Producing and mixing your own music can be a lot of fun and at times, very rewarding. Today, I would like to give you a few reasons why you should consider hiring a professional mix engineer for your next recording:
1. EXPERIENCE
Experience in the music industry is one of those things that is accumulated over many years. It is the culmination of trial and error, multiple failures, constant training and learning. You then arrive at a point where one may label you as “experienced”. One of the benefits of hiring a mix engineer is having the opportunity to tap into those years of experience (without having to personally accumulate them!). This, in turn, effectively bypasses the need for you to actually learn all of the intricacies of mixing and fast track your project. That’s not to say that gaining your own mixing experience is something you shouldn’t do, but if you are serious about progressing your music and spending more time writing and recording, hiring a pro mix engineer should be on your list of priorities.
2. EQUIPMENT
Imagine being able to access a professional studio purposely built for audio mixing, with all the gear you could ever need? Well, that’s another benefit of hiring a professional. The other important thing to note (closely linked to the above point on experience) is the years it takes to not only acquire the equipment, but learn how to use it properly and gain maximum benefit for the client.
3. OBJECTIVITY
Arguably the most important benefit of all. When producing and recording your own music, it’s easy to get lost in the creative world and completely lose perspective and objectivity on your music. It’s at this time that hiring a specialist audio professional is worth it’s weight in gold. An experienced mix engineer will be able to listen to your music with fresh ears and a completely unbiased opinion. They will be able to identify any deficiencies in the recording and be able to process and balance each track to provide the most competitive commercially viable product. They will consider all aspects of the recording and often be able to provide additional feedback and tips on how to optimize future recordings and song structure. You may also find the process of working with an experienced engineer that is able to guide you through the process can become an inspiration for future songwriting and help you cultivate a fresh approach.
4. TASTE
I’ve always believed that there is a strong connection between the process of audio mixing and cooking. This is where taste and flavour come into it! A great mix engineer is very much like a great chef. They have become experts at blending flavours and knowing when to add the right amount of ‘spice’ or ‘seasoning’. Many great mix engineers through their years of experience often develop a signature sound, that becomes their trademark. When researching the right mix engineer for your project, you may find their taste or genres they have worked in become the most appealing factor for your choice. At the same time, don’t feel that you need to limit your choice of mix engineer to a genre specific person. As an example, you may aesthetically like the sound of a heavy metal mix engineer, yet you may be a hip hop artist. Versatility is also a very important aspect to consider, and a mix engineer versed in all genres may present the best option on many occasions.
5. OUTSOURCE
Closely linked to what I mentioned earlier on about saving time. Budget permitting, you’d be surprised at how much additional time you can create for yourself by outsourcing some of the tasks associated with music production. In this instance, by hiring a pro mix engineer. You will no longer have to spend valuable time trying to learn the nuances of mixing and you can spend more time writing, recording and doing the fun creative stuff!
I hope this article has given you a good insight into the benefits of hiring a professional mix engineer. All the best with your next music production project!
Until next time,
Mike
