The One Day Mix Break

This is probably one of the most simple tips I can give you for mixing and yet it can make a huge difference in the quality of your mixes. I know far too often we get bogged down in the complex aspects of mixing and forget to do the basics. I just wrote a post on that recently, and this is one of those basics that you really need to be implementing for better sounding mixes!

The One Day Mix Break

I call this The One Day Mix Break. Whenever you spend a day mixing a song, before you bounce it down and call it done, give it a one day break. In other words, if you are mixing a song friday and finish it, put it down and wait till Sunday, then go back and listen to it again. Probably 9 out of 10 times when you go back to listen to your mix, you'll notice things that are wrong. Then you can change those and be done with your mix. 

Why does this help? 

Basically, it gives your ears a break. When we are constantly mixing, our ears tend to get fatigued and we need some time off to sort of reset them. Once we've given ourselves a break, we'll start to hear like we normally would and notice things that need to be changed. Giving yourself at least a one day break will also give you a fresh approach to the song. 

I don't know how many times I've mixed a song, bounced it down, and days later I'll be listening to it and think, "This sounds awful!" If this has ever happened to you, you can avoid this by giving yourself a one day mix break. This is especially important when dealing with clients. Before sending a client their final version of the mix, make sure that you have given yourself a day break to reset your ears and get a fresh approach. This way you will catch any silly mistakes or things you looked over before getting that initial mix review. 

It's simple, easy, and effective. Usually the most helpful techniques are. Next time you mix, give yourself a break!