So I've been hitting a brick wall with my mixes lately.

I've only produced a few tracks I observe as "examples" for the rest that I make... even though every mix is different.

Turns out the best mixed ones were the least mixed, light compression, minimal EQ, lots of automation/movement, panning. Mixing with intention. But still I'd like advice from this community.

I typically, EQ most low end out of everything that isn't part of the drum/bass bus. Then apply saturation, distortion, compression...

I am really trying to find a better or consistent workflow for ALL projects. It's mostly, set levels, bus stuff, arrange track, add FX, EQ for space, panning, stereo/mono, then add Effects AFTER arranging is done, automating, then on to the buses, compression (if needed), saturation, etc.

Finally, I master in the same project in FL Studio. I'd really like to bounce to audio and mix in a separate project but when I tried it, I had to create new busses, arrange (again), then mix. Seemed to be a hassle since I mix as I create (but I should suck it up since it saves CPU and I can never use say Acustica Audio, or Izotope stuff, or all the CPU heavy FX). Is this a good workflow or could someone offer up some better suggestions?

Anyway, here's the Track I am going to mix....

 

If it had been available when I was still using FL on PC, I would have been all over Reaper if only for exactly this purpose. (stem export mixes). Super resource-light full featured daw for audio exports for free, to assemble FL loops? Then you can do anything you want.

 

Last edited: Nov 15, 2021

Since this looks pretty much like my own experience and workflow, I'd say stick to it.
I usually start with the most important sounds: bass, BD, snare, vocals, main instruments.
Golden rule for treatment: as much as necessary (whatever it takes) and as less as possible.

Firstly, this is just a lack of experience of how your songs will sound after mastering.
Secondly, you are tempted to do this because you have the possibility to change these things. When you master other people's mixes you just can't do this (or at least not to that amount).

 

If you're trying to recreate "Stranger Things" vibe then you've nailed it.

Is that deliberate or a happy accident?

 

Deliberate! I was going for an 80s pop vibe.

Trying to explore new genres like Synthwave, EDM, House, Rock, Pop, etc to be a more versatile producer before going back to Hiphop.

 

I hear a lot of good, creative, musical ideas in the track you've posted above. However you can easily get stuck into the mastering part, when the material you work with just isn't there yet.

I'd focus on getting your arrangements and mixes right, and for now not worry about any mastering. Especially when hitting a brick wall, you should be careful not to lose your creativity. It could be much more satisfying when you made a lot of these tracks that might not have been mastered well but are really creative, instead of spending a lot of mastering time to get this one right.

Just a few mixing things you might want to consider, at the risk of pissing you off:

• have a close look at the frequency ranges of your individual tracks/stems/parts, and see if there's any severe overlap, possibly fix it with eq'ing, but perhaps drop some of them, less really can be more
• reconsider the drumsounds used (or their fx), and maybe the timing also, especially that 'hihat'
• have a look at the balance between the drumsounds, (is that a hihat way in the back of your mix?)
• both in the intro and 'bridge' around 1:08 there are similar sounds playing as in the first main part (appr. 0;30 to 1:08), only softer, to me it sounds confusing
• the melody around 1:28 is quite soft compared to the bass
• the intermezzo that starts around 1:28 seems to make no connection to the second main part at 2:03, not musically but mixing wise
• that drop could be stronger

Yes! IMHO that's just part of the mixing process, keep doing that. And when that finally sounds right, mastering will be much easier and start to make sense.