How can I get a cleaner mix? Help!

[couttsy]

Heyo people so basically I have ben producing for over a year now. Its come to me that my mixes aren't so clear and I know you can just tell me how to make them clearer, it's different for everyone. Just give me some tips on compression, EQ, and how to go about mastering and what not. I usually do this:
-make track and mix it (EQ, Reverb, etc)
-put saws, bass, drums, fx all on seperate channels and combine them all together (they all go the master)
- Lower master channels DB to avoid clipping
- Export as WAV
- Master track with izotope ozone in seperate project

If you could give me some tips on compression and whatever feel free to leave stuff below!

[mromgwtf]

First let us hear your track.

[couttsy]

Heres a track I just made
Soundcloud

[Banesy]

That is a big wide open question that can be summed up to "how do I produce electronic music?" You will have to ask more specific questions to get more responses. It sounds like you know what the process has to be...what you have left is to practice and use your ears to use your tools in the right spots and at the right time.

I know what you are getting at though...as I have been progressing, my mixes have been getting more and more cleaner sounding. In general for a "cleaner" mix, I think you need learn how to apply subtractive EQ'ing to get rid of as much of the extra junk frequencies that aren't needed and apply effects that don't go overboard and destroy the main sound. It also starts at the synths and samples being used. I think the later is the most important and is what causes people to get better and better over time...if you are making synths that don't work with the mix...you aren't going to be able to EQ your way out of it as well as making a synth or using a sample that fits perfectly.

[RubyVesper]

I personally think the mix sounds great. Could use a bit of the super-high end. Many people forget about the 10k+ frequencies. The frequencies themselves are not that audible, but the effect of clarity is undeniable. I personally actually prefer mid-centered mixes, but most people prefer this "high-highs" style.

And yes, EQ is important. Many sounds sound like absolute sh*t when separate, but work in a mix because there is something else occupying the other ends of the spectrum. EQ out as much as you can without harming a sound, WHILE NOT SOLO'ING IT. You need to hear it in the mix at all times, as it WILL sound crappy outside of the mix.

[mromgwtf]

I personally think the mix sounds great. Could use a bit of the super-high end. Many people forget about the 10k+ frequencies. The frequencies themselves are not that audible, but the effect of clarity is undeniable. I personally actually prefer mid-centered mixes, but most people prefer this "high-highs" style.

And yes, EQ is important. Many sounds sound like absolute sh*t when separate, but work in a mix because there is something else occupying the other ends of the spectrum. EQ out as much as you can without harming a sound, WHILE NOT SOLO'ING IT. You need to hear it in the mix at all times, as it WILL sound crappy outside of the mix.

Frequencies above 10khz are not audible?

[Labco]

...Lower master channels DB to avoid clipping

Do not do this, why are you touching the master channel?
Your master fader should always always be at 0db
You adjust every other fader in the mix until it all sounds right and your master is no longer clipping

[couttsy]

...Lower master channels DB to avoid clipping

Do not do this, why are you touching the master channel?
Your master fader should always always be at 0db
You adjust every other fader in the mix until it all sounds right and your master is no longer clipping

Aha! Thank you I appreciate it! Anything I should put on the master channel? Like a limiter? I usually compress each individual thing by its own

[NinjaEdit]

A bit of mid/side eq and limiting on the master at the end may help.

[killakam98]

mix w/ a pair of monitors

[cimmfokus]

you need monitors, and you need 2 learn subtractive EQ'ing which is literally getting rid of the shit frequencies you do not need and one that also clash with others.

I found monitors helped me alot.

[couttsy]

pair of monitors? Like studio speakers? I need them too but what do you mean?

[Turnipish_Thoughts]

Thinking Inside the Box

and

Pensado's Place

Plus lots and lots of practice. You also need a decent pair of monitors like other people have said or a decent pair of monitoring headphones. Why? Colouration. the point of monitors is that they are designed specifically to minimize colouration as much as possible. They are not the same as speakers. they're called monitors because they are used to 'monitor' the audio signal (as opposed to passive listening through usual speakers that always colour the sound in some way.)

[RAHUMUSIC]

Getting clean mixes is probably the hardest thing in producing for me. I've really utilized subtractive EQ'ing as it really makes every instrument have individual clarity. I also think that it's easy to over work a mix, as in really over do it. Knowing when to stop and be confident in your work is a good trait to have.
Also, using really good samples and sounds is the most important part. Take time to strictly work on sounds and synths to have at your disposal. Chris from What so not mentioned to do that on some Ableton class on youtube.

[SyrantOfficial]

Here's what I do when it comes to mixing and basically to help it sound much better
Kick, snare: no change (-6 dB)
Basses: -2 dB lower (-8 dB)
Synths: (somewhere between -10 and -25)
Vocals: -3.5 dB lower (-9.5 dB)
Percussion: -4 dB lower (-10 dB)
Impacts: -5 dB lower (-11 dB)
Cymbals -5.5 dB lower (-11.5 dB)
Atmosphere: -8 dB lower (-14 dB)
Sweeps: -10 dB lower (-16 dB)
Then I do a lot of subtractive EQ'ing. Which in short means to cut the frequencies you don't need.
From there I would usually drop my master down to 15% to hear what's dominant in the mix (thanks for that tip @OmegaMode) then make changes around that. But I try to keep the master at a set point and base my volumes around that point. Here's the example of this not being done

NOTE: When listening to this. It's a comparison between the poorly mixed version to using this method and it switches every 4 bars. Starting with the poorly mixed version.
Soundcloud

You can definitely hear a difference when it comes to the mix.

[NinjaEdit]

I don't think anybody (even me) mentioned highpassing.

Here's what I do when it comes to mixing and basically to help it sound much better
Kick, snare: no change (-6 dB)
Basses: -2 dB lower (-8 dB)
Synths: (somewhere between -10 and -25)
Vocals: -3.5 dB lower (-9.5 dB)
Percussion: -4 dB lower (-10 dB)
Impacts: -5 dB lower (-11 dB)
Cymbals -5.5 dB lower (-11.5 dB)
Atmosphere: -8 dB lower (-14 dB)
Sweeps: -10 dB lower (-16 dB)
Then I do a lot of subtractive EQ'ing. Which in short means to cut the frequencies you don't need.
From there I would usually drop my master down to 15% to hear what's dominant in the mix (thanks for that tip @OmegaMode) then make changes around that. But I try to keep the master at a set point and base my volumes around that point.

Your master fader should always always be at 0db
You adjust every other fader in the mix until it all sounds right and your master is no longer clipping

[bennyfroobs]

the less stuff u have in ur mix the easier it is to mixdown


like skudge, the techno producers, flawless mixes, and only maybe 5/6 elements per track

[SyrantOfficial]

Just a quick reply to say that those tips I handed out are from Phiso, so thank him

[bouncingfish]

Here's what I do when it comes to mixing and basically to help it sound much better
Kick, snare: no change (-6 dB)
Basses: -2 dB lower (-8 dB)
Synths: (somewhere between -10 and -25)
Vocals: -3.5 dB lower (-9.5 dB)
Percussion: -4 dB lower (-10 dB)
Impacts: -5 dB lower (-11 dB)
Cymbals -5.5 dB lower (-11.5 dB)
Atmosphere: -8 dB lower (-14 dB)
Sweeps: -10 dB lower (-16 dB)

You can definitely hear a difference when it comes to the mix.

I was just about to make a post about just this - nice!

Gonna try this - mixing using my ears only has worked - kinda - but I'd like to use rules like these to see where that takes me. THanks!

[NinjaEdit]

Here's what I do when it comes to mixing and basically to help it sound much better
Kick, snare: no change (-6 dB)
Basses: -2 dB lower (-8 dB)
Synths: (somewhere between -10 and -25)
Vocals: -3.5 dB lower (-9.5 dB)
Percussion: -4 dB lower (-10 dB)
Impacts: -5 dB lower (-11 dB)
Cymbals -5.5 dB lower (-11.5 dB)
Atmosphere: -8 dB lower (-14 dB)
Sweeps: -10 dB lower (-16 dB)

You can definitely hear a difference when it comes to the mix.

I was just about to make a post about just this - nice!

Gonna try this - mixing using my ears only has worked - kinda - but I'd like to use rules like these to see where that takes me. THanks!

Your master fader should always always be at 0db
You adjust every other fader in the mix until it all sounds right and your master is no longer clipping