and bass setup! Here are some alternative scenarios
where sidechaining can enhance your mix and add interesting dynamics:

Snare and Reverb

You can maintain a punchy, focused snare while keeping a natural

reverb tail.

When you add a reverb to a snare, it often fills out the sound but can
sometimes wash out the clarity, especially if the reverb has a long
decay. By sidechaining the reverb to the dry snare, you’re essentially
telling the reverb to duck as the snare hits, allowing the initial impact
of the snare to stay sharp and upfront. The reverb then gently fades in
afterward, creating a clean tail that doesn’t interfere with the snare’s
punch.

The snare remains snappy and direct, with a smooth reverb trail that
follows naturally. This setup works particularly well in genres like rock,
pop, and EDM, where you want both impact and atmosphere.

Kick and Reverb/Delay on Synths

Maintaining clarity in the low end by preventing reverb or delay effects

from muddying up the kick drum.

If your synths or other elements have reverb or delay applied, the

low-end frequencies of these effects can start to clash with the kick.
Sidechaining the reverb or delay effect (not the dry sound) to the kick
allows the wet signal to duck whenever the kick hits. This way, the
reverb or delay tail is still audible, but it doesn’t interfere with the
low-end punch of the kick.
Lead Synth and Arp/Counter Melody

You can ensure that the main melody or lead synth is always clear
and not overshadowed by supporting melodies.

In electronic or synth-heavy genres, you’ll often have a lead

melody layered with arpeggios or counter melodies to create
texture. Sidechaining the arpeggio or counter melody to the lead
synth lets the lead melody shine, as it reduces the supporting
melody’s volume only when the lead is present. This method
allows the counter melody to support the main melody without
fighting for space, maintaining the intended dynamics and
movement.

This gives you a balanced melody section where the lead is always
dominant, making the track feel more structured and polished.

Background Vocals and Lead Vocal

You can give lead vocals the spotlight without lowering the
background harmonies too much.

Background vocals are essential for adding depth and harmony,

but they can easily overwhelm a lead vocal. By sidechaining the
background vocals to the lead, they’ll naturally duck down when
the lead comes in, giving it space to stand out. You don’t need
heavy ducking here; just a touch can go a long way. This keeps the
background vocals present but not too present, allowing the lead
to cut through clearly, especially in choruses or layered vocal
sections.
Bass and Guitar (or Other Midrange Elements)

Gives the bass room to breathe without losing the impact of

guitar or midrange instruments.

In genres with heavy guitar presence (like rock, indie, or metal),

the bass can sometimes get buried, especially when guitars
occupy a similar low-mid frequency range. Sidechaining the guitar
to the bass helps the bass cut through by ducking the guitar
slightly when the bass plays. You don’t need drastic ducking here;
just enough to create a bit of separation so that both instruments
feel distinct.

A well-separated low end where the bass and guitars complement

each other without clashing is essential.

FX Sounds (Swells, Risers) and Drums

Avoid letting FX sounds overshadow important rhythmic

elements, like drums, during transitions.

Swells, risers, and other FX can build tension, but they sometimes
carry a lot of volume that can mask drum hits. Sidechaining the FX
sounds to the kick, snare, or even a combination of drum
elements keeps them impactful without losing the drum presence.
The effect will swell in, ducking just slightly for each drum hit,
then continue building, making sure the beat is still felt.

Smooth transitions where the FX stays noticeable without

disrupting the rhythm or crowding out other sounds.
Kick and Hi-Hats Sidechaining

If you have a continuous hi-hat pattern going on in your song,

sidechaining the kick and the hi-hat can help add a lot of groove to the
song.

The hi hats in your song need to have volume variation in order to make
them sound more raw and groovy. You can’t keep a uniform volume
throughout the whole pattern because it might affect the groove and
make it sound really basic and life-less. That’s why you need to either
automate the volume or in some cases sidechain the kick to it, so that it
ducks everytime the kick hits, helping you maintain a coherent groove
and make it seem like the song is moving forward.

*the process of getting the sidechain initiated might vary depending on your DAW
but it’s applicable for all DAWs
 Layering For Texture And Depth

Layering and stacking sounds is a go-to technique for adding dimension

and complexity to a track. By combining different sounds, each with its own
unique qualities, you can create textures that feel more complete and
interesting. Layering is all about making sounds fuller, enhancing their
character, and crafting something richer than a single sound alone.
1. Choose Sounds with Complementary Qualities
When layering, you want each sound to bring something different to the
table. Think of it like building a meal: if every layer tasted the same, it would
get boring. Instead, pair sounds that naturally complement each other. For
example, if you’re layering synths, start with one that has a warm, rich tone
to cover the low end, then add a brighter synth for some top-end sparkle.
This way, they don’t compete, but instead enhance each other. With drums,
you might layer a snappy clap on top of a snare to bring extra bite, while
adding a bit of reverb on just the clap layer to give a sense of space without
drowning the main snare hit.

2. Balance Frequencies
One key to successful layering is managing the frequency range of each
layer. When you layer sounds, there’s a chance they’ll occupy overlapping
frequencies, which can lead to muddiness. A good practice is to high-pass
certain layers (like a brighter synth) so they don’t interfere with the low-end
foundation. Low-pass filters on certain layers can also remove unwanted
high-end, keeping your layered sounds from becoming harsh. This
balancing act helps each layer fit together cleanly, making the end result
feel cohesive and easy on the ears.

3. Control the Dynamics

It’s easy for layered sounds to get a little out of control volume-wise, so
using some light compression or volume automation can help glue them
together. Start by balancing each layer individually to create a unified
sound. For vocals, try compressing each layer lightly before stacking them;
this keeps each take consistent and avoids any sudden spikes in volume. A
bit of compression on the stacked group can also give a more polished feel,
ensuring that all layers respond as one dynamic unit without overpowering
the mix.

4. Adjust Timing and Pitch for Depth

Tiny tweaks in timing and pitch can add depth and width to your layers.
Slightly nudging the timing of one layer off-center from another creates a
natural stereo width, especially effective for things like background vocals
or layered synths. You can also pitch-shift one layer up or down a few cents
to add a subtle detuning effect that makes the sound feel fuller and more
complex. For instance, with vocal harmonies, slightly pitch-shifting a lower
harmony can add a richer, chorused quality to the stack.

5. Blend with Effects

Finally, effects can be the glue that brings your layers together. Reverb,
delay, and even subtle chorus can help layers merge into one cohesive
sound. Applying a touch of reverb to the whole stack gives it a shared
sense of space, while adding effects like a short delay can create extra
width. Keep the effects on individual layers subtle—overdoing it can blur
the definition between layers and reduce clarity.
Experimenting with layering is the key if you want to find your own unique
sound and make it stand out. Whether its your vocals or your synths or
your drums, you’re never going to get a full and professional sound until
you get a good hold over layering and design sounds and textures that
compliment each other sonically.
 Phase Alignment and Coherence

Phase alignment is all about making sure that the timing and
polarity of sounds are working together in harmony. When
elements are out of phase, they can cause issues like
thinness, weak bass, or lack of clarity. Phase coherence, on
the other hand, means that all elements in your mix are
interacting in a way that maintains the strength and clarity of
the sound. Together, phase alignment and coherence are
essential for a full, punchy mix.
Understanding Phase Issues
Phase issues happen when two or more signals of the same
source (e.g., multi-miked instruments or duplicated tracks) are
slightly out of sync. This can lead to phase cancellation, where
frequencies partially or fully cancel each other out, making certain
elements sound hollow or thin.

For example if you record a drum kit with multiple mics, slight
timing differences between them can cause phase cancellation,
especially in the low end, resulting in a weaker kick or snare.

Techniques for Phase Alignment

1. Use the Polarity (Phase) Switch

A quick flip of the phase switch can sometimes instantly
solve phase issues, especially when working with
multi-miked sources.

Many DAWs and plugins have a simple polarity switch

(often marked as a “Ø” symbol). Try toggling it on tracks
like overhead mics or bass DI and amp signals to see if
the sound becomes fuller.
2. Align Waveforms Manually

Visually aligning waveforms is a reliable way to address

phase issues in multi-miked or layered sounds.

Zoom in on the waveforms of your tracks (e.g., kick in

and kick out mics) and align them so that their peaks
and troughs match. This ensures they’re in phase,
reducing any cancellation.

3. Use a Phase Alignment Tool

Phase alignment plugins can automatically detect and

correct timing differences between tracks.

Plugins like Auto-Align or VocalAlign can quickly

measure phase differences and adjust timing in
milliseconds, keeping all elements phase-coherent with
minimal effort. These tools are helpful for instruments
recorded with multiple mics, like drum kits or guitar
cabinets.
 Tips for Maintaining Phase Coherence

1.Mono Compatibility Checks

Phase issues become most obvious when a mix is
summed to mono, where stereo differences can lead to
cancellation.

Switch your mix to mono periodically to catch any

elements that sound thin or disappear. Adjust panning,
phase, or EQ until the mix sounds solid in both stereo
and mono.

2. Pay Attention to Low-End Phase

The low end is especially sensitive to phase issues.

Misaligned bass frequencies can make the low end feel
weak or muddy.

Ensure that bass instruments (like kick and bass guitar)

are phase-aligned by checking polarity and manually
aligning waveforms if needed. Using a single source for
the sub frequencies (e.g., from either the kick or bass,
but not both) can also help maintain coherence.
3. Use Mid-Side Processing Carefully

Mid-Side processing can help widen a mix, but too

much can cause phase issues in mono.

Use subtle mid-side adjustments, especially in the low

and low-mid frequencies. Avoid widening the bass
frequencies, as they’re more prone to phase
cancellation in mono.
 Microphones and Interfaces

When it comes to recording, microphones and interfaces are essential

tools, but there’s a common misconception that you need the most
expensive gear to get pro-quality results. The truth is, a good
performance, strong vocal delivery, and genuine emotion are far
more important than having top-of-the-line equipment. A good mic
helps, but if the performance doesn’t connect, even the best mic won’t
save it.
 The Importance of Vocal Performance Over Gear

A microphone captures what’s in front of it, but it’s only as good as the
performance you give. No mic, no matter how expensive, can inject
emotion or authenticity into your voice. Expressive delivery and good
vocal technique are what bring energy and emotion into a recording,
and even budget mics can sound fantastic if you deliver with
conviction. I’ve personally worked with artists who record with mics as
cheap as $50 but their performance is so good that its hard to notice
that it was captured on a cheap mic.

Expensive mics can capture extra detail and nuances, but it’s often
the artist’s expression and connection that makes a vocal memorable.
For example, the rawness in a vocal recorded on a budget mic with
heartfelt delivery can connect with listeners more than a technically
perfect take on a high-end mic that lacks passion.

Affordable Microphone Options

Here are some excellent budget-friendly mics that deliver great sound
quality without the high price tag:
1. Audio-Technica AT2020 -
○ Price: Around $100
○ Strengths: Clear, detailed sound, especially in the
mid-highs; great for home recording.

2. Shure SM58 -.
○ Price: Around $100
○ Strengths: Strong midrange response, reliable in various
settings, rugged build.

3. Rode NT1-A -
○ Price: Around $240
○ Strengths: Low noise, rich, warm tone; excellent for vocals
and acoustic instruments.

4. Behringer B-1 -
○ Price: Around $100
○ Strengths: Clear highs, cardioid pattern for focused sound;
good for vocals and podcasting.
Affordable Audio Interface Options:

1. Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Gen) -

○ Price: Around $100
○ Strengths: Clean sound, easy setup, reliable brand, great
value.

2. Behringer UMC22 -
○ Price: Around $60
○ Strengths: Extremely budget-friendly, simple setup, great
for starters.

3. PreSonus AudioBox USB 96 -

○ Price: Around $130
○ Strengths: Portable, solid preamps, comes with Studio
One software.

4. Audient iD4 MKII -

○ Price: Around $300
○ Strengths: Superior preamp quality, rugged build, detailed
sound for vocals and instruments.
 Recording Techniques
Microphone Placement

● Distance from Microphone: Position the vocalist 6–12 inches away from
the microphone. If they are too close, it may cause distortion and
excessive low-end (proximity effect). If they are too far, the recording may
lack warmth and intimacy.
● Pop Filter: Place a pop filter about 2–4 inches from the microphone to
reduce plosive sounds (hard "P," "B," and "T" sounds) while allowing the
vocalist to maintain an optimal distance.
● Height and Angle: Adjust the microphone height so it's level with the
vocalist's mouth. Tilt the microphone slightly upward or downward to
reduce sibilance or other unwanted high frequencies.
 Room Treatment
● Minimize Reflections: Use sound-absorbing materials like foam panels,
blankets, or a vocal booth to reduce room reflections. This helps prevent
unwanted reverb from being captured, resulting in a cleaner vocal.

● Close Off Noise: Ensure the recording space is free from external noise,
including fans, traffic, or electronics, that might bleed into the recording.

Preamp and Gain Staging

● Use a Quality Preamp: If available, use a dedicated external preamp to
boost the microphone signal cleanly. This can add warmth and clarity.

● Set the Gain Properly: Aim for input levels around -18 to -12 dB when
the vocalist sings at their loudest. This ensures you capture a strong signal
without clipping or distortion. It also leaves headroom for post-processing. (
Recording Software Suggestion - Audacity )
Record Multiple Takes: Always capture several takes, even if the first one
sounds great. Different takes provide more options for comping the best
sections together in post-production.

Focus on Emotion: While capturing technical perfection is important,

encourage the vocalist to focus on delivering the right emotion. The
performance’s emotional authenticity often matters more than small
technical imperfections.

Stepping Away from the Microphone

● Control Volume Peaks: When a vocalist moves farther from the

mic during louder parts (like belting or shouting), it naturally
reduces the volume and prevents distortion or clipping without
needing compression. This technique is called microphone
distance control.
● Reduce Proximity Effect: Stepping back helps reduce the
proximity effect, where the low frequencies (bass) become more
prominent when too close to the microphone. This is important
for clarity in recordings, especially when the voice starts to sound
boomy or muddy.

Getting Closer to the Microphone

● Add Intimacy and Warmth: Singing close to the microphone creates

a more intimate and present sound. The voice feels closer to the
listener, and the proximity effect adds warmth to the low end. This
works well for soft or emotional sections.
● Increased Detail: Being closer captures more subtle nuances of the
vocalist's performance, like breaths or small vocal inflections. It can
make the recording feel more personal and detailed.
 Common Recording Mistakes

1. Improper Microphone Distance

- Being too close can cause distortion and plosives, while being too
far can lead to a weak sound.

2. Poor Pop Filter Usage or No Pop Filter

- Without a pop filter, harsh plosive sounds can ruin the clarity of the
vocal recording.

3. Incorrect Gain Settings

- Setting gain too high leads to clipping, while too low results in a
weak signal with unwanted noise.

4. Recording in an Untreated Room

- Poor acoustics can introduce unwanted reflections and background
noise, affecting the vocal quality.

5. Inconsistent Vocal Performance

- Moving too much during recording can result in varying volume and
tone.

6. Excessive Headphone Bleed

- Loud headphone monitoring can leak into the microphone,
compromising the recording quality completely.
7. Over-Processing While Recording
- Applying too much compression or effects during recording can limit
flexibility and sound unnatural.

8. Neglecting Vocal Warm-Ups

- A cold voice can lead to strained performances, affecting overall
vocal quality.

9. Not Capturing Multiple Takes

- Relying on a single take limits options for comping the best parts in
post-production.

10. Ignoring Room or Background Noise

- Unwanted ambient noise can ruin a take, so it’s better to minimize

distractions before recording.
MASTERING
 What is Mastering?

Mastering is the final step in the music production process. It

involves polishing the mixed audio tracks to ensure they
sound cohesive and professional across all playback systems.
This is also the process where you make your songs wider ,
brighter , louder. If you want your song to be as loud as
possible, the most important step is mixing on a really low
volume. Also make sure no sounds in your mix are over
powering all the other sounds. They all need to be really
balanced so that when you get to mastering you can
maximize your loudess without causing any distortion.
 Mastering EQ

Mastering EQ is subtle compared to mixing, but it plays a critical role in

refining the final sound of your song.

Purpose of EQ in Mastering

● Balance: Correct any tonal imbalances in the mix, like harsh highs or
muddy lows.

● Clarity: Enhance specific frequencies to bring out important elements

of the track, like vocals or bass.

● Consistency: Ensure the track translates well across different

listening environments (headphones, speakers, etc.).
Start with taking out some of the extra air and high end , to avoid
harshness in the high range.( 20khz and above ). You don’t really need
frequencies in that range. We will be boosting the high end significantly
later on with a Pultec EQ. But before that you need to get rid of that extra
air.

If your vocals sound like they are getting overpowered by other sounds,
you can create gentle boost around 2kHz. Since that’s where the vocal
generally sits. Make sure you set the stereo placement to “Mid”.
If you feel like your track lacks some warmth and depth you can create
gentle and wide boosts around the lower middle range, but make sure you
do it subtly since over doing can make your entire track sound muddy.

Creating a really wide boost in the high range and then setting the stereo
placement to “Side” can introduce some width in your track and make it
sound more spacious.
If you’re track sounds boomy or muddy at some parts you can create a
wide cut around the mid lows and then reduce the dynamic range of that
band, so it controls that frequency range automatically.

You can do the opposite and create boost around the upper mid range and
then increase the dynamic range of that band to create some clarity and
presence in your track.
These EQ techniques really shape the sound of your entire track so you
need to be really gentle with them. You’re going to have to spend countless
hours EQ’ing your tracks until you develop a good ear to the process and
get confident in your ability. Trial and error is the only way you’ll actually get
good at it.
 Maximizing Loudness

Using clippers in mastering is like trimming off the very tips of a

sound wave to make everything louder and punchier without it
sounding too squashed.

Imagine your sound wave is a tall hedge. Clippers are like garden shears
that neatly cut off the very top of the hedge (the loudest peaks). This
makes the hedge look clean and even, and it lets you make the whole
hedge (your track) taller without it looking messy or uneven.

StandardClip is an affordable option that offers transparent and

musical clipping options making it my preferred tool for mastering.
Here’s how it works :-

Input Gain : Increase the input gain to push the signal into
the clipping stage. As you raise the input gain, louder parts of
the signal are clipped or limited. This determines how
aggressively the limiter or clipper will control the peaks of your
signal.

Soft vs. Hard Clipping: Standardclip lets you choose

between soft and hard clipping, hard clipping is more
aggressive and chops the peaks off sharply, whereas soft
clipping rounds them off which producess a real smooth and
more transparent result.

Oversampling: This just reduces the unwanted distortion that

can occur when clipping at higher sample rates. It makes sure
the clipping is clean and doesn’t introduce weird unwanted
digital artifacts.
 Steps to Louden Your Song with StandardClip

Step 1: Set the Output Ceiling

Before applying clipping, set the output ceiling of your clipper to just
below 0 dB, I’d say typically around -0.1 dB or -0.3 dB. This ensures
that your track won’t clip in a harsh and harmful way when played on
different devices or platforms.

Step 2: Adjust the Input Gain

Control the amount of clipping by adjusting the input Gain. Increasing

the input gain will push more of your signal into the clipping stage.

● Action:
○ Increase the input Gain: Gradually raise the input Gain until
you observe the desired level of clipping. As you increase
the gain, the peaks of your audio signal will start to clip,
effectively increasing the overall loudness.
○ Monitor Carefully: Keep an eye (and ear) on the gain
reduction meters to ensure you're not introducing excessive
distortion. The goal is to enhance loudness while
maintaining audio quality.
Step 3: Choose Between Soft or Hard Clipping

● Soft Clipping is ideal if you want more of like a transparent

result with really less audible distortion. This is pretty useful
when preserving the natural dynamics and smoothness of a
track is your priority…
● Hard Clipping is way more aggressive and can give you
more loudness, but it can also introduce more noticeable
distortion ( Wouldn’t recommend this ). This can be effective
on certain genres like electronic music or aggressive
hip-hop, where some saturation and distortion are desired,
but be really careful with it.

Step 4: Use Oversampling

● Enable oversampling (2x, 4x, or higher) to reduce aliasing
distortion that can occur from clipping at higher frequencies.
Higher oversampling settings will result in a cleaner and
smoother clipped signal.
● Keep in mind that higher oversampling can increase CPU
usage, so find a balance that works for your system.

Step 5: Compare with Bypassing

Toggle the plugin on and off to compare the clipped and unclipped
versions of your track. Listen carefully for any distortion or
degradation in the quality of the track. The goal is to increase
loudness while keeping the song sounding clean and punchy.
Don’t Overdo It: While clipping can add loudness, over-clipping
can introduce unpleasant distortion and ruin the clarity of your
track. Always strike a balance between loudness and audio
quality.
 LUFs
There’s a huge amount of discussion and debate on the internet
regarding LUFS. LUFS is nothing but a measurement system to
measure how loud your song is. You can check the LUFS for your
song using Youlean Loudness Meter ( FREE ).

Aiming for a range of -10 to -7 LUFS is loud enough and good

enough. It’s a safe range where your song won’t be too quiet
or too loud. Having a song that’s too loud also comes with
issues since the listener should be able to enjoy the song ,
and if the loudness in your song is too harsh , it ends up being
a really unpleasant listening experience.
Integrated LUFS: The overall loudness level of the entire
track.

Short-Term LUFS: The loudness over a 3-second window,

showing how loud the track is in specific moments.

Momentary LUFS: A snapshot of the loudness in real-time,

updating quickly for immediate feedback.

True Peak: refers to the actual highest point your audio

signal reaches, even after digital-to-analog conversion,
which can sometimes cause peaks to exceed the 0 dBFS
limit in digital audio.

Loudness Range: measures the difference between the

quietest and loudest sections of a track, representing its
overall dynamic range. It shows how much the loudness
varies throughout the song.

RealTime Dynamics: This is a real-time view of the dynamic

range—how much the loudness fluctuates
moment-to-moment during playback.
 There’s always a debate regarding LUFs and how loud
should your song really be.

Some people believe it should be only as loud as -14 LUFs

because some streaming services normalize your levels up
to that value, but if you check the LUFs of the most
professional music, commercial hits, from artists like
Ariana Grande or Kanye West or any of the top artists, they
don’t follow this rule.

Some of their songs hit -6 LUFs, some of them hit -10. So to

a large extent it doesn’t mean anything.

But as I said, -10 to -7 is a really good level to go for.

It’s a sweet spot where you get a loud enough sound but also not
too loud.
 Pultec EQ

The RARE EQ by Analog Obsession is basically a

emulation of the Pultec EQP-1A tube equalizer. The
Pultec provides a really smooth, boost and cut in the
low and high frequencies. The controls on the Rare EQ
may seem unusual at first, but once you understand
them, you can use this EQ to shape your sound in very
powerful ways
Start by setting up the Low and the High frequencies
and the Bandwidth. The Bandwidth knob basically
controls the width of the frequency range being affected
by the boost or attenuation. So its crucial to keep it
broad while Mastering , never use narrow EQ cuts
while Mastering Set the Low Frequency knob to around
60 to handle the low end and set the High Frequency
knob to 12 or 16. Although it also depends on your
track so use your ears to make this decision.
ATTEN SEL knob basically allows you to
choose which high frequencies you want to
reduce. I generally go for 5. Which
significantly takes out the high end but you
can compensate that high end using the high
boost knob.

Boost the low end and high end knobs to your taste
and then adjust the attenuation knobs to reduce their
significance. I generally go for moderate low end boost
and attenuation. But for high end boost I boost
significantly because I set the ATTEN SEL to 5. Don’t
attenuate the high end over 1 because it might take out
too much of the high end.
 Compression While Mastering

In mastering, compression is used to reduce the dynamic

range of a track. This means controlling the difference
between the loudest and quietest parts to ensure the song
sounds balanced across different playback systems. It’s
about enhancing clarity and impact while preserving the
integrity of the mix.

Why Use Compression in Mastering?

● Control Dynamics: Prevents overly loud transients

(sharp peaks) from being jarring while bringing quieter
elements forward.

● Add Punch and Tightness: A well-compressed track

can feel more cohesive and "glued" together, with each
element in the mix sitting well.
 ● Enhance Consistency: Helps the song sound balanced
when played on different systems, from phone speakers
to large sound systems.

How to Apply Compression In Mastering

Step 1: Analyze the Track

● Before applying compression, listen to the track and determine
what it needs. Is it too dynamic? Are there peaks that need
taming? Is the low end overwhelming?

Step 2: Set the Threshold

● Start with a high threshold so you’re only affecting the loudest
peaks. You want the compressor to engage only when
necessary, keeping the dynamics natural.

Step 3: Choose an Appropriate Ratio

● Start with a low ratio like 1.5:1 or 2:1. You want gentle
compression in mastering to avoid squashing the mix.

Step 4: Adjust Attack and Release

● Set a slow attack (20-30ms) to retain the punch and energy of
transients.
 ● Use a medium release (100-250ms) for a smooth sound. Adjust
based on how quickly the track returns to its natural dynamics
after compression.

Step 5: Check Make-up Gain

● After compression, the overall volume may drop. Use make-up
gain to bring the track back up to its desired loudness without
clipping.

Step 6: A/B Comparison

● Constantly bypass the compressor and listen to how the track
sounds with and without it. The goal is subtle enhancement, not
a drastic change in sound.

Some good compressor options for Mastering :-

FabFilter Pro-C 2: Versatile

iZotope Ozone Dynamics: Multiband

Waves SSL G-Master Bus Compressor: Glue

TDR Kotelnikov: Transparent

Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor: Dual-stage

 Brainworx bx_masterdesk: All-in-one

UAD Precision Compressor: Clean

Slate Digital FG-Red: Punchy

Softube Tube-Tech CL 1B: Warmth

Make sure you don’t over compress your tracks , because over
compressing often leads to a really lifeless and digital sound and
takes away the ‘natural’ element significantly. Compressing while
Mastering is supposed to be really gentle , and not drastic.
 Multiband Compression

Multiband compression allows you to compress specific frequency

ranges independently, providing detailed dynamic control in
mastering. It’s ideal for targeting problematic areas like a muddy
low end, harsh mids, or sibilant highs without affecting the rest of
the mix. We have covered this in the mixing module but when it
comes to Mastering , multiband compression works quite
differently since we are making changes to all the sounds at once
instead of individual sound elements. So you have to be
extremely careful and subtle while using it because its easy to
ruin your track if you over do these effects while mastering since
we are causing changes to every sound in the track at once.
Low Band (20 Hz - 200 Hz)

● Purpose: Control low-end dynamics for a tight and punchy bass

response.
● Settings:
○ Threshold: Set around -20 dB to engage the compression
during loud bass peaks.
○ Ratio: Start with a low ratio (1.5:1 to 2:1) for gentle control.
○ Attack: Slow attack (20-30 ms) to let the transient punch
through.
○ Release: Medium release (100-200 ms) for a natural
decay.
○ Make-up Gain: Adjust to balance the output level after
compression.
Mid Band (200 Hz - 4 kHz)

● Purpose: Enhance clarity and presence for vocals and

instruments without dulling them.
● Settings:
○ Threshold: Set around -18 dB to catch peaks in vocals
and guitars.
○ Ratio: Moderate ratio (2:1 to 3:1) for more control.
○ Attack: Medium attack (10-20 ms) to catch transients while
retaining punch.
○ Release: Medium to fast release (150-250 ms) for natural
dynamics.
○ Make-up Gain: Adjust to match the overall level
High Band (4 kHz - 20 kHz)

● Purpose: Smooth out harshness and enhance brightness in the

mix.
● Settings:
○ Threshold: Set around -22 dB to engage on bright peaks.
○ Ratio: Low ratio (1.5:1 to 2:1) for subtle control.
○ Attack: Fast attack (1-5 ms) to catch sharp transients.
○ Release: Fast release (100-150 ms) to maintain clarity
without harshness.
○ Make-up Gain: Adjust to keep high frequencies clear.
Keep in mind that these settings are quite subjective, but they can
be a good starting point for you. Don’t be scared to experiment
with the knobs because thats the only way you’re going to learn
what they do. There are really no hard and fast rules, as long as it
sounds good to you and you’re not causing any issues like
clipping or phase cancellations, you’re good.
 Harmonic Excitement

Using saturation plugins like the Fabfilter Saturn 2 can improve the
tonal character of your song significantly. It’s typically a good idea to
use saturation while mastering only after you’ve done the main
processing like EQ’ing / compressing / clipping / limiting. Because with
saturation again it’s best to make only subtle changes because
overdoing will cause distortion and harshness.
Low Band (20 Hz - 200 Hz):

● Drive: Set a low to moderate drive to add warmth and fullness to

the bass without becoming boomy.
● Focus: Emphasize even harmonics for a rich, smooth sound.

Mid Band (200 Hz - 2 kHz):

● Drive: Moderate drive to enhance the presence and clarity of

vocals and instruments.
● Focus: Use a mix of odd and even harmonics for balance and
character.

High Band (2 kHz - 20 kHz):

● Drive: Use a lower drive setting for subtle brightness and clarity.
● Focus: Target high frequencies with odd harmonics to add
sparkle without harshness.

Monitoring Multiband Saturation

● A/B Testing: Regularly compare the saturated master with the

unprocessed version to evaluate the impact of the saturation.

● Listen on Multiple Systems: Check your master on different

playback systems (monitors, headphones, portable speakers) to
ensure it translates well across formats.
 ● Focus on Clarity: Ensure that the saturation enhances the mix
without muddying the sound or introducing distortion.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

● Over-Saturation: Too much saturation can lead to harshness or
loss of dynamics. Solution: Use subtle amounts of saturation and
monitor frequently.

● Frequency Buildup: Excessive saturation in specific bands can

cause a cluttered mix. Solution: Be selective about which
frequencies to saturate and avoid over-processing.

● Loss of Low-End Control: Saturating the low end can

sometimes lead to muddiness. Solution: Keep the low band’s
drive moderate and monitor for clarity.

*Make sure that when using multiband

saturation on your master, turn on the Linear
Phase Mode to avoid phase issues..
 Multiband Saturation Automations

A. Automating Drive for Dynamic Saturation

Gradually increase or decrease saturation in different sections of the song to

emphasize intensity or release tension.

● How to Do It:
○ Choose a specific band (e.g., the mid-range for vocals or
instruments).
○ Automate the Drive to increase saturation in choruses and reduce it
in verses, creating a dynamic shift in energy.
○ For a subtle effect, automate slight increases in drive during
transitions, such as build-ups or breakdowns.

Example: A gentle increase in drive in the low-end band during a build-up can
create a growing sense of fullness, culminating in a punchy drop when the
chorus hits.

B. Modulating Crossover Points for Evolving Tones

Purpose: Change the frequency range each band affects to shift the tonal focus
throughout the track.

● How to Do It:
○ Automate the Crossover Points between bands to expand or
contract the range that each band affects.
○ Start with narrow frequency ranges for more surgical control in the
intro, then widen them during the chorus to create a fuller, richer
sound.

Example: You can shift the crossover point between mids and highs so that the
saturation focuses more on high frequencies during the intro, adding brightness,
and then slowly move to the mids for warmth in the breakdown.
C. Automating the Mix for Smooth Transitions

Purpose: Blend in the saturated signal gradually, making the effect more
noticeable in specific sections.

● How to Do It:
○ Automate the Mix knob to adjust the balance between dry and wet
signals.
○ Start with a low mix in quieter sections, and ramp it up for more
intense parts like the chorus to introduce saturation smoothly.

Example: Start with a low wet mix during a verse to keep the sound clean, and
slowly increase the wet mix as the chorus approaches, making the sound
progressively more saturated and lively.
Adding Width And Dimension
Drawmer S73 is a really good plugin to use while
mastering if you’re trying to add some width to your song.
Keep the mix to around 30% and the amount to around
50% and select the “Wide Mix” preset. Turning on the
‘AIR’ switch can help add some brightness to the song but
keep it mind if you’ve already boosted the high end using
multiband compression / saturation / eq , its not a good
idea to keep this switch on.

Another trick to add a sense of width is using Echoboy by

Soundtoys. Use the 30ips Tape Echo Preset with the
“Master Tape” style and keep the mix to only 2-3%. It’s a
really subtle change but these little changes add up to
create a major change in the context of the full song.
You can also add another Echoboy in your chain. Use the
“Stereo Ambience” preset and keep the mix to again
2-3%.

Although how wide and spacious your song sounds

depends 90% on your mix. You have to make sure you’re
panning as many sounds as you can even if you pan
certain sounds by only 2% left or right it makes a huge
difference after you Master the song, because when you
master your song you bring out a lot of the sounds that
might not be very prominent and audible in the song
before mastering, so even a slight pan can add a big
sense of width and dimension in your song. So make sure
you are panning things.
You can create distance in your sounds that are not supposed
to be super prominent. Like a gentle pad , or some light
percussion sound, or even a background vocal. In that case
using mono reverbs is extremely helpful. You can use any
reverb that allows mono and stereo separation. For example
the Pro - R plugin by Fabfilter. You can simply put this plugin
on one of your sounds that you want to be far away in the
background , make it 100% wet , and then reduce the stereo
width to zero. So when you get to mastering these distanced
sounds end up sounding really 3D, making your entire song
sound more spacious. Think of it this way - the more distance
you create in the sounds inside your mix , the more your
sonic world expands.
Now that you are familiar with all the essential theory, go and practice Mixing
And Mastering as many songs as you can. None of the information you read
or watch is useful until you go and actually try to apply those concepts in
your songs. If you are a complete beginner, it might seem overwhelming. You
might also feel like you still don’t understand the concepts very well even
after you read them, but that’s only because you are yet to get familiar with
using them. So apply each one of these concepts in your songs, experiment,
and overtime things will inevitably become crystal clear.

Just keep in mind that most of the projects you work on won’t end up
sounding that good initially, but you still have to stick to it, finish the project
that you started. Don’t leave it halfway. You need to develop the muscle of
finishing projects. All the top artists that you look up to have thousands of
songs in their vault because they understand that it takes a whole bunch of
really bad and mediocre songs to eventually make a really good song.

You also don’t need any expensive gear. A laptop and a mic is more than
enough to start. Having less or no gear in fact teaches you to bring the most
out of the least resources, which ends up making you exceptional at your
craft. So focus on what you have, make the most out of it.
 Limiting

A limiter is just a type of compressor with a high ratio that

prevents audio from exceeding a specified threshold. It
ensures that the signal stays within a desired dynamic
range, effectively controlling peaks. Simple.
Key Features:

● Threshold Setting: Determines the maximum level the

audio can reach.

● Attack and Release Times: Control how quickly the limiter

responds to incoming signals.

● Ceiling: The absolute maximum output level, often set just

below 0 dBFS to prevent clipping.

Steps to Apply Limiting in Mastering

1. Insert a Limiter: Place the limiter as the last plugin in your

mastering chain.

2. Set the Output Ceiling: Start by setting the output ceiling to

–0.1dB or –0.3dB. This ensures the track won’t clip or distort on
playback systems.
3. Adjust the Input Gain: Gradually increase the input gain until
the track reaches the desired loudness. Watch the gain reduction
meter to ensure you’re not over-limiting (ideally, keep gain
reduction below 3–5dB for a natural sound).

4. Fine-Tune the Threshold: Lower the threshold until the limiter

starts controlling peaks effectively without making the track
sound squashed.

5. Set the Release Time: Start with an auto-release setting (if

available) for transparency. If manual control is required, find a
balance between punchiness and smoothness.

6. Check for Distortion: Listen carefully to ensure no distortion

is introduced, especially in bass-heavy sections.

7. A/B Compare: Toggle the limiter on and off to compare the

processed and unprocessed sound. Ensure loudness is
achieved without compromising dynamics or clarity.
Keep in mind :

● Avoid Over-Limiting: Too much limiting can make the

track sound lifeless and fatiguing so just aim for a
balance between loudness and dynamics.

● Use Reference Tracks: Compare your track’s loudness

and tonal balance with professional references to stay
competitive and not feel lost.

● Metering Tools: Use LUFS (mentioned before) to target

appropriate loudness levels for your platform if
needed.

● Preserve Dynamics: Make sure that the track still

breathes and retains its energy by keeping those
transients intact.

● Listen on Multiple Systems: Test the limited track on

headphones and monitors and also small speakers to
make sure it sounds great across all the common
devices, because believe it or not, most people aren’t
actually listening to your song on $20,000 studio
monitors. They’re probably blasting it through some
$20 earbuds or a car stereo with blown speakers so
think from their perspective.
 Addressing Common Issues and Goals
1.) Mixes Sounding Muddy or Thin

Whether your mix sounds muddy, or thin, they are 2 sides of the
same coin. They both boil down to a frequency imbalance.
Meaning that one side of the frequency section in your song is
overpowering the other.

The reason for your mix sounding muddy can be all the muddiness
from all your different sounds piling up because you didn’t take out
the unnecessary low end rumble from those sounds. This build up
causes your song to sound muddy overall, making it sound like it
lacks clarity and confuses the listener on what’s exactly going on in
the song. So making sure you’re cleaning up the low end as you go
is crucial.

Another reason could be you’re using certain samples that are

already too low-end filled. There might be too many clashing
frequencies around the lower mid section in your sounds. In that
case using a dynamic EQ or a multiband compressor to control the
lower mid range of those sounds can be really effective.

But to find these sounds you have to go through all the sounds one
by one until you find them and deal with them individually. Sounds
extensive, I know. But that’s quite important if you want to avoid
these issues.
Another reason for muddiness also could be due to a lack of high
end. A lot of times when your song lacks high end majorly it can
make your song sound like its under water or dead. Especially on
speakers. So make sure your song has enough high end to make it
pop out while playing on speakers.

The reason for your track sounding thin is exactly the opposite - a
lack of low end.

Although cleaning up the low end is necessary, you dont want to

over do it. Your track needs bass to give it body and depth and
heaviness. Getting rid of too much of the low end can make it
sound really flat and lifeless and thin. Use dynamic eqs and
saturators and multiband compressors to add that bass and depth
to your sounds. It’s really important for your song to have that low
end warmth for it to sound professional and full.

2.) Vocal EQ Mistakes

EQ’ing vocals is a really delicate process. I’ve seen people

completely kill their vocal using an EQ because of how harshly they
did it.

To get a good vocal EQ going on you really need to make subtle

changes and nothing too drastic ( besides the sharp low cut to
eliminate the low end rumble )
In short while EQ’ing a vocal you mainly just need to get rid of the
low end rumble, cut and boost in the low mids / mids / highs very
gently to enhance the character / find and reduce resonances.

You definitely dont need a MASSIVE boost in the high end of your
vocal to make it sound brighter and more present. There’s better
ways to get a bright sounding vocal using saturation or multiband
compression which we’ve already discussed.

You can also create a parallel send for your vocal and add a
graphical EQ on there and add a significant boost in the high end if
you really want. Some people might argue this can cause phase
issues but atleast in my experience I never had that issue while
doing this. Same goes for adding mid-low warmth. You can do
both. I know these settings look drastic but remember its on a
parallel send. You can control the amount as per your will.
 3.) Noise Reduction and Clean up

There’s several ways to get rid of the background noise from your
vocal but one of the most effective ways that always seems to work
is using Audacity.

Its a free recording software that offers really solid noise reduction
ability.

Just leave the first 3 seconds empty while recording. After you’re
done recording, select the first 3 seconds of that audio. Go to
effects and go to “Noise Reduction” and then click on “Get noise
profile”

Then select the entire audio using the CTRL + A command, go to

Noise Reduction once again and set the noise reduction to 12,
sensitivity to 6, frequency smoothing to 3 and then click on “Ok”

This always works and leaves little to no background noise in your

vocal.
Now that you are familiar with all the essential theory, go and
practice Mixing And Mastering as many songs as you can. None of
the information you read or watch is useful until you go and actually
try to apply those concepts in your songs. If you are a complete
beginner, it might seem overwhelming. You might also feel like you
still don’t understand the concepts very well even after you read
them, but that’s only because you are yet to get familiar with using
them. So apply each one of these concepts in your songs, experiment,
and overtime things will inevitably become crystal clear.

Just keep in mind that most of the projects you work on won’t end up
sounding that good initially, but you still have to stick to it, finish the
project that you started. Don’t leave it halfway. You need to develop
the muscle of finishing projects. All the top artists that you look up to
have thousands of songs in their vault because they understand that
it takes a whole bunch of really bad and mediocre songs to eventually
make a really good song.

You also don’t need any expensive gear. A laptop and a mic is more
than enough to start. Having less or no gear in fact teaches you to
bring the most out of the least resources, which ends up making you
exceptional at your craft. So focus on your current resources and
continue learning and applying all the information and knowledge
you come across.

Look out for the next free eBook updates and feel free to let me know
your feedback or any requests for any topics you want covered in the
upcoming updates.
 You can reach out to me here:-

Email : [email protected]

Instagram : pure.noise.with.res

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