There are a lot of options when it comes to choosing an online mixing service for your music. Searching for “the best online mixing services” won’t really help either as, if you know how Google works, it doesn’t really order the results from the best to worse.
That’s actually a good thing. Truth is you’re actually not looking for the best or most affordable online mixing services if you care about your songs. You’re actually looking for the best fit for your music and goals as an artist. How do I know? Because I’ve been providing online mixing services for many artists for 10+ years and I’ve learnt a few things in the process which might be helpful to know when you’re looking for an online mixing service.
Let’s dive in.
What is online mixing, how does it differ from traditional mixing in a studio?
Traditional studio mixing might mean that you are present as the song is being mixed. Sometimes the engineer will send the band or artist out for a break whilst they pulled together a mix for them to hear. When they get back to the studio they’ll listen and make suggestions to the engineer to tweak the mix further.
This sort of mixing style isn’t as prevalent as it used to be because of the cost and the changes in technology.
Online mixing services mean you won’t attend the mixing session with the mix engineer. You might have a video call to chat about your vision for the project but on the whole it’ll be a remote process.
The engineer will take the stems from your project, mix the song or songs and send you a test mix. You’ll be able to spend some time reviewing it and then you’ll come back with mix tweaks and changes. The engineer will make the changes and then send you back a revised mix.
This process continues until you’re happy with the mix.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an online mixing service?
The Cost
You might find online mixing prices comparable with working with a local engineer. Often it depends on how the mix engineer charges for mixing. Some mix engineers might work hourly as they’re used to hiring out their studio hourly.
Generally a professional mix engineer, whether they are working online or offline, will work for a flat fee for each song.
I personally like to charge based on the track size of the project. The fee is set for you as a client so you know exactly what you’ll be paying. For me this aligns the investment you’re making with your goals. We’re going to work together on the mix until you’re happy and you’re not watching the dollars go up with each passing hour.
Convenience
As fun as it is to go into a studio for the mixing part of the project it can also be less convenient and at times boring unless you’re a studio person.
Having mixes turn up on your phone via a link means you can review your mixes from the listening environments you’re comfortable with. This is really important because you want to know your mixes translate to how other people are going to listen to it.
As much as I miss the in person experience from when I was a younger mix engineer, I personally think this is far more productive for everyone.
Access to a wider talent pool
This is one of the biggest advantages of online mixing services. You can work with someone you know has mixed artists or bands you like or who specialises in your genre etc.
You’re spoiled for choice.
Communication challenges
Having worked as a mix engineer with people in person and remotely, I have found communication isn’t really an issue. A great mix engineer will work with you to achieve your sonic vision.
I like to have a face-to-face meeting with clients via Zoom or Google Meet at the start of a project so we can chat and get to know each other. I find this plus any relevant songs as references help me to get into the headspace of the client.
If I’m mixing and album project, I find the first one or two songs are the “learning curve” songs. Once you’ve locked in those songs, there is rarely an issue.
Is online mixing suitable for all genres of music?
I don’t think online mixing suits certain styles better, it’s really the preference of the individual. I also think that if you’re looking for someone who mixes your genre, you’re actually at more of an advantage going with an online mixing service.
How do I know if my music is ready for professional mixing?
This can be tough because it depends on your bar for when a project is ready for mixing. I encourage clients to send through a song for me to review before we get started so I can see if there are any potential technical issues. If they want feedback on whether the song or songs are ready, we can discuss that in our video call.
Some mix engineers with a production background may be open to helping with the production and arrangement side of your songs to help get them sounding finished. This is a service I offer as I have a degree in music composition and years of music production experience. I can arrange additional parts such as strings and horns as well as help add finishing production elements to help if certain sections aren’t hitting their mark.
In the end, your relationship with your mix engineer should help you grow as a songwriter and in your recording and production.
Choosing An Online Mixing Service
So how do you choose the right online mixing service for your music?
Even though you may never meet your mix engineer face to face, they need to be a good fit for your music and having a strong working relationship with them helps as well.
Here are somethings to look/listen for:
Mixing Portfolio
This is a bit of a no-brainer but make sure you listen to their mixing portfolio. Do you like how their final mixes sound compared with other mixes you like? Do they seem to understand your genre based on the songs they’ve mixed?
Listen for how the vocals sound. Listen for the power and emotion in the mixes especially going from a verse to chorus etc. Also remember that a great mix can’t fix a poor song so hopefully they’ve picked the best songs for their portfolio that make their mixes shine.
Their Vibe & Background
Check out their socials, website, YouTube – do you vibe with their mixing ethos? What sort of background do they come from in music? Are they a musician and songwriter themselves?
The Price (Hint, It’s An Investment)
I always encourage clients to think of mixing as an investment because it is. You’ve invested in your music through hours and hours of work, keeping this in mind when you’re pricing mixing for your music is important.
If you spent 40 hours writing, recording and producing a song and paid yourself $50 an hour it’d be $2000 you’d invested. Is it crazy to invest $400 to get it mixed professionally?
If the online mixing and mastering service you’re looking at doesn’t have their mix prices, reach out to them in a professional manner and ask them for their prices. Ask them:
- If they offer any discounts for EP or album projects.
- Do they charge extra for certain additional services? E.g. vocal tuning, editing, stems for stem mastering etc.
What Do You Get For You Investment
It’s important to know what you get for your money. Do they do any editing of the tracks? Do they provide vocal tuning? How many revisions do they give you and does it cost more for extra revisions?
If they have a terms of service, get them to send it to you.
How Do They Like To Communicate?
Ask them about how they like to communicate about mix projects. This is important because having conversations going on different platforms can lead to some rough experiences and misunderstandings.
Do A Test Mix
When I start working with a new mixing client I recommend that we mix one song to make sure I’m a good fit for them and their music. In the end, your mix engineer should be making sure you get a mix you love.
Revisions & Feedback
Some online mixing services offer a set number of revisions you can make. This isn’t a bad thing as it can help speed up the process of mixing by making you more thorough in your listening and feedback to the engineer.
Other online mixing services won’t have a set number of revisions. If this is the case, I’d still encourage you to be thorough and detailed in your feedback for the sake of maintaining a good workflow for your project.
When you give feedback, ask how the mix engineer you’re working with likes to receive it. Some services will have a playback system for your songs where you can leave feedback on the track at the point in the song where the change needs to occur. Other services will work with written feedback with time references.
Whichever way your chosen service operates, be precise and thorough. Also allow the engineer to push back when it’s reasonable. This can be a trick balance but a great mix engineer will give you helpful feedback and reasons for their decisions so you can grow in your own artistry and understanding of the process.
How Should I Send My Projects?
This can vary quite a bit. Traditionally you’d send high quality audio files (24bit, 44.1KHz at least) for each instrument and voice bounced down in stereo or mono (depending on the source) from the start of your project. This way the mix engineer can just drop in the tracks at the start of their project file and get working.
If you’re working in the same system as the mix engineer you might be fine to send the project file over.
I work in Logic Pro X so most of my clients will send me a GarageBand or Logic Pro X project and I’ll make an alternative version and start my mixing process. I personally like this approach as I can get a feel for what the client was trying to achieve. Sometimes I’ll leave plugins if they are crucial to creating the sound they were trying to achieve. Sometimes I will, with their permission, replace the native virtual instruments in the project with high-quality versions to give the project a more polished sound.
The Mixing Process
Turnaround Times For Mixing
Again, this will vary from one online mixing service to another. It can depend on the mix engineer’s workload too. It’s something you need to consider when engaging someone for mixing and mastering.
I generally allow 1 – 2 weeks for mixing and mastering including feedback on mixes. If you’re on a tight schedule you can ask the mix engineer if there is a rush fee for projects that need to be turned around quicker.
What role do I play in the online mixing process?
One of the best things you can do in the process is communicating about your project clearly. Be upfront about what your expectations are. Are you releasing your music online only? Are you planning on having vinyl made? Have you got references to commercial mixes you like the sound of?
Great communication will make the project run smoothly and get you a much better result.
There’s a lot in this post and hopefully I’ve answered some of the common questions that you might have when looking for an online mixing and mastering service. If you have specific comments and questions, feel free to leave them in the comments or reach out to me via the contact page on the website.
All the best with your music making!
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