10 Critical Skills an Audio Engineer Should Have: How Do You Compare? There is no such thing as “correct audio mix”. The beginners in this profession always doubt their approach and how to start. But, it isn’t as complex as it sounds. The style is what makes the difference from one audio engineer to another. Pick a style and develop a routine. These two tips will really help you master your engineering skills. 1. Listen to the Reference Tracks There are different genres of music. Listen to the reference songs the artist gave you. You will better understand the genre and the sound that you should master in the mixing process. 2. Clean Mixdown Session Always take care with the structure of the stems. Check to see if they need any sort of drum replacement, vocal tuning, arranging or other editing. It is crucial to start with the faders set to 0dB and a clean mix.
3. Groups Create a better workflow. Set up your groups for a quicker and easier mixing process. Every DAW offers ways to make groups in the mix and you should use them. Don’t lose valuable time on simple details. Create groups to solve the engineering problems as quickly as possible. Try the <a href="https://www.bketech.com/tour3b" />Beat Thang</a> DAW, for example. 4. Tracks to Buses Route particular tracks to the buses. The buses will help control the volume with one master level. If you have 10 tracks with drums, it will be more efficient to route them as one instrument. Having a single control for each instrument will save you a lot of time. 5. Panning Left and Right Don’t pan your tracks hard right or hard left. It will only ruin the mix because it isn’t necessary. Many beginners aren’t aware of the consequences of this action. This usually happens with double-tracked guitar performances. 6. Less Effects Many engineers try to apply effects on each track to balance the volume. Avoid the EQ and try to create the balance only with the volume level. It is a smart, quality way to make the best mix. You won’t distort the tracks with so many effects. 7. Audio Mix Perspectives Try your mix in every possible music environment. Play it in your car stereo, on your laptop, and on your speakers. You can also try it with earbud and studio headphones. It is a good way to find the mistakes in upir mix. That way, you can correct them. 8. Start Again, and Again Don’t be disappointed if you don’t achieve your mixing goal from the start. Practice is the best way to learn what mistakes you are making. Realize those mistakes, correct them, and start over. Trial and error will be your two best friends when learning mixing. 9. Let Your Mix Sleep After long hours of mixing, it is easy for your ears to get tired. In this situation, you need to close the mixing session and come back later. Continue the process tomorrow if you have the time. Taking a break will help your ears to calm down from the audio stress. Working many hours on a mix will not make it perfect.
10. Low Volumes Loud doesn’t always means better. If you want a great mix, do it at low volumes. It will help you hear each track’s detail. The low-end instruments will get the most attention in this way of mixing. But, you will also take care of your ears because it can be exhausting to learn the mixing process.
There are many more tips to create the best mix you can. These will help you get started. Realize the opportunities of the mix and practice to see how good you can make it. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give up. Each mix is one step away from your best audio engineering. Listen to each track with a lot of attention. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rush with the decisions and you will get the best out of the experience.