How to Mix Electronic Music

How to mix electronic music comes down to a few priorities that matter more than they do in other genres: a tight, controlled low end; clear separation between the kick and bass; deliberate use of width and depth; and a mix that stays clean when it is pushed loud. Electronic music lives and dies by its low frequencies and its energy, so most of your effort goes into making the bottom end powerful and the whole track punchy.

Here is a practical order of operations for mixing an electronic track, whatever the subgenre.

Get the arrangement and gain staging right first

A good mix starts with a good arrangement. If too many elements occupy the same frequency range at the same time, no amount of EQ will fully fix it — sometimes the answer is to remove or mute parts. Set sensible levels with headroom before you process anything; clean gain staging keeps your whole mix predictable.

Control the low end

The low end is where electronic mixes are won or lost. Two elements usually dominate: the kick and the bass. The problem is they often fight for the same frequencies, causing a muddy, undefined bottom.

• Decide who owns what. A common approach is to let the kick own the very low sub thump and the bass sit just above, or vice versa, so they are not stacked on the same frequency.
• High-pass everything that does not need low end. Synths, pads, hats and vocals rarely need anything below the bass region — rolling it off cleans up the mud instantly.
• Mix the low end in mono. Sub frequencies should be centred and mono so they translate to club systems and stay phase-coherent.

Sidechain the kick and bass

Sidechain compression is the classic electronic-music move. You compress the bass (and often pads) using the kick as the trigger, so every time the kick hits, the bass briefly ducks. This does two things: it stops the kick and bass competing for the same energy, and it creates the rhythmic “pumping” feel that defines a lot of dance music. Start subtle for clean separation, push it harder for an obvious pump as a creative effect.

Build width and depth

Electronic music often sounds huge because of careful spatial design. Keep the important low-end elements centred and mono, then create width in the mids and highs:

• Pan and spread synths, percussion and effects across the stereo field.
• Use stereo widening on pads and atmospheres (but not the bass).
• Create depth with reverb and delay so some elements sit forward and others sit back — see reverb and delay.

The contrast between a tight mono low end and a wide, deep top end is what makes a mix feel three-dimensional.

EQ and compression for clarity

With levels and space set, sculpt tone and dynamics. Carve competing elements so each has its own pocket — if a synth and a vocal clash, dip the synth where the vocal lives. Use compression to glue groups together and to add punch to drums. The fundamentals are the same across all genres; see EQ and compression fundamentals.

Loudness and the final polish

Electronic music is often loud, but loud should never mean distorted. Use bus compression and a limiter on the master to add density and level, and check your loudness with metering rather than just turning it up. Our LUFS guide explains sensible targets, and what mastering is covers the final stage. Reference a commercial track in your genre at matched volume to judge whether your low end, brightness and loudness are competitive. For more, see mixing your first song and the mixing and mastering hub.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the low end of my electronic mix sound muddy?

Usually the kick and bass are occupying the same frequencies and fighting each other. Separate them so each owns part of the low range, high-pass everything that does not need bass, and keep your sub frequencies mono and centred.

What is sidechaining and do I need it?

Sidechaining compresses the bass using the kick as a trigger, so the bass ducks each time the kick hits. It separates the two elements and creates the pumping rhythm common in dance music. It is not mandatory, but it solves kick-bass clashes very effectively.

How do I make an electronic mix sound wide?

Keep the low-end elements centred and mono, then spread synths, percussion and effects across the stereo field with panning and stereo widening. Add depth with reverb and delay so some sounds sit forward and others sit back.