Common Mixing Mistakes – Insufficient Detail – 5 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – Boomy or Thin-Sounding Mix – 1 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – Edgy, Fatiguing Sound – 2 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – No Sparkle and Bottom – 3 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – Large Swings in Spectral Balance – 4 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – Insufficient Detail – 5 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – Not Enough Punch – 6 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – Too Much Compression – 7 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – The Chorus Doesn’t Climax – 8 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – Washy Sound with No Depth – 9 of 12
- Common Mixing Mistakes – Collapsed Stereo Image – 10 of 12
Insufficient Detail
When a mix is lacking in detail, boosting high-frequency EQ is often the wrong approach. When that just creates a glassy mix without solving the problem, try cutting the upper-bass and low-midrange frequencies instead. Too much energy in these bands can create a blanket of mud that obscures a mix’s underlying transients, so try cutting between 200 and 500 Hz before boosting highs. Just be sure not to overdo it, or else you’ll end up with a thin mix and too much detail.
FIG. 3: The SPL Transient Designer can be used to increase the amplitude of the attack portion of drum tracks to create a punchier mix. The 2-channel TD2 is shown here.
Another thing to consider on a cloudy-sounding mix is whether sustained sounds such as string or synth pads are too loud. By simply lowering some or all of the tracks that exhibit minimal transients and loud average levels (sustain), percussive elements will more readily punch through. The end result will be a mix with plenty of detail that nevertheless retains its warmth because of minimal use of EQ.