It goes without saying that mixing is a big balancing act. A lack of experience in monitoring, acoustics as well as experience can really affect any sound’s characteristics when in the act of mixing.
So, here are 4 tips that will help you with visual mixing:
#1: Import your favorite mixes
If you import your favorite commercial mixes for referencing purposes in WAV form (and not MP3), you might get a handle on how this can work for your own mixes that you produce. Visual analysis tools can help you to carry basic waveform inspection, RMS metering, stereo metering and frequency analysis.
#2: Use two but not one analysers
In most cases, a dedicated plugin can provide visual information about the curves of each element on any given track on a single analyser display. However, if the frequency analyser you use doesn’t have this feature, then you will have to open two analysers side by side so as to compare the curves.
#3: Use Presets
You can create presets of your favorite metering settings so that it helps save time as soon as you might have to recall them for different situations. Some examples includes fast analysis for drums as well as slow analysis for mastering. In most cases, your meter plugin will already have presets, so check on that first.
#4: Combine the tools
Equalisers and frequency analysers go together. It always comes across as handy when you are able to see what’s happening frequency-wise when creating a mix with EQ. Better still, there are a number of plugins such as FabFilter’s Pro-Q, DMG Audio’s EQuilibrium and EQuality that can help you with this.