Try to think of music in three dimensions, and first, check the width. One of the most common problems with mixes occurs when too much is happening in any one part of the musical plane (or to look at it another way, not enough). So, keep these points in mind the next time you're working on a mix, and your production nightmares could soon be over. Our list contains everything from the obvious to the not-so-glaring, from throwing too much into an arrangement to making things too loud, and even - yes, we really do mean this - making it too perfect!
The solution is to listen to a bunch of people who know what they're talking about! Drawing upon many years' experience of mixing and producing music, and importantly, listening to reader demos, newly signed artists and commercial releases, our experts have identified the top 10 most common mistakes made by budding producers. Just as making music is very personal, so are individual listeners' particular likes and dislikes. Of course, it's also important to get feedback from others, but getting valuable feedback can be difficult. Have you over-compressed? Is your track too long? Only by assessing next to a commercial offering can you judge if you're truly up there with the best. You can learn a lot from A/B'ing your music next to an artist or genre you have in mind when composing.Ĭonsider pace, overall production and EQ. Try to think about what you'd like to sound like, too.
