One of the primary roles of mixing is to moderate the volume of each element throughout the song so that the desired instrument or vocals stand out or come together nicely. However, mixing is more than just adjusting the volume levels of an individual instrument and vocal tracks.

 

At its most basic level, audio mixing is the act of taking the separate recordings of each instrument and vocalist and, well, mixing them together.

 

Each element is treated separately to ensure optimal quality. At this time, flaws or disparity in volume across a track can be addressed before it is then combined with the other instrumental tracks to the produce the desired effect of the song.

One of the primary roles of mixing is to moderate the volume of each element throughout the song so that the desired instrument or vocals stand out or come together nicely.

However, mixing is more than just adjusting the volume levels of an individual instrument and vocal tracks. There are several sub-methods of mixing that help to produce the finished product.

Mixing engineers decide where in the stereo spectrum to place each instrument, in what is known as ‘panning’. In a typical ‘stereo field’ there are left and right speakers (or headphones) and each instrument can be placed at a particular space in the stereo field to create the desired effect. This can help to provide balanced sound across both sides or to create an effect in which the sounds filter in through one side but not the other.

Audio engineers also address the song’s “EQ” or the loudness of specific frequencies. This adjusts for the muddiness mentioned above when many instruments are recorded together. The same muddy quality can occur when separate instrument tracks are mixed together without taking EQ into account.

 

By varying the frequency of each instrument, a better, cleaner sound quality is produced.Instrument volume, placement, and EQ are often adjusted to different levels throughout the song to create a specific sound experience.

Mixing also provides the engineer with the opportunity to incorporate effects and automation so that the song sounds as rich as possible, and that specific choruses stand out consistently, for example.Once the mixing engineer is happy with the combination of each element he can then turn to mastering the track.