r/mixingmastering • u/atopix Teaboy ☕ • Jan 05 '25

Announcement READ BEFORE POSTING + Ask your quick/beginner questions here in the comments

POSTING REQUIREMENTS

  • +30 days old account
  • COMMENT karma of at least 30 (NOT the same as your TOTAL karma). You can read and learn a lot more about Reddit karma here.
  • Descriptive title (good for searches, no click-bait, no vague titles)

READ THE RULES (ie: NO FREE WORK HERE)

Hot reddit tip: If you don't want to get banned on Reddit, read the rules of each community that you intend to post in. Here are our rules: https://www.reddit.com/r/mixingmastering/about/rules

Looking for mixing or mastering services?

Check our ever growing listing of community member services (these links won't work on the app, in which case please SEARCH in the subreddit):

Still don't find what you are looking for? Read our guidelines to requesting services here. If your post doesn't meet our guidelines, it'll be removed.

Want to offer professional services?

Please read our guidelines on how to do so.

Want feedback on your mix?

Please read our guidelines for feedback request posts. If your post doesn't meet our guidelines, it'll be removed.

Gear recommendations?

Looking to buy a pair of monitors, headphones, or any other equipment related to mixing? Before posting check our recommendations, which are particularly useful if you are starting up, since they include affordable options.

If you want to know about a particular model, please do a search in the subreddit. If your post is about a frequently asked about pair of speakers or headphones, it'll be removed.

Have questions?

Questions about the craft of mixing and the craft of mastering, are very welcome.

Before asking your question though, do a search, A LOT of things have been asked and popular topics get repeated a lot. You are likely to find an answer or a related post if you search.

CHECK OUR WIKI. You'll find books, youtube channels, online courses and classes, links to multitracks for practice and much more. There is quite a bit of information there and it keeps growing! If your question is covered in the wiki, your post will be removed.

If you have questions about technical troubleshooting, this is not your subreddit, you can try the technical help desk sticky over at /r/audioengineering.

For questions about live audio go to r/livesound

If you are having trouble with a specific DAW, check some of these dedicated subreddits:

WANT TO ASK ABOUT A RELEASED SONG WHICH IS NOT YOUR OWN? Please include the artist name and song title in the title of the post! That way there is no click-bait and people in the future doing a search for that song, will find your post. Also, linking to streaming platforms for this purpose is very much ALLOWED.

If you think your question is relevant to what our subreddit is about, have checked the wiki, have done a search and still didn't find an answer, you are welcome to ask it but please make sure it's a good question.

There is a popular saying: "there are no stupid questions", which is incredibly stupid and wrong. Stupid questions are aplenty and actual good questions are rare. This essay on the topic of how to ask good questions was written primarily about people wanting to acquire hacking/programming skills, but the idea very much applies to professional audio too: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html (if you can't be bothered to sit for about an hour to read the whole thing or even skim through it for a few minutes, here is the one minute version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KrOxcQd81Q)

Got a YouTube Channel, a podcast, a plugin, something you want to promote?

If it has a LOT to do with mixing and/or mastering and lines with what the subreddit is about we are interested in knowing about it. Before posting, please tell us mods about what you intend to post. We'll walk you through posting it right.

When in doubt about whether your post would be okay or not ask the mods BEFORE POSTING.

We are here to help, so we welcome all questions. But keep in mind we might not be as friendly if you ask the questions after you tried to post and your post got removed. So please vacate all your doubts with us beforehand: https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/mixingmastering

Have a quick question or are you a beginner with a question?

Try asking right here in the comments! Just please don't use this for feedback (you can try our discord for quick feedback).

12 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

159 comments sorted by

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u/wtflmfaorofl Jun 25 '25

Are we allowed to post a link of music we’ve made to have critique? Or is there a different sub for that? Would just like to hear a breakdown of some of the mistakes I’m unable to hear in my mixes.

1

u/atopix Jun 25 '25

Not on this post, but yeah, here are the guidelines and requirements: https://www.reddit.com/r/mixingmastering/wiki/guide-feedback

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u/julsvoyeur Jun 25 '25

How do you apply reverb in your mixes?

Hi there. I'm wondering which is the approach that you guys take when applying reverb to your mixes.

Let's say that I've done leveling, EQ and compression and then I want to make some depth and bring elements to life. How is your approach? How many reverbs do you use?

I usually make 3 layers to "glue" all the instruments in a cohesive space, playing with the predelay of each one, but that approach is for giving some sense of physical space.

Then? Do you spice up some elements? Lets say, the snare. If it has already a reverb for glue, would you add another one?

I think reverb is a very subjective topic and its interesting to know another perspectives.

2

u/atopix Jun 25 '25

Reverb is indeed super subjective, so I think the best thing you can do if you are curious about it is to just study professional mixes, starting with your favorite music. I think that's the best way to figure it out, by studying great mixes and developing a taste and intuition for it.

Some of my favorite use of reverb is that of engineer/producer Nigel Godrich.

1

u/LaMarr-Bruister Jun 22 '25

I want to download the free Loudmax plugin limiter that I keep reading great things about. The download has it as a dll file, which I've never heard of. Where does that go? I'm a bit lost

Thanks!

1

u/LaMarr-Bruister Jun 22 '25

I found a video that explains it and it worked perfectly. Link in case the next person needs help....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojn60XszIMc&ab_channel=J-SchoolOnline

1

u/atopix Jun 23 '25

Awesome, Loudmax rocks! And otherwise another equally great free limiter is: https://kilohearts.com/products/limiter

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u/[deleted] Jun 13 '25

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u/atopix Jun 14 '25

Don't really know, but we wouldn't do feedback on work that you didn't do yourself either way.

I can tell you that if you are hiring actual professional mastering engineers it's precisely their job to evaluate the mixes and tell you if they are ready for mastering and release. That's one of the big reasons to hire someone in the first place. Why did you have more than one person do masters on the same song for you?

1

u/SunnybankDann Jun 14 '25

Thanks. I’d meant the mastering has been done, and it’s hard to assess ourselves, the engineers aren’t assessing them. We are honestly trying to learn ourselves too and the third master is one we worked on. We had more than one other person on the project because the first person was delayed due to other work, and another person offered to step in and help us meet the deadline, but then the first person ended up getting back to it sooner than expected and was able to finish it in time. We were okay to do that because we are also learning and developing a sound and wanted to hear different takes on the song. Is that unusual? We have sent the masters to both of them, they are aware of each other, but that is purely out of interest and creative curiosity, they can’t be expected to make a call as of course they will like theirs the most.. Anyways, the core of what I was asking as a newbie was is there a way to assess mastering based on different systems. If it sounds good on AirPods, but weak in a car, or. Ice versa, is it still just a taste thing, or are there objective things to consider in assessing a mastered track? I’m guessing the answer is no, we can’t get help here. But anyway, enjoy your music. and thanks for taking time to reply

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u/bulletfastspeed Jun 11 '25

Stupid question, but my girlfriend who developed chronic illness wants me to finish up her songs. She has guitar and vocal tracks, so a friend and I have added drums/bass/guitar/other sound effects. The thing is, I get overwhelmed anytime I open a DAW. I like stuff that sounds great, but have no clue how to choose anything. And damn, there are so many different types of eq/reverb/compression etc, so many ways to use them, so many parameters for each thing, etc etc etc... I don't know how to do any of this, but I know when I like a mix/don't... There are so many tutorials, so many places to begin.... And I just don't know what to do... Any advice? I want this to be a positive experience, not something I am deathly afraid of confronting.

2

u/atopix Jun 12 '25

Mixing is hard, it's a professional craft, so don't expect to figure this all out with a couple of tutorials. That said, this is possibly the best video to get started on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEjOdqZFvhY

And we have more recommendations here: https://www.reddit.com/r/mixingmastering/wiki/learning-on-youtube

here: https://www.reddit.com/r/mixingmastering/wiki/resources

And the rest of our wiki: https://www.reddit.com/r/mixingmastering/wiki/index

1

u/Super-Dance3923 Jun 01 '25 edited Jun 01 '25

recently i have had some trouble with creating a balanced mix and mixing my track, for example there are many high end sounds in my mix that fatigue my ears after a session so i have resorted to using an eq but my instrument tracks still feel like they overlap and it feels like there is no space for each track along with that the harsh frequencies still come through any tips? currently i only am using my laptop speakers no other speakers or headphones

2

u/atopix Jun 02 '25

You just can't do any serious mixing on laptop speakers, they are no good to work on. Even a pair of consumer earbuds would be much better. You need some proper monitoring, we have affordable recommendations in our wiki: https://www.reddit.com/r/mixingmastering/wiki/gear

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u/Super-Dance3923 Jun 02 '25

i got some headphones but they fatigue my ears sometimes

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u/[deleted] May 31 '25 edited May 31 '25

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u/atopix May 31 '25

These are the sub's guidelines for making a feedback request post: https://www.reddit.com/r/mixingmastering/wiki/guide-feedback

We don't do free private feedback here.

1

u/dareprods May 31 '25

my apologies i just edited the post !

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u/AKIYAMA999 May 25 '25

Hi I'd like to know how to get the sound of the vocals used in grunge like in Another Space Song or The Nurse Who Loved Me from Failure specifically in 1:24. A more mainstream example is the vocals on Youngest Daughter. I've been having trouble trying to mix vocals just like this style and i may be asking the wrong subreddit but i would appreciate it if anyone knew the answer.

2

u/BabetteBichouxCh May 24 '25

Hi, sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, I wasn't sure if this deserved its own post. I'm hoping anyone can provide advice about emulating the vocal effects in the song glitter by Lexycat. Lexycat has said she used Newtone, which I don't have the funds for but idk it's a start. If anyone more experienced than me has advice (Newtone related or not) I would love to hear it! I'm really new to mixing so I don't really know where to start, I've been doing trial and error with many different plugins but I'd like another opinion lol. Thanks in advance!

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u/PsychologicalDebts May 15 '25

I remember there being a channel provided for a how to master. It was something along the lines of focusing on limiting each channel as a main concept but it was hours and hours of a professional breaking down his process. Any insight into what that channel / videos were. Or if not, any recommendations. Mainly looking for mastering.

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u/atopix May 15 '25

Our wiki articles on mastering have plenty of links to videos of different professional mastering engineers breaking down their process and also discussing mastering in general: