If you could give one tip...

[bassguy]

Proper gainstaging and enough headroom.

Reference. Reference often.

these

and this too

Look less, listen more.

 

[electricred]

Read WDYRSLA and ermz Systematic Mixing. Also, use eq to take away crap instead of trying to boost the good stuff.

Pardon, but what is WDYRSLA? I've read the Systemic Mixing Guide, and an assortment of other non-metal oriented books, but I'm always looking for more information.

 

[Beneath_the_Bliss]

Reference. Reference often.

+1

 

[Doctor Gay]

get a halfstack

 

[colonel kurtz]

i'm gonna have to say play around with compression, and make sure not to overdo it on anything...overcompressing the fuck outta everything seems to be about the biggest n00b mistake nowadays

 

[ashgallows]

there are 3 things i learned here that vastly improved my mixing. recording and mixing tracks at -18db, the bass guitar is essential and with the proper processing will beef up the whole mix, and lastly : mixing imo up to a certain stage is just trying to spot problems and use the correct tools to fix those problems...the hardest part is honing in on what it is thats holding the mix back.

 

[if6was9]

Mix at a low-medium low volume. Then when you turn it up loud it still sounds good, whereas if you mix loud it can fool you into thinking it sounds good and sounds dull and lifeless when quiet.

Properly gain stage your plugins. Alot of plugins raise the volume as soon as they're activated so take the time to match the output volume with it on to the volume of the audio with that plug off.

High Pass everything except possibly kick, bass and floor tom. If you've to do your own mastering then highpass the master at 20hz too. Amazing how much headroom can be eaten up by stuff you neither want to and some times can hear!

Get it right at the source.

 

[Pekka Posio]

Unplug the internet cable when you are trying to mix.

 

[outbreak525]

use eq to take away crap instead of trying to boost the good stuff.

VERY IMPORTANT I learned this the hard way. Subtractive works WONDERS on every instrument in a mix if you do it right.

 

[Jind]

My one tip is instead of always asking for presets, try to learn the tools you are using to the point where you can figure out how a particular producer/engineer got the results they did. I think quite a few people tend to give up on a particular plugin, DAW, any product really before they learn all it's capabilities and as such never really figure out how a particular result was achieved. Presets, while useful as starting points, are rarely applicable without understanding how to manipulate it to the individual track/project your working on.

That's my one tip - I'm sure many already know this, but it never ceases to amaze me with the number of people looking for a magic solution in a preset.

As always, individual mileage may vary.

 

[rob w]

My one tip is instead of always asking for presets, try to learn the tools you are using to the point where you can figure out how a particular producer/engineer got the results they did. I think quite a few people tend to give up on a particular plugin, DAW, any product really before they learn all it's capabilities and as such never really figure out how a particular result was achieved. Presets, while useful as starting points, are rarely applicable without understanding how to manipulate it to the individual track/project your working on.

That's my one tip - I'm sure many already know this, but it never ceases to amaze me with the number of people looking for a magic solution in a preset.

As always, individual mileage may vary.

+billion!

 

[LeSedna]

Less is more, if the track needs nothing, then do nothing

 

[Kohugaly]

Less is more, if the track needs nothing, then do nothing

Maybe HPF, LPF.... that "nothing" can sometimes add on making "something"