5 Mixing Lessons That Helped Me Finish My Album

After weeks of long nights and countless tweaks, I finally finished mixing my new album. It was one of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of the process.

Mixing isn’t just about turning knobs — it’s about perspective, patience, and balance. Along the way, I learned (and re-learned) some lessons worth sharing. If you’re mixing your own tracks, here are five takeaways that might save you some time and frustration.

1. Push Through Discomfort

There were moments when I wanted to give up on a mix. Things sounded muddy, unbalanced, or just “wrong.” But pushing through those uncomfortable moments often led to breakthroughs. Progress usually hides on the other side of resistance.

2. Always Use References

It’s easy to get lost in your own sound. Reference tracks act like a compass, keeping your mix grounded in reality. Whenever I felt unsure, A/B-ing my mix against a professional track snapped me back into perspective.

3. Take Breaks for Fresh Ears

Ear fatigue is real. After hours of tweaking, your brain stops hearing clearly. Taking a walk, grabbing food, or just stepping away for 20 minutes made all the difference. Fresh ears revealed problems I couldn’t hear before.

4. Test on Multiple Systems

Your mix doesn’t live only in the studio. I tested mine on car speakers, phone earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, and proper monitors. Each system revealed different issues — sometimes it sounded bass-heavy, sometimes too thin. Fixing these across systems made the mix more consistent.

5. Balance Volumes, Don’t Chase Loudness

Mixing too loud tires your ears and tricks you into thinking things sound better than they are. Mixing at low volume kept things balanced, then I checked at higher levels to make sure the energy held up. Finding that sweet spot between quiet detail and loud impact was key.

Final Thoughts

Finishing a mix is never about perfection. It’s about getting perspective and creating something that translates across systems and connects with listeners.

If you’re stuck in the mix stage, remember: keep pushing, keep referencing, and step away when you need perspective. The balance will come.