This one mix decision saves hours

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Here’s something I see constantly when people send me mixes for feedback.

The balance is decent.
Nothing is obviously wrong.

But the mix still feels… small.
Flat.
Like it never quite lifts off.

And almost every time, the issue isn’t what they’re doing —
it’s when they’re doing it.

The Mistake Most Mixers Don’t Realize They’re Making

Most mixers reach for EQ, compression, or saturation before they’ve truly decided what matters most.

Not consciously — but functionally.

Plugins get loaded.
Processing starts stacking.
And the mix slowly loses direction.

Here’s the shift that changes everything:

Don’t Mix Tracks. Mix Priorities.

Before touching a plugin, ask one simple question:

If someone hears this song once, what do they remember?

• The vocal?
• The groove?
• The lyric?
• The emotion?

That answer should determine everything that follows.

What Happens When Priorities Aren’t Clear

When priorities are fuzzy:

• You over-EQ things that shouldn’t be featured
• You compress problems instead of solving them
• You stack plugins hoping clarity will appear

The mix gets louder… but not better.

What Changes When Priorities Are Clear

When priorities are clear:

• Faders do most of the work
• EQ becomes intentional instead of corrective
• Compression supports emotion instead of flattening it

The mix starts feeling bigger without more complexity.

A Simple Exercise You Can Try Today

Mute everything.

Then bring up one element at a time in order of importance — not habit.

Not drums first because “that’s what you do.”
Not vocals first because someone told you to.

Bring things in based on the story of the song.

Most people are shocked by two things:

1. How little processing they actually need
2. How finished the mix feels much earlier

This Is How I Teach Mixing at The Mix Academy

This idea sits at the core of how I teach mixing:

Clarity before complexity.
Intention before plugins.

If you want help applying this across full mixes, that’s exactly what we do inside The Control Room.

No guesswork.
No endless plugin chains.
Just a clear system that actually translates.

👉 Learn more about The Control Room here →

PS — I’m going live 3 times this week mixing worship, pop, rock, and gospel in real time.

You’ll see full mixes come together, hear my decision-making as it happens, and you can ask questions live.

If you’ve ever wanted to see how these ideas actually get applied inside a real session, this is the place.

👉 Watch the next live here →