Mixing is the process of assembling multiple tracks of recorded audio into one single track. It is accomplished through the manipulation of the dynamics and frequencies of the multi-tracks. Mixing is one of the three broad stages of the production of a song, fitting in between recording and mastering in the order of processing. Mixing is a skill which the vast majority of producers and audio engineers hold to some degree, however some people specialise entirely in producing mixes of tracks. These people are called “Mix Engineers”.
What are the qualifications and/or experience required to enter the profession?
The qualifications needed to be a mix engineer are generally quite loose. Whilst academic qualifications such as degrees are not necessary to enter this part of the industry, they are generally advantageous to have as it acts as a guarantee of the experience needed. Along with studying a degree in sound engineering, music technology or music production, another common way in which the experience and qualifications can be gained is through internships at established studios. The experience required includes use of industry standard DAWs, typically ProTools, Logic or Ableton, and a significant part of entering into mix engineering specifically is a portfolio of work, which not only demonstrate ability but also show experience in mixing (Needham, 2024). Initially this experience can be gained through mixing for less established bands, often for a lower price, however with the existence of websites such as the Cambridge Music Library, a lot of experience in mixing can be gained for free through publicly available multiracks. Many mix engineers will also have had experience working in other positions in the world of audio recording, such as being an assistant studio engineer, as it is a specialised role which falls under the umbrella term of “Sound Engineer”.
What knowledge, skills and personal qualities/attributes are needed for success within the profession?
Knowledge of the techniques used in mixing, while invaluable as a mixing engineer, cannot guarantee success. A significant quality in the skillset of all successful mixing engineers is the ability to network and promote oneself. When looking for the professionals they need to bring projects to fruition, musicians and producers will often ask their direct network before searching for other people to help. Because of this, it is important to be in the direct network of as many people as possible, which helps to ensure that you are always considered as an option for mixing a project. Networking works both ways as well, as you are also able to ask your contacts in the industry if they have any work available that you could become involved in (In The Know, 2022).
Even with a large network, promotion is also very important in expanding the amount of work available. Promotion is the ability to present yourself to a much wider audience in a desirable way, and is typically accomplished now through websites and social media. This means that, to some extent, mixing engineers need skills as a social media manager, knowing how to present themselves publicly in a way that will allow them to appear as an attractive option for potential clients.
As music is a collaborative industry, many of the personal qualities required are to do with working with others. If you are not enjoyable and easy to work with it is likely clients will consider other people when next in need of mixing. Therefore, amicability and professionalism are necessary for success within the profession. It is also important to be able to draw a line between the desires of the client and your own opinions when mixing and making revisions. Often clients may have a very specific vision for the project and you may disagree from the standpoint of the mix, so it is a valuable skill to be able to contend with what the client wants and what you think would be a better choice for the mix.
What are the duties and responsibilities of the profession – what does a typical day’s work involve?
The role of a modern mix engineer is very different to how it looked in previous years. Most modern tracks will either see the producer take on the role of mix engineer, meaning that often a day’s work can involve setting up microphones, dealing with the musicians through the recording process and the overall running of a session. However, people do still specialise entirely as mix engineers.
Modern mix engineers will typically work either from home or in their own studio, with the mixing process kept separate to the recording process and tracks being sent over to them. A day’s work will typically involve starting new mixes or doing revisions to mixes which have already been started. Starting a new mix for a professional engineer will include the session setup – importing the audio files and adding colour, folders, mix groups and any other things that they generally use across all mixes. Mix engineers will also move between mixing multiple songs in a day, in order to give them breaks and allow them to mix with fresh ears (Harris, 2023). Revisions are a less time consuming part of the profession, as the initial mix has already been done and the mix engineer simply has to carry out the notes sent back by the artist or producer after they have listened to the previous mix.
The duties and responsibilities of the engineer not only involve the mixing itself but also keeping consistent communication with the clients, in order to make sure the mix is not completely different to what the client wants, and keeping several backups of the mix file. The safety of the files becomes the responsibility of the mix engineer for the entire duration of the process, until the mix is finalised and sent to be mastered.
What are the main financial and legal issues that impact on this profession?
The main financial and legal issues that impact on mix engineering are primarily to do with ownership of rights. Under UK copyright law, the mix engineer is recognised as the “creator” of the mix, which means they own the copyright over it. However, mix engineers are unable to do anything with these rights other than be recognised as the owned, as the master rights determine who has control over the final recording and what is done with it – sale, reproduction, etc. The master rights are typically held by record label or the artist themselves. The mix engineers also do not own the mechanical or publishing rights, with these usually being held by the artist. (Brown, no date)
In terms of finance, an issue can be that mixing is almost always a one-time payment. Despite owning the copyright to the mix of the record, the industry standard practice means that mixing engineers are not entitled to royalties from that song unless stated otherwise in an agreement made in advance. This can be viewed as not only an issue, but an advantage. If the song is successful, the mixing engineer may end up getting very little compared to the profits of the song. However, when the mixing engineer charges a flat rate, although they may not see money proportional to the success of the song, it helps to provide financial consistency as the engineer is not gambling on their salary being determined by the success of the song.
What would the potential marketing and promotional aspects of this profession look like?
The best way in which mixing engineering services can be marketed is through consistent sharing of what the engineer is currently working on. In the music industry, experience is desired, so sharing clips or photos of bands and mixes you are working with can be a strong way to show that you have experience as a mixing engineer. Not only does it demonstrate experience and demand for your services, it also shows to any potential clients that you are dedicated to your craft, with a consistent body of work. Sharing what you have been working on also allows people to make judgements on your work, promoting you to people who want the specific types of mixes you create. Consistency of posting, and also consistency in the way you present yourself across platforms, such as social media, allow for a brand and an image of professionalism to be built, which is a large help in promoting yourself as a mixing engineer (SAE, 2023).
Another effective method which can be used in conjunction with sharing of work on social media is the use of targeted adverts on the internet. By paying for advertisements on platforms such as Instagram or Google, your social media account and/or website can reach a wider audience, but use parameters tracked by the advertising providers to allow you to reach specific groups, such as users of Instagram who show interest in music and music production. This means it is much more likely that potential clients will be reached, instead of people with no need for a mix engineer.
Websites are a common way of marketing mixing services to people as, unlike social media, websites can have specific pages which contain information about your experience, prices and contact details. The disadvantage of marketing through a website is that it is much harder for clients to come across naturally than social media pages. This is why modern promotion in mixing and production in general involves a combination of several factors, as social media and advertising acts as a method of full promotion, but the website is the method through which actual contact with clients is typically made.
What are the intellectual and personal challenges presented by the profession and how might these be dealt with?
The primary intellectual challenge faced by mix engineers in maintaining an objective view of the mix. When mixing, engineers will often have to deal with the problem of becoming too used to a mix, and some of the issues with the mix will sound less clear as they are listened to repeatedly. This can pose a challenge as it can prevent an engineer from having a very long and productive session, as breaks need to consistently be taken to reset the way in which you hear a track, and allow you to listen with fresh ears. Audio engineer and record producer Dom Morley compares taking a break from a mix to getting back to your home after a holiday, a period in which “you have about 30 minutes maximum where you walk around your home and see it as other people do” (Morley, 2020). This means that it is important to take breaks and make your most important mix notes immediately after returning to the mix, as a way of overcoming this challenge. A personal challenge that mixing engineers may also face is working with the client. When a specialised mixing engineer is hired, they have not been involved in the writing and recording process in the same way that a record producer will have been. This means that communication is a much more important factor and the engineer will have to spend a lot of time dealing with the revisions needed, as well as getting a strong idea from the client of what they want to begin with.
What career-progression/development opportunities are available within the profession?
The career progression of a modern mix engineer will often begin with a laptop, pair of headphones and studio monitors. Beginner mix engineers will not typically have their own studios and therefore will usually start their careers mixing from home, with files that have been sent to them by clients. Another common way of entering the profession is through a studio apprenticeship or work placement, where they will mix under a more experienced professional or be assigned to smaller tracks coming through the studio. As mix engineers grow in skill and reputation, their career will often progress to the point of owning their own specific and acoustically treated space to mix in. For engineers this usually does not involve a live room, as they are not recording musicians, but it will often involve outboard gear and, less commonly, a mixing console. The top stage in progression for mixing engineers is usually ownership of a studio with multiple engineers working under them.
However, a career as a mix engineer does not have a clear cut progression like traditional careers. Within mix engineering development more often comes in the form of a larger reputation and therefore more work coming in, as well as the ability to charge a higher rate for mixes. Some mix engineers have developed their careers by moving into the adjacent fields of sound engineering for large projects, such as Andy Wallace, who established himself as an extremely in-demand mix engineer, known for his clean and high-fidelity mixes, and went on to produce albums such as Grace by Jeff Buckley.
Overall, mix engineering can lead to very varied positions within the profession as many of the skills are transferrable to other aspects of the art of music production.
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Bibliography
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In the Know (2022). The Importance of Networking in the Music Industry | Musicians Institute. [online] Musicians Institute Hollywood. Available at: https://www.mi.edu/in-the-know/importance-networking-music-industry/. (Accessed: 08 December 2024
Harris, M. (2023) Daily routine of a mixing engineer, Mix & Master My Song. Available at: https://mixandmastermysong.com/daily-routine-of-a-mixing-engineer/?srsltid=AfmBOopX1FqJ0EMOwUc8bMTBEhXVXKQjVCNipnCaNHOgfPhHMF9OnxNl (Accessed: 10 December 2024).
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SAE (2023) Music producer: Top marketing tips: Insights: SAE blog, SAE United Kingdom. Available at: https://www.sae.edu/gbr/insights/promoting-yourself-as-a-music-producer-top-branding-and-marketing-tips/ (Accessed: 23 December 2024).
Morley, D. (2020) The psychology of the mix engineer, The Mix Consultancy. Available at: https://www.themixconsultancy.com/blog-articles/the-psychology-of-the-mix-engineer (Accessed: 04 January 2025).
