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Mixing & production guides
How to solve the problems that come up in every mix, step by step, with any plug-ins. Where one of ours makes it quicker, we say which.
How to use delay on vocals: slapback, 1/8 and 1/4 note throws, filtering and ducking the repeats, plus tape delay vs digital delay and when to use…
4 min read Half Time Effect: How to Slow Down a BeatHow to make a half time effect and slow down a beat without changing tempo: half-time vs halving BPM, tape-stop, and keeping the downbeat on the grid.
5 min read How to Compress Vocals: Ratio, Attack and ReleaseHow to compress vocals: ratio, attack and release settings that work, serial compression for an even vocal, levelling vs character and common…
5 min read How to De-Ess Vocals (Without Making Them Lisp)How to de-ess vocals: find sibilance at 5-10 kHz, set threshold, attack and release, and tame harsh S sounds without dulling the voice or making it…
5 min read How to EQ Vocals: A Step-by-Step GuideHow to EQ vocals step by step: high-pass the rumble, cut mud and nasal honk, then add presence and air. Frequencies, Q settings and common mistakes.
5 min read How to Fix Harsh Vocals and Resonances in a MixHow to fix harsh vocals: find harsh resonances at 2-6 kHz, cut them with narrow or dynamic EQ, and smooth a vocal without making it sound dull in…
4 min read How to Make Music Sound Vintage: Lo-Fi Tape EffectHow to make music sound vintage with a lo-fi tape effect: wow and flutter, saturation, band-limiting and noise, step by step with any plug-ins.
5 min read How to Make Vocals Sound Warm and PresentHow to make vocals sound warm and present: clear mud, add body around 200 Hz, tame harsh upper mids, saturate lightly and compress for a close, rich…
5 min read How to Make a Master Louder: Clipper vs LimiterHow to make a master louder without distortion: clipper vs limiter, LUFS targets, -1 dBTP true peak, streaming normalisation and a gain staging chain.
5 min read How to Make a Sound Sound Far Away in a MixHow to make a sound sound far away in a mix: use level, high-frequency loss, pre-delay, early reflections and softer transients to place it deep.
5 min read How to Master a Song at Home: A Step-by-Step ChainHow to master a song at home: reference tracks, honest monitoring, an EQ, density, width, clipping and limiting chain, loudness targets and clean…
5 min read How to Mix Kick and Bass So They Work TogetherHow to mix kick and bass: decide who owns the sub, carve EQ space, duck the bass under the kick, check phase and keep the low end mono for a solid…
5 min read How to Remove Background Noise from AudioHow to remove background noise from audio: identify hiss, hum and room tone, learn a noise profile, reduce it gently without artefacts, and fix mic…
5 min read How to Remove Mic Bleed From a RecordingHow to remove mic bleed: prevent it at the session, then use gating, EQ, phase alignment, expanders and dedicated tools on drums, vocals and bands.
5 min read Mid Side EQ Explained: When and How to Use ItMid side EQ explained: how M/S works, when to use it on mixes and masters, side high-pass filters, mono bass, and the phase and width risks to watch.
5 min read Mono Compatible Stereo Widening Without Phase IssuesMono compatible stereo widening: how Haas, mid/side and detune widen a mix, why they cause phase issues, and how to check and keep the mono sum…
5 min read Noise Gate on Drums: Settings That Actually WorkUse a noise gate on drums: set threshold, hysteresis, attack, hold and release, filter the key and choose gate or expander to cut bleed but keep…
5 min read Phaser vs Flanger vs Chorus: Modulation ExplainedPhaser vs flanger vs chorus: how each modulation effect works, how vibrato, tremolo and rotary differ, and which sounds best on guitar, synths and…
5 min read Reverb Types Explained: Room, Hall, Plate, ChamberReverb types explained: how room, hall, plate and chamber reverbs differ in decay, pre-delay and early reflections, and which type suits vocals and…
5 min read Sidechain Compression Without a Sidechain: PumpingHow to get sidechain compression without a sidechain: the classic kick-keyed pumping effect explained, then faster shortcuts that skip the routing.
5 min read Transient Shaper: How to Make Drums PunchierHow a transient shaper works and how to use one to make drums punchier or softer: attack vs sustain, when to choose it over compression, and drum…
4 min read Underwater Sound Effect: How to Make Muffled AudioHow to make an underwater sound effect or muffled audio: low-pass cutoff, resonance, slow modulation, dark reverb and automation for smooth…
5 min read VCA vs FET vs Opto Compressor: Types ExplainedVCA vs FET vs Opto compressor, plus Vari-Mu: how each circuit behaves, what it is best for, and typical attack, release and ratio settings to start…
5 min read What Is Saturation in Mixing? How to Use It WellWhat is saturation in mixing? Learn how harmonics, tape, tube and transistor colour, parallel blends and oversampling help you add warmth without…