Cameron Cartee On the Difference Between Mixing & Mastering

We’ll just go ahead and let Cam explain it. Also, check out this great interview DGB did with him.

“Mixing and Mastering a song is completely different. Like the easiest way I can explain it visually is if you have a painting, the blank canvas is the recording of the song. The painting would be the mixing and the framing would be the mastering. I master songs, but I am a mixing engineer. If I am working for a label with a budget, the song will come to me to mix and then I will send it off to a mastering engineer to finish it. If I had my way, this is how all of the songs I mix would go, but some artists don’t have the budget for a mastering engineer so I will do it.

Mixing is the process of taking recorded tracks and blending them together. Tracks are blended using various processes such as Fine-tuning the sound of each instrument or voice using EQ, Compression and Reverb, Delays, Automation, etc. The end goal of mixing is to bring out the best in your multi-track recording by adjusting levels, panning to give a stereo image, and time-based audio effects (chorus, reverb, delay) to enhance the recording. Also adding emotion to the track and effects such as drops, auto-tune, stutters. Mixing is basically making the recorded song pleasant to the ears. When I’m mixing a song I try my best to convey what the artist is trying to say through my mix. This is where the sauce is added.

Mastering is the polishing process. Adding the final touches to the 2 track wav. Balancing the level of the overall mix and controlling the Dynamic range. EQ, Compression, and Automation are also used in the mastering process. You can rarely fix issues with the mix in the mastering process so the mix has to be on point before sending it to get mastered. It’s like they say, you can’t polish a turn and expect it to be a diamond. In the mastering process, you want to have the same quality whether you are listening on headphones, a laptop, loudspeaker, the car, etc. The mastering engineer’s goal is to provide high fidelity, high clarity, & professional sound that can be enjoyed by listeners on any source.”

1 Comment on "Cameron Cartee On the Difference Between Mixing & Mastering"

  1. Cameron Cartee congrats on this piece. You explained the difference very well. Much love and continued success to you.

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