The Benefits of Professional Mixing and Mastering

Thanks to music streaming and digital music platforms, independent music artists have the ability to make and release their albums, from creating the music to releasing it for licensing or streaming. Working with a record label has become a thing of the past for many music artists. Musicians also have the advantage of keeping all rights and ownership and deciding where they want to submit and distribute it. 

When it comes to mixing and mastering your music, this is where many artists can fall short in the quality of sound. Sound engineering knowledge is not easily accessible. The most technically savvy and professional audio experts understand how the most subtle alterations and modifications can affect the overall sound, tone, and message within a piece of music. 

Some musicians may not realize the importance of professional mixing and mastering. However, as an independent musician, even if you have a DIY approach to your music, you should research and look into the benefits that investing in professional mixing and master can offer for your music career.

WHAT IS MIXING AND MASTERING, EXACTLY?

Music mixing and music mastering are two different things but typically are combined since they complement one another. Mixing is the adjustment and combination of audio files together, while mastering is the fine-tuning of the entire audio to give it the best sound when listening.

Many music artists, even those with the equipment for good sound quality, don’t always know what they are listening to or looking for when attempting their own mixing and mastering. The mixing process being the first step is one of the most vital parts to creating balance with instruments, electronic sounds, and voices. Mastering is the final step before making your songs ready for distribution and licensing.

To provide a little more explanation, let’s break down each element:

Audio Mixing: The process of mixing involves taking the recordings of individual tracks, be it voice or instrument, and converting it into the stereo or multichannel format, or more plainly, blending all of the individual parts that make up a song and creating a “put together” version.

You will be doing the most editing with the mixing since this is where you will blend chopped-up, recorded parts and layer them together. If you have a good ear, you might attempt to do this yourself, but you have to understand voices and instruments to reach the correct highs, lows, mids, and everything else in between. 

When creating the audio mix, you will utilize audio software and the main objective is to balance all of the individual tracks together. It may require:

• Applying filters, such as highpass, lowpass, fades, EQ, reverb, and compressors to create a balanced mix;

• Adjusting pitch and tempos to match up timing and correct keys;

• Balancing the track levels (may require you to listen between speakers to develop the stereo sound); and

• Ensuring every track can be heard when played together.

Depending on the audio software you are using, you may need some filters and plug-ins, possibly even a bundle, to obtain all of the filters and changes you can make in the recordings. Then, once your mix is complete, you can move into the mastering.

Audio Mastering: Mastering is the final process of polishing the mix into the best presentation for distribution. The main objective with mastering is to enhance and advance your already well put together mixture in a final form for listeners. 

When developing the mastering, you will utilize more fine-tuning skills with your audio filters, such as EQs, stereo wideners, and saturation, giving the mix a streaming-friendly sound. Mastering is a separate process from mixing, but sometimes engineers, especially more expert sound engineers, can do some mastering while they are mixing. It is the stage where a track is assembled and adjusted for its final, cohesive flow. Don’t forget in this stage to add Fade-ins at the beginning and end of the track, as well as labeling and noting your metadata.

If you are a beginner, this production process can be highly time-consuming. You need to wait until your mix is finished before doing any of the mastering so that you have the opportunity to listen to the track multiple times on different devices and be sure that you are ready for that next step. Of course, the better option would be to utilize a professional in mixing and mastering. 

GET A LEG UP ON THE COMPETITION

With internet music streaming and a plethora of music libraries and playlists out there for people to listen to, musicians are always looking to find ways to stay ahead of the trend. One of the most effective ways to help your music stand out above other independent musicians is by working with professional sound engineers who have vast experience with the most updated technologies and audio hardware. 

Professionals in mixing and mastering can provide your tracks with more than just more precise sound. You will need those types of results to ensure that your tracks are the ones people listen to and say “wow.” 

Many sound professionals understand what it takes to ensure that your music ends up being featured and distributed through a library of music to license for your videos. They also have the know-how to correctly format your music digitally to give you all the most searchable terms for creatives to choose your music for their projects.

LEARN ABOUT IMPROVING YOUR AUDIO

Sound engineers spend countless hours listening to sounds and can detect unwanted noises, hums, or other changes that affect the overall quality of your music. So you should do yourself a favor and find out if you can sit in while they work or listen to the quality from the rough recording you made versus the finalized product after being mixed and mastered. You will be surprised at how different they will sound.

Many mixing and mastering services or engineers understand all of the terminologies that go into their craft. If you want to ensure that your musical tracks are being taken care of properly, you should too. 

It can help you know things like depth, volume control, EQ, reverb, and more since these are the tools used when creating the master recording. Even though you may not be using them right away, if sound engineering interests you and you have an excellent ear as a musician, it doesn’t hurt to learn something new.

SAVE YOURSELF TIME AND (WASTED) MONEY

If you do not know how to mix and master yourself, don’t try it blindly. The process of mixing and mastering tracks can take time, and it requires a good ear and a lot of dedication and patience. In addition, if you are not trained in the art of how to utilize audio programs and plugins, you will spend way too much time trying to get it right when it comes to your music.

Not every piece of audio hardware or software is the same, either. Based on things like your music style or genre, you may not know what the best type of equipment is to buy, and you could end up wasting your money on programs that do not benefit the sound you desire. Instead, save yourself time and money by putting it towards hiring and working with a professional sound engineer.

GAIN CONSISTENT SOUND QUALITY AND RECOGNITION

Many independent artists and musicians dream of the day when their songs can be immediately recognized when just the first few notes or bars are played. One thing that hiring a sound engineer can do for your music is just that - give you that perfect level of dynamics and achieve that sound that people will be able to recognize right away.

Engineers will create smooth transitions to make it sound like it was recorded in just one take. But, of course, sound quality can vary depending on multiple factors, even if you have a decent home studio setup. Also, when you’re not recording it all in one session, it is sometimes easy to detect when things are cut off or changed. But, with a mastering expert on your side, they can eliminate all of that for you.

ENHANCE YOUR STATUS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

While you can always attempt to mix and master your music on your own, there are many added benefits to working with a sound professional. The mixing and creation of a master recording are some of the most vital pieces of music production, and they can make or break you as a true musical artist. 

From understanding the need to create the best high-quality sound to provide you with a format that will ensure your music gets heard, there is no excuse not to utilize a tech-savvy sound engineer for your tracks. They can help you learn more about the importance of audio and create the big picture sound that reflects your music in the best light.

Written by Nicole McCray

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If you need further help creating your own music, we offer audio production and online mixing and mastering services that will help you elevate your sound and bring your song to life!

We look forward to being a part of your success.

How to Record Guitar in Pro Tools

In this tutorial you will learn how to record your guitar in any version of Pro Tools (in 4 easy steps).

 

1. Get an Audio Interface

To begin you will need an audio interface to get started. This is what you will directly connect your guitar or microphone into, which in turn will connect via a USB into your computer. There are many options available to purchase, but today we will be using the Scarlett Solo by Focusrite.

For best results connect your guitar straight into your interface, bypassing all external pedals/ effects. This will give you a clean signal and a great starting point to play with everything Pro Tools has to offer. Adding effects to a clean signal is much easier then taking them away from a dirty one.

Note: It is important when first starting off to obtain as clean of a sound as possible, as this is ideal for mixing and mastering. The more experienced you are the more you can experiment with the pedals you have at home to capture the exact sound you want.

2. Setup Pro Tools

When you first open Pro Tools you will be given the option to create a brand-new blank project, or open one of the pre-existing templates. It is recommended to explore the pre-existing templates to get a feel for how to tackle and structure different genres, but for now we will be starting from scratch. To do so uncheck the “create from template” box and click “create” at the bottom right to begin. 

Welcome to Pro Tools! You should now see a blank workplace.

Now you will need to setup the playback engine to select which audio driver your computer needs to operate your hardware (Setup > Playback Engine). This will be the first step to setup your audio interface and speakers/ studio monitors. This should be a one-time setup unless you change your equipment down the line.

You will need to make sure you have all the correct drivers installed with Pro Tools. ASIO4ALL is recommended as it will cover almost all interfaces making this step as stress free as possible, and in our case is already connected. If you are using another driver or audio interface, you will see a drop-down menu to choose the different options.

Next you need to setup your hardware (Setup > Hardware). This will let you select the exact inputs and output you currently have plugged in and installed to your computer.

Note: Click the wrench icon in the corner to open the advanced options.

Make sure you also adjust your latency compensation once you are familiar with your speakers. Latency is the time it takes for your computer to interpret the signal coming from your guitar or microphone and send it through your speakers as sound. This may result in a slight delay in your output that needs to be compensated for.

Note: Latency compensation should be done after step 3, as you won’t be able to hear your guitar through your speakers until then.

3. Create a New audio Track

You are now ready to add your first audio track (Track > New). To record your guitar, make sure the settings are set to mono, and audio track. There are many different types of tracks that you can add to your workspace, but for now we’ll start with the basics. You also have the option to rename the track, which is useful when organizing a large project (can always adjust later).

Once you create the track, you will see it in your main workspace, but before you can use it you need to assign the correct inputs and outputs to the new audio track, that we just added to your system. If you don’t see the I/O section you can add it to your track by pressing the symbol at the top left of the track.

Next, arm your track to record by hitting the small record button on the right side. Arming a track is how Pro Tools knows which track you want to record on, which is needed when many tracks and instruments are being used in the same session. This will now let you hear your guitar being played through your speakers for the first time. You’ll know everything is working correctly when you see the sound meter levels reacting to your guitar.

Note: If the sound level is at the very top of the meter (in the red), you’ll hear unwanted noise making for a bad signal for Pro Tools to manipulate. Adjust the gain and/or volume input to be lower on your guitar and/or interface. Aim for the clearest input as possible. Latency compensation can also be adjusted at this stage. 

4. Record Your Guitar

With everything setup and ready to go, you are now ready to record your guitar! Press the Record Enable button at the top right of your screen, then hit the space bar or play button and Pro Tools will start recording. 

Click the space bar again or stop button to stop recording and save the audio you just played. You can now adjust and edit this track as you want to get the exact sound you are looking for. 

You can also add different effects on top of your audio file, using the built-in plug-ins Pro Tools has to offer, or third-party plug-ins available to purchase. To do so hit the blank space under the Inserts section of your track.

Many effects can be added on to one track, acting just as your external guitar pedals would, routing through your amp at home.

This is the basics of starting to record a track using Pro Tools, but there is much more that Pro Tools has to offer. Once you are an expert, you will breeze through all of this without a second thought. Keep learning and keep exploring all that Pro Tools is capable of!

Written by Mark Major

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If you need further help creating your own music, we offer audio production and online mixing services that will help you elevate your sound and bring your song to life!

We look forward to being a part of your success.

How to Make Money with Music

Do you want to make music more than just a hobby? Do you want to learn how to make money off the music you create? Does this seem impossible to do? If you answered yes to any of these questions then keep reading! 

Making music is one thing. Making money from it is a whole other thing. Knowing what to do and what not to do can be difficult when there are so many people giving you their opinion. 

Below I’ll be breaking down some “do’s” and “don’ts” when it comes to making money off your music. 

Keep in mind that this is not the only way to make money off your music, these are just some things you can do, and others that you can avoid to help you. 

Do: Find your target audience

This should be the first thing you do before even thinking about releasing music. Your target audience is the listeners who will become fans, so make sure the music you’re making is meant for them.

Ask yourself this:

• Who do I want to hear my music?

• What genre does my music best fit into?

• What does the average listener of this genre look like?

Once you answer these questions, you will have a better grasp of what you want your fans to look like, and start catering your music to them.

Note: Authenticity in music is important, but if you want to make money, you have to be willing to make music for your target audience, and not just for yourself.

Do: Focus on the Fans

Your fans will become the most important part of your career, so make sure you treat them right. Social media and the internet in general have made it incredibly easy to create personal connections with fans, so utilize it! 

It’s also important to understand the difference between listeners and fans. Listeners will check out a song or two and leave it at that. Fans will check out a song or two and then become devout followers who never miss a release. 

Likely, you will have more listeners than fans. Don’t try to win over new fans, focus on the ones you have because they will be the ones buying your merch, streaming your albums, and showing up to your concerts. Make sure you are treating them right.  

Tip: Create an email list with your dedicated fans and send them updates and links to stream/purchase your music. 

Do: Save Money

Making music is not a cheap thing to do. There are costs of instruments, studio time, gear like amps, microphones, etc., and million other little things that add up. 

Here’re are some things you can do while starting out to save money

• By secondhand gear

• Focus on bettering yourself as a musician before trying to get studio time

• Seek sponsorships and endorsements

• Teach yourself as much as you can about the music industry

• Use social media to get your name out into the world and create a following, it’s free

Do: Create High-Quality Music

Google how many songs there are on Apple Music. 

Now on Spotify.

Now in the entire world. 

Those are some big numbers and they are constantly being added to. In order for your music to reach people, it needs to be high quality. 

The first thing you should focus on in making your sound high quality is you. If you’re singing or playing an instrument, you need to practice like crazy before recording to make sure you are singing/playing to the best of your ability.

Practicing can feel like a lot of work and sometimes seem like you’re taking two steps backward and one step forward. If this happens try these things:

• Take a break

• Listen to songs that have a similar sound to what you’re practicing

• Don’t stop practicing once you get it perfect, keep going until you can perform it that way every time

• Set aside time to practice every day and stick to it

After you have practiced, the next step is to start recording, mixing, and mastering. Whether you do it yourself at home or with a professional in a studio doesn’t matter too much. Just make sure you are achieving a high-quality sound and you are not wasting money. 

If you’re a singer unsure of how to record the best vocals, check out this article from Jony Studios.

The next thing to focus on is creating visually pleasing art to go with your music. Your single/album/EP art should reflect the piece of music as a whole as well as look good. Contrary to popular belief people do judge books by their covers and they will judge your music based on your album art. 

Do: Get Your Music on Apple Music and Spotify

Once you have created high-quality music that you are proud of, the next step is to get it onto streaming platforms.

Start with a pre-order/pre-save before the initial release. This will allow you to make a bigger impact with your music and get more people excited about it. 

Once your music is released onto Apple Music and Spotify, you have the opportunity for millions of people to be exposed to your songs through playlists.

Now you’re probably wondering “how do I actually make money from streaming services?”

This article will break it down for you.

Do: Get Started

The hardest thing to do when it comes to making money in music is actually getting started. So if you want to make music your career then go for it! Don’t get hung up on the fact that you’re not going to be making money right away. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Check out this video to learn more tips about monetizing your music

Don’t: Sign a Record Deal right away

Signing a record deal will not solve all your problems, in fact, it will probably create more. Record deals are typically in favour of the record company making all the money from your music. 

Here’re some cons to signing with a record label:

• Any advances you receive from them have to be paid back

• You lose ownership of your music

• You’ll receive very little royalties (like 2% while the label keeps the other 98%)

In the music industry, everyone’s main goal is to make money and usually, that means that smaller artists get the short end of the stick. 

Don’t Release Music without Marketing

Unless you're a huge, successful artist, surprise releases should be avoided. Give people time to get excited about your music. Post about it on social media, email your fans about it and tell everyone you meet. 

You’d be surprised how many indie artists upload their songs and just hope it will go viral. Most of the time, this doesn’t work. 

Don’t: Assume Social Media will make you famous

Many people have the goal that they are going to go viral on Tik Tok or become Instagram famous. While there are methods that have been known to achieve this, don’t approach social media with the attitude that it will make you famous. 

Use social media to share authentic content and connect with fans. If you end up going viral in the process, that’s awesome! Just don’t base your entire career off of it. 

Written By: Leah Gerber

Conclusion: Don’t give up

You might be feeling a little bit discouraged and overwhelmed right now. That’s ok! The important thing is that you don’t give up. Music takes time and effort and there will be a obstacles to get through but it will be worth it in the end.

I hope these tips were able to guide you in getting started with your music career.

If you need further help creating your own music, we offer audio production services that will help you elevate your sound and bring your song to life!

We look forward to being a part of your success.