3 Mistakes That Make Your Mixes Weak and Thin

Sounds are multi-dimensional with frequency ranges from low to high end and varying loudness levels. Simply pushing up volume can cause clipping at peak frequencies.

• Frequency response changes over time in music • Must consider both loudness level and frequency distribution • Dynamic changes require thinking in the time domain

Mixing for loudness involves three steps: control your dynamics, fill up your spectrum, and fill up the space that is left over.

Music is not static, so frequency response and loudness shift constantly throughout the track.

When a very dynamic element and a sustained loud element hit together, the peak on the master channel forces a limiter to squash them together, making the sound muddy and weird.

• Duck the sustained element's volume when the dynamic element hits • Slowly increase volume after the transient passes • This prevents the overall level from crossing the limiter threshold

• Manage kick and sub bass interaction by ducking the sub when kick hits • Use multi-band compression when tom and sub bass hit simultaneously to duck only the sub area • Control clap transients with clippers and timing adjustments

Dynamics control is a sum-up game where small adjustments of 2-3 dB each build up to create a cleaner overall mix.

• Hard clippers introduce warmth and a cool sizzle sound while controlling peaks • Compression or limiting on groups adds glue and cuts unnecessary peaks • Overdrive can add harmonics while decreasing dynamic range

• Snare: add clipper to reduce transient sharpness, adjust timing so it doesn't hit exactly with kick • Hats: play with envelopes to bring down peaks, use clippers to prevent clipping • Lead sounds: tend to bounce around; clippers help maintain consistent level

Controlling dynamics across all elements evens out the alarms throughout the track, creating a tighter mix.

Select clippers for analog warmth and saturation, compression for glue, and limiting for peak control based on desired sound character.

Use distortions or saturations to push the sound further, creating a bigger, fatter sound while helping control dynamics by smoothing transients.

• Start with EQ to avoid getting too close to clipping • Apply clipper to turn elements into stationary sounds • Use glue compression with slow release for pumping effect

Route hats, ambience, sun elements, and potentially toms through the parallel chain to add fullness without cluttering the kick.

Blend the processed chain at an amount that sounds right, optionally adding excess distortion for extra character.

After controlling dynamics and filling the spectrum, identify any remaining empty space in the mix that can be enhanced.

In busy tracks, space may be limited, but when gaps exist, they present opportunities to introduce new elements.

If certain frequency ranges or rhythmic positions lack elements (like missing 16th hats), introduce new sounds to complete the frequency spectrum.

Filling space is the final step of the three-part mixing for loudness framework, completing the process after dynamics and spectrum are addressed.