If you're starting in music production, you've probably heard that "mixing" and "mastering" are key steps. Sometimes they sound mysterious or complicated. Here I explain calmly what they consist of, why you need them and what mistakes to avoid when making your songs.

What is "mixing"?

Mixing is the process where you take all the recorded tracks (vocals, guitar, drums, etc.) and balance them: volume, frequencies, stereo space, effects. The goal: to make them sound like a coherent, clean and professional song.

During mixing you work on:

Volume levels of each track to create balance.
Equalization (EQ) to clean conflicting frequencies or enhance what's needed.
Panning: distribute instruments in the stereo space for clarity and separation.
Subtle effects: reverb, compression, delay — just enough so each instrument sounds full without muddying.

And what is "mastering"?

Mastering is the final step. You already have the finished mix, exported in stereo. Mastering adjusts the overall volume, fine frequencies, and prepares your song to sound good on different speakers, systems and platforms.

It's like giving "the final varnish" to your song so it sounds professional, uniform and competitive.

Common mistakes when mixing or mastering (and how to avoid them)

⚠️ Saturating all the volume / using presets without criteria

Consequence: "Crushed" mix, no dynamics, sounds artificial

Solution: Adjust levels yourself, avoid magic presets.

⚠️ Excess bass / poorly controlled low frequencies

Consequence: Confusing mix, sounds "pile up"

Solution: Use high-pass filter if necessary, clean frequencies that don't contribute.

⚠️ Using too much reverb or effects

Consequence: Loses clarity; the mix sounds "muddy"

Solution: Use effects in moderation. Less is often more.

⚠️ Mixing only on headphones or one system

Consequence: May sound good there, but bad on other equipment

Solution: Test your mix on different speakers / devices.

⚠️ Skipping mastering or doing it poorly

Consequence: Song never sounds like a professional's

Solution: Don't skip mastering: even a good home-studio should consider this stage.

Good practices to achieve a good result

Train your ear: Listen to professional songs, analyze how they sound, which instruments stand out.
Make conservative mixes: It's better to adjust little by little than wanting everything to sound "at maximum" right away.
Take breaks: The ear gets tired; a pause helps hear details better.
Seek help if you need it: Sometimes a fresh pair of ears makes all the difference.

Understanding what mixing and mastering do, and doing it well from the start, can make the difference between a home demo and a song with professional sound. If you want to sound like a serious artist, it's worth the effort to learn — or ask for help.

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