Mixing Checklist - FL Studio Tips
❏ I’m not clipping on the master.
❏ My levels are set properly. The major elements - vocal, drums, melody - are
clearly audible and I can easily focus on them. They are not taken over by the
minor elements (fxs, background crashes, noises, miscellaneous percussion)
❏ Every element has its purpose in the track. There are no unnecessary
instruments which don’t bring any value but only messes up the mix.
❏ EQ - all instruments have their own space in the mix spectrum, there are n o
layers of the sub frequencies (sub bass/808, kick) and there are as little bass
layers as possible. Useful tool - Mid Side EQ - for more advanced cleaning
processes.
❏ Frequencies that every single element is not focused on - a re cut, and every
group but kick & bass are low cut at at least 140hz (or 500hz if possible)
❏ Compression - There are no overwhelming and unnecessary volume peaks of all
the elements of the song. Crashes, percussion, or other effects are not popping
through the mix more than the major elements. If necessary very element is
controlled with even subtle compression, in order not to let it be audible more
than indented.
❏ Optional Drum Buss p
arallel compression for punch.
❏ Wet FXs - Reverb and delay on the vocal are sidechained to its dry signal (one
click solution with our free Patcher preset). Not only vocal but also all the
elements that need the clarity (eg. melody).
❏ Percussion, especially snare drum, has turned on delay of the reverb to ~
50ms (if
reverb was used) to keep the transients clear and not blurry.
❏ Properly EQ’d Vocal - low cut for no “podcast feel”, soft high boosted for
presence if necessary & d e-ess’d to take care of harsh high frequencies.
❏ Vocal is compressed to make every word equally audible. It’s dynamic but not
randomly peaky. Best resolved with compression & soft limiting after.
❏ Vocal layers:
- are perfectly i n time with the main vocal
- don’t have any reverb (unless totally necessary)
- high cut applied, to make the main lyrics transparent & clear
- low cut applied to keep the focus on main vocal
- if made from the exact same recording as main are richly processed,
(no wet fxs, distorted and stereo widened)
- are more compressed, to keep the main vocal more popping
❏ Vocal as it’s the most important element - is the loudest, lyrics are clearly
audible.
❏ Sidechain from Vocal to Instruments Buss - the best if multiband sidechain
applied (we do it in the House chapter of Mixing Course). In order to make space
in the instrument section for the vocal.
❏ Surgical EQ - there are no overwhelmingly harsh frequency peaks in any element
of the track. Especially happening in melodies, vocal, FXs & real recordings or
loops.
❏ Panning - Panning is varied & a
utomated - even randomly - to bring excitement
and enrich the stereo spectrum - useful tool Fruity Panomatic. Especially in hats,
percussion and other miscellaneous elements.
❏ Mono Compatibility - if any element was widened - it was done with a plugin
which prevents the right and left channel from P
hase Issues. The plugin was
placed before any wet effects in the mixer channel.
Max ‘Nervz’ from Production Music Live
