Again, do not think this is the holy grail of pop song mixing. There is no such thing as one best way to mix a track. This is just the beginning.

Let's get started then.

The first step in the mixing process is mixer calibration. In the rest of this discussion, we assume that you are familiar with the workings of a mixing console or audio mixer. The purpose of this exercise is to calibrate the mixer for peak signals handled by a channel, so keep your volumes at a reasonable level.

 

A test tone of 0db is recommended for use in the calibration; otherwise, you can use the loudest signal available on the track. Start by setting each fader (a sliding volume control for the potentiometer on the channel) to the 0db mark. Now apply the test tone or the loudest signal on the channel and adjust the trim so that the pointer on the meter reads 0db. Repeat the procedure until every channel in the mixer is calibrated. Your loudest signal on the channel should meter at 0db when the fader is at 0db. In other words, if the fader is set to n, the meter should also read n for the selected tone.

It's important to check the individual channels in isolation. If available, use the solo-in-place function on your mixer; otherwise, manually mute all the channels except the one you are calibrating.

Once your basic mix is setup, you are ready to fine tune the other instruments using the console setting as the reference. You will need to use the solo-in-place function or its equivalent to individually calibrate each instrument.

Kick Drum: The recommended settings are 0db +3 EQ to boost at 50Hz frequencies; +1db at 3,000Hz; -3db at 275Hz. We'll leave the kick drum with subtle ambience and revisit later to give finer tweaks. Be sure to check that the kick drum is not resonating too much (particularly when used with a live drum) or ringing heavily. A pillow stuffed in the drum is good to stop resonance. To prevent excessive hissings, you can add a noise gate right at the beginning of the mixdown.  

Snare: Set the reading to -2db in order to adjust the EQ in the range of 4kHz. Throw in reverberation in good measure to give a sense of space and reality to the pop song, if necessary. Snare has a tendency to interfere with the vocal. You may have to pan it a few degrees. Move on after these tweaks with the intention to revisit the instrument near the end of the mix.

Lead Vocal: Set the track to meter at 0db. The vocal should sit right on top of everything else. It is noticed in the 100-200Hz range that rumbling and popping may creep into the vocal; a high pass filter should cut out the low frequency sound. In the 15kHz frequency range, carefully enhance the signals to add space and sheen. Use with deft fingers the left/right high frequency equalizers, instead of pan controls, to center the lead vocal. It is important to note here that vocals stay centered better on mono tracks than stereo tracks. Also, stereo is prone to phase problems unlike mono. Wear your headphones and check the voice clarity. Without muddying the mix, add reverbs and delays. Check the vocal again and make necessary adjustments before taking the output.

If you want reverbs to come into picture only when the vocalist gets loud, try this. Fork out the lead vocal to different faders. Subject the first vocal to compression and pass the second, uncompressed vocal to a reverb unit for life-size finish.

Cymbals: Set to -25db. Cymbals are placed about 50-75% away from the center and adjustments are made to reinforce the passive presence of the instrument, so it does not interfere with the vocals. The cymbals should hold the music together without getting too loud.

Synth pads (-20db): Use stereo tracks and pump up the effects generously, but be sure to check that the pads are not too prominent. The idea is to give the user a landscape to walk on without lulling the main ingredients of the song. To give a clear dimension of the landscape you can delay one side of the Left/Right by about 10-12 microseconds.

Bass: Give it a -10db boost, front and center. Use only chorus and a light flange on the effects unit; do not use reverb. Ensure tight syncopation of kick drum and bass for quality music. A delay of few microseconds between the bass and kick drum augurs well for the overall music. On the contrary, EQs should be set at different levels for both kick drum and bass. A spectrum analyzer tells you the peak frequencies of both. Weed out duff notes as soon as they hit your ears.

Rhythm guitar (-15db): Keep it panned off the center. Be sure to do away with any bass frequencies present in the range of 250-400Hz using high pass filters. You can throw in a mild boost without interfering with the vocal using a mid range EQ.

Percussion (-20db): If the base music is devoid of percussion, you should pan it off the center. If required, add EQ to taste. A bit of hand drums gives the mix a nice finish.