Mixing For Producers: How to Mix Electronic Music

Ready to level up your production game?

Learn Mixing with 5 Step-by-Step Walkthroughs from Professional Producers...

...so you can release music you're proud of

The action-based online program that gives you the tools and skills you need to produce incredible, clean-sounding mixes.

Gain clarity which effects to use and when to use them... (so you don’t frustratingly find yourself stuck every time you mix)
Develop robust mixing skills that skyrocket the quality of your music… so you feel confident sending it out to labels and promotion channels.
Learn by doing with start-to-finish mix walkthroughs… (including all project stems so you can actually follow along with every step)
New and confused? Build strong foundational understanding with the Mixing Bootcamp introductory component… (learn the basics of popular mixing tools like EQ, compression, reverb, delay, as well as common mixing techniques).
10 Mixing Workshops to take your skills from good to great… (learn everything from vocal processing and stereo imaging to complicated concepts like multiband compression)

An EDMProd program

Practical. Affordable. Value-driven. Trusted.

Ever felt disappointed in how your mixes sound?

You breathe a sigh of relief as you hit the export button in your DAW…

…You’ve spent hours on this.

It feels good to finally call it finished.

You’re excited and motivated.

But as you upload it to Soundcloud, or send it off for release, your excitement turns to doubt.

You’re not sure if it’s quite “there.”

As you listen to your track a few more times, your doubt is confirmed…

Your mix just doesn’t stack up.

“Why is it not as punchy and powerful as I want it to be?”

“I spent so much time working on the low-end, but it still sounds muddy!”

“I used reference tracks this time and my mix still sounds bad. WHY?”

If you’re like most producers, this is a common story.

Because your mix doesn’t stack up (and doesn’t reach your standards), you release your track out into the world somewhat reluctantly.

You’re not confident in it.

And you don’t make much of an effort to really promote it, because you’re worried about the criticism you might get.

Chances are you're already on the right path...

You know the basics of music production.

Your songwriting is decent: you can come up with great melodies and chord progressions. ^{(If you can’t – check this out)}

Your arrangements are tight.

The “music” you’re writing is solid, and you’re proud of it.

But every time you listen to your work, you feel like there’s something not quite right…

Your mix.

It just doesn’t match the quality of other music you’re comparing it with. In some cases, it doesn’t even come close.

So what's the underlying problem here?

It’s not that you lack a trained ear, or you don’t have the right gear, or you lack some inherent talent for mixing.

It’s that you don’t have a solid, conceptual framework for how to approach a mix.

Even if you do have a framework, you’re not sure how to work through it because you haven’t yet developed a set of robust mixing skills.

Skills that enable you to solve problems in your mix and make it sound clean and powerful.

You have an idea of what EQ and compression does, but you’re not entirely sure when and where to use it. When you think you need to use it, you have no idea which settings to dial in.
You know when something doesn’t sound good in your mix, but you can’t always identify what it is. When you can identify what it is, you don’t know how to fix it.
In general, you feel overwhelmed... like you don’t know where to start. You don’t have much in the way of a mixing process or workflow.

The real mixing problems that producers face

If you’re an electronic music producer and you’re struggling with mixing, chances are that you struggle with one of these three things:

You might relate to a few of these people who responded to the following question we sent out to our email list last year…

What's your #1 struggle with mixing?"

“I find that there are so many different available effects, and it is unclear to me when to use certain ones and for what purpose.”

“There are so many resources out there, and I think I read more about information rather than practice and use it…”

“I don’t really have a full understanding of what I’m doing when I mix so I get overwhelmed pretty quickly and worry that I’m ****ing up my mix more than making it better…”

“I feel that there are so many plugins that I get lost in the plugin maze. Knowing how to tweak each one is taught differently by every instructor or YouTube video.”

“When I have a difficult time mixing, it’s usually because of two reasons: (1) feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of effects available in my DAW that I hardly know where to begin and (2) confusion as to how/when to use each effect so I don’t muck up the song and make it sound worse.”

Mixing is the #1 skill that, if developed, will enable your creative talent to shine through and be appreciated

You’ve probably heard the quote, “Good songwriting is more important than good mixing.”

Well, it’s true. No one cares about a song that’s extremely well mixed but bores the listener to death.

People want to hear music that makes them feel something. Usually that means a solid rhythm or groove, an emotional chord progression, and a catchy melody and topline.

But this quote misses the point because good songwriting and good mixing should go hand in hand.

Just because songwriting is important, it does not mean mixing should be neglected. And here’s why…

If you’ve written the most amazing melody and chord progression—but it’s presented poorly in the mix—then it won’t receive the attention it deserves.

If your arrangement is engaging, interesting, and tight—but your mixdown makes it hard to listen to—then people won’t listen all the way through despite your songwriting efforts.

But when you’re skilled at mixing, you can present your musical ideas with power and precision.

You can trust that people will listen to it and be impressed (on any sound system).

And most of all, you can feel confident in releasing your music into the world knowing that you’ve done your best and you’re proud of how it sounds.

How to level up your mixing game (and your music)

There’s no debate: mixing is important. Every well-rounded producer should be good at it.

But there’s still a burning question: how can you get good at mixing without wasting a ton of time and learning the wrong stuff?

Many producers have tried answering this question themselves by trying a few different options.

Options that ultimately haven’t led to much success, like…

Reading mixing books that explain a bunch of concepts and lead to more knowledge, but don’t result in intentional practice that actually moves the needle.
Getting feedback from other producers on their mixdowns in an effort to improve their skills, but not having the know-how to act on the feedback they receive.
Paying for mixing courses that explain how mixing concepts and tools work, but don’t follow action-based learning principles. As a result, students gain head knowledge but no practical skills.

Instead, the right approach needs to include three key components:

Learn by imitation, practice & repetition

You don’t know what you don’t know, so it’s best to follow along with those who do. This way you’ll develop an intuitive knowledge of when and where to use mixing tools and techniques.

Focused on the important stuff

The problem with many mixing books and courses is that they’re overkill for electronic music producers. You don’t need to learn how to mix 9 different drum microphone recordings together. You want to double-down on the skills that will really push your music forward.

Consistent, direct effort

Developing robust mixing skills isn’t easy. It will take time and effort. There are no shortcuts…

But while there are no true shortcuts, there is an optimal way to level up your mixing.

It’s by following an intentionally crafted, action-oriented program that teaches you practical mixing skills in the right context.

A program that helps you learn with the right balance of variation and repetition.

And a program that’s taught by professional producers you can trust.

Introducing...

Master mixing fundamentals, learn from the pros, and develop skills that enable you to produce music you're proud to release.

Mixing For Producers is our solution to the confusing world of mixing electronic music.

Fundamentally, most producers don’t know how to approach and perform a mixdown.

They don’t know how, where, or when to use the right effects and tools. And they don’t know what they don’t know (making it hard to “self-learn” mixing).

Mixing For Producers solves this in three ways. It features a mixing bootcamp for beginners, 5 step-by-step walkthroughs to aid skill development, and workshops for the more advanced techniques.

Mixing Bootcamp

The introductory bonus course for complete beginners who need to develop a conceptual understanding of mixing tools & techniques.

Step-by-Step Walkthroughs

Follow along in your own DAW with 5 start-to-finish mixdown walkthroughs. Develop intuitive, practical mixing skills through imitation and practice.

Mixing Workshops

The introductory bonus course for complete beginners who need to develop a conceptual understanding of mixing tools & techniques.

Taught by six world-class producers and instructors

Connor O'Brien

EDMProd Lead Instructor | Producer

Disco Fries

World-Class Dance Music Duo

Shanahan

Advanced Workshops Instructor | Producer

Ryos

YouTube Educator | Producer

Enamour

Producer and DJ

Sam Burke (Cozmoe)

Icon Collective Instructor | Producer

The Breakdown: Course Structure & Curriculum

THE MIXING BOOTCAMP

Develop a solid framework for mixing (even if you're a complete beginner)

If you’re a relatively new producer (or you’re coming from our introductory EDM Foundations program), then the Mixing Bootcamp is for you.

You’ll learn all there is about mixing fundamentals, including how to use EQ, compression, reverb, delay, and an array of other tools and techniques.

This section of the course is taught by Connor O’Brien, our lead course developer who’s known for his renowned Songwriting For Producers course and EDM Foundations. He’s also had over 3 million streams across Spotify and YouTube, and had features on Billboard and Earmilk.

START-TO-FINISH MIXING WALKTHROUGHS

Develop practical mixing skills through imitation and practice (by learning from the pros)

The core content of Mixing For Producers is the 5 professional mix walkthroughs. This is where professional producers walk through the process of mixing down one of their well-known tracks. You’ll get access to all the stems for each project, so you’ll be able to follow along step-by-step and learn as you go.

Note that these walkthroughs are between 2-5 hours long. This is a comprehensive course. It will take some time and effort to work through, but the skills you develop as a result will be extremely rewarding.

WALKTHROUGH #1

Disco Fries - Turning Corners

In this walkthrough, you’ll learn what it takes to mix a powerful drop (as well as mix for tension building intro the drop), and follow along with the duo step-by-step as they mix down their project.

Released on Spinnin’ Records

Released on This Never Happened (Lane 8’s label)

WALKTHROUGH #2

Enamour - Love Syndrome

In this walkthrough, you’ll learn about Enamour’s mixing philosophy and workflow, as well as follow along with him as he mixes each instrument and group.

WALKTHROUGH #3

Ryos - Only You

Follow along with Ryos as he mixes down his track “Only You.” You’ll learn how to get that fat, big room house energy by using compression and limiting, and the “do whatever it takes” philosophy behind a good mix.

Released on Proximity

Released on Enhanced Music

WALKTHROUGH #4

Disco Fries - Moving Mountains

In their second walkthrough, Disco Fries will show you what it takes to mix down a MASSIVE project file (150+ stems) and make it clear, clean and punchy.

WALKTHROUGH #5

Cozmoe - Before The New

Don’t have access to expensive gear? In this mixdown walkthrough, Cozmoe shows you how he processes DIY recordings of vocals and guitars to make them sound professional.

Featured on Chill Nation

ADVANCED MIXING WORKSHOPS

Discover new techniques, hone your craft, and gain a unique edge

Taught by professional producer and engineer Shanahan (Enhanced Music), these mixing workshops will help round out your mixing knowledge by teaching you several advanced mixing techniques as well as consolidating skills that you picked up during the walkthroughs.

You’ll learn everything from vocal mixing to mid/size EQ (and everything in between. These workshops also act as a great reference for when you need to implement a specific technique in your own mixdowns.

Topics Covered

THE FULL CURRICULUM

The Mixing Bootcamp

Mixing Tools 03:32:01

Section Overview02:00
The Most Important Mixing Tool: Volume03:43
Panning & The Stereo Field11:10
The Audio Spectrum: What is it, and why is it important for mixing?10:37
EQ Basics17:14
Compression Basics31:01
How to Strategically Use Reverb 43:05
Understanding Delay11:49
How to Use Limiters (and how they’re different to compressors)17:58
Distortion & Saturation12:57
Gating: When and Where to Use it08:51
Chorus: One of the Most Underrated Effects11:46
Phaser & Flanger Basics29:50

Mixing Fundamentals01:36:31

Section Overview01:41
Metering11:44
Sends & Returns (What They Are and How to Use Them)
Sidechaining and Volume Shaping14:10
Headroom, Gain Staging, and Input Levels12:49
Group Processing
Reference Tracks (How to Use Them and Get the Most Out of Them)23:50
Multiband Compression17:33
Automation: Creative and Corrective
Phase & Phase Cancellation14:44
Mix Prep & Mixing Templates
Mix Translation
Headphones & Monitors

Start-to-Finish Walkthroughs

Introduction

Mixing For Producers Overview
How This Course Will Make You a Better Mix Engineer
Course Flow & Instructions
4 Tips to Get the Most out of This Course
Mixdown Overviews
Downloads + Stems

Mixdown: Disco Fries - Turning Corners02:15:49

Prep + Downloads
Overview + Playthrough03:02
Mixing the Kick04:24
Mixing the Main Drums20:43
Mixing the Extra Drums13:58
Mixing the Bass09:07
Mixing the Verse Synths13:34
Mixing the Intro Synths & Drop Plucks21:18
Mixing the Drop Leads13:13
Mixing the Effects06:41
Mixing the Vocals20:45
Mastering09:04

Mixdown: Enamour - Love Syndrome03:37:22

Mixdown: Ryos - Only You02:35:08

Mixdown: Disco Fries - Moving Mountains04:17:06

Mixdown: Cozmoe - Before The New04:28:33

Prep + Downloads
Overview + Playthrough04:10
Session Prep09:48
Mixing the Intro Part I32:21
Mixing the Intro Part II20:57
Mixing the Verse29:09
Mixing the Vocals22:21
Mixing the Basses Part I16:50
Mixing the Basses Part II19:27
Mixing the Vocal Chops & Pump Group23:49
Mixing the Drums & Pianos26:16
Mixing the Groups12:50
Mix Adjustments & Mastering12:51
Mix & Master Clean Up Part I21:01
Mix & Master Clean Up Part II16:43

Advanced Mixing Workshops

Workshops Curriculum04:13:10

How Mixing For Producers takes your skills to the next level

An inside look at how Mixing For Producers helps you level up your production game...

How to develop practical mixing skills — the #1 thing you can do to improve the quality and presentation of your music
Why most mixing advice you hear is too simplistic or too complicated... and what to really focus on if you want to improve
The two most important tools: EQ & compression... and how to use them like a pro
Everything you need to know about the less-talked-about effects like distortion, saturation, chorus, phaser, and flanger.
The simple process behind gain staging your mix (so you can get the results you want from it)
Two different ways to use automation: creative and corrective… and when you should use each one.
Why group processing can take your mix from good to great… and how to implement it without ruining your mix.
How to leverage sends & returns to boost your mixing workflow and make your mix sound cohesive
The key things you need to avoid if you want a tight, powerful low-end (this is where the majority of producers mess their mix up)

Everything That's Included in Mixing For Producers

The Mixing For Producers Course

You get full, lifetime access to the comprehensive Mixing For Producers program.

This includes the Mixing Bootcamp, 5 professional start-to-finish mixing walkthroughs (with samples and stems), and the advanced mixing workshops.

The Mixing For Producers Guidebook

Quickly reference techniques and concepts with the included 200+ page guidebook (so you don’t always have to go back into and re-watch videos).

Personalized Mixdown Feedback

You get access to personalized feedback on each of the 5 walkthrough mixdowns that you complete. Someone from the EDMProd team will personally listen to your mix and send you a feedback document.

The Vocal Mixing Masterclass

Everyone wants solid vocals on their tracks. This masterclass will show you how to edit, process, and mix vocals so they stand out and make your song memorable.

Live Q&A Mastermind Group Calls

Get access to 4x live group calls where you can ask professional producer and course instructor Shanahan questions about mixing, get guidance, and make connections with others.

These will be held once per month starting in April.

Private Facebook Community

Doing the whole music production thing alone? It can get boring. Enrolling in Mixing For Producers enables you to join our private community of producers—all on the same wavelength as you.

Build connections, get inspired, ask questions, share your wins, get feedback, and have fun!

Our promise and guarantee (100% risk-free)

We are confident that Mixing For Producers will help you level up your mixing, but we know that it’s quite a commitment to enroll in a course of this size. That’s why we want to give you 30 days to go through the content, try it out, and make sure that it’s really helping you.

You can enroll today and go through as much of the course as you want in 30 days. If you don’t LOVE it, then we’ll refund 100% of your money. No sneaky tactics. No “action-based” refund policy where you have to watch X amount of videos or do the worksheets. Just send us a simple email and let us know if it didn’t work out for you.

Mixing For Producers is for you if...

You want to improve your mixing ability and produce tracks that have an impressive sonic quality to them—but you don’t want to waste your time learning a bunch of unnecessary facts and tips.
You’re focused on developing real skills instead of just acquiring head knowledge. You’d rather be the person who lets their work do the talking, rather than boasting from the rooftops about all their mixing knowledge without anything to show for it.
You’ve already tried learning through other methods. You’ve watched YouTube tutorials, read some books, but they haven’t moved the needle for you. You want something comprehensive and action-oriented.
You feel like you have the potential to mix really well, but you’re not sure how to get there.
You’re focused on long-term skill development and practice. You know there aren’t any “easy hacks” for becoming great at mixing. You’re committed to learning quickly and effectively, but you know that effort is required.

Got questions?

Does it matter which DAW I’m using?

Not really. The walkthroughs in Mixing For Producers are mostly recorded in Ableton (one is in FL Studio and another in Logic). You might be wondering whether this course is worth it for you if you’re using a different DAW.

Here’s the simple answer…

It is worth it.

You’ll get access to stems, not just the full project files, so you can follow along in any DAW. Some techniques and tools may look slightly different, and there may be parts where you need to find a workaround in your DAW. But as a whole, you’ll be able to apply what’s being taught and develop your mixing skills.

Worst case scenario? It doesn’t work for you. You find it too hard to follow along in a different DAW. If that’s the case, just send us an email and we’ll refund you in full.

What if I fall behind?

A common concern people have when signing up to a course of this size is that they’ll run out of time and fall behind.

That can’t happen with this program as it’s self-paced. You can go through it in a matter of weeks if you’re extremely diligent and have a lot of time, or you can go through it at a slower pace and take it all in. Whether it takes weeks, months, or even years—it doesn’t matter. You’ll always have access to the course material.

What format is the course + bonuses in?

The course itself consists of online videos, split up by walkthroughs and modules. Same with the vocal processing masterclass.

The live calls will take place through Zoom.

The individual mixdown feedback will be handled through email, but you’ll receive a ~10 minute video from someone in the EDMProd team giving you feedback.

What happens after I sign up?

After you sign up and complete your payment, you’ll instantly get an email from our course platform with information on how to access the course. Your bonuses will arrive in a separate email within just a few minutes. You can start the course whenever you please.

How long do I have access for?

Once purchased, you’ll have instant, lifetime access to the course. This includes access to all future updates.

Do I need studio monitors and acoustic treatment to benefit from this course?

No. Absolutely not. At the very least, you should have a good pair of studio headphones. Beyond that, it doesn’t matter a whole lot. You’ll be able to gain a ton of knowledge and skill from this course regardless of your listening environment.

I have another question

Great! Feel free to use the chatbox to the bottom right of the page, or email us ([email protected])

Intuitive Mixing Skills vs “Mixing Head Knowledge”

I’m sure you’ve met someone who just knows everything.

That friend who’s always quick to correct you (or others). That friend who cares about the “facts.”

These people spend too much time reading books and articles, and not enough time putting their information to use. They become “book smart” and puffed up with knowledge, but it doesn’t really lead to results. There’s no output.

As a producer, your goal should be to develop intuitive mixing skills. Sure, facts and knowledge are important (especially when it comes to mixing). But you don’t want only facts and knowledge, you want to be able to mix well.

Ask yourself, would you rather be the producer who knows a ton of information and facts about mixing….

…or the producer who—even though they can’t rattle off the names of 15 different antique compressors—can consistently produce clean, powerful sounding mixes?

Mixing For Producers is the program that helps you develop this intuitive mixing skill so that you won’t get stuck in your own projects. You’ll be able to know intuitively whether you should use EQ or compression, or reverb, or delay. You won’t second guess yourself as much. You won’t need to consult Google.

You’ll attack problems in your mix with confidence.

You’ll finish more music.

And next time that friend who knows all the “facts” starts lecturing you, you can just ask to hear his latest work and see if it really does stack up to yours (chances are—it won’t).