Mixing and mastering are the final steps in turning your music from "this sounds cool" to "this sounds like a radio hit." Poorly mixed music can make even the best melody and drum pattern sound weak, while a great mix can elevate even a simple track to industry-level quality.

Mixing can feel overwhelming at first... There are so many knobs, plugins, and settings that it’s easy to get lost. That’s why I’m breaking it down step by step so you can mix and master tracks like a pro, even if you’re a beginner.

Step 1: Gain Staging – Setting the Mix Foundation

Before you even start EQing, compressing, or adding effects, you need to set proper levels. If your sounds are too loud from the start, your mix will get messy fast. This is where gain staging comes in.

What Is Gain Staging?

Gain staging is simply balancing and tweaking the volume of each sound before applying effects. If everything is maxed out, you’ll have no headroom for mixing, and your music will sound distorted or muddy.

How to Do It Properly

• Lower your individual track volumes so your master output stays around -6dB to -10dB (this leaves room for mastering).

• Leave room for vocals. If you plan on having vocals in a track, be mindful of the layers that fit in the EQ of the vocal range. For example, don't turn the melody layers up too loud if they will clash with live vocals.

• Avoid clipping. If any track is hitting red in the mixer, turn it down.

• Have a reference track. Go and listen to other tracks in a similar style, and compare the levels to yours.

• Drag an acapella for a similar style song in, and see if it fits. For example, download a Lil Baby acapella, match the bpm to your track, and see if it fits. If not, turn down some of the instruments that clash with the vocals. 

This simple step prevents distortion and gives you a cleaner mix right from the start.

Gain Staging in Different DAWs

Each DAW has its own way of adjusting gain:

• FL Studio: Use the channel volume knob instead of just the mixer fader.
• Ableton Live: Adjust gain using the Utility plugin or clip gain.
• Logic Pro: Use the Gain plugin before any effects.

🔥 Pro Tip: If your track is clipping (hitting red on the master fader), don’t use a limiter to fix it, go back and turn down your tracks individually.

Step 2: EQ – Cleaning Up Frequencies

Equalization is one of the most powerful tools in mixing. It allows you to remove unwanted frequencies and carve out space for each sound.

Cut Unnecessary Low-End

Low frequencies take up a lot of space in a mix. Instruments like melodies, hi-hats, and vocals don’t need low-end, so it’s best to cut those frequencies out.

• Use a high-pass filter (low-cut) on the melodies to cut out some of the low end. Often the melody sounds the same, but will blend so much nicer. 
• A good starting point: Cut below 120Hz for melodies and 200Hz for hi-hats/percussion.
  
• Add back some warmth for the intro and outro. You can automate these filters, and bypass them in parts of the track with no vocals, no kick & bass, or few layers, to add some warmth and low end back in.

Fix Muddy Frequencies

If your track sounds muddy or unclear, the issue is usually too much buildup in the midrange (200-500Hz).

• Try cutting 3-5dB around 300Hz on melodies or chords to clean up the mix.
• If the snare feels too harsh, reduce around 2-4kHz to smooth it out.

Boosting (Only When Needed)

While cutting is more important than boosting, sometimes a small boost can enhance certain elements.

• Boosting 5-10kHz on hi-hats and snares can make them crisp and airy.
• Boosting 60-80Hz on an 808 can give it more weight (don't over do it)

🔥 Pro Tip: Always cut before boosting to avoid unnecessary frequency clashes.

Best EQ Plugins for Mixing

• Stock EQs (FL Studio’s Parametric EQ 2, Ableton’s EQ Eight, Logic’s Channel EQ) – Perfect for basic EQ adjustments.
• FabFilter Pro-Q 3 – Industry-standard for precise EQing.
• Ozone EQ – Great for mastering and adding final touches.

Step 3: Compression – Controlling Dynamics

Compression is what makes a mix tight and consistent by controlling volume peaks. Without it, your mix might sound too quiet or too uneven.

How Compression Works

A compressor reduces the volume of loud sounds while keeping quiet sounds intact. This balances the overall volume and gives your track a polished feel.

How to Use Compression on Different Elements

• Drums: Use light compression on kicks and snares to make them more punchy.
• 808s: Avoid compressing too much—808s need natural dynamics to hit hard.
• Melodies & Chords: A low ratio (2:1 or 3:1) helps smooth out inconsistent volume levels.
• Hi-Hats & Percussion: A fast attack and release tightens the groove without making it sound robotic.

Best Compression Plugins

• Stock compressors (FL Studio’s Fruity Compressor, Ableton’s Glue Compressor) – These work well for most tasks.
• Waves RCompressor – Great for vocals and melodies.
• FabFilter Pro-C 2 – One of the most powerful compressors available.

🔥 Pro Tip: If a sound feels weak, try turning it up before adding compression—sometimes volume is the real issue.

Step 4: Stereo Imaging – Making the Mix Wide

A wide mix sounds full and immersive, while a narrow mix feels flat and lifeless. Here’s how to create space in your music:

How to Widen Your Mix

• Melodies & Pads: Use stereo widening plugins like chorus, reverb, or Haas effect to push them outward.
• Hi-Hats & Percussion: Pan them slightly left and right to avoid clashing.
• Drums & Bass: Keep them centered for a strong foundation.

Avoiding Phase Issues

Be careful—too much stereo widening can cause phase cancellation, making your mix sound weak in mono. Always check your mix in mono to ensure nothing disappears.

Step 5: Mixing the 808 and Kick – The Hardest Part

The 808 and kick are the heart of any track, but they often clash and fight for space. Here’s how to mix them properly.

Picking the Right Sounds

Not every 808 and kick work well together. If they sound bad even before mixing, try choosing a different 808 or tuning it to match the key.

Sidechain Compression for Separation

Sidechaining reduces the volume of the 808 slightly when the kick hits, so they don’t clash.

• Use a fast attack and release to let the kick punch through without fully muting the 808.
• Adjust the threshold so the 808 dips in volume just enough to make space.

EQ Balancing

• Cut 30-50Hz on the kick to remove unnecessary low-end.
• Cut 100Hz on the 808 if it’s clashing with the kick.

🔥 Pro Tip: Adding a slight distortion or saturation to the 808 helps it cut through on small speakers.

Step 6: Mastering – The Final Polish

Once your mix sounds solid, mastering is what brings up the overall volume and makes it sound radio-ready.

Steps for mastering a track

1. Final EQ: A small high-end boost (around 10kHz) can add clarity.
2. Saturation: Adding slight tape saturation can make the track sound warmer.
3. Limiting: A limiter boosts the volume without clipping. Set the ceiling to -0.1dB to prevent distortion.

Best Mastering Plugins

• FabFilter Pro-L 2 (Limiter)
• Ozone 10 (All-in-one mastering suite)
• Waves J37 Tape (For analog warmth)
• Izotope Ozone Elements 9 (maximizer, stereo imaging)

The 1DB trick

This trick involves adding an automation that lowers the master volume 1DB before the drop, then turns it back to the normal 0DB right on the drop. This slight volume change can add more energy when the beat comes in.

Final Thoughts

Mixing and mastering music can feel tricky at first, but once you get the basics down, it becomes second nature. Start with good gain staging, clean up frequencies with EQ, control dynamics with compression, and keep your mix wide but balanced.

Want some free drum kits and melody packs to practice mixing? WavGrind has you covered!