Mixing Cheat Sheet
Every setting on this page is a starting point. Dial it in, then listen and adjust. Use it when you're stuck, when you want a sensible default, or as a checklist before you call a mix finished.
No number here is "correct". Sources, genres and arrangements differ. Load the setting, then move each control until it sounds right, and always compare at matched loudness. If your ears and this page disagree, your ears win.
Compressor Starting Points
GR means gain reduction: how many dB the compressor turns the signal down on the loudest parts. See Compression.
| Source | Ratio | Attack | Release | GR | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | 4:1 | 10–30 ms | 50–100 ms | 3–6 dB | Punch; slower attack keeps the click |
| Snare | 4:1 | 5–20 ms | 80–150 ms | 3–6 dB | Crack plus body |
| Drum bus | 2:1–4:1 | 10–30 ms | Fast, or timed to the groove | 2–4 dB | "Glue" and groove |
| Parallel drums | 8:1–10:1 or more | Fast (1–5 ms) | Fast–medium | 10 dB or more | Blend under the dry drums for power |
| Bass guitar | 4:1 | 10–30 ms | 80–200 ms | 3–6 dB | Even notes, steady low end |
| 808 / synth bass | 2:1–4:1 | 10–30 ms | 80–150 ms | 2–4 dB | Control peaks; often light or none |
| Lead vocal | 3:1–4:1 | 5–15 ms | 40–100 ms or auto | 3–6 dB | Steady level; two gentle stages beat one heavy one |
| Backing vocals | 4:1–6:1 | Fast (2–10 ms) | 50–100 ms | 5–8 dB | Flat and consistent, sits behind the lead |
| Acoustic guitar | 2:1–3:1 | 10–25 ms | 100–200 ms | 2–4 dB | Even strumming |
| Electric guitar | 2:1–3:1 | 10–30 ms | 100–200 ms | 1–3 dB | Often little needed; distortion already compresses |
| Piano / keys | 2:1–3:1 | 20–30 ms | 100–250 ms | 2–3 dB | Controlled but natural dynamics |
| Mix bus | 1.5:1–2:1 | 10–30 ms | Auto or 100–300 ms | 1–2 dB | Subtle glue only |
EQ Moves per Instrument
See EQ and the Frequency Chart. Cut narrow, boost wide, and high-pass anything that doesn't need low end.
| Source | High-pass | Common cuts | Common boosts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | 20–30 Hz (remove sub rumble) | 250–500 Hz (boxy) | 50–80 Hz (weight), 2–5 kHz (click) |
| Snare | 80–100 Hz | 400–800 Hz (ring) | 150–250 Hz (body), 5–8 kHz (snap) |
| Hi-hats / cymbals | 250–500 Hz | 2–4 kHz if harsh | 10 kHz+ shelf (shimmer) |
| Bass | 30–40 Hz | 200–300 Hz (mud) | 60–100 Hz (weight), 700 Hz–1 kHz (growl) |
| Electric guitar | 80–120 Hz | 200–400 Hz (mud), 6–8 kHz (fizz) | 2–4 kHz (bite) |
| Acoustic guitar | 80–120 Hz | 200–400 Hz (boom/box) | 5–10 kHz (sparkle) |
| Piano | 40–80 Hz | 200–400 Hz | 3–5 kHz (definition) |
| Pads | 100–250 Hz | 300–500 Hz | Gentle high shelf for air |
| Lead vocal | 80–120 Hz | 200–400 Hz (mud), 800 Hz–1.5 kHz (nasal) | 3–5 kHz (presence), 10–12 kHz shelf (air) |
| Reverb / delay returns | 150–300 Hz | — | Low-pass at 6–10 kHz to push back |
Reverb & Delay Starting Points
See Reverb & Delay. Use effects on sends so several tracks share one space.
| Source | Type | Decay | Pre-delay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead vocal | Plate | 1.2–2.0 s | 20–80 ms | Plus a 1/4 or dotted 1/8 delay, 15–30% feedback |
| Snare | Plate or room | 0.8–1.5 s | 0–20 ms | Gated reverb for a 1980s sound |
| Drum kit | Room | 0.4–1.0 s | 0–10 ms | Adds realism and glue |
| Acoustic / piano | Hall or room | 1.5–2.5 s | 10–30 ms | Keep it subtle in dense mixes |
| Pads / ambient | Hall | 2.5–5 s or more | 20–50 ms | Long tails fill space; duck them with sidechain |
| Vocal slapback | Delay | One repeat | 80–150 ms | Little or no feedback |
| Width delay | Delay (Haas) | — | 10–25 ms one side | Check in mono |
| Throw delay | Delay | 2–4 repeats | 1/4 or 1/8 synced | Automate the send on the last word of a line |
The Genre BPM & Keys page has a full tempo-to-milliseconds chart.
Gain Staging Targets
| Stage | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Recording (24-bit) | Peaks around -12 to -6 dBFS, average near -18 dBFS | Leaves headroom for loud takes; 24-bit has a very low noise floor |
| Into analog-modeled plugins | Average near -18 dBFS | Many are designed around this as their nominal level |
| Individual tracks | Peaks below about -6 dBFS | Room for EQ boosts and summing |
| Mix bus (before mastering) | Peaks around -6 to -3 dBFS, no limiter | Gives the mastering engineer headroom |
| Final master | True peak at or below -1 dBTP | Avoids clipping when converted to lossy formats |
Loudness Targets
Streaming services normalize playback, turning loud songs down to a reference level. These are commonly published reference levels; services can change them, so check current documentation. See Loudness & LUFS.
| Destination | Reference (integrated) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify | About -14 LUFS (default setting) | Users can choose louder or quieter normalization |
| YouTube | About -14 LUFS | Turns loud content down; doesn't usually turn quiet content up |
| Apple Music | About -16 LUFS | With Sound Check on |
| Broadcast (EBU R128, Europe) | -23 LUFS | A strict standard for TV and radio |
| Broadcast (ATSC A/85, US) | -24 LKFS | US television standard |
| Club / EDM masters | Often around -9 to -6 LUFS | A genre convention, not a requirement |
You don't have to master to -14 LUFS. Master to sound great and competitive for your genre, keep true peak at or below -1 dBTP, and know that a very loud master will simply be turned down, losing punch for no gain.
Mix Checklist (in order)
- Organize: name, color and group tracks; delete unused ones; save a new version.
- Gain stage: set clip or trim gain so tracks average around -18 dBFS.
- Static balance: faders and panning only, no plugins. Start with the most important element (often vocal or kick).
- Clean up: high-pass filters, remove mud and resonances, fix phase between multi-mic sources.
- Control dynamics: compress where needed for punch and consistency.
- Tone: corrective EQ first, then creative EQ and saturation.
- Space: set up reverb and delay sends; create depth from front to back.
- Low end: decide whether kick or bass owns the sub; sidechain if needed.
- Automation: rides on vocals, sends and builds so the song moves.
- Check: mono, low volume, headphones, phone and car; compare to a reference at matched loudness.
- Rest and revise: listen again the next day before you export.
- Export: 24-bit WAV at the project sample rate, no limiter, peaks around -6 to -3 dBFS.
Mastering Checklist
See The Mastering Chain.
- Load the mix and two or three reference tracks; level-match them.
- Listen through once without touching anything. Note problems.
- Corrective EQ: small moves, usually under 2 dB.
- Compression for glue: ratio around 1.5:1–2:1, 1–2 dB GR.
- Optional: saturation, stereo adjustments (keep lows below about 100–150 Hz mono).
- Limiter: ceiling at or below
-1 dBTP; raise input until loud enough without audible pumping or distortion. - Check loudness (integrated LUFS), true peak, and the loudest section.
- Compare with references at matched loudness. Does it still sound better than the mix?
- Check start and end: clean fades, no clicks, appropriate silence.
- Export: WAV at the required bit depth and sample rate; dither when reducing to 16-bit.
- Open a mix you're working on and save a new version.
- Go through the mix checklist above step by step, ticking each item on paper.
- Insert your DAW's compressor on the lead vocal (Ableton: Compressor; FL Studio: Fruity Limiter in Compressor mode; Logic: Compressor) and load the vocal starting point from the table.
- Adjust attack and release by ear, level-match, and compare with bypass. Note where you ended up compared with the starting point.
Before sending a mix to mastering, mix bus peaks should be around -6 to dBFS.
A common true peak ceiling for a final master is dBTP.
1. What is a sensible starting ratio for mix bus compression?
- 10:1
- 20:1
- 1.5:1–2:1
- 8:1
Mix bus compression is about gentle glue, usually 1–2 dB of gain reduction at a low ratio.
2. In the mix checklist, what comes before any plugins?
- A static balance with faders and panning
- Mastering
- Automation
- Adding a limiter to the master
A good fader and pan balance solves many problems before you reach for processing.
3. Why high-pass reverb returns around 150–300 Hz?
- To make the reverb longer
- To increase stereo width
- To raise the loudness
- To stop low-frequency reverb build-up muddying the mix
Low-end reverb adds mud. Filtering it keeps the space without clouding the bass and kick.
4. Your master measures -7 LUFS integrated. What happens on a service that normalizes to about -14 LUFS?
- It plays louder than other songs
- It is turned down to about the same loudness as other songs
- It is rejected
- It is converted to mono
Normalization turns loud masters down, so extra loudness gives no advantage and can cost punch.