Harmonising Your Mix: Mastering the Art of Musicality in Mixing
Top mix engineers make musical mixing sound effortless, but how do they achieve that? Is there a hidden technique or a special tool they use? In this blog post, I’m going to reveal the secrets behind making any sound more musical by focusing on the key of your track. Plus, I’ll walk you through how to identify the key and offer you essential steps to enhance your mixing skills.
Why Identifying the Key is Crucial for Mixing
Every song has a key, which means it comprises certain notes that work harmoniously together and others that clash. By identifying the key of your track, you can apply techniques that will significantly improve the musicality of your mix. This step is essential for ensuring that instruments and vocals don’t fight for attention but instead complement one another.
How to Identify the Key of Your Track
Let’s break down the steps that will help you effectively identify the key of your track and enhance your mixing process.
Step 1: Use an Online Tool to Find the Key
The first step is to identify the key of your instrumental. I recommend using a tool like Tune Bat. Simply export your instrumental and upload it to the site. This tool will analyze the file and tell you the key—in my case, it revealed that the track is in F minor.
Step 2: Reference the Notes in the Key
Once you know the key, head over to Hook Theory. This resource provides all the notes that fall within the key of F minor. Write down the notes that are not included in this key. For F minor, that would be A, B, D, E, and F sharp. Keeping track of these will help you understand which notes to adjust in your mix.
Step 3: Use an EQ to Target Problematic Frequencies
Next, it’s time to apply a Pro Q3 or similar EQ to the instruments you want to refine. Open the keyboard roll in the EQ and double-click each of the notes that you wrote down earlier (A, B, D, E, and F sharp). This process allows you to adjust the notes that don’t fit harmoniously into your track.
Step 4: Tighten Your EQ Settings
Now, click and drag the notes together and make sure the Q is tight. This will enable you to boost these problematic frequencies effectively. I suggest giving them a significant boost—about 9 dB—to hear how they interact with the rest of the mix.
Listen and Make Adjustments
After boosting those frequencies, you’ll likely hear some grating piano notes clashing with the vocal. To resolve this, bring those frequencies down to about -2 dB and adjust the dynamic level to around -5 to -6 dB. This helps to ensure that your vocal and piano blend seamlessly in the mix. Listen closely to the way the piano sits behind the vocal, both before and after your adjustments.
Final Thoughts
By following these steps, you can achieve a professional-sounding mix that highlights the musicality of your track. Understanding the key of your music and applying targeted EQ techniques are game-changers for any mix engineer, whether you're a beginner or a pro.
If you're eager to dive deeper into mixing techniques, check out my video for a full demonstration and to see these principles in action.
My FabFilter Pro-Q3 Presets
To simplify this process, I’ve put together a custom presets for the Pro-Q3. These preset are crafted to elevate your tracks with professional EQ settings.
