How to judge a mix, on e.g. muddiness and balance?

1. How do I know if my mix is balanced?
2. How do you judge a mix?
3. How do you balance instruments in a mix?
4. How do you reduce muddiness in a mix?

How do I know if my mix is balanced?

A balanced mix (or flat, if you prefer) usually has a full range of frequencies more or less hitting 0dB on an FFT reader. You can go -/+3dB around it, but keeping it around 0 is the best. For electronic music, it's pretty normal to have the low end sticking out by about +3dB though.

How do you judge a mix?

How To Tell When Your Mix Is Finished

1. You Can Hear Each Instrument Clearly.
2. You Can Understand Every Word of the Lyrics.
3. The Mix Is Glued Together.
4. There Are No Technical Issues with the Mix.
5. It Grows and Changes Over Time.
6. It Sounds Good Compared to Other Songs.
7. It Sounds Good on Multiple Sound Systems.

How do you balance instruments in a mix?

Follow the Leader:

1. Start your mix with the main instrument. This may be the vocal in a pop track or your kick and bass in a club track. ...
2. Set your mix to mono. Switch off one monitor. ...
3. Generate pink noise at a suitable level. This level should be around where you want your main element to sit in the mix.

How do you reduce muddiness in a mix?

5 Tips To Avoid Ruining Your Mix With Muddy Sound

1. Get it right at the source.
2. Manage your low end in the stereo field.
3. Don't be afraid to filter.
4. Be extra-careful EQing your low mids.
5. Keep good headroom.