Last Updated: November 21, 2025
Frequency Ranges
20-60 Hz
Sub-bass (rumble, power)
60-250 Hz
Bass (warmth, fullness)
250-500 Hz
Low mids (body, muddiness)
500 Hz - 2 kHz
Mids (presence, clarity)
2-4 kHz
Upper mids (definition, harshness)
4-6 kHz
Presence (intelligibility)
6-20 kHz
Highs (brilliance, air)
EQ (Equalization)
High-Pass Filter (HPF)
Remove low frequencies (rumble, noise)
Low-Pass Filter (LPF)
Remove high frequencies (harshness)
Parametric EQ
Adjust frequency, gain, Q (width)
Shelf EQ
Boost/cut all above or below frequency
Cut before boost
Remove unwanted frequencies first
Narrow Q for cutting
Surgical removal of problem frequencies
Wide Q for boosting
Natural-sounding enhancements
HPF vocals at 80-100 Hz
Remove low-end rumble
Reduce 200-400 Hz for clarity
Remove muddiness
Boost 5-10 kHz for air
Add brightness and sparkle
Compression
Threshold
Level where compression starts
Ratio
Amount of compression (4:1, 8:1, etc)
Attack
How fast compressor responds (ms)
Release
How fast compressor stops (ms)
Knee
Soft (gradual) or hard (sudden) compression
Make-up Gain
Restore volume lost from compression
Vocals: 3-6 dB reduction
Typical compression amount
Fast attack for transients
Control drums, percussive sounds
Slow attack for punch
Let transients through
Parallel compression
Blend compressed with dry signal
Levels & Gain Staging
-18 dB to -12 dB average
Good mixing level for tracks
-6 dB headroom on master
Leave room before mastering
0 dBFS = digital maximum
Clipping point (avoid red meters)
Pink noise reference
Use for balanced mix levels
Check mono compatibility
Ensure mix works in mono
A/B reference tracks
Compare to professional mixes
Take breaks
Rest ears every 45-60 minutes
Panning
Center: vocals, bass, kick, snare
Core elements stay centered
Wide: guitars, keys, backing vocals
Stereo spread for width
LCR panning
Left, Center, Right only (vintage approach)
Balance heavy elements
Pan guitar left, keys right
Stereo imaging plugins
Enhance stereo width
Avoid extreme panning
Unless for special effect
Reverb
Room reverb
Small space (0.5-1.5 sec)
Hall reverb
Large space (2-4 sec)
Plate reverb
Vintage smooth reverb
Spring reverb
Guitar amp-style
Pre-delay 10-30 ms
Separate dry from wet signal
HPF reverb at 200-300 Hz
Prevent muddy low-end
Send/return (aux)
Use reverb on bus, not insert
10-30% wet mix
Typical reverb amount
Delay/Echo
Slapback delay (50-120 ms)
Vintage rockabilly effect
Short delay (120-250 ms)
Thicken vocals
Quarter note delay
Sync to tempo (rhythmic)
Dotted eighth delay
Popular rhythmic delay (The Edge style)
Ping-pong delay
Alternates left/right
Feedback 20-40%
Number of repeats
HPF delay returns
Keep low-end clean
Mixing Order
1. Set levels (rough mix)
Balance all elements
2. Pan instruments
Create stereo image
3. EQ (cut first)
Remove problem frequencies
4. Compression
Control dynamics
5. Add effects (reverb/delay)
Create space and depth
6. Automation
Ride levels, adjust parameters
7. Final balance
Fine-tune everything
8. Reference & revise
Compare to pro tracks
Common Mixing Tips
Start with drums & bass
Build mix from bottom up
Mix at low volume
Avoid ear fatigue, better balance
Use buses for groups
Drums, vocals, guitars on buses
Sidechain kick to bass
Create space for kick
Less is more
Don't over-process
Trust your ears
Not just meters and analyzers
Check on multiple systems
Headphones, car, phone, studio monitors
Vocal Mixing
HPF at 80-100 Hz
Remove low-end rumble
Cut 200-400 Hz (muddiness)
Reduce boxiness
Boost 5-10 kHz (air)
Add presence and brightness
De-esser 5-8 kHz
Reduce harsh "S" sounds
Compression 3:1 to 6:1
Control dynamic range
Short reverb + delay
Add depth without washing out
Automation for consistency
Ride levels through song
Double-track for thickness
Pan doubles wide
Master Bus Processing
EQ (gentle adjustments)
Final tonal shaping
Compression (2:1, light)
Glue mix together
Limiter (prevent clipping)
Catch peaks, add loudness
Stereo widener (subtle)
Enhance stereo image
Leave -6 dB headroom
Room for mastering engineer
💡 Pro Tip:
Always EQ and compress in context with the full mix playing. Cut before you boost. Less is more - if it sounds good, stop processing!