PREMIUM COURSE

Faders Up I: Modern Mix Techniques

Learn the basics of how to create better mixes of your music with insights from top sound engineers.

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Knowing how to make a good mix of your track is critical for any level of musician these days. Whether you're a bedroom producer, songwriter, or bandleader, getting the sound you want from your recordings can help you reach the next level and bring in a wider audience for your music.

In this six-week guided course, you'll learn the essentials of modern mixing from top sound engineers in NYC and beyond — engineers who've worked with artists like Beyoncé, D'Angelo, Solange, Sia, Mark Ronson, the New York Philharmonic, the Dirty Projectors, and many more. By the end of this course, you'll understand referencing, panning, routing, signal flow, EQ, compression, reverb, and much more. Plus, if you sign up for one of our mentor-guided sessions, you'll get weekly hands-on support and feedback from a Soundfly Mentor to help you adjust and focus your mixes along the way!

If you've already got a great knowledge of the basics and want to take your mixing to the next level, head over to Faders Up II: Advanced Mix Techniques.

9 Top Sound Engineers

Mixing artists, professionals, & Grammy winners

This course was created by the Soundfly team based on interviews with professional sound engineers and mixers, including Grammy winner Brian Losch, Ebonie Smith, Andrew Sarlo, Aaron Nevezie, John Davis, Tim Leitner, Jake Aron, Joe Lambert, and David Amlen. Between them, they’ve worked with artists including D’Angelo, Beyoncé, Animal Collective, The Dirty Projectors, Wynton Marsalis, Solange, Chairlift, Esperanza Spalding, Questlove, Mark Ronson — the list goes on and on.

Course Outline

  1. Section 1

Getting Started

- Welcome to the Course!
- What's Ahead
- How This Works
- Meet the Pros
- Introduce Yourself
- Course Rules
- Quick Review of DAWs
  1. Section 2

Listening

- Describing Sound
- Reference Tracks
- Picking Good References
- Week 1 Challenge
  1. Section 3

Levels

- Introduction to Week 2
- Session Prep
- Using RMS Metering
- Decisions, Decisions
- The Best of Both Worlds
  1. Section 4

Panning

- What is Panning?
- Panning in Action
- Traditions
- Panogramas
- Panning in Your DAW
- Quiz: Test Your Ear
- Week 2 Challenge
- Bonus Tip: Mono -> Stereo
  1. Section 5

Advanced Routing

- Introduction to Week 3
- Summing
- Summing in Action
- Routing Exercise
  1. Section 6

Equalization

- Common Approaches to EQ
- Exploring EQs
- Filters
- Shelves
- Bells
- Masking
- Quiz: Test Your Ear
- EQ Checklist
- Week 3 Challenge
  1. Section 7

Compression

- Introduction to Week 4
- What Is Compression?
- Threshold
- Ratio
- Makeup Gain
- Compression Exercise
- Envelope
- Knee
- Good Starting Places
- Quiz: Test Your Ear
- Week 4 Challenge
- Bonus Tip: Gates
  1. Section 8

Automation

- Introduction to Week 5
- Flying Faders
- Tips from the Pros
- Mixing with Automation
- Automation Exercise
  1. Section 9

Time-Based Effects

- Delay and Reverb
- Sends vs. Inserts
- Delay
- Reverb
- Quiz: Test Your Ear
- Week 5 Challenge
  1. Section 10

Conclusion

- The Final Mix
- What is Mastering?
- Conclusion

MORE INFORMATION

What will I learn in this course?

You'll learn the basics of referencing, level, pan, EQ, compression, reverb, delay, and other essential mixing skills to help take your projects and songs to the next level. You'll be able to use these different tools to create more professional-sounding tracks.

Are there any pre-reqs?

There aren't any course prerequisites, but you'll need a basic familiarity with a digital audio workstation (DAW) like Logic, Live, or Pro Tools. We'll be demoing in Logic Pro X throughout this course, but with references to other DAWs from time to time and help from your Soundfly Mentor, if you need it.

Who are the experts in the course?

We interviewed a number of professional sound engineers about their approaches to certain mixing topics for this course. It includes Brian Losch, Andrew Sarlo, Ebonie Smith (Atlantic Records), Aaron Nevezie (The Bunker Studio), John Davis (The Bunker Studio), Tim Leitner, Jake Aron, Joe Lambert, and David Amlen (Sound on Sound Recording).

How long does this course take?

This course was designed to be completed in roughly six weeks, assuming students would have a few hours a week to spend on it. Each "week" includes a certain section and challenge activity for you to take on. That said, that timeline is just a casual recommendation — you can choose to blow through it all in one sitting or take a year with it, if you'd like.

Is there a specific start date?

You can start the course anytime. If you'd like more accountability and guided feedback from a professional, you can request to work through the course and your own goals with a Soundfly Mentor for four or six weeks, and get a more personalized experience for a specific period of time.

How many lessons are there?

This course includes 63 lessons, including videos, graphics, text, activities, demos, interviews with outside experts, and much more.

What do I get if I enroll as a subscriber?

As a subscriber, you'll get unlimited access to all courses on Soundfly.com, including this and all our other premium courses, to go through at your own pace. This includes all the videos, tutorials, demos, quizzes, activities, downloads, and other materials within our full suite of courses.

You're also entitled to a 25% discount on our custom mentorship program, you will be invited to join our exclusive community Discord group, you'll be able join subscriber-only Study Groups, artist Q&As and workshops, annual contests and giveaways, and you'll have access to a growing list of exclusive discount perks courtesy of our partner brands. Cancel anytime.

Can I take this course with a mentor?

Yes, absolutely. If you would like to go through the course with support, accountability, feedback, and guidance from an expert, you can request a mentor by filling out this form. A Soundfly staffperson will reach out within 48 hours to learn more about your goals, your music, and your skills level, and pair you with a mentor who can help you achieve your next musical milestone. Our mentorship program is our science-backed learning model designed to help you learn more efficiently and effectively. Your mentor will tailor the course to your experience and interests, offer detailed weekly feedback on your work, answer any questions you have, help you blow past obstacles, and keep you on track to accomplish your goals.