Mix Contest Winners + The 3 Biggest Lessons From Reviewing 100+ Mixes
Thank you to everyone who submitted a mix for last month's contest. You poured real time, courage, and emotional energy into your work — and I’m genuinely honored that you trusted me with it.
Over the last few days, I listened to every single submission (more than 100 mixes!). Hearing that many interpretations of the same song revealed some massive patterns — patterns that show exactly where most mixers get stuck and how you can break through those barriers quickly.
Before we get into the biggest lessons, let’s celebrate the mixers who stood out on this one.
🎉 Mix Contest Winners
1st Place: Juan Velasquez
What stood out: Arrangement, editing (THANK YOU!), creativity/use of effects (automation on "new" first hook was sick!), harmonies, etc. Great work overall!
But wait... There's more! Haha
Audience Choice Awards
Because so many of you took the time to mix this, I’m putting together a special Audience Choice vote for additional prizes. Tomorrow, you’ll get the top 5–10 finalist mixes — volume-matched, blind-labeled, and ready for you to listen, compare, and choose the ones that deserve the community spotlight. I can’t wait for you to hear them.
Keep an eye out for tomorrow morning’s email — that’s when the official voting opens.
🔎 What Reviewing 100+ Mixes Revealed
Three issues appeared in nearly every mix. The encouraging part is that all of them are fixable.
1. Vocals Were Almost Always Buried or Harsh
Vocals either sat inside the track, getting swallowed by the instruments, or they were pushed forward but came out harsh, brittle, or washed in reverb.
Very few mixers achieved a vocal that felt confident, smooth, and professional. The good news: this is technique-driven, not talent-driven — and it can be learned quickly.
2. Monitoring Accuracy Is Holding Mixers Back
Frequency balance across submissions was all over the map — thin, boomy, nasal, scooped, or overly aggressive in the upper mids.
This tells me one thing: most mixers aren’t hearing their mix accurately. That’s a monitoring issue, not a skills issue.
3. Editing Was Nearly Non-Existent
Even though I encouraged everyone to edit hard, most skipped it entirely. Timing cleanup, vocal tightening, transitions, and distraction removal were missing from many mixes.
The difference between edited and unedited submissions was dramatic. If you want your work to sound pro, you have to edit.
Bonus Tip: Most Mixes Were Drenched in Reverb
Here’s a fast fix you can apply immediately:
- Halve your decay times
- Add 20–30ms of pre-delay
- EQ your reverbs aggressively so they sit behind the dry vocal
🎤 The Vocal Mixing Workshop: Fix These Issues Fast
After hearing where most mixers struggled, I’m hosting a brand-new Vocal Mixing Workshop. We’re going to focus entirely on the one skill that truly separates amateurs from pros:
Mixing a lead vocal that cuts through the track with smoothness, control, and unmistakable professionalism.
What You’ll Receive
You’ll get fully mixed 2-tracks (stereo mix) across multiple genres — pop, rock, , heavy rock, country, CCM, Gospel, hip hop, and R&B (featuring male and female voices) — and your mission is simple:
Focus exclusively on mixing the lead vocal until it sounds like a finished record.
We’ll work together step-by-step through:
- evaluating the raw vocal
- subtractive EQ and tonal shaping
- boosting without harshness
- compression for density and control
- parallel compression done the right way
- saturation for warmth and attitude
- automation for movement and emotion
- effects that enhance without overwhelming
- understanding how stereo bus processing affects the vocal
We’ll mix each vocal together in real time across multiple genres. Then you’ll take what you learn into vocal mix challenges inside The Control Room.
I’ll personally put ears on at least one vocal mix from every participant.
This workshop is free for all Control Room members (or $97 if purchased after launch).
🎧 Bonus: The Headphone Mixing Blueprint Breakdown
Because monitoring accuracy was such a HUGE issue across submissions, I’m also adding a full breakdown of my Headphone Mixing Blueprint.
Inside, you’ll learn how to:
- calibrate your headphones for free
- identify where your mixes are falling apart
- achieve punch, clarity, and warmth with zero harshness
- trust your monitoring and make confident mix decisions
This directly addresses the biggest issue I heard in the contest: inaccurate monitoring.
The Fastest Path Forward
There are 15 Founder’s spots left at the $27/month rate for The Control Room. If you join this week, you’ll get full access to:
- The Vocal Mixing Workshop
- The Headphone Mixing Blueprint breakdown
- Weekly mix breakdowns on real records
- Community feedback and growth
- Direct guidance from me as you level up
15 Founder’s spots remain at the $27/month rate.
Final Thoughts
Whether you place in the contest or not, I’m proud of you. Submitting your work is a big deal — and it means you’re serious about growth.
The next step is simple: fix the core issues, build repeatable habits, and mix with confidence.
I’d love to help you get there. See you inside The Control Room!
– David
