Just got decent at mixing, here’s an FAQ for the new guys

save the “ackchually” shit I’m a bedroom producer

1. Yes just a soft clipper

2. No you can’t do it with stock plugins, no matter how many tutorials you watch where they do it with stock plugins

3. YouTubers sell plugins that are good at processing things that are overprocessed. Plugins are overrated. Refer to #1

4. If you find yourself looking for a quick knob twist that will “blend everything together,” or “fix it up right quick,” you’re probably overprocessing and your sounds don’t sound good together. Think about it. Otherwise, they would sound good together. Not using enhancement plugins on melodic instruments makes it easier to learn and you’ll get more out of those plugins later

5. AI mastering is fine for those of us that can’t afford or haven’t learned proper mastering yet. It does a decent job. It does a shitty job when you give it a shitty mix. Crap in, crap out.

6. Limiters and compressors are kinda hard to know how to use. Feel like I’m just getting started with compressors and it’s been a few years and I’ve used several

7. Don’t ship everything. You can ditch a beat that sounds yoinky sploinky before you think you can. Don’t think, is this corny. Think, does this have good sonic quality. If it doesn’t, it will likely sound corny anyway

8. Earburn (or at least that’s what I call it) will kill more dreams than you think. Don’t just let your stuff loop the entire time you’re making it. You’re essentially numbing your ears and since it sounds better louder, you add too much or make it too loud or whatever.

9. You don’t need to saturate your kicks and add more punch to your this, and body to this sound and blah blah blah. Refer to #1. If your drums are good, you’ll make good drums.

10. Invest in good sounds. We’re all gatekeepy about our VSTs but if you do some market research you can make $50 go a long way.