Mixing and Mastering Blog
Tutorials, tips, and industry insights from a professional mixing and mastering engineer.
Is Apple Digital Masters Worth It? An Approved Engineer Tests It
I’m an approved Apple Digital Masters engineer. Here’s what the badge actually is, the one problem it solves, and what happened when I put a slammed master and a master with headroom through Apple’s own encoder.
Apogee Plugins Just Joined Plugin Alliance: The 3 Worth Using
Apogee’s plugins are now on Plugin Alliance. The three I’d actually use: Clearmountain’s Domain, the licensed Pultec EQP-1A and Clearmountain’s Spaces.
Undertone Audio MPEQ-1 Review: An EQ With Saturation on Every Band
I put the Undertone Audio MPEQ-1 plugin on drums and bass. Here’s how the shape knob and per-band saturation work, what sounded great, and the one switch that confuses everyone.
Best Mixing Controllers: SSL vs Softube Console 1 vs Nektar CS12
I’ve owned nearly every mixing controller. Here are the real pros and cons of the SSL UF1 and UC1, Softube Console 1 and Nektar CS12, plus the setup I use now.
Softube Flow Controller Review: I Misjudged This Thing
Softube’s Flow controller isn’t just for producers. Here’s how I use Flow, Detail and DAW modes, custom flows on my drum bus, and reverb returns as a mixing engineer.
Sonible Smart Chain Review: Can a Smart Plugin Mix Your Song?
I ran Sonible Smart Chain on a real hip-hop mix. Here’s what it got right, where it flattened the vibe, and how I’d actually use it as a mixing engineer.
How to Mix Hip Hop: Every Decision on a Real Song, Start to Finish
Most hip hop mixing guides give you a list of tips. This one follows a single real song, “Glad I Spent It” by WhooKilledKenny, from the rough the artist sent me to the finished mix, and explains every decision along…
Your Song Sounds Quiet on Spotify — Try This One Mastering Trick
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You mastered your song, it sounds great in your DAW, you upload it to Spotify, and then it…
The Exact Reverb and Delay Chain I Use on 90% of My Mixes
Every week I get sessions from artists who’ve slapped reverb plugins on every channel, sometimes stacked with sends on top of that. The result? A cloudy, washy mess that kills the energy of an otherwise great song. I’ve mixed records…
I Put My Mastering Against Two AI Services, Blind
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Online mastering has been around longer than the word “AI” has been attached to it. LANDR launched in…