Mixing & Mastering
The Makeover
Mixing is as much an art form as it is a science. Creating a great mix requires someone with all the right technical skills, an amazing set of ears, and tons of experience. A good mix engineer needs to have the ability to hear what’s there and instantly know what it can become. It’s about understanding the artist and the song, seeing the greater picture, bringing out the strongest parts and intensifying them.
Letting go of your baby
After having spent weeks or months practically living with a song, it can be hard to decide that it’s finally done and let it go. Handing it off for a professional to mix can be both exciting and a little scary. Our mix engineer has worked with many artists and producers over the years, helping them realize their vision of the song while still providing a fresh new perspective. Your baby will be in good hands! We promise.
Our work speaks for itself. Have a listen to the before/after examples below.
The Wow Effect
What constitutes a great mix? So much of it depends on what the song calls for, but some of the things we usually want to achieve is for the listener to feel enveloped and drawn in, for there to be an esthetic symmetry to the stereo image and a warm and even frequency response so that the song has a feeling of fullness. For example, pay attention to the sound of the distorted electric guitar in the chorus of the first song below, Who You Are.
With more music than ever being made, you want your song to stand out and for the listener to go Wow! If you’re looking for that big fat wide sound so that your song can compete with all the latest radio hits, getting it professionally mixed is the way to go. Notice the dramatic difference we made to the song Ay below.
Fix it in the mix?
Not everything, but a lot can be fixed in the mix. There are two main things that affect the sound quality of a song: The way it was recorded and the way it was mixed. Below are two examples with very different circumstances. There were a lot of issues with the recording of Different Walls. The drums were recorded with very few and not so great microphones in a less than optimal room, some of the vocals were distorted, and there were timing problems between different instruments.
My Little Brown Book, on the other hand, was recorded in a great studio with all the best equipment and extremely professional players. As you can hear, both of these songs benefited a lot from being mixed.
Mastering
We always master everything we mix and that service is included free of charge. Of course, you also get the unmastered 24bit mix in case you want to have it mastered elsewhere. Additionally, alternate versions such as an instrumental, a Capella, or TV mix are also included free of charge so long as they are made after the main mix is done.
Get in touch!
We’d love to hear from you, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. The best way to reach us is via our contact form. Don’t forget to attach a rough mix and name a few reference songs that help illustrate what you’re looking for in the mix.