Close-up of audio waveforms in a multitrack session on a computer screen
Audio Mixing

Working on Your Mix

Heavy arrangements can get crowded quickly. Low-tuned guitars, bass, and kick need room, and vocals can disappear when the whole band comes in. Mixing involves working through those overlaps and deciding which parts need to stand out.

I've spent over a decade mixing heavy music. Reference tracks and your feedback help guide decisions about tone, effects, and how much of the original recording to keep.

How It Works

The Mixing Process

Here's what to send and what happens once mixing begins.

  • Send Your Tracks

    Get in touch to arrange file delivery. Send clearly labeled audio files with a common start point.

  • Reference & Direction

    Send reference tracks and notes about the sound you're after. Mention anything you like in the rough mix and anything you'd like changed.

  • Mix & Review

    Listen to the first mix and send your notes. Revisions address the changes you want to hear.

  • Final Delivery

    Once you've approved the mix, you'll receive the final files in the agreed formats for the next stage of your release.

Hands typing on a laptop keyboard
Step 01

Send Your Tracks

Get in touch before sending your files so I can arrange delivery. Export each track from the same start point, including any silence before the part begins, so everything lines up when it's imported.

Label the files clearly and include the sample rate and bit depth. Send a rough mix too, along with any notes about edits, effects, or tones you want to keep. If you're unsure what to export, ask before preparing the files.

Pen resting on a notebook of handwritten notes
Step 02

Reference & Direction

Send reference tracks that give me an idea of the sound you're after. Point out what you like about them, whether it's the guitar tone, drum sound, vocal effects, or the balance of the whole mix.

Your rough mix is useful here too. Let me know which parts already feel right and which ones need work. Notes about specific sections help, especially if you want a vocal layer, riff, or change in dynamics to stand out.

Close-up of a listener holding a headphone earcup
Step 03

Mix & Review

The first mix brings the tracks together, with attention to how the guitars, bass, and kick share the low end. Compression shapes the levels and attack, while vocal processing and effects are adjusted around the performance and arrangement.

Mixes are checked on monitors, headphones, car speakers, and phone speakers to catch changes in the balance. Once you receive the mix, listen on a system you know and compare it with your references.

Send your feedback with timestamps where helpful. Notes such as a vocal being too quiet in the chorus or a guitar effect being too strong make it easier to work through revisions.

Portable drive with its USB cable
Step 04

Final Delivery

Once you've approved the mix, the final files are exported in the agreed formats. Let me know whether mastering is happening here or with another engineer so the delivery can be prepared for that next step.

If you need instrumental versions or other alternate mixes, mention them before delivery. Check any requirements from your mastering engineer or distributor and send those through with your final notes.

Contact Me

Ready to Get Your Tracks Mixed?

Tell me how many songs you have, how they were recorded, and when you're hoping to release them.

Let's Get Started