Mixing Essentials

Key Techniques for Mixing Songs

Get access to all of our courses with a student membership, or purchase this individual course by clicking "Enroll" above.

The objective of this mini-course is to give the viewer a better fundamental understanding of basic mixing concepts and techniques. We will use a project with many tracks (essentially an unmixed song) and begin by discussing gain staging and techniques for establishing a good volume balance between tracks (while maintaining a good amount of headroom on the master channel). From there we will discuss grouping tracks, subtractive EQing, panning, effective ways to control dynamics such as compression, and insert effects versus send effects. By the conclusion of this course the viewer will have a much better understanding of how to properly approach mixing their own music.

Lessons topics include:

  • Gain Staging
  • Grouping Tracks and Busses
  • Volume Balancing
  • Panning
  • Subtractive Equalizing
  • Dynamics
  • Insert Effects vs. Send Effects


Your Instructor


Thavius Beck
Thavius Beck

Thavius Beck is an electronic musician, producer and performer that's worked with countless musicians including Nine Inch Nails, Skylar Grey, Saul Williams, The Mars Volta and many more. Thavius is an Ableton Live Certified Trainer and has instructed hundreds of Live students through teaching courses at several music institutes, giving one-on-one lessons and holding dozens of Ableton Live workshops throughout the country.


Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
If you purchase the course individually, you have lifetime access to the content. If you sign up for a membership, you'll have unlimited access to this course for as long as you keep your membership active.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.