Mixing Heavy Guitars Tutorial & NEW YEAR Sale!
Massive guitar riffs are the heart of every Rock track. However, mixing heavy guitars is not always easy, especially when you're dealing with multiple layers and tones! In today's tutorial, two or Pro Mix Academy's most popular mentors, Sara Carter…
Why PRO mixes sound BETTER than yours – and how you can MATCH them!
What makes pro mixes stand out from the competition? Hey everyone, most of us have been mixing for a while, and we can get pretty dang close to a great mix! However, getting all the way there can be a…
Mixing Free Jazz with Matt Bowlie
Achieve a natural, organic sound in your mix. In today's video, Grammy Winner Matt Brownlie mixes a Free Jazz track and shows you how subtle mixing moves can greatly enhance the sound and feel of a live Jazz performance. Matt…
The PLAP CUSTOM Holiday Special: Handpick Deals tailored to YOUR needs! (+ an early goodie ;-))
Hey everyone, the holidays are approaching and I want to give you something that would really make your day! What would that be for YOU? This year, you get to Choose YOUR Ideal PLAP Holiday Special! (Facebook Poll) If you’re…
Mixing Synths: Advanced Techniques To Get BIGGER Synth Sounds Than Ever Before!
Whether we're mixing Pop, R&B, or EDM: The goal is to create a MASSIVE soundstage, which radiates energy, space, and excitement! The key to achieving that? Synths! In today's video, four of the world's top engineers share their synth mixing…
Mix Music ANYWHERE! – Kali Audio IN-UNF Review
If you want to turn out pro-quality mixes, you need a reliable listening environment. - And a great speaker setup is the  #1 prerequisite for that! A huge problem that many up-and coming engineers face is that it's very hard…
Vocal Mixing Masterclass: 3 World-Class Engineers share their secrets for PRO Vocals
Hey everyone, buckle up because we've got something special for you today! A FREE Vocal Mixing Masterclass, featuring insights from three maestros in the field. This video is your backstage pass to mastering vocal mixing techniques across different genres -…
5 Crucial Tips For Success in Music with Marc D. Nelson
In this video, Grammy Nominee Marc D. Nelson (known for his work with Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz) discusses 5 crucial concepts found inside Warren Huart and Jerry Hammack’s #1 Best-Selling book 'Home Studio Recording: The Complete Guide.' These are…
ADVANCED MIXING – TAKE YOUR MIXES FROM GOOD TO GREAT
Have you ever put your heart and soul into a mix, and done 10 revisions to get it just right? After hours and days of tireless work, your mix sounds good... But when you compare it to a professional mix…
Mixing a WORLD-CLASS Live Performance – FREE Multitracks included!
I'm super excited to share today's video with you. 11x Grammy Nominee, and beloved PLAP Academy mentor Joe Carrell, breaks down his mix of a live performance by 4 INCREDIBLE musicians! Keys: Jesus Molina (Jesus Adrian Romero, Cory Henry, Zedd, John…
10X Grammy Winner Darrell Thorp – Top 5 Plugins for Mixing
In todays video, 10x Grammy Winner Darrell Thorp spills the beans about his favourite mixing tools! Darrell is an incredible producer and engineer who has worked with the Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Switchfoot, Molotov, Beck and countless other a-list artists. A…
Mixing tracks recorded by LEGENDARY engineer Geoff Emerick
In todays video, Grammy Nominee Marc D. Nelson (Colbie Caillat, Jason Mraz) walks you through his mix of a song produced by the late, legendary engineer, Geoff Emerick. Geoff Emerick has engineered FOUR The Beatles albums alongside George Martin, recorded…
Mixing With A Limiter ON? FAQ Friday With Warren Huart
In this edition of FAQ  Friday, Warren shares his thoughts on mixing decisions, time management for budding engineers and producers, and dispels the myth of being "too old" to learn new recording techniques. Let's dive into the insightful world of…
Music Producer Vs Mixing Engineer? A Conversation with Mike Pepe & Lurssen Mastering
In today's music landscape, understanding the nuanced differences between a music producer and a mixing engineer is essential. This exploration will delve into the key distinctions that define their roles and shed light on how their responsibilities intersect and diverge…
Do You Really need VINTAGE Mics? – Are Modern MICS Really THAT Great?
Joe Carrell, like many of us, has certain model numbers that he's attached to—numbers like 47, 67, and 87 mean a lot to him. But sometimes, he realizes he might be holding onto these models too tightly. In the world…
Mixing Creed III’s Original Film Score | Masterclass with John Chapman & Reuben Cohen
In the world of filmmaking, there are countless behind-the-scenes heroes who contribute to the magic of cinema. One often underappreciated aspect is film score mixing. Today, we have the privilege of delving into this fascinating world with John Chapman, a…
How to Use Auto-Tune for Vocal Tuning

The really interesting thing about Antares Auto-Tune is that just about everyone has an idea of what it is. For engineers, it’s a very useful tool and effect; but the fact that it’s recognized by almost everybody, beyond studio pros,…

How To De-Ess Vocals | Settings for a Pro Mix

Sibilance is what we call the hissing noise made by ‘ess’ and ‘shh’ sounds in the voice. We don’t notice it in conversation, but it can get really harsh on a recorded vocal. A de-esser can take care of excess…

The 20 Best Filter Plugin VSTs in 2023 [Free & Paid]

Filter plugins are one of the easiest effects to use that can have a huge impact on how something sounds. As a form of EQ, filters help you shape the frequency content of an instrument. In the simplest terms, they…

The 15 Best UAD Plugins for Vocals [2023 Guide]

Over 20 years ago, Universal Audio ushered in a new standard for plugins and interfaces. UAD’s plugin catalog is a huge collection of some of the best analog emulations out there. Most importantly, the software runs on dedicated DSP supplied by…

The Loudness Penalty by Streaming Services

Streaming services like Spotify and others normalize the volume of all the material on their platform. This is so you’re not constantly turning the level up or down from song to song. However, tracks you’ve mixed may not play back…

Parallel Compression Explained

Parallel compression was developed as a means to an end. The vast majority of compressors are “downward” in action. This means that they work by reducing the peaks in source material. Parallel compression, on the other hand, was designed to…

How to Use Youlean Loudness Meter (Tutorial)

One of the ways mixers and mastering engineers optimize their levels is by referencing detailed loudness meters. Whether you’re mixing for film, TV, or digital streaming services, there are different standards you can aim for to make sure your mix…

Cytomic The Glue: Best SSL Bus Compressors?

Cytomic The Glue is an affordable SSL-style bus compressor plugin. The plugins gets its name from the SSL hardware’s famous ability to ‘glue’ mixes together. Even though there are tons of SSL bus compression plugins on the market, Cytomic makes…

What is Plate Reverb and How is It Used?

If you’ve spent any time playing around with reverb in-the-box, you’ve probably observed the common types that exist. Chamber, hall, and room are easy enough to imagine, but what about plate reverb? We most easily associate “echo” with real-world spaces,…

The 7 Best Delay VST Plugins 2023 [FREE & PAID]

Delay plugins are essential to every mixer’s toolbox! It’s one of the most common effects we use all the time to give instruments dimension and energy. The great thing about delay is that it can be subtle for a little…

How to EQ Bass Guitar: Simple Steps for a Better Low End

Nailing the low end content in a mix is an important step for better-sounding material. Too much bottom can make a mix muddy and inarticulate; too little can make a track appear thin and lifeless. Learning how to EQ bass…

The 20 Best Reverb Plugins in 2023 [Free & Paid]

Reverb is one of the most commonly used effects in mixing. It’s part of a broader category of processors we sometimes call “time-based effects,” which also includes delay. Before digital, reverb was recorded using actual rooms called echo chambers. A…

Vocal EQ Tips for Beginning Mixers

Vocal EQ is one of the ways we get a recorded performance from “dry” to “radio-ready.” It has a huge influence on the overall quality of a vocal, and even just simple moves like filtering can change the sound completely.…

How to Use a Compressor (Easy Beginner’s Guide)

Learning how to use a compressor is one of the most important mixing skills you can acquire. Compression is quite literally all over mixes, even becoming the sound we associate with loud, modern pop mixing. If there’s anything you want to…

EQ Cheat Sheet: Simple Guidelines for Effective Equalization

Understanding equalization–probably the most widely used signal processor available to engineers–is essential to making records sound their absolute best. Sometimes it’s as simple as high-passing an instrument in the proper spot, while other cases require a bit more attention and…

The 10 Best Mixing Plugins in 2023 (Free & Paid)

Mixing is one of the most satisfying parts of music production. It’s so much fun polishing raw recordings, adding creative effects, and putting the finishing touches on a song for listeners. There are literally thousands of plugins out there that…

25 Best Waves Plugins for Mixing in 2023

Waves plugins have been around since 1992 when the company first introduced its Q10 Paragraphic EQ. The Q10 broke new technological ground as the first audio plugin ever, with sound quality comparable to, or better than, its hardware equivalents. Over…

Secrets to Mixing Rap Vocals

It’s easy to underestimate the trickiness of mixing rap vocals. Some engineers will write the genre off thinking that it’s just a 2-track and a vocal, so it must be simple. But the intricacy lies in having leads, stacks of…

How to Sidechain in Ableton (Beginner’s Guide)

Sidechain compression in Ableton is a useful mixing technique that allows you to do things like separate the bass from the kick. For Ableton users working in EDM/hip-hop/pop, where there’s lots of competing low-end information, sidechain compression is indispensable! What…

Peter Gabriel: Artists Who Changed Music
Peter Gabriel is a living legend who barely needs an introduction. He became well-known as the lead singer of Genesis, and after that went on to have a successful solo career, gaining fame for using new music technology in innovative…
5 Powerful Tips For Mixing Hip-hop Vocals
You want your Rap vocals to sound raw and in-your-face, so the rapper’s flow and delivery can dominate the track. However, if you leave your vocals too dry (without any effects), they’ll stick out like a sore thumb and won’t…
How to Mix Background Vocals

We tend to mix background vocals differently than leads. Depending on the arrangement, they’re usually underneath the lead for support so they don’t steal the show. In some cases, background vocals will actually overtake the leads, such as in a…

The Trooper – Iron Maiden: Songs That Changed Music
The early eighties saw the rise of Iron Maiden. One of the most successful groups to emerge from the new wave of British heavy metal, by the beginning of 1983 Maiden had already released three classic albums: Iron Maiden, Killers,…
Factory Tour: Making Speakers From Start To Finish with Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) is a British company that has been at the forefront of audio technology for more than 50 years. Founded in 1966, B&W has become one of the most respected and recognized names in the audio industry,…
7 Best Reamp Boxes in 2023

Reamping takes place in two stages during both the recording and mixing phases. A reamp box is a specially designed device that allows you to send a clean guitar signal from your DAW to an amplifier, letting you tweak tones…

Budget vs Expensive Microphones: A Chat With With Rob Mayzes & Adam Steel at NAMM 2023
In this video, Adam Steele and Rob from mastering.com are at the Cloud Booth discussing the affordable equipment that is available today. They are using the new Cloud lifter X, which is a transformer-based Cloud lifter, and they are impressed…
Let’s talk about Thrash Metal
In this blog post, we’ll dive into the world of thrash metal, a genre that emerged in the 1980s and has since become a cornerstone of heavy metal music. We'll be joined by Kai Stahlenberg, a German musician, and producer,…
Should I Be Using Sidechain Compression?

Sidechain compression is a common “advanced” mixing technique. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Should I use sidechain compression here?,” the answer is “Give it a shot!” It uses are somewhat particular, but sidechaining generally creates more separation, more rhythm, or more…

Budget vs Expensive Microphones: A Chat With With Rob Mayzes & Adam Steel at NAMM 2023
In this video, Adam Steele and Rob from mastering.com are at the Cloud Booth discussing the affordable equipment that is available today. They are using the new Cloud lifter X, which is a transformer-based Cloud lifter, and they are impressed…
10 Best Limiter Plugins in 2023 [FREE & PAID]

Limiters are awesome plugins for catching a signal’s highest peaks in a way that doesn’t ruin the overall tonality and balance of an instrument, group, or mix. Here is a modest sample of 10 of the best limiter plugins out…

Exploring Tim O’Sullivan LA Studio: Fun guitars & Affordable Consoles
It's my pleasure to share with you a studio tour with producer, Tim O'Sullivan (Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs; Rayland Baxter & Grace Potter)Having been Bearfoot Studio's previous Studio Manager, Tim sought his own personal recording studio when friend, musicians and Beastie Boys…
How to Do Reverse Reverb in 3 Easy Steps

Reverse reverb, sometimes called reverse echo or reverse regeneration, simply takes the reverb tail of any instrument and reverses it. Creating it is a matter of printing the wet signal of a reversed audio track. Reverse reverb is typically accompanied…

David Bottrill Interview Part 2: Talking Silverchair, Mudvayne, Muse, Placebo & More
David Botrill is a Grammy award-winning music producer and engineer who has made a significant impact on the music industry over the past few decades. He has worked with some of the most influential and iconic artists of our time,…
Top 3 MIDI Keyboard Controllers with Sanjay C
Following the events of NAMM, the marvellous Mr Sanjay C who many will be familiar with his content came by the studio to share his top 3 MIDI controller keyboards for home use. Check out the full video above but…