One of the things I do quite a bit with home recording musicians is advise them on their mixes prior to mastering. Often, having a second set of (magic) ears can be extremely helpful in hearing things you might not hear yourself. I don’t mind doing it. This is, after all, a collaborative effort.

There is so much that goes into mixing, but at its core, it’s about balancing elements. Mixing is also a constant learning experience. Even the best mixers are learning new things all the time. If mixing your songs to the best of your ability matters to you, then you should be constantly consuming new information and learning new things.

With that in mind, Graham at TheRecordingRevolution.com shares a lot of incredibly helpful information. I’m always learning from his free videos and his blog. I’ve also bought some of his content and refer to it often.

This video below was one he shared only with his email subscribers (you should opt in right away!). In it he provides two extremely helpful pieces of simple advice on getting the most out of your home setup.

 

1. Mix at low volume
2. Monitor your mix on more than one set of speakers/earphones

These two pieces of advice cannot be stressed enough. They are fundamentally important and will immediately improve your mixes. I mix everything at low volume (and in mono more than 85 percent of the time).

I also check every mix and master on at least five monitoring sources, including Genelecs and Focals on the high and on the lower end, Avantone MixCubes, a pair of Ink’d 2 earbuds from Skull Candy and my iMac’s internal speaker.

Click the link below for access to the video!

Two Monitoring Tips for Mixing in the Home Studio

Also, this is a helpful guide to reference monitors for those who record at home: 10 Best Studio Monitors for Home Recording.

For first time Magic Ears customers: we offer your first song for FREE!!!