ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of mixing devices and methods, along with relevant tips and concepts. It explains audio processing in detail, with examples that apply equally to both hardware devices and plug-ins. Most mixing engineers aim to make the music sound better than real—and bigger than life—using various audio processors. Many mix engineers have a few favorite commercial tracks they play as a reference when mixing. Modern software includes not only a recorder and mixing console but even virtual outboard gear such as equalizer and reverb and other effects. The best mixing engineers contribute creative ideas and sometimes even suggest changes or additions to the musical arrangement. One of the most significant and useful features of digital audio workstation (DAW) mixing is envelopes and nodes. A control surface interfaces with DAW software via Musical Instrument Digital Interface and provides sliders and other physical controls that adjust volume levels and other parameters in the DAW.
