What advice would you give to a self-producing artist trying to finish mixes without outside engineers?
First, learn the basics. It’s crucial to understand the principles of mixing before diving into your tools. This way, no matter how your tools change, your understanding will remain, allowing you to adapt to new interfaces, other plug-ins, or even other studios. Having the proper tools makes a huge difference, but investing in yourself, the one who controls those tools, will reap meaningful benefits to your career in the long run.
Really learn to trust your ears. While there are certain mixing “rules” for a reason, learn to trust your gut and intuition. It is like a muscle. If something sounds good to you, that is what ultimately matters. When it comes to your work, this is your self-expression, and you are the one who should be happy with it at the end of the day. Everything else is secondary.
Pro tip from Factor Eight: Sometimes, it’s about doubling down on exactly what you’re best at, and exactly what you’re used to, but sometimes you just need to flip the table over and try something entirely different. It could produce an unexpectedly beautiful result. Let serendipity work its magic.
