EDM Mixing and Mastering - Get That Pro Sound Every Time

Begin with a static mix, balance all sounds without effects, start the kick at -12 dB for headroom, then bring in drums, vocals, synths, basses, and place effects last.

Learn to craft a rough mix by listening start to finish, add missing elements like the arpeggiator, and make quick tweaks using your ears and gut without overthinking.

Learn to use a spectrum analyzer to see the frequencies behind your mix. Master by tracking RMS, crest factor, peak clipping, and peak values from reference tracks.

Volume match your track to a reference using ear or RMS-based spectrum analysis, align the loudest sections, and adjust with a utility gain to achieve an accurate, consistent mix.

Use a spectrum analyzer to compare your track with a reference, visually match the spectrum to what you hear, and record dB values for kick, hi-hat, and lead.

Use reference notes and spectrum analyzer screenshots to guide drum level tweaks, loop the loudest section, and shape kick, sub bass, hats, and clap by ear.

Isolate the plucky bass’s main low frequency around -42 dB and reduce the sub bass; compare with the reference to balance kick and bass.

Apply synths by matching reference track levels for oud lead, pads, pluck, break melody, and arpeggiator, using gain adjustments and effects like reverb and delay to shape an EDM mix.

Apply effects as ear candy to transition between sections without overpowering the mix, keeping them audible. Compare high-frequency content to hi-hats and reference the -42dB level to maintain balance.

Listen to the full track from start to finish with all elements playing, then perform final volume tweaks and adjustments as needed.

Use a top-down mixing approach with mixed buss processing on the master channel, then group and instrument mixing, applying EQ to match a reference track.

Master mix bus compression to glue tracks, using a glue compressor to tighten drums with ssl analog emulation, and adjust attack, release, ratio, threshold, and makeup gain for balance.

Prioritize drums in a top-down EDM mix. Use a drum group chain - eq to remove sub, boost at 100Hz, cut around 2k, plus OTT and compression with volume matching.

Master synth mixing with mid-side EQ: cut mids at 100 Hz, widen sound by boosting around 5000 Hz on the sides, then apply gentle compression and subtle modulation for cohesion.

Blend the plucky and sub bass with drums, create separation between the basses, sculpt with distortion, use a 24 dB per octave low-cut, boost low mids, and finish with limiting.

Mix sub bass by using a bandpass auto filter to carve lows and highs, apply light distortion and EQ, balance with volume matching and sidechain compression against the kick.

Group effects like instruments and apply a 48 dB per octave low cut at 100 Hz to remove rumble, then use a multiband compressor on high frequencies with defined threshold.

Compare unprocessed and processed group mixes to see how basic group processing, mixbus EQ and master compression, and reference tracks tighten balance toward the finished EDM sound.

Finish your top-down edm mix by creatively shaping each sound, using a master and reference filter to remove lows around 150–200 Hz for a tighter kick and warmer bass.

analyze stereo width by comparing your track to a reference with msqrd or voxeo msid to hear mids versus sides, then adjust for a balanced master.

Analyze reference differences and shape the kick by making mono, MS checks, and a 30 Hz low cut; then compress aggressively and limit for punch and loudness.

Set the hi-hat length first, shorten the kick for clean lows, then shape with overdrive and low-cut eq, sweep problem frequencies, add stereo movement, and apply compression and limiter.

learn to widen a mono lead into stereo with the Haas effect and a stereo delay, then sculpt with 4 kHz EQ boosts, compression, OTT, and return-track reverb and delay.

Mix the rest of the synths with precise EQ, a gentle low-cut, and selective boosts, then use compression or wave shaper, plus reverb and ping-pong delays to widen the mix.

Learn practical techniques for mixing effects in EDM, using targeted low-cut EQ, cutting problem frequencies around 2–3 kHz, and optional OTT compression to shape energy.

Finalize the top down mix by listening end to end and making tweaks as a listener. Use low cut and Q tweaks to balance bass and kick against reference track.

Analyze the reference track to set mastering loudness using rms readings and balance mids and sides with the MSD plugin for a polished edm sound.

Put a limiter on the master and set it to match the reference RMS of -8.5 dB; monitor with the span in average mode as step one of mastering.

Balance the mid and side (mono and stereo) content to match the reference track’s RMS loudness, using Mswd and Msid before the limiter to refine the stereo image.

Learn to master with multiband compression by setting low, mid, and high crossover points, adjusting attack, release, and ratios, and targeting three decibels of gain reduction per band.

Apply one final EQ after multiband compression, solo each band, and make one boost and one cut per low, mid, and high range to master with clarity.

Master your track by volume matching the master chain, then shave peaks with saturation and clipping, using a soft slope and limiter to achieve loudness guided by a reference track.

Conclude the mastering process by performing a final listen from start to finish, compare with the reference, and release the track for listeners to enjoy.