Mixing
Mixing is the process of blending all the individual tracks, also known as stems in a recording to give the song its maximum potential. A good mix has all of its dimensions working together including depth, width, sonic and dynamic range. It takes a trained ear to recognize when certain frequencies should be cut or boosted for particular tracks.
It typically involves:
- Placing each instrument in the stereo spectrum
- Balancing each instrument relative to each other
- Controlling dynamics through the use of compression and automation
- Ensuring each instrument sits well together through the use of equalization
This phase may also include some pre-processing activities including editing and selecting the best bits across multiple takes of a song.
Mastering
The process of taking an audio mix and applying polish and final touches in order to prepare it for distribution
It typically involves:
- Correcting mix balance issues and enhancing sonic characteristics.
- Adding equalization, compression and limiting at an overall song level
- Achieving generally accepted volume levels for distribution and playback
- Enhancing the stereo image
- Delivering the song in the appropriate format for the method of distribution (CD, MP3, AAC, etc…)
In the case where multiple songs are being distributed together as part of an album or EP, the objective is also to:
- Unify the sound of the songs within the collection
- Maintaining consistency across an album
Track Augmentation
In a production capacity, having a musician’s ear for arrangement and sounds, we can provide insightful suggestions to add even more impact to your music. If you’ve ever thought that certain instrumentation would be great in certain places to enhance your song then we can discuss ideas to help you to achieve those results, sort of like the band member you never had. This could vary in the form of:
- Adding whole drum parts or accenting with percussion
- Adding a bass guitar part
- Adding piano, organ or synthesizer parts to fill out the song
- Adding orchestral instruments such as strings and horns to sweeten a track
Here’s how it works:
Synchrony Audio Production 