Richard’s latest course with Pro Mix Academy is packed with gold. If you’re serious about elevating your mixes, check it out here: Mixing Modern Pop & R&B →
PLUS: This Wednesday at 11am PST, Richard will be live streaming, showing off mixing techniques and answering your questions live—don’t miss it!
When it comes to mixing, Richard Furch is one of those rare engineers who thinks like a musician, sculpts like an artist, and still manages to keep it all grounded in practical, repeatable workflows. In his new Pro Mix Academy course, Mixing Modern Pop & R&B, Richard breaks down not only his mixing process but how he uses song structure itself to shape emotional impact.
Song Structure as a Mixing Tool
One thing I loved about watching Richard work is how much attention he gives to structure. It’s not just about verse–chorus–bridge, it’s about how each section feels. For example, when he hit the bridge of the track in the course, he pointed out that the acoustic guitars had continued from the chorus without any tonal or dynamic change. Instead of letting that moment drift by, he made a subtle shift—dialling back the guitars and introducing new textures to create contrast. It’s a reminder that every section needs its own identity.
Mixing with Movement
Richard’s automation work is next level. He doesn’t just set levels and forget them—he treats automation like live performance. A great example from the course was a harp part he animated across the stereo field. Just a gentle pan left to right, but it brought the part alive in a way that static panning never could.
He also leans into harmonic excitement in really tasteful ways. There’s a Pro Tools stock plugin he uses for saturation and distortion, adding just enough colour to make a sound pop without taking over the mix. That’s something I’ve already pulled into my own sessions since watching the course.
Getting the Bass to Dance
Richard’s approach to bass is equal parts technical and musical. He uses Bass Rider not to fix problems, but to make the bass part feel more connected to the song’s rhythm and flow. Then he makes really smart EQ moves—boosting around 60 Hz for depth, and 160 Hz to bring the bass forward in the mix. It’s subtle stuff, but it adds up to a bass that feels alive and present without fighting for space.
Smart Side Chaining
We’ve all heard about side chaining, but Richard takes it a step further. Using Track Spacer, he’s able to duck only specific frequency bands—letting the kick punch through without gutting the bass. It’s surgical and musical at the same time, especially effective in pop and R&B where groove is everything.
Fixing the Kick Without Ruining It
In one section of the course, Richard pulls up a kick that had a cool high-end click, almost like a woodblock, but lacked weight. Instead of just grabbing a low-end booster, he used careful EQ to shape the bottom—boosting at 60 and 160 Hz, which gave it the heft it needed without making it muddy. This kind of precision is what separates a decent mix from a great one.
Snare Warmth and Character
Richard also walks through his snare process, using transient designers to shape sustain and adding a tape emulator to glue everything together. Just a little push into the tape and the snare feels warmer, fuller, and more connected to the track.
Dynamic EQ Where It Counts
His vocal work is stellar. Rather than carving out the mix with static EQ, he uses dynamic EQ to make space when and where it’s needed—like ducking harshness when the vocal peaks or managing competing midrange elements between vocals and keys. It’s subtle, but massively effective.
Automation with Purpose
One of my favourite moments in the course is when Richard automates a lo-fi effect on a synth part to make it bloom in the chorus. It’s not over the top, just the right bit of extra energy when the song needs to lift. These are the kind of emotional touches that come from mixing with intention, not just technique.
Final Thoughts
What I appreciate most about Richard’s course is that it’s not just about plugins or gear—it’s about decisions. Every move he makes is musical, emotional, and built around the arc of the song. If you’re looking to understand not just how to mix but why great mixers make the choices they do, this course delivers.
🎧 Watch Richard in action here – Mixing Modern Pop & R&B on Pro Mix Academy
And don’t forget: This Wednesday at 11am PST, Richard will be live streaming to show off more of his techniques and answer your questions in real time. Grab a coffee and join us—it’s going to be good.
I learned a lot from this one—and if you’re serious about upping your game, you will too.
