What is the Difference Between Mixing and Mastering? EXPLAINED (2022)
Are you trying to figure out the difference between mixing and mastering?
The terms mixing and mastering are often lumped together, however in reality they are completely separate parts of the production process.
At first, I struggled to understand the differences between the two. There is a LOT of misinformation out there, which can leave a lot of beginners confused.
Hopefully this no-nonsense guide will help you get your head round the key differences between mixing and mastering.
What Is Mixing?
In order to fully differentiate between mixing and mastering, it’s important we start with a few definitions.
So first of all: what is mixing?
Mixing is essentially the process of balancing the elements of the track to create a dynamically cohesive sound.
This usually consists of:
• Normalizing the volume of the individual tracks so there are no unnecessary peaks and that each element of the song can be heard.
• Adding EQ to the sounds so each sound fills it’s own space in the frequency spectrum. Unwanted frequencies are also removed using low/high-pass filters.
• Panning certain sounds to create a wider, more “spacious” mix.
• Adding compression, delay and reverb to add emotion and intrigue and make the sound more interesting for the listener.
These various adjustments can completely transform the tone and character of the song. Mixing can often turn a flat, dull track into a bright, lively, professional-sounding song.
Mixing is also used to add emotion and create a more dynamically interesting result. This could be done by making certain sounds louder at climactic moments in the song, or by adding subtle reverb to sounds to make them more emotive and “dreamy”.
So now you have a dynamic, balanced track which sounds great. It’s time for a mastering engineer to step in.
What Is Mastering?
So what exactly is mastering?
The aim of mastering is to create a high quality, professional sound that sounds great on any source.
In other words, mastering consists of:
• Making the song as loud as possible without distorting or “squashing” the track.
• Enhance the mix by tweaking the overall EQ and balance of the track.
• Making sure the song sounds great on any speakers (laptop speakers, cheap headphones, studio monitors etc.)
Mastering will make a song sound like any professional song on the market. This means it will be just as loud and have a similar frequency response.
For example: let’s say your song gets included in the credits of a movie. If the track is unmastered, it will sound quieter and less powerful than the tracks alongside it. Whereas if it’s professionally mastered, the song will sound loud, impactful, and sound great on TV speakers or other sources.
Many producers are intimidated by the idea of mastering their own tracks. However the more you learn, the more you understand how simple it really is!
To Review: What is the Difference between Mixing and Mastering?
• It’s important to note that mixing always comes BEFORE mastering.
• Mixing requires access to the various tracks within a song, while mastering only requires the final mixed song.
• Usually, mixing is significantly more complex and time-consuming than mastering, therefore a mixing engineer is often hired.
• Mixing involves adding and tweaking effects such as reverb, EQ and delay, therefore after mixing the song could sound dramatically different. Whereas the mastering process is less obvious.
• Mixing balances individual instruments and controls how they interact with each other. Mastering balances the entire song as a whole.
What next?
Now you understand the fundamental differences between mixing and mastering, it’s time to put it into practice. Here are a few of our popular guides on achieving high-quality, professional-sounding mixes.
• 5 Biggest Mixing Mistakes and How to Fix Them (2022 Music Mixing Tips)
• Top 10 Mixing Tips that will TRANSFORM your Final Track (2022)
• How To Mix Vocals like a Pro in 2022 (6 QUICK TIPS)
• How to Mix Bass To Achieve the PERFECT Low-End (5 Quick Tips)
