The Proven 8-Step Process for Finishing Better Music

From: The Home Studio of Björgvin Benediktsson. Audio engineer, Icelander, author, musician, educator, and founder of Audio issues.

Here's how my students confidently finish their mixes and proudly release their records.

If you follow their process you can do it too.

So if you've spent over 8 hours tweaking your tracks thinking that you're "mixing" but all you end up with is a thin-sounding top-end, masked instruments cluttered up with too much reverb and a boomy low end, maybe it's time to just follow the proven process on this page and get it over with once and for all.

I mean, unless you just LOVE those half-finished tracks on your hard drive, I think you owe it to yourself to release your work and get yourself out there.

You only have so much time to devote to your studio so I want to make sure you have something to show for it.

Now, I know what you might be thinking...

"I've tried to learn to mix but even though I'm doing all the tricks I learn on Youtube, my mixes don't sound like pro records. I don't really know where I'm going and I jump from one plug-in to another without really knowing what the mix needs to sound finished" 

This is a common thought process, but unfortunately, it will only lead you in circles.  You'll jump from random trick to random trick instead of following a workflow that leads you to a finish line.

Giving you ALL the tips instead of a process is like giving you ALL the ingredients to a great meal but leaving out the recipe.

Sure, if you're already a great cook you can figure it out.

But if you've never made Beef Wellington before you're pretty much screwed.  

So what can you do to get to the level where you're not only a great musician, BUT ALSO a great mixing engineer?

  I'll tell you right now, but honestly, you might be a bit surprised because you may think you're already doing these things. 

But it's not just doing them, it's about doing them correctly, and often in the right order.

That's what separates amateur mixes from professional productions.

  Transforming yourself from a musician into a skilled mixing engineer requires you to do these things: 

Pre-Mixing:

The easiest way to destroy your mix is to sabotage it before you even start mixing.

You MUST understand when the production, arrangement, and recording is ready for mixing and that your tracks are tight enough to easily get a rough mix without a lot of work.

Mix Setup:

It's easy to make better mixes in less time if you work from a proven process with a template that keeps your momentum going.

It's a better, more methodical way of mixing that helps you finish better mixes, faster.

Start With the End in Mind:

Jumping from one thing to another is easy if you never planned what you were going to do in the first place.

That's why it's so important to critically listen to your mix so you can use the right mix approach depending on the style of the song.

Understand the Audio Engineering:

Mixing is technical. It's called audio engineering for a reason.

Understanding the signal flow, routing, gain-staging and all that jazz is crucial so that your tracks sound good from the start and all the way through your plug-ins to the master fader.

(it's actually the opposite of jazz but I digress...)

80/20 Mixing:

Every professional audio engineer worth their salt has mastered the five processors that move the needle the most in your mixes: EQ, compression, reverb, delay, and saturation.

Master these same plug-ins and you're guaranteed better mixes.

Mix Translation:

If your mix only sounds good through the speakers of your home studio, it's not a good mix.

It HAS to translate because you never know who will listen to your music or what their speakers sound like.

Learning how to get your mixes to translate to every speaker you play them through is a non-negotiable skill you can't neglect.

Mastering Your Mix:

If you skip this stage your song won’t ever sound competitive.

You can mix a great song, but if it's not mastered up to broadcast-ready standards, it'll be too quiet and weak to compete.

Mastering your mixes used to be the domain of the Voodoo Magic Sith Mastering Engineer who guarded all the secrets to loud and powerful records inside their Studio Temple of Sound.

Not anymore!

Now you can do it too, even if you don't have a high-end mastering studio or expensive outboard gear.

And RELEASE!

All of those things I mentioned above are pointless if you skip this final part.

If you want to have any hope of succeeding with your music, building a fan base, finding sync placements, getting clients as a producer, or just being heard in general you must RELEASE YOUR MUSIC!  

Luckily, my flagship program, Mix Finisher Formula will help you go from great recordings to a finished, mastered mix you're proud to release.  

Check out the details below, and enroll at the bottom of this page.

 Looking forward to helping you make a bigger impact with your mixes inside the Mix Finisher Formula!

See you on the inside!
Björgvin

"Now when I start a new project, I have more confidence and feel better about my mixes. I have purchased similar courses before and I have never received this kind of one on one attention from others."

"I felt like I had a basic knowledge of recording and mixing. The issue I had was putting it all together and figuring out a way to get a song finished (or knowing when a song is finished) and ready to be mastered and released. I learned a lot about EQ and compression but the biggest takeaway was learning a rock-solid workflow that keeps me mixing and creating instead of losing valuable time sifting through hours of articles and videos. Now when I start a new project, I have more confidence and feel better about my mixes. This course was great and the support was outstanding. I have purchased similar courses before and I have never received this kind of one on one attention from others. The course worked well for me and it was presented in a way that never felt like information overload. If you are looking for a straightforward mixing course that teaches you advanced techniques that you can actually understand and use to improve your mixes, then this is for you."

- John Owings, 3003 Sound (Oklahoma)

"It was you who really encouraged me to make the final step and release songs at last."

"Without your support, I would have never dared to publish songs. I’ve tried to follow all your advice and tips throughout the whole recording and mixing process. It was you who really encouraged me to make the final step and release songs at last. I’ve gained much more confidence in my audio skills by attending your courses, reading your books, and watching your videos. Thanks a lot!!!"

- Michael Schu (Germany)

How to find the hidden pockets of time in your schedule so you can finally finish your songs, even if you have a full-time job and a family
Discover EXACTLY where to put your acoustic treatment for the best results
Where to start when you're ready to invest in acoustic treatment
How to find the right monitors for you and your specific home studio setup
How to get the biggest bang for your buck when you're buying new equipment so you always get the right equipment for your studio
Follow this complete checklist before you start mixing so you know your track is perfect before you start.
How to get great tracks right at the source so that your mixing process is a breeze
The simple production process Anna Kendrick can show you about creating a powerful hit song
The secret to speeding up your mixing process so that you can get creative immediately
How to clean up and prep your tracks so that they're ready for mixing
How to quickly edit your drums and bass together to both conserve the groove while keeping the time
How to edit and comp vocals for a better master performance

The quickest way to get a great rough mix without wasting time browsing your plug-ins folder
The secret to speeding up your mixing process so that you can get creative immediately
Exactly how to group and buss your instruments for a faster workflow so that you can keep mixing instead of managing tracks
Apply the exact EQ filters for instant low-mid cleanup without you needing to waste time EQ'ing the low-end every time
How a mix template can shave hours off your mixing time so you can get better mixes in less time
Exactly what plug-ins you should be using on your mix bus to get a good rough mix immediately
How to set up your instrument and vocal mixing template to easily make your instruments stand out
What effects busses you should create in your template so you can easily create punch through parallel compression, width through stereo widening, and depth with reverb and delay

What professional mixing engineers don't tell you about parallel processing to create powerful mixes
How to prepare your mix so that you start off on the right track (no pun intended)
The simple naming structure for your tracks so that you can speed through a giant session
The subtle difference between phase and polarity
Your gain-staging game plan so you don't accidentally overcook your mix
How to gain-stage your session when you have over 100 tracks in your mix
The three simple approaches to starting your mix depending on your style
How to get a rough static mix with NO plug-ins

The hidden danger that can make your tracks thin and weak
The two-step process to use low-pass filters to tighten up guitars while making them cut through the mix
Take the guesswork out of EQ and follow along so you know exactly when and why you should cut and boost each instrument.
How to use filters to clean up your low-end, fix your muddy mixes, and get rid of harsh high-end.
How to use EQ to bring out the best of the drums (whether you're mixing acoustic drums or programmed beats), bass, guitars, keyboards and vocals, and other instruments.
The underused frequency area where you can bring out the character of the keyboards without masking other aspects of the mix
How to EQ a vocal-heavy song so that the backup vocals don't overpower the lead vocals
How to get rid of muddiness, reduce boom and add presence and sparkle to a mix using JUST EQ
The most important, but overlooked aspect of using EQ to rebalance your mix to hear the separation between all the instruments in your song
How to keep the mid-range in check so you don't get boxy kick drums, honky guitars, muddy bass or nasally vocals.
The hidden danger that can make your tracks thin and weak
The two-step process for low-pass filters to tighten up guitars while making them cut through the mix
The underused frequency area where you can bring out the character of the keyboards without masking other aspects of the mix
How to EQ a vocal-heavy song so that the backup vocals don't overpower the lead vocals

How to use every button on your compressor to effectively add punch and power to your mix.
How to use the ratio to squeeze your drums and make them thicker, punchier, and more powerful
How to use two different compressors in serial to get the best of both worlds that are better than the sum of their parts. This is an incredible trick for big, in-your-face vocals
The easy way to use parallel compression as an insert instead of a send to make your punchy parallel compression even easier
How to create a compression system to make every compression decision easier on every mix.
How to use parallel compression and multi-band compression to add punch, thickness, and weight to your mixes
Exactly what all the crazy settings on your reverbs do and how you can use them to add space and depth to your tracks
How to rebalance your EQ after compression to keep everything going smoothly. Compression alters the volume and loudness of each track so careful rebalancing is key to keeping your song consistent every time you add a new processor to the mix.
The two most important knobs on your compressor and how they affect the entire sound of your tracks. Working these knobs wrong will make your instruments sound dull and lifeless
The sneaky way to use presets to speed up your mixing (while still tweaking them for the best results)
How to know which compressor-style and emulation to use on each instrument. If you've wondered about the difference between VCA, FET, or OPTO you'll know EXACTLY how each one sounds after this video
How to apply compression to your tracks, your submixes, your master bus, and in parallel for the best results.

How to know which room mode to use, and how they affect the feel of your mix
What you should NEVER add reverb to in a mix. Adding too much reverb to everything will result in a washed-out mix. Make sure you keep these few things dry.
How to use short and weird reverb settings to make bigger snares.
See how you can easily separate your acoustic and electric guitars with different reverb based on what they're playing
How to use the 3-Verb technique to instantly create space in your mix
7 ways to find the right reverb for your mix, whatever genre you're working in.
How to use sends to place your instruments in the mix according to how much impact you want them to have
When to use delays instead of reverbs when you want to add depth without adding too much space.
How to use delays to create stereo widening to create a powerful stereo image.
When to use mono instead of stereo delays.
How to use saturation on your submixes and busses.
How to use modulated stereo delays to keyboards. This subtle trick will add depth to your keyboards without cluttering up the rest of the mix
How to use delays on guitar solos, rhythm guitars, lead vocals, drums, and percussion, as well as organs, synths, and keyboards.
The incredibly important aspect of how and why to EQ your reverbs for a cleaner mix.

The best way to use tape saturation to make your mixes smoother and warm.
Your step-by-step approach to knowing whether or not to use saturation on a track.
How to use multi-band saturation to give your snare drum the bite it needs to cut through a busy mix.
How to use parallel saturation to create subtle thickness and warmth.
How to apply saturation on drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, synths, and vocals.
Your easy process to find which saturation plug-in is the best to use to make your tracks stand out.
The importance of not going overboard with your saturation plug-ins.
How to give your kick drum more low-end thickness and weight with saturation
How to add warm tape emulation to bring out the acoustic guitars in your mix.
How to use saturation to dirty up your keyboard patch to make it more interesting.

"I found this course to be detailed, relevant, and very practical - and quite a bit of fun. Specifically, I found each of the tutorial videos engaging and detailed, yet it was not "preachy" as "this is the only way to" I learned the difference between EQ'ing for balance and cohesion and EQ'ing for color and dimension. The visual component of seeing the specific instrument's frequency range really helps nail problem areas more efficiently. Also, this course has changed (and simplified) the way I set up a session. The idea is great. You explain a little bit of why you use the plugin and what the overall goal is. Then you do it live and then explain what you have done."

-Ken Bauer, Mixing Engineer

"I appreciate your help in the last 6 months. I’m improving so fast that my own mixes are blowing me away and I have to say I owe it mostly to Audio Issues. The Mix Finisher Formula really took me places. I now know how to properly use compression, create space in the music and organise my work flow among many other things. As an Insider, sharing mixes and getting feedback from a bunch of generous, talented people has been invaluable. You are a true teacher, dedicated to and focused on addressing the needs of individual members. You're likeable, fun to work with and I really believe your heart is in the right place. Thanks again."

-Neil Curzon, Indie Musician

The step-by-step mixing workflow you can follow on every mix without getting overwhelmed
Three ways to use reference tracks to get your mixes sounding like professional records
How to fix mix translation issues when your mix sounds like it has a blanket over it
How to make your mixes sound exciting without excessive tweaks.
How to check your mixes on multiple systems and what to look out for so that they translate everywhere.
Get my 7-step process of checking your final mix on different monitoring systems and speakers so they sound the same on every speaker
What to think about when you can only mix on headphones.

What exactly is Mastering and how you can use it to make your mixes sound like professional, release-worthy records
How to get professionally mastered, punchy and loud records, without needing to hire an expensive mastering engineer
Discover the Secret Weapon for LOUD Masters (that happens during the mixing phase)
Get instant access to my simple, 3-step formula for mastering your mixes punchy and loud
Get a list of the best metering plug-ins you need to use to make your mixes sound dynamic AND loud. If you're not using the right meters you're flying blind into Spotify-squashing territory.
WHY Linear Phase EQ will get you better mastering results
Uncover the fast and easy way to use multi-band compression to so that you can squeeze your mix just right without sucking the life out of it
How to Use Limiting (so that you can make your mixes loud and powerful without sounding squashed and lifeless, or worse...turned down by streaming services)

"I am so pumped to revisit my first mix! I would say there were many big takeaways from this course. It was great to take the process apart and dive deep into how each piece builds on each other. There were also parts of the mix process I was struggling to control and get the most out of such as delay and saturation. I feel much more confident. I have been doing some mixing work on other things while doing this course and myself and others have noticed improvements. Thanks again for everything!"

-David Lussier, Home Studio Musician

Record Release Challenge

Even if you don't have an interest in making mixing your "full-time career" I'm sure you still want your songs to be heard. That's why I'm including a four-week strategy for successfully releasing your tracks so that they get heard by your fans. If you're overwhelmed with all the different things you need to do to effectively promote your next song, don't worry. You'll get one Action Item to do every day for four weeks (excluding weekends!) so that you can slowly but surely get everything in place before you release your next record.

Step By Step Mixing: How To Create Great Mixes Using Only 5 Plug-ins PDF, ePub versions for any e-reader ($17 Value) PLUS a professionally narrated audiobook version ($27 Value)
Video Series: 2-Part 5 Plug-in Mix Quickstart Video Series ($49 Value)
Masterclass: Mix Translation Masterclass to make your mixes sound good on every speaker ($19 Value)
Q&A: Home Studio Mastering Q&A to help you professionally master your mixes without hiring a mastering engineer or buying expensive equipment ($100 Value)

70 Ways to Monetize Your Music Career Masterclass ($97 Value)

With your music and audio skills, you're practically sitting on a gold mine with your studio. If you don't have an idea of how you can start generating income from your audio and music skills, this bonus is for you. In 70 Ways to Monetize Your Music Career, I'll show you how to use your musical skills to expand your expertise and income, with plenty of ideas to make money playing live, ways to make money online or create passive income from your original music.

Mix Finisher Formula Works Even If You Don't Have All the Latest Plug-ins, Expensive Gear or a Pro Studio

If you think your mixes are just all right, but not quite there yet...and you want to improve your skills without buying yet another plug-in, hiring expensive mixing engineers, or wasting even more time going down a Youtube rabbit hole, then Mix Finisher Formula will get you there.

If you don't want to spend years demystifying the mixing process...or don't want to completely uproot and change your life to attend audio school to learn mixing, Mix Finisher Formula will help you turn your hobby into the beginning of a freelance career.

If you need to transform your understanding of mixing to a whole 'nother level, without wasting years with trial and error mixing methods, Mix Finisher Formula is the place to start.

"Literally, within a short amount of time, you will know so much more than what you knew before. I went down a rabbit hole of actually acknowledging what plug ins I do own, and actually having an idea of what they are meant to do. But it's great to have a template, and there is no way I would have such a template to experiment with if I was not doing this course. It's making me challenge myself and break on through. It's taking me a little longer, but I know for myself that I am making gains. Very helpful all around thanks. I would highly recommend it to anyone. You definitely give people a sense of hope and purpose and the fact that it can be done and you and your knowledge is amazing!”

-George Coutsoudis

365-Day 100% Risk-Free Satisfaction Guaranteed Or Your Money Back!

Mix Finisher Formula comes with a 100% risk-free money-back guarantee.

I promise that following the workflow inside Mix Finisher Formula you'll mix punchy and powerful records. If there's even a slight chance that this program can work for you to improve your mixes, it's a no-brainer to try it out.

You can even take the program for a spin before you make up your mind. You can try all the tricks and keep the training for a full year before deciding whether you like them or not.

If at any point within 365 days you decide that Mix Finisher Formula doesn't immediately help you transform your recordings into professionally mixed records like the hits you hear on the radio, simply email support@audio-issues.com at ANY TIME to get a full refund, no questions asked or strings attached!

Your fans will love the new professional sounds you're releasing, and you'll impress every new client that comes to your studio because you'll easily show them how good you can make them sound.

I take my guarantee very seriously. I am not interested in keeping your money if you do not get any value from what I'm creating for you. So if you’re not happy, I’m not happy. Simple as that.

Confidently Finish Your Mixes and Proudly Release Your Records

If you want to release music you're proud of, you have a few options:

You can go to audio school and pay $25,000+ to learn how to record, mix, master, and release your music...
You can pay a mixing engineer $500 every time you want to release only one song...

Or you can acquire the same skills, and get the help you need to release your music as early as next month, at a fraction of the price.

It's a no-brainer to try it out. Enroll in Mix Finisher Formula today and get instant access.

Select your package to get started:

Is this for beginners or advanced engineers?

This is for anyone who wants to know everything they need about mixing music to make it professional and radio-ready. If you're unhappy with how your mixes sound and want to add that final 10% to your skillset to make them sound like professional records, Mix Finisher Formula is for you. If you're a beginner, you'll find everything you need to know. If you're already familiar with mixing, this will give you even more tips, tricks, and techniques to try out to improve your sounds.

"But music is just a hobby to me, why should I care about mixing?"

If you don't care about making your mixes sound better you should probably leave this page right now and spend your time somewhere else. I'm honestly surprised that you made it this far if you didn't care about the topic.

A hobby is something you’re passionate about. An "amateur" musician is a lover of making music. If you want to be proud of the music you make in your free time as a hobby, you should know how to do it properly.

Mixing is a crucial part to make your songs sound like the records you hear on the radio. If you want people to actually listen to your music it needs to sound professional.

Can't I just learn this on Youtube?

Honestly? Not really. Last time I checked, Youtubers don't give you detailed support to help you succeed. You can certainly search for videos teaching you tips and tricks, but no video will tie everything together like this to show you how to transform your recordings into great mixes. Instead, you'll end up wading through poorly explained techniques and watching a bunch of ads.

Mix Finisher Formula is like your own private Youtube with videos in order that show you how to mix from A - Z, in order, answering all of your questions...with no ads.

No Youtube channel or other mixing program gives you the type of individual attention like Mix Finisher Formula. I'm in there to support you whenever you have a question or get stuck on a module so you never have to worry about feeling alone or confused with any of the topics you'll find inside the program.

About Your Instructor

Hi, I'm Björgvin Benediktsson, Icelander, Musician, Audio Engineer, and Founder of Audio Issues.

I've worked as a live sound engineer, a broadcast recording engineer, a professional touring musician, and a freelance mixing and mastering engineer. Since 2009 I've been helping musicians and producers like you gain the confidence and skills to make professional music they can be proud to release.

I’m the author of the #1 Amazon best-seller, Step By Step Mixing: How to Create Great Mixes Using Only 5 Plug-ins, and the creator of the Mix Finisher Formula program. I’ve also written over 1,000 articles and tutorials on audio production, both on Audio Issues and for other audio publications such as MusicTech magazine, Audiotuts+, The Pro Audio Files, and Recording Revolution to name a few.

Mix Finisher Formula is the grand total of all the knowledge I've acquired about mixing, mastering, and releasing your records since starting my career in 2006.

Confidently Finish Your Mixes and Proudly Release Your Records

If you want to release music you're proud of, you have a few options:

You can go to audio school and pay $25,000+ to learn how to record, mix, master, and release your music...
You can pay a mixing engineer $500 every time you want to release only one song...

Or you can acquire the same skills, and get the help you need to release your music as early as next month, at a fraction of the price.

It's a no-brainer to try it out. Enroll in Mix Finisher Formula today and get instant access.

Select your package to get started:

P.S.

If you scrolled all the way to the bottom and missed all of the juicy information on this page, here's a quick recap for you:

When I started out in audio, all of my mixes sounded terrible no matter what I did...
After 15+ years working in the audio industry, going to audio school, and mixing in pro and home studios, I created a fool-proof formula that helped me finish better mixes in less time.
I put this proven process into my flagship course, Mix Finisher Formula and it's the same material that's helped more than 20,000 musicians, producers, and engineers to date instantly improve their mixes.
For only a fraction of the cost of audio school or paying a mixing engineer any time you wanted to release a song you can get the same results from my program, and I'm also throwing in tons of exclusive bonuses to help you take your mixes and music career to the next level.
You can get ALL of this with an incredible 365-Day Risk-Free Money-Back Guarantee. So if you don't immediately improve your mixes with the tips inside the program or don't like the course for whatever reason, I'll refund your money no questions asked.

Get the Simple 6-Part Formula for Finishing Your Mixes So You Can Make Pro Music You're Proud to Release

The Proven 8-Step Process for Finishing Better Music

Introducing: The Mix Finisher Formula

Your 6-Part Program to Instantly Improve Your Music

In-Depth Training

Make Fast Progress

What Are Students Saying?

Mix Finisher Formula shows you the simple system to confidently finish your mixes and proudly release your records...every time you work on a song.

The Pre-Mixing Music Mindset

Mix Template Formula

Mixing Philosophy

The 5 Plug-in Framework

The Mix Translation Formula

The Mix/Master Formula

Get These Bonuses When You Enroll Today

Home Recording Hacks

Audio Client Canvas

Record Release Challenge

The Step-By-Step Mixing System ($212 Value)

Better Mixes in Less Time: The Productivity Playbook for Mixing Engineers ($7 Value)

70 Ways to Monetize Your Music Career Masterclass ($97 Value)

Take a Tour Through the Program

Mix Finisher Formula Works Even If You Don't Have All the Latest Plug-ins, Expensive Gear or a Pro Studio

Take a Listen to Our Students

365-Day 100% Risk-Free Satisfaction Guaranteed Or Your Money Back!

Make a Decision About Your Music

Option #1

Option #2

Confidently Finish Your Mixes and Proudly Release Your Records

Mix Finisher Formula Easy Payments

Only 6 x $57

Mix Finisher Formula One-Time Payment

Only $297

If You Give a FAQ About Mix Finisher Formula, Read This:

About Your Instructor

Confidently Finish Your Mixes and Proudly Release Your Records

Mix Finisher Formula Easy Payments

Only 6 x $57

Mix Finisher Formula One-Time Payment

Only $297

P.S.