I know, I know, the idea of getting advice from a mixing and mastering engineer on why you shouldn’t mix and master your own music might seem a bit counterintuitive. Some might say I just want to act as a “gatekeeper” and charge you for my services. But I’m here to tell you, it’s not about that. Of course, you have the option to mix and master your own music, just like you can get rid of ants without the help of an exterminator or fix your car without taking it to a mechanic. But in this blog post, I want to make a compelling case as to why using an engineer, even if it’s not me, is a better option than doing it all on your own.
Here are the reasons why Mixing and Mastering your own music is a bad idea.
1.Money
When it comes to mixing and mastering your own music, it can be tempting to save some money by doing it yourself. But the truth is, the cost of gear and equipment alone can add up quickly. You’ll need to purchase high-quality monitors, various mixing plugins, and potentially even invest in education to learn how to properly mix and master. And when you add all of those costs up, you might find that you’re spending more money than you originally thought.
What’s more, there are other things you could be spending that money on that could forward your career as an artist. You could purchase new instruments, both hardware and software, to improve your production and songwriting skills. You could invest in new merchandise, social media promotion, or even booking a tour. The point is, there are many other ways that you can use that money to forward your career and make an impact in the music industry.
For example, let’s say you you have $1000 to spend and you spend $150 to $500 to get a song mixed and mastered by a professional. With the money leftover, you could also implement a social media campaign to promote your music and get it out into the world, film a music video or content to promote the song, hire a publicist, book a tour. In contrast, if you were to spend several thousand dollars on plugins and equipment, you would still need to spend time figuring out how to use them, taking time away from what you really want to do – be an artist, and taking money away from things that, in this day and age, are essential for your growth and your brand.
It’s always a better investment to spend money on services and resources that will forward your career, rather than spending it on equipment that you may not even use to its full potential.
2.Time
Another reason why you shouldn’t mix and master your own music is the amount of time it takes to become proficient. Learning how to mix and master takes practice, and a lot of it. It’s not something you can just pick up overnight. In fact, it can take years to become truly skilled at mixing and mastering.
Take it from someone who has been there – I started my journey with the intention of mixing and mastering my own music. After paying an engineer to record, mix, and master two songs for me, I decided I was going to do it myself. I used my GI bill and dropped $110,000 on education (which I don’t recommend), and after several years of practice, I found myself working for other artists and freelancing at big studios, doing live sound for large festivals and arena/stadium tours, and writing music for other artists. But after all of that time and effort, the only music I had put out myself were the two original songs that started it all. Now, it’s too late, I can’t be an artist anymore. It’s where my heart was, and now I can only reminisce. That’s why i started Twisby Records, I want to help you. I’ve learned everything i needed to know to be successful, but by the time I got to a point to where I had the knowledge, I could no longer be an artist.
Think about who you want to be. Do you want to be a mixing or mastering engineer? Or do you want to be an artist?
The point is, while you’re learning to mix and master, you’re taking time away from what you really want to do – be an artist. If you’re constantly battling with your snare drum, trying to make it sound just right, or struggling to get your vocals to sound as crisp and clean as what you hear on Spotify or the radio, you’re not doing the things that are truly important to your music career – writing, performing, engaging with your audience, and building a fanbase.
If you’re looking to make the most of your time and truly focus on your music career, it’s best to leave the mixing and mastering to the professionals and focus on what you do best – being an artist.
3.Skill
Mixing and mastering music is a highly technical and skilled process that requires years of practice and experience. A professional audio engineer has honed their skills over the course of many years, dedicating countless hours to perfecting their craft. For an amateur artist to attempt to mix and master their own music, they would need to invest a significant amount of time and effort into learning these skills.
It takes a lot of time to learn these skills. It requires a deep understanding of audio engineering and music production, and an unwavering dedication to practice and perfecting one’s craft. Mixing and mastering is not something that can be learned overnight, and it’s not something that can be done effectively by someone who is not dedicated to it.
Even after taking all the time to learn the fundamentals of mixing and mastering, it still takes a good ear, and talent. It’s not just a copy and paste technique, you have to be able to listen critically, analyze, and use the fundamentals of the tools you have to create a desired result. Some people have it, some people just … well …. Don’t.
If an artist decides to mix and master their own music, they must be prepared to invest the time and effort into developing these skills. Otherwise, their music simply won’t sound as good as it could with the help of a professional. The truth is, great audio engineers have been doing this for a long time and they can get the job done with much greater efficiency and effectiveness than an amateur.
If an artist wants to ensure that their music sounds its best, they should not mix and master their own music. Instead, they should invest in a professional audio engineer who has the skills and experience to bring their music to life. The time, effort, and money spent on a professional audio engineer will be well worth it in the end, as the artist will have a final product that truly represents their vision and sounds amazing.
4.Bias
One of the key reasons why you shouldn’t mix and master your own music is because of bias. As an artist, you’re too close to your own music. You’ve put your heart and soul into writing, recording, and producing it, and it’s natural to want it to sound its absolute best. However, this attachment to your own work can often become a hindrance when it comes to the mixing and mastering stage.
Artists tend to become overly critical of their own music and can get stuck in a never-ending loop of tweaking their mix, only to find it never good enough. This can lead to frustration, self-doubt, and a fear of releasing your music to the public. You may find yourself making decisions that aren’t effective in terms of the overall sound of the song, simply because you’re too close to it and can’t step back and make an objective judgment.
In order to overcome this bias, it’s crucial to have an outside perspective, someone who can bring a fresh set of ears to your music. A professional mixing and mastering engineer can help you remove that emotional attachment to your work and draw a hard line that says “this is done, it’s time to move on.” They will be able to make the tough decisions necessary to take your music to the next level and ensure it sounds its best.
The benefit of having a professional engineer is that they have experience working with a variety of artists and styles, which gives them a unique perspective on how to bring out the best in your music. They have the skills and knowledge to make your songs shine, and they can help you achieve the sound you’re striving for.
Having a professional engineer can also save you time and energy. If you’re still developing your mixing and mastering skills, it can take a long time to get your songs to sound competitive. On the other hand, a professional engineer can get the job done quickly and efficiently. They’ll make sure that your songs are polished, balanced, and ready to be released to the public.
If you’re an artist who’s thinking about mixing and mastering your own music, it’s important to be aware of the biases that can hold you back. Having a professional engineer can help you overcome these biases, ensuring that your music sounds its absolute best. By removing the emotional attachment and bringing a fresh set of ears to your music, a professional engineer can help you move on from your songs and continue to create new and exciting music for your fans.
What should you as an artist focus on instead?
- Let the professionals handle mixing and mastering.
You already have enough on your plate, so let the experts take this one thing off your plate. They have the experience and the skills to bring your music to life in a way that you may not be able to on your own. - Spend your money wisely.
Invest in gear, instruments, promotion, and lessons that will forward your career as an artist. Don’t waste money on fancy plugins or outboard gear that you may not need. - Make the most of your time.
Write new music, gig, or plan a tour. Use social media to connect with your fans and promote your work. - Level up your skills.
Songwriting, production, and live shows are all important aspects of your career as an artist. Keep improving and showing value to your audience. - Boost your social media presence.
Respond to comments, post more content, and engage with your followers. Your online presence is just as important as your music.
As an artist, you have a lot on your plate. Especially in today’s age where you have to double as a content creator and influencer, posting at an exhausting pace. Don’t let the stress of mixing and mastering add to that. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not as expensive as you would think. Especially when you factor in the time and money it would take to do it yourself, time that you’ll never get back. Let the professionals handle that for you and focus on what really matters. Write new music, level up your skills, and engage with your fans. That’s what will take your career to the next level.
So go find an engineer that you can work with long-term (I don’t recommend Fiverr as you want a long-term engineer you can develop a relationship with) or take a look at our services if you’d like because we also provide professional mixing and mastering services.
