online audio mixing, mixing console

Online Audio Mixing — Radio-Ready Balance & Delivery

by Byron Hill II in News

Great mixes don’t happen by accident. They come from decisions that reveal the song: steady vocals, tight low-end, musical dynamics, and space that translates from earbuds to clubs. This page lays out a clear, remote-friendly path to a release-ready mix—fast, organized, and collaborative.

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I. What you actually get from a modern mix

  • Vocal intelligibility: words land up front without harsh S’s or brittle top.
  • Low-end shape: kick/bass work together instead of fighting—solid on small speakers, powerful on large ones.
  • Depth & width: delays, reverbs, and modulation that create a 3D field without washing detail.
  • Controlled dynamics: punch and consistency that survive streaming normalization and social compression.
  • Delivery you can trust: clean versioning, aligned alternates, and a print that plays nicely with mastering.

II. Who this service fits

  • Artists over a 2-track beat: polish the vocal, widen hooks, and carve a reliable pocket in dense instrumentals.
  • Multitrack sessions: build a bus architecture (DRUMS, MUSIC, LEAD, BGV) for clarity and speed—ideal for EPs/albums.
  • Remote collabs: predictable file handling, time-stamped notes, and aligned alternates for performers, labels, and content teams.

III. The online process (start to finish)

  1. Upload & notes. Send WAVs or consolidated stems, tempo/key, references, and any “don’t lose this” moments.
  2. Setup & first pass. Gain-stage, route buses, solve frequency conflicts, place space, and print a first mix focused on the song’s center of gravity.
  3. Review. You listen on your speakers, earbuds, and car; add concise, time-stamped notes.
  4. Revisions. Targeted updates—hook focus, ad-lib rides, FX phrasing—until the record feels locked.
  5. Final prints. Main mix plus aligned alternates (instrumental, a cappella, TV/performance, and clean/radio if needed).

IV. Deliverables (ready for mastering & content)

Deliverable Format Notes
Main Mix WAV 24-bit at session rate Headroom preserved; peak-safe for mastering
Instrumental WAV 24-bit Aligned to main; same length and tails
A cappella WAV 24-bit Full vocal stack; FX as intended
TV / Performance Mix WAV 24-bit Lead reduced/removed; ad-libs and BGV intact
Clean / Radio WAV 24-bit Masked/edited language, timing preserved
Mix Stems (on request) Grouped stems DRUMS, MUSIC, LEAD, BGV, FX for remixes or live

V. How your mix is built to travel

  • Gain architecture: input trims target healthy dynamics; no bus is “doing all the work.”
  • Frequency handshake: subtract where parts collide, then add color—never the other way around.
  • Time design: tempo-locked delays and pre-delay on reverbs keep consonants readable.
  • Translation checks: small-speaker clarity, mono integrity, and car tests before the first pass ships.
  • Master-friendly prints: clean headroom and stable peaks so the master can focus on tone and competitive level.

VI. Options & add-ons

  • Vocal tuning: transparent or stylized, printed on its own lane for flexibility.
  • Timing edits: pocket tightening where necessary, without losing feel.
  • Alternate versions: clean, radio, performance, TV, and short edits for promos.
  • Next step mastering: keep momentum by handing off directly to online album mastering when you’re assembling an EP or LP.

VII. Upload checklist (5 minutes)

Before you send
  • 24-bit WAV at your session sample rate (no heavy limiter on the mix bus).
  • Consolidated audio from bar 1 with full tails; name tracks clearly.
  • Tempo/key, lyric sheet (if any), and two reference links.
  • One notes doc with time stamps and priorities (what matters most).

VIII. Pricing & timeline

  • Singles: scoped per track based on track count and editing needs.
  • EPs/Albums: rate scales with song count; consistent bus layout speeds delivery.
  • Turnaround: typical first pass in 5–7 business days; focused revisions thereafter.

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IX. Why artists book here

  • Experience: 3,000+ songs mixed/mastered for artists worldwide.
  • Monitoring chain: precision headphone workflow (Abyss Diana TC with iDSD Diablo) plus speaker cross-checks for detail at modern listening levels.
  • Aligned deliverables: every alternate lines up sample-accurately with the main mix.
  • Communication: clear milestones, time-stamped notes, and honest feedback that moves the record forward.

X. FAQs

Do you mix into a limiter?
We protect headroom. Any preview limiting is for feel only and removed before the final print so mastering has space to work.

Can you mix from a stereo beat and later from stems?
Yes. We’ll deliver a great 2-track mix now and adapt to stems if/when they arrive, maintaining the original vibe.

What if I need a clean version for radio?
We’ll handle tasteful masking/edits and ensure the clean mix matches the main timing 1:1.

Do you provide stems?
Grouped mix stems are available on request for live shows, remixes, and content edits.

Can you master the project too?
Yes—keep momentum by moving directly into online album mastering for sequencing, album-wide loudness, and release-ready files.

XI. Ready when you are

Send your files, share your references, and let’s turn your production into a mix that holds up anywhere. Clear communication, focused revisions, and delivery you can trust.

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How to Mix Vocals Like Tate McRae (Modern Pop-Dance Guide)

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Tate McRae’s vocal sound is intimate in the verses and glossy in the choruses—breathy but clear, bright without harshness, and always steady in level. This guide walks you through capture, routing, chain order, FX design, stacks, and export targets so your mix survives phones, earbuds, and big rooms. If you prefer a head start, drop in pop vocal presets as a base map and customize thresholds and sends to your voice. I. What listeners expect from this aesthetic Modern pop-dance vocals feel close and emotional. You hear soft consonants and breath texture in the verse, then a lifted, airy hook that floats above synths and drums. The top end is pretty rather than piercing, the low-mids stay lean, and the dynamics are steady through serial compression—not a slammed limiter. Presence: readable 2–4 kHz without harsh spikes. Air: gentle sheen at 10–12 kHz; de-ess before you add shine. Depth: short plate/room plus tempo delays that move with the groove. 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Sabrina Carpenter’s pop vocals feel close, silky, and confident—airy on top, steady in the middle, and never harsh. This guide shows the capture plan, chain order, layer strategy, delays/reverbs, and print settings to get that vibe in any DAW. For a fast head start, audition curated vocal presets and tailor the last 10% to your voice and mic. I. The pop aesthetic: airy, intimate, polished Three pillars define this sound: clarity, gentleness, and lift. The voice sits forward without spiky sibilance. Air lives above 10 kHz, but the top never turns brittle. Hooks rise with organized layers—tight doubles and clean harmonies—while verses stay intimate and dry-ish with small, tempo-aware ambience. Tone: clean low-mids, articulate 2–4 kHz, soft air 10–12 kHz. Dynamics: steady level from subtle serial compression (not brickwalling). Space: short slap or 1/8 note delay for motion; compact plate or room for depth. Quick terms: dBFS = digital level (0 clips). LUFS = perceived loudness. 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Modern reggaetón vocals are confident, bright, and rhythm-first. This guide shows you a Bad Bunny–style vocal approach: chain blueprint, Spanish-friendly tuning, dembow FX, doubles/coros, and export targets that translate to phones and clubs. For a fast starting point, try curated vocal presets and customize the last 10% to your voice. I. Signature palette: what listeners expect Latin trap and reggaetón vocals carry groove and attitude. The voice rides the dembow or 808 pattern, with clear consonants and a polished top. Hooks lift through coros (layers) and harmonies; verses stay dry and close, with short slap/tempo delays for movement. Ad-libs add character and space between phrases. Clarity: articulate 2–4 kHz, no woolly low-mids. Shine: controlled air at 10–12 kHz, never sharp. Groove: delays lock to tempo; reverb is tight and filtered. Control: level is steady via serial compression, not brickwalled. Quick terms: dBFS is digital level; 0 clips. LUFS is perceived loudness. 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Use a quick retune for hooks, moderate for verses; add “humanize/transition” so long vowels do not wobble. Keep formant correction on to preserve color during pitch moves. Diction and sibilants. “S,” “ch,” and bright fricatives can poke on earbuds. Set the de-esser gently first; if needed, add a second, lighter de-ess later in the chain. Avoid narrow boosts above 8 kHz—prefer a broad, small shelf. Timing the groove. The dembow swing sits between straight and triplet. Align doubles within ±10 ms; anything wider turns into chorus. Use clip gain to even loud syllables before compression. IV. Practical settings (step-by-step) Gain stage. Track raw peaks around −12 to −8 dBFS. Trim regions so the chain sees steady input. Pitch correction. Set key/scale. Retune fast for hook phrases; moderate for verses. Humanize 20–40%. Formants preserved. Subtractive EQ. HPF 70–90 Hz; remove mud 200–350 Hz (wide dip). If honk lives near 1 kHz, dip gently. Keep cuts small. Compressor 1 (shape). 2:1–3:1; attack 10–30 ms; release 80–200 ms or auto; 3–6 dB GR on loud lines. The consonants should still snap. De-esser. Start 5–8 kHz; wide band; reduce 2–4 dB on S’s. Check on earbuds. Saturation. Tape/triode or clean transformer. Mix 5–10%. Match output so you’re not fooled by loudness. Compressor 2 (safety). Faster, 1–2 dB GR to catch peaks when coros stack up. Presence polish. If needed: +0.5 dB at 3–4 kHz (wide bell). Air shelf +0.5–1 dB at 10–12 kHz for shine, not hiss. Space. Mono slap 80–120 ms; LPF the return ~6–8 kHz. Tempo delay 1/8 or 1/4 with low feedback; sidechain-duck the delay from the lead so repeats breathe between words. Automation. Lift the lead +0.5–1 dB into downbeats; dip FX during dense consonants so words stay readable. V. Coros, dobles y ad-libs (the stack game) Doubles (dobles). Two tight doubles on hooks thicken the center. High-pass slightly higher than the lead, more de-ess, and keep each double 6–9 dB below the lead. Pan subtly L/R if you want width, or stack center for thickness. Coros (harmonies). Treat as a soft bed. Less saturation, more de-ess. If the stack clouds, dip 200–300 Hz a dB or two on the COROS bus. Add a darker plate/hall reverb with 20–60 ms pre-delay so the lead stays upfront. Ad-libs (ad-libs en español o Spanglish). Personality lives here. Try band-pass “phone” effect (300 Hz–3 kHz), micro-pitch for spread, or a triplet echo on transitions. Pan off-center to leave the hook focal point in the middle. Routing recap. Lead → LEAD bus; doubles/harmonies → COROS; ad-libs → ADLIB; all into Vocal Master. This speeds mixing and keeps decisions organized. VI. Beat relationship: dembow & 808 without clashes Over a 2-track beat. Treat the beat as a MUSIC bus. Carve space at 2–4 kHz using a dynamic dip keyed to the lead. If the kick or 808 masks syllables, a narrow dynamic cut around 120–180 Hz (keyed to the vocal) cleans collisions. For clean deliverables later, learn how to export stems from Logic Pro so versions line up. With stems. Group DRUMS, 808/BASS, MUSIC. Adjust 808 envelope so tails don’t smear words. Use sidechain only as flavor; too much pumping distracts from the lyric. Delays that groove. Many Latin trap hooks love a short stereo 1/8 with very low feedback, or a mono slap that clicks with the dembow. Filter the return; let the words lead, not the echoes. VII. Two chain examples (stock-only and third-party) Stock-only chain (any major DAW): Pitch Correction: key/scale set; fast for hooks, moderate for verses; humanize 20–40%. EQ: HPF 80 Hz; wide −2 dB at 250 Hz if muddy; tiny +0.5 dB at 3.5 kHz if dull. Compressor 1: 2:1; attack 20 ms; release 120 ms; 3–5 dB GR. De-esser: 6–8 kHz, broad; reduce 2–4 dB on S’s. Saturation: warm/tape, 5–10% mix. Compressor 2: faster, 1–2 dB GR. EQ polish: shelf +0.5–1 dB at 10–12 kHz if the mic is dark. Sends: mono slap 90–110 ms; 1/8 tempo delay; short plate (0.7–1.2 s) with HPF/LPF on the return. Third-party flavor (example): Auto-Tune / Melodyne: quick for hooks, musical for verses; preserve formants. FabFilter Pro-Q 3: HPF 80 Hz; dynamic notch 250 Hz on loud phrases. LA-2A / Opto: gentle, musical body. Sooth-style resonance control: light in 4–8 kHz. Analog-style saturation (low mix). 1176-style comp: fast, 1–2 dB GR on peaks. Air EQ (Maag-style): +0.5–1 dB at 10–12 kHz if needed. FX: EchoBoy slap + 1/8 note; Valhalla Plate short decay, filtered returns. VIII. Loudness, headroom, and delivery During mixing. Keep raw vocal peaks at −12 to −8 dBFS. After your chain, leave headroom. Do not slam a hard limiter on the mix bus. Your final mix should peak around −3 dBFS with true peak ≤ −1.0 dBTP. Loudness belongs in mastering, not in vocal mixing. Final bounce. Export 24-bit WAV at the session sample rate. Provide a clean premaster for mastering. If you want cohesive, platform-ready loudness and a labeled set of alternates (instrumental, a cappella, clean/radio), book notes-driven mastering services. Need help finishing the mix or balancing the beat and stacks? Collaborative professional mixing services can take it across the line while you focus on writing. IX. Fast fixes (common problems, quick cures) Harsh top on phones: widen de-ess band; reduce 8–10 kHz by 0.5 dB on the lead; low-pass delay returns to ~6 kHz. Vocal too thin in hooks: back off HPF a few Hz; add +1 dB at 160–220 Hz (wide); blend 10–20% parallel saturation. Words lost under 808: dynamic notch on 808 around 120–180 Hz keyed from the lead; small 2–4 kHz dip on MUSIC bus when the vocal speaks. Robotic tuning: slow retune slightly; raise humanize/transition; make sure formants are preserved. Stack cloudiness: on COROS bus, −1 to −2 dB at 250 Hz (wide), more de-ess, darker reverb. X. Workflow that finishes songs Save a vocal template with LEAD, COROS, and ADLIB buses plus slap, tempo delay, plate, and “FX” sends. Build a small reference playlist from Latin trap/reggaetón records you trust. Work at a steady monitor level. Make small moves. Let arrangement and stacks create lift between sections.

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