5 Mixing Tips for Professional Sounding Songs in 2025

Want your mixes to sound polished and professional? Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up, these five mixing tips will transform your workflow and help you achieve better results. Let’s dive in!

1. Stay Organized with Groups and Buses

Back when I started mixing, I’d have 30, 40, or even 50 tracks all going directly to the stereo output. It was chaos. Every time I needed to tweak something, I’d waste time hunting down the problem track. It was frustrating and overwhelming.

The solution? Group your tracks into buses. For example:

• Drums: All drum tracks routed to a drum bus.
• Bass: All bass tracks to a bass bus.
• Instruments: Same concept applies.
• Vocals: Group all vocal tracks into their own bus.
• Effects: Separate effects bus for reverb, delay, etc.

Think of it as creating a hierarchy:

• Master Bus (top level)
• Main Buses (vocals, instruments, effects, etc.)
• Sub-Buses (kick, snare, etc.)
• Individual Tracks

This structure saves time, makes problem-solving easier, and keeps your mix clean. Plus, it’s a lot faster to tweak one bus than individual tracks.

If you want to skip the hassle and start mixing efficiently, download my free pack of 6 Logic Pro mixing templates. They’ll help you set up your groups and buses in no time. Download here.

2. Mix Without Plugins First

It’s tempting to throw plugins on every track, but here’s the truth: overloading your mix with plugins can ruin your sound.

Instead, focus on creating a solid static mix using just your faders and pan pots. No EQ. No compression. Nothing but balance. Once you’ve nailed this, you can start automating faders and gain to add movement—still without any plugins.

This technique forces you to get the best sound from your raw tracks. When you eventually add plugins, they’ll enhance an already great mix rather than fix a bad one.

Have you tried mixing without plugins? Let me know in the comments if you’ve experienced the same "aha" moment I did when I started doing this.

3. Mix Into a Compressor or Limiter

Adding compression and limiting to your mix bus early on can help glue your mix together. After creating your static mix, insert a bus compressor and limiter on your master chain.

Here’s how I set it up:

• Bus Compressor: Just enough compression to make the mix sound cohesive without overdoing it.
• Limiter: Set the output gain to -1 dB for safety. I also pull the output gain down to around -4 dB to ensure I’ve got plenty of headroom.

This approach gives you a better sense of how your mix will sound when mastered and prevents any nasty surprises later.

4. Don’t Fear Automation

Automation is your secret weapon for creating dynamic, engaging mixes. I used to find it intimidating, but once I started automating, my mixes became more alive.

Start small:

• Volume Automation: Adjust levels to highlight key moments.
• Filter Automation: Smooth transitions or add creative effects.

Over time, challenge yourself to automate as much as possible—even your mix bus. Subtle changes can make a big difference. Your mixes will go from static and lifeless to punchy and full of energy.

5. Replace EQ with Exciters and Saturators

EQ is great, but it’s not always the best tool for boosting your highs and lows. Instead, try using exciters or saturators. For example:

• Use multiband compression to tighten low-end or tame harsh highs.
• Try plugins like Fresh Air by Slate Digital (it’s free!) to add sparkle.
• Experiment with multiband saturators like FabFilter Saturn to enhance your mix without introducing harshness.

This technique gives you a richer, more controlled sound. Shoutout to @itsmd3sign on Instagram for inspiring me to use this approach—it’s been a game-changer.

These tips aren’t just theory—they’ve completely transformed my mixes. If you’re ready to take your mixes to the next level, download my free pack of 6 Logic Pro mixing templates. They’ll save you hours of setup time and help you get a clean, professional mix fast. Grab them here.

Happy mixing! Let me know in the comments which tip you’ll try first. And if you want even more mixing tips, check out my other posts. Peace!