Mixing & Mastering

Turn rough takes into release-ready tracks. Practical mixing and mastering guides covering EQ, compression, levels, loudness and the workflow that gets your songs sounding finished.Start here: The Best Free VST Plugins · The Best EQ Plugins · The Best Compressor Plugins · The Best Reverb Plugins.

How to Check Your Mix for Mono Compatibility

Learn how to check your mix for mono compatibility, spot phase cancellation before it thins the low end, and fix…
How to Mix With Cheap Headphones

Learn how to mix with cheap headphones: know their sound, use reference tracks, tame the low end, add correction software…
How to Use Reference Tracks When Mixing

Learn how to use reference tracks when mixing to check tone, loudness and balance against pro records, level-match fairly, and…
How to Master an Album for Consistency

Learn how to master an album for consistency — match loudness, tone and level across every track so the whole…
How to Master a Single vs an Album

Learn how to master a single vs album: loudness targets, tonal consistency, track sequencing, spacing and gaps, so every song…
How to Master a Song for Vinyl

Learn how to master for vinyl the right way — tame bass and sibilance, keep dynamics, mono your low end,…
How to Master Without Slamming a Limiter

Learn how to master without a limiter using gentle compression, saturation and clipping to hit a competitive loudness while keeping…
How to Mix a Sample-Based Beat

Learn how to mix a sample-based beat so chopped loops, drums and 808s sit together cleanly — EQ, level balance,…
How to Mix Backing Vocals

Learn how to mix backing vocals so they support the lead without cluttering the mix — EQ, compression, panning, reverb…
How to Mix a Full Band

Learn how to mix a full band from a messy multitrack to a finished song — balance, EQ, compression, panning,…