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6 Things to Consider for Your Mix
Listen attentively to your song, and consider the suggestions listed below:
1. Balance Check for the level relationship of the tracks. Which ones are supposed to be featured tracks (e.g. the vocal, solos) and which ones are meant to support the mix (e.g. the room tracks)? Which ones are supposed to blend with each other (e.g. the kick drum and bass tracks)? Which ones are supposed to contrast each other (e.g. the guitar track vs. the keyboard track)? Also, consider making subtle level adjustments when a musician is featured either visually or when he has a solo.
2. Spectral (frequency) content Make sure each instrument is balanced by itself. Use equalization to blend tracks together or separate them apart. Also, beware of some tracks masking others because of their frequency content.
3. Panorama First, think about how the instruments are laid out on stage and try to follow their positions. (see the above picture) You want to find a balance between your left and right channels with regards to the rhythm and melody of your instruments (e.g. you may want to separate a rhythm guitar from a comping piano, or two lead guitars from one another).
4. Spatial characteristics You want to simulate the acoustical space as much as you can. Mix your tracks with regards to the physical space they occupy (e.g. are they in the foreground, mid-ground, or background?). Here's where reverb and other special effects (e.g. delays) can help an instrument or vocal sound distant or close to the listener.
5. Dynamics Complement real dynamics (i.e. let the performance indicate the general volume and strength of the song) with implied dynamics (e.g. use automation to create a crescendo). You can also think of a balance in terms of controlled dynamics (e.g. using compression) vs. allowed dynamics (e.g. letting an instrument vary from loud to soft levels naturally).
6. Interest Once you've taken care of the sonic quality of your mix, think of the emotional character of the song. What are the highlights? How does the song evolve from beginning to end: what is its story?
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