5 Common Mixing Mistakes Artists Make (And How to Avoid Them)
Over the years, I’ve had the chance to mix songs for indie artists, bands, and songwriters all over the country—from Texas country to pop and Americana. And whether someone is mixing on their own or handing off the mixing to me, I’ve see the same handful of mixing issues come up.
If you're handling your own mixes or getting ready to send a session out, here are 5 of the most common mixing mistakes I see artists make—and how you can avoid them to get better, cleaner, and more pro-sounding results.
1. Trusting a Room That’s Lying to You
If you’re mixing in an untreated or acoustically challenging room, chances are your speakers aren’t telling the full truth. Bass frequencies can build up in corners or get lost entirely, and you might be making decisions based on reflections instead of what’s actually in your mix.
What I recommend:
Use reference tracks to recalibrate your ears.
Add basic acoustic treatment—just a few panels and bass traps can help.
Always check your mix in the car, on headphones, on earbuds, etc.
Being able to trust your room and your speakers is one of the biggest things you can do to dial in your production and audio.
2. Crushing the Mix Bus Too Aggressively
One of the fastest ways to paint yourself into a corner is to throw a heavy limiter, EQ, and/or compressor across your master bus while you’re still shaping the mix. It might sound “bigger,” but it can limit your flexibility and make mastering way harder.
What I suggest:
Mix without heavy processing on the master unless you really know what you're doing - or you know what your mastering engineer wants.
Leave at least -6dB of headroom for mastering.
Always keep a version of the mix without processing if you're sending it to a mastering engineer.
If you need mastering, I can do it here—or prep your mix for someone else. Either way, keeping your mix bus clean gives your track room to breathe.
3. Muddy Low-End from Too Much Competition
I hear a lot of DIY mixes where the kick, bass, guitars, and synths are all fighting for the same space in the low end. The result is mud, and it robs your track of clarity and punch.
My go-to fixes:
High-pass filter anything that doesn’t need low end.
Use subtractive EQ to carve space between kick and bass.
Sidechain compression can work wonders in bass-heavy genres.
Dialing in a tight, focused low end is one of my favorite parts of mixing—and it makes all the difference when you want your track to hit.
4. Ignoring the Power of Panning
A lot mixes feel too “centered” and narrow, mostly because panning is either overlooked or too extreme. The stereo field is a huge tool—use it to your advantage.
Here’s how I handle it:
Pan guitars, percussion, backing vocals, and effects to give each element space.
Be intentional with balance—hard-panning is a tool, not a hard rule.
Use reverb and delay not just for depth, but for width as well.
Focus on creating space and dimension so your track feels alive—not just stacked.
5. Soloing Tracks When Making Mix Decisions
Soloing is useful for quick checks, but mixing in solo can disconnect you from how that sound works in the big picture. I’ve seen artists EQ or compress individual tracks until they sound great alone—but awful in the mix.
What works better:
Mix in context—always listen to how things interact.
Don’t chase “perfect” in solo; chase that sound in the full track.
Less is often more.
Ultimately, this comes down to serving the song and making sure everything works well together - even if things sound a little “off” when in solo.
Let’s Make Your Next Mix Radio-Ready
Whether you’re mixing yourself or ready to hand things off, avoiding these mistakes can save you tons of time and frustration. I work with artists every day who are doing it all themselves—and I’m here to help you get your music across the finish line.
At Drum Arsenal Productions, I offer:
✅ Professional mixing
✅ Mastering
✅ Remote drum tracking
✅ Full production support
I’d love to help bring your project to the finish line and help you create great music wherever you are in the world.
Check out my work or get in touch at ⬇️
