How to give feedback on mixes

As a mixing engineer, one of the most important aspects of my job is effective communication with the each of my clients. After all, you (the artist) are the one who knows your music best, and your input is crucial in shaping the final mix. That's why it's so important for artists to know how to give clear and constructive feedback on a mix.

Begin the project with the end goal in mind

One of the first steps in giving effective feedback is setting clear expectations and communicating any specific vision or direction for the mix upfront. This helps me understand exactly what you’re looking for and ensures that I can deliver a mix that meets your needs. 

Before we start mixing-- do you have reference tracks? Have you listened to other mixes I’ve done and have certain aspects that you really like or dislike from those? Even if you don’t have specific ideas about the mix, it’s helpful for me to know that, so we can work through the process together.

Listen for gut impressions first, then listen again (and again)

After receiving the first mix, I encourage you to first listen for gut impressions - does it feel good to you? Then, you should listen for what you love and what is working really well, and make a note of it. Finally, you should listen a few more times with an ear towards what is sticking out that isn't working, and make a note of what you may want changed or different. It's important to write it all down, as this helps me get a better sense of your taste and style, and allows me to make effective changes.

Give qualitative and quantitative feedback

In terms of the feedback itself, it's helpful for me to receive both specific and metaphorical comments. For example, if you say "this part doesn't feel right but I don't know what's wrong with it," I can draw my attention there and problem-solve. I also find that qualitative comments like "hmmm it needs to sound more rainy" are just as helpful as quantitative comments like "put a high pass filter on the cowbell at 13000 HZ" :) I ask my clients to give me any and all feedback in whatever language you have. It's also helpful for me to know what you love and what's working for you, as well as what is not working and what you want changed.

Listen on multiple speaker systems

Finally, I recommend that artists listen to the mix on multiple speaker systems, even if they aren't fancy. It's normal and expected that the mix will sound different on each system, but listening on multiple systems can help both of us find a good balance. It can also be helpful to listen in a car or on a phone to see if all the information is coming through as intended. If it sounds really bass-heavy on your headphones, but the bass feels inaudible on your iPhone speaker, it’s probably due to the nature of each of those devices. Listen again on some middle of the road speakers and see if the information is translating there as well.

Ask questions

I’ve been in your shoes— a recording artist giving engineers mix feedback and wondering how to do it. Now I’m on the other side of the process where I’m getting the feedback. What are you curious about? What excites you about mixing? What intimidates you? Please know that I’m here to answer any questions you may have about the mix process.

Trust your gut

When it comes to art, I follow the philosophy “if I like it, then it’s good.” You are the artist and your opinion matters here. If you don’t like something — I want to know! It’s my job to help amplify your vision and use my technical skills to bring your art to life. Let’s do this!