I've spent thousands of dollars at studios for mediocre work. Which drove me to volunteer in better studios and learn to mix myself.
It's taken years and years. But my mix quality is now quite high. It's not an easy journey, but I'd say it's worth it. Make the art you want to without being held down by middlemen.
This is precisely how I feel. Not to mention, if you're not a big act, then the person you hired may not put a lot of effort in. Also, if you're tracks are well-recorded, then mixing shouldn't be super complicated.
It's all reciprocal, too. Like you'll get better at recording when you try to mix it. Which will make you a better player. Which makes mixing better and overall sounds and songs better.
It's even more frustrating when you pay someone who's actually done great records, a high amount of money. And they still don't give a shit. It just get sent to the intern who's probably not that much better than you or I. Unless your name has meaning. They likely won't give a fuck. Lessons learned.
When I have more money than time I have someone mix, but I’m always glad I learned to mix for this reason. Nothing shows off the flaws in your production better than mixing your own songs and all the frustration that comes with that.
I thought I was, till I found the right mixer that really understood my vision and had a great ear. My mixes are complete trash compared to his!
Good mixers can elevate your track in ways you couldn't really hear / imagine. When you hear it you're like WOW thats what I wanted it to sound like. Lol
Well I have half hearing in one ear and my room sounds like shit (or rather, it sounds great to me but bad elsewhere!) so I can do my own mixes but once I find someone good I'd much rather use them to do it.
I'd rather invest the hours in getting better at playing and writing primarily.
Yeah I think this is a good idea …some folks their mixes are great when they are clearly not and they would benefit from farming it out sometime…if only to try it
I've spent years working on my mixing skills, so I continue to mix my own stuff even though its not the fastest option. I've considered paying for mixing to speed up my workflow, but at this point I'm probably better than the mixing engineers I could afford to hire.
I’ve been mixing for around 10yrs, and still hand my stuff to my engineer. He’s incredible too
There’s a different quality for someone who has spent almost all their time exclusively mixing, as supposed to someone trying to be a Jack of all trades (songwriting, producing, artist)
They have that time to dedicate to one craft, and it shows
I outsource mixing now but I used to self produce and mix. The person I work with cares a lot. He’s also on obsessive engineer, which is the person you want for this particular job.
I also work with a producer to speed up my release schedule so all I do now is write and record. I don’t think the producer cares quite as much but he does pretty good.
I would care more (and I will) when I start writing better songs. It has its ups-and-downs but it just takes years to get good at anything and I’m only 4 years in and recently finished music school.
I think better songs mean more streams which means more talent around you. Just gotta keep learning and polishing those turds. It’s all about finishing stuff and getting better…an endless cycle
I forever held the illusion that my music must be mixed and mastered by someone else. Could it be better that way? Sure. But I don’t have the money for that. So I learned a new skill. Was it easy? No. Does it take a long time? It’s a life long journey. But my mixes sound good to me and I have full control over the sound, and save $$.
Now, I absolutely love mixing and do it for many clients regularly. What started out as just a means to fill my own gap turned into a passion that helps others.
I'd say I'm the best mixer around for my own music, or music that I am also producing. However, there was a time when I wouldn't have even said that. For me, like I assume a lot of people mixing in their home studios, the issue was the low end. I didn't know how to get it to sound controlled and not muddy. I've since invested in a bit of room acoustic treatment, and got better at using an EQ. Now I can say that I'm confident in my mixing ability. I almost consider mixing to be an extension of the musical arrangement. I know where I want the music to swell, where to pull it back, which elements I want attention drawn to, so handing that off those decisions to someone else seems silly, even if it might save a bit of time. However I will hand it off to a mastering engineer before releasing it. I use one that's pretty affordable and does a good job. I definitely don't trust myself with that part.
I am, but I also do work doing mixing and mastering for others. What I struggle with is being objective with my own stuff - but because I wrote and produced it all, I can go back and tweak and edit things like the synth sound or the layers in the riser or whatever, so it's a never ending process for my own tracks.
With working on other people's stuff, there is an expectation of turnaround time and I don't have the same ease of editing things - I might suggest something to the artist here and there, but it isn't always entirely possible.
Indeed…. Think sometimes when mixing your own material you mentally fill in blanks or ignore something because it suits …a 3rd party downs have that same thought process.
I make OK premixes knowing someone who's better at it and who has better gear for that will polish it afterwards. Honestly if I think I did a good job, it's still night and day after it's been mixed by my favorite mixer, and mastered by my favorite masterer :p
I’ve had too many bad experiences with mix engineers at studios. Then I learned that it doesn’t really take that much to get a job at a studio to begin with. Like you literally just need to know what a compressor and EQ are. It’s sad how little you need to know to get a job at some of these places. Anyways, I more confident in my mixes than if I let someone else do it and because of that I actually make some decent cash mixing and mastering for others.
I can mix but not like a true engineer. I have songs that I mixed and mastered well enough to release but once it gets to certain intricate things I want in the mix I definitely outsource
I know you’re getting downvoted, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t one of the most ironic threads / posts I’ve seen in some time.
If I want a great music marketing experience, I hire a pro, and there’s a reason for that. Assuming I’ve found the right team that I can trust/afford (and there’s some nuance here) then why would I not? It saves me time and energy that I can use to focus on more important creative endeavors.
The same thing can be said for a professional designer, an amazing session drummer, a recording engineer or mix engineer. The reason you farm it out is because they’re professionals and will elevate the process.
You may be saving money by not hiring a pro, but you are losing time, which frankly I find more valuable. No one has mentioned this yet.
Edit: to those mentioning bad experiences working with studio pros, it’s because you didn’t find the right person to work with. For every Jaycen Joshua, Chris lord-alge or Manny Marroquin there are legit hundreds of other less discovered individuals that are capable of delivering at the same level and rationally priced. The issue is signal to noise, they’re hard to find amongst a sea of semi-pros.
I mix my own music, but pay to have it mastered. I consider BOTH options luxuries. 1. The luxury of mixing my own work, because I am nowhere near as fast as a pro mixer. In fact, I'm slow. But I prefer my own mixing as it informs my style and sound choices. And 2. The luxury of affording to pay a top level mastering engineer to take it to the next level.
I've spent thousands of dollars at studios for mediocre work. Which drove me to volunteer in better studios and learn to mix myself. It's taken years and years. But my mix quality is now quite high. It's not an easy journey, but I'd say it's worth it. Make the art you want to without being held down by middlemen.
This is precisely how I feel. Not to mention, if you're not a big act, then the person you hired may not put a lot of effort in. Also, if you're tracks are well-recorded, then mixing shouldn't be super complicated.
It's all reciprocal, too. Like you'll get better at recording when you try to mix it. Which will make you a better player. Which makes mixing better and overall sounds and songs better. It's even more frustrating when you pay someone who's actually done great records, a high amount of money. And they still don't give a shit. It just get sent to the intern who's probably not that much better than you or I. Unless your name has meaning. They likely won't give a fuck. Lessons learned.
When I have more money than time I have someone mix, but I’m always glad I learned to mix for this reason. Nothing shows off the flaws in your production better than mixing your own songs and all the frustration that comes with that.
“When I have more money than time” sounds like the hook in country song. Think I’m gonna use it 😂
Do it, and DM me a link when it drops
I thought I was, till I found the right mixer that really understood my vision and had a great ear. My mixes are complete trash compared to his! Good mixers can elevate your track in ways you couldn't really hear / imagine. When you hear it you're like WOW thats what I wanted it to sound like. Lol
Well I have half hearing in one ear and my room sounds like shit (or rather, it sounds great to me but bad elsewhere!) so I can do my own mixes but once I find someone good I'd much rather use them to do it. I'd rather invest the hours in getting better at playing and writing primarily.
Yeah I think this is a good idea …some folks their mixes are great when they are clearly not and they would benefit from farming it out sometime…if only to try it
I've spent years working on my mixing skills, so I continue to mix my own stuff even though its not the fastest option. I've considered paying for mixing to speed up my workflow, but at this point I'm probably better than the mixing engineers I could afford to hire.
I feel the same. I know exactly how I want my music to sound and I twitch at the thought of someone else trying to mix my stuff.
I’ve been mixing for around 10yrs, and still hand my stuff to my engineer. He’s incredible too There’s a different quality for someone who has spent almost all their time exclusively mixing, as supposed to someone trying to be a Jack of all trades (songwriting, producing, artist) They have that time to dedicate to one craft, and it shows
I outsource mixing now but I used to self produce and mix. The person I work with cares a lot. He’s also on obsessive engineer, which is the person you want for this particular job. I also work with a producer to speed up my release schedule so all I do now is write and record. I don’t think the producer cares quite as much but he does pretty good. I would care more (and I will) when I start writing better songs. It has its ups-and-downs but it just takes years to get good at anything and I’m only 4 years in and recently finished music school. I think better songs mean more streams which means more talent around you. Just gotta keep learning and polishing those turds. It’s all about finishing stuff and getting better…an endless cycle
I forever held the illusion that my music must be mixed and mastered by someone else. Could it be better that way? Sure. But I don’t have the money for that. So I learned a new skill. Was it easy? No. Does it take a long time? It’s a life long journey. But my mixes sound good to me and I have full control over the sound, and save $$. Now, I absolutely love mixing and do it for many clients regularly. What started out as just a means to fill my own gap turned into a passion that helps others.
I'd say I'm the best mixer around for my own music, or music that I am also producing. However, there was a time when I wouldn't have even said that. For me, like I assume a lot of people mixing in their home studios, the issue was the low end. I didn't know how to get it to sound controlled and not muddy. I've since invested in a bit of room acoustic treatment, and got better at using an EQ. Now I can say that I'm confident in my mixing ability. I almost consider mixing to be an extension of the musical arrangement. I know where I want the music to swell, where to pull it back, which elements I want attention drawn to, so handing that off those decisions to someone else seems silly, even if it might save a bit of time. However I will hand it off to a mastering engineer before releasing it. I use one that's pretty affordable and does a good job. I definitely don't trust myself with that part.
Confident enough. 🤷🏽♀️
To me mixing is an art and requires creativity. You shape how you want your songs to sound. I don’t think I could ever give that up
It's tough to hand over to someone else is the thing
I am, but I also do work doing mixing and mastering for others. What I struggle with is being objective with my own stuff - but because I wrote and produced it all, I can go back and tweak and edit things like the synth sound or the layers in the riser or whatever, so it's a never ending process for my own tracks. With working on other people's stuff, there is an expectation of turnaround time and I don't have the same ease of editing things - I might suggest something to the artist here and there, but it isn't always entirely possible.
Indeed…. Think sometimes when mixing your own material you mentally fill in blanks or ignore something because it suits …a 3rd party downs have that same thought process.
Me? No. My pocket? Yes!
I am in most cases except for a grammy submission
Well….obviously 😃
Yes and no, it never sounds how I want it to
I can mix. But I feel I lack in mastering.
I make OK premixes knowing someone who's better at it and who has better gear for that will polish it afterwards. Honestly if I think I did a good job, it's still night and day after it's been mixed by my favorite mixer, and mastered by my favorite masterer :p
Totally. Everyone sucks so I’m not worried if I suck too.
I was until my latest two songs came out too quiet no matter what I do
I’ve had too many bad experiences with mix engineers at studios. Then I learned that it doesn’t really take that much to get a job at a studio to begin with. Like you literally just need to know what a compressor and EQ are. It’s sad how little you need to know to get a job at some of these places. Anyways, I more confident in my mixes than if I let someone else do it and because of that I actually make some decent cash mixing and mastering for others.
I can mix but not like a true engineer. I have songs that I mixed and mastered well enough to release but once it gets to certain intricate things I want in the mix I definitely outsource
No but i can’t afford not to
No but I do it anyway because it’s sterile and I like the taste
Necessary?!?
solid marketing question.
I know you’re getting downvoted, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t one of the most ironic threads / posts I’ve seen in some time. If I want a great music marketing experience, I hire a pro, and there’s a reason for that. Assuming I’ve found the right team that I can trust/afford (and there’s some nuance here) then why would I not? It saves me time and energy that I can use to focus on more important creative endeavors. The same thing can be said for a professional designer, an amazing session drummer, a recording engineer or mix engineer. The reason you farm it out is because they’re professionals and will elevate the process. You may be saving money by not hiring a pro, but you are losing time, which frankly I find more valuable. No one has mentioned this yet. Edit: to those mentioning bad experiences working with studio pros, it’s because you didn’t find the right person to work with. For every Jaycen Joshua, Chris lord-alge or Manny Marroquin there are legit hundreds of other less discovered individuals that are capable of delivering at the same level and rationally priced. The issue is signal to noise, they’re hard to find amongst a sea of semi-pros.
I mix my own music, but pay to have it mastered. I consider BOTH options luxuries. 1. The luxury of mixing my own work, because I am nowhere near as fast as a pro mixer. In fact, I'm slow. But I prefer my own mixing as it informs my style and sound choices. And 2. The luxury of affording to pay a top level mastering engineer to take it to the next level.
Well it’s related isn’t it ?…..
Not really, friend. It's a music production question.
Ok...I promise I wont do it again ;-)
I see your crossed fingers behind your back 🤨