Mixing transforms a rough beat into a polished, professional-sounding track. Learn the four essential tools: levels, EQ, compression, and reverb.
Before touching any plugins, get your levels right. Pull all faders down. Bring up the kick drum to -12dB, then balance everything else relative to it. No track should be clipping. The master should peak around -6dB to leave headroom for mastering.
EQ removes frequencies you don't need and enhances frequencies you want to highlight. Cut low frequencies (below 80Hz) on everything except kick and bass. Cut muddy frequencies (200-500Hz) on most tracks. Boost presence (2-5kHz) on vocals and leads. Cut before you boost.
Compression evens out volume differences, making quiet parts louder and loud parts quieter. Use gentle compression (2:1 ratio, slow attack) on most tracks. Use heavy compression (4:1+, fast attack) on drums for punch. The goal is consistency, not squashing.
Reverb creates a sense of space. Send multiple tracks to one reverb bus for cohesion. Keep reverb subtle on most elements. Longer reverbs work for pads and vocals, shorter for drums and bass. Too much reverb is the #1 beginner mixing mistake.