Do you find yourself having to mix exclusively on headphones? Are your mixes coming out all wacky? I think I can help.
In an ideal world, you would mix primarily on a simple set of studio monitors and then simply check that mix on headphones. But sometimes headphones is all you have to work with. And I don’t for a second believe that should hold you back from getting a great mix.
Via David Blaikie Flickr
A Week Of Headphone Mixing
All last week I found myself mixing an EP on my laptop entirely with headphone (at a coffee shop no less!). I spent four straight days mixing in likely the most non-ideal circumstances – and yet I’m really liking how the mixes are turning out.
To be completely honest my mix on Day 1 was a little rough. The kick drum was way over powering, the low mids were all off, and the vocals didn’t sit where I wanted them. But after implementing these three simple strategies I’m about to share with you, the remaining days of mixing on headphones became very effective – and fun!
Strategy #1 – Work At Two Volumes
When you first sit down to fire open your mix, put on your headphones and find a comfortable overall volume. You should be able to hear things just fine, but it shouldn’t be cranked.
You want to both protect your hearing and not fool yourself into thinking your mix is better than it is.
This will be your first volume, at which you’ll do most of your mixing. Make note of it on the volume/output knob on your interface.
The key though is to not work at this volume the entire time. Why? Because your ears will get used to hearing things the way they are and get lazy. That’s why you need a second volume; specifically a lower one.
Simply grab your volume knob and turn it down till you can just make out all the instruments in the mix and it seems more like background music than anything. An even simpler method is to create your own one click dim switch inside your DAW.
The power of the quieter volume is that it is far more revealing. If you can still hear the kick, snare, and vocals at this volume then you know those instruments are in good shape. If key instruments or vocals disappear at low volumes then that’s a red flag that the mix isn’t balanced properly.
Check your mix at both volumes consistently through the day and you’ll more likely to get all your tracks to sit where they sound best.
Strategy #2 – Grab A Second Pair Of Headphones
I don’t care whether you mix on headphones or super expensive studio monitors, you must always reference your mix on a second set of speakers – even cheap ones.
The concept here is simple: each pair of headphones or monitors has its own EQ curve built in. They shape your mixes sound in their own way and your ears will become familiar with that sound – and adapt.
This is a problem if say,. like me, you have headphones that are a bit on the bright side. Mixing in those headphones tends to produce dull sounding mixes. Why? Because the mix already sounds bright enough to me (because of the bright headphones) so I don’t mix the top end correctly.
To combat this issue, all you need is a second set of phones. And these don’t have to be expensive.
For me this is my Apple Ear Pods that came free with my iPhone. They have a completely different frequency response (less top end, more hyped bottom end, rounder mid range) and they shed new light on my mix.
After mixing for an hour or so in my “good” headphones I switch over to my Ear Pods and let my ears wake up. I usually notice a few things right away that need slight tweaks. And that my friends can be the difference between an OK mix and a great mix!
Flip back and forth as often as you like, just to keep your ears awake, focused, and honest.
Strategy #3 – Live With The Mixes On Speakers For A Day
After you’ve poured your heart into these mixes on both sets of headphones at both of your volumes, don’t get overly confident and post those mixes online right away. There’s one final step to take to ensure translatability and perfect balance.
You need to listen to your mixes on normal speakers for a solid 24 hours.
That’s right, just because you mixed exclusively on headphones means you can get away without listening to your mixes on speakers before you sign off on them.
This final step will reveal a TON about the condition of your mixes. You’ll get a more realistic picture of how your mix translates to a casual listener in a casual environment (the car, the kitchen, laptop speakers, etc).
Here’s what I listen for on my speaker test: drums balance (do the kick and snare cut through and are they too loud or too quiet), vocal balance (does each word cut through), and overall impact (do the choruses hit me like I thought they did, etc).
Simply make a mental list of first impressions and go back to your headphone mix to make any final adjustments. It’s as simple as that.
It’s Worth The Trouble
These three strategies are so incredibly simple and powerful – but they do take a little bit more effort and time. Let me say this clearly: it’s worth it!
Working on headphones presents unique challenges, but they don’t have to hold you back from great mixes. But you do need to paint an accurate picture of your mix to your ears using these techniques in order to make the best decisions and mix moves for your tracks.
Have YOU used these strategies on a recent mix? How did they help? What other suggestions do you have for crafting a killer mix in headphones? Sound off below!
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My name is Graham Cochrane and I'm the founder of The Recording Revolution, one of the world's most loved audio recording and mixing blogs with over 200,000 readers each month. 
#4 – Use a reference mix
When I’m mixing on headphones, I find that using a reference mix is soooo important.
Typically, my biggest problems on headphones are getting levels right, and getting the low end right. It seems that my ears are more “forgiving” of poor volume decisions, and if the vocal is sticking way out of the mix, I hardly even notice. Using a reference and trying to make my levels roughly match the levels of the reference helps a lot.
Same with low end. My headphones are closed-back and don’t have a fantastic bass response (hopefully getting some open-back headphones soon!!) But it at does help if I have a reference track and try to make my low end sound similar to the reference.
Using a reference track is super-helpful regardless of whether you’re mixing on headphones or speakers. But in my experience, it’s so much more important when trying to get things right on headphones.
Fantastic post, Graham. Thanks for all the great tips!
Bingo! I’ve been beating the reference track thing to death so I gave it a break. Thanks for sneaking it in there 🙂
I started using headphones to check:
-Panning
-Fade in and fade out
-Reverb
Next I used them as an eartrainning method for checking parameters of compression and expansion.
Latelly I´ve been using headphones to check masking of frequencies with my stem mixes.
Aditional to the advices of Graham Cochrane , Alex Sanford and ALEX. I would add that in those processes it is very important to use a spectrum analizer in your master track. This has helped me to be aware of details my ears won´t notice with headphones and with an exhausted audition after long sessions mixing or editing.
My final advice would be to use if it is possible your headphones during the recording process to get to know better and compare the original sounds with the audio in the headphones.
Yeah. . I have mixed several albums in a ordinary headphones (Nokia phone Headphone, having frequency range 30hz- 18hz) and they sounds pretty good within a day or two.
Having such a great ability came from this blog. . ” The Recording Revolution ” from the ref. track concept.
From long time, I was using those headphones, so I know whats going on there actually.
It took me long time to get what is a perfect balance and tonal shape even in studio monitors, but once I got it, I can mix even with these headphones. I have no shame.
*(30hz-18000hz)
Spend the money and get the acoustics in your room correct. Get some Owens Corning 705 boards and cover them and put them aound your room. Download a free app called R.E.W and use it to get your speakers and acoustic panels in the optimal position. Get IK Multimedia ARC and ARC your listening position. Re measure the listening position using REW to see what ARC didnt get correct in the bass register and use a bit of corrective EQ to make your bass end linear. Be happy that your monitors are finally telling you the truth…then….use headphones to look for noise and other anomolies in your tracks. Dont mix with headphones. Use them as a refrence if you need to.
While I agree that this is certainly ideal, it’s not always possible. I think that having the ability to get a good mix (or at the very least a good start to a mix) on headphones is a very useful skill.
Personally, I do mix on speakers in a treated room, as you suggest, and use headphones as a reference. But there was a time when I did mix exclusively on headphones before I got studio monitors, and my mixes were fine.
It’s all about learning what you’re system sounds like, learning what good mixes sound like on that system, and learning to make your mix sound like that. This goes for speakers, or headphones.
There are no “rules”. If mixing on headphones is what makes the most sense in your situation, by all means, mix on headphones! Just recognize that headphones have their own set of issues that you’ll need to overcome (to be fair, studio monitors in a home studio also have their own set of issues). Learn your system, and go make music.
I agree Alex. You need to learn what your headphones/monitors sound like. When you get new monitors or mix on headphones listen to professionally produced music that has a sound similar to yours so you can see what those sound like on your equipment and it will give you a good place to start. Two people may have the same exact monitors yet they can get two different sounds because everybody’s room is going to affect that sound in some way. With that being said, I think one of the first steps should be to learn what a good mix should sound like on your headphones or monitors. If you do that and use the three strategies Graham wrote above I think you can get great mixes on headphones.
Exactly!
I’m guessing Starbucks would frown on the acoustic panels.
I tried. They said no.
true story!
LOL! I can hear the conversation now:
Audio guy: “Excuse me, but could we maybe install some acoustic panelling in here?”
Barrista: “Uh, pardon?”
Audio guy: “Some acoustic panelling; right here, here, and maybe a couple over there too.”
Barrista: “Would … would like something to drink sir? Our eggnog latte’s are special to the season!”
Audio guy: “Ok, thanks …”
Something like that? 🙂
But they were up for bass traps?
Yes, i have tried this process on my last three mixes..and I am really happy with the results!!
What a valuable set of guidelines! I have only been mixing our band’s material for a few months and have actually discovered this process on my own – nice to see some validation of that here! Thank you, Graham, for ALL you do!
Thank you for the info 🙂
The biggest thing for me is to actually get familiar with how music sounds on headphones compared to speakers. Listen to a lot of music on your phones to really get to know it sounds, especially the stereo balance.
Thank you very much for the article! I suppose this is just the beginning of HeadphonesMixed4Headphones theme. Mass consumer uses HP in everyday life more and more. Why mix can not be for that people – with abnormal stereo separation, loud stereo bass and hard limiting? I know my mix will never be played at club, car or stadium – but it never been intented for that.
Hmm…interesting ideas. I’ve never thought about it that way.
I think the reason why it’s generally preferred to mix on speakers is because it seems that mixes on speakers tend to translate better. I.e. if it sounds good on speakers, it will probably sound good on headphones. But if it sounds good on headphones, it may not necessarily sound good on speakers.
There may certainly be a place for mixes that are specifically for headphones, with the interesting features that you’ve described. I think, however, that although people listen on headphones a lot, speakers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. I wouldn’t opt to have my mix sound bad on speakers, just to try to make it sound more interesting on headphones. I’d rather do the work to try and make it sound good on both.
What I do is pretty much same as what you said. I actually do not have studio monitors plus I live in a traficky environment so its not much use as well. I mix with a good headphone. Then mix with an ok headphone for sometime making minor tweaks then get back to the good headphone to listen for any side effects maybe. Then listen to it on a 2.1 at home. Then I load it on my onedrive and listen to it here and there for a few days. It has helped a lot.
I’m still not that good. But these are things I’ve learnt that have helped me get better under my circumstances.
Hi,
I have, of late, done quite a few mixes on my cans. I noticed that I tend to maintain real low volume on headphones. Also, do majority of the mix in mono.. Balance,eq, compression etc. Toughest to handle are the reverbs and delays.
They’ve turned out ok. However, it’s a lot easier and enjoyable on the monitors.
My 2 cents 🙂
Referencing other mixes has been HUGE for me. Also, learning my headphones, since I use my headphones for both music listening and for mixing.
A combination of those two things has helped my mixes translate, even though I only mix on headphones.
I totally agree, using a pair of headphones you are familiar with helps a ton.
Funny thing happened with me. When I finished my first mix on headphones, I decided to check it on my earbuds. I plugged them to my interface. I new that it shouldn’t sound like on my headphones, but I was shocked. Bass completely disappeared, percussion too, the only thing that I could hear was the guitar, which sounded thin and brittle. I was so disappointed, like what the… I thought anyway I’m done, I’m going to export this and listen through my computer speakers. I was shocked again, it sounded pretty good, almost like on my headphones. Then I plugged my earbuds to my speakers, and it sounded pretty good too. And after all that I realized, that there was an issue with the plug (the ground contact was weak) and that’s why everything sounded so bad. Well, this story is not educative, but now it’s funny when I remember.
Thanks for this article Graham, and thank you to all of the people who chimed in as well. I live in an environment where I have absolutely zero chance of using speakers, which sucks. As if that isn’t bad enough, so many people say “Never mix on headphones”, etc. It’s very discouraging to a newer mixer in my situation. Still, I have over time just naturally done most of what Graham talked about here, and found that my mixes are pretty darn good and translate fairly well, despite using headphones exclusively.
Much like Graham’s mantra that you don’t need top-notch gear to make great recordings, I am heartened by the attitude and tips you gave today regarding mixing in headphones. I feel like if I implement the three rules consistently, and stay true reference mixes and checking in multiple speakers and phones, my mixes can ultimately be right up there with home studio mixers who have a speaker setup.
I guess I can come in off the ledge now. 😉
Totally, man! Good for you! If what you have is headphones, then headphones is what it’s gotta be, and you can totally get good mixes on headphones. No, it may not be the optimal setup, but it’s definitely good enough, and if you learn it well, you’ll be getting great mixes. So many people try to tell you that you “can’t” do this, or you “shouldn’t” do that. This is both discouraging and utterly unhelpful. The reality is, there are no rules in this business! Try things for yourself. Do what works, scrap what doesn’t. Use what you have and get back to making music!
Graham has said exactly how it is, ultimately to get perspective on the ‘actual’ true balance of the mix. This way described by him is the exact way i’ve been doing things mydelf, as I said to my producer friend… “You can’t finish your mix on headphones, but your mix isn’t finished until you’ve checked them on headphones”. That’s my own maxim, and it’s true. But being fastidious I will use – as Graham mentioned – a second pair of headphones to double-check, and also in addition to actual monitors I always check on the inbuilt mini speakers of my Laptop, just like the iPhone ear-buds; these two extra sources provide extra audible confirmation of the actual real-world balance of the mix. Cheers Graham, your advice and counsel is always rock-solid.
Good tips Graham. I do mix on headphones at times when I don’t want to disturb the household. What I’ve found is: it takes me 4-5 times longer on cans than mixing with my monitors. Perhaps the 2 volumes, 2 sets of headphones tips might speed things up a bit. I found that if I get a good mix using cans alone, I got lucky.
I use headphones a lot for mixing, to the chagrin of my associates (read: anyone who has mixed with speakers, and finds the idea of mixing in headphones ridiculous). I have found that:
1. A good reference track is essential for a reality check. Unfortunately, well-recorded tracks are difficult to come by nowadays, so I look for reference tracks in my old collection of Steely Dan. Alison Kraus also makes exceptional recordings. Alas, too many artists listen to the muddy, over-produced, over-compressed, auto-tuned messes that they hear on the radio, and want their music to sound just like that.
2. I always cross-check with a pair of speakers as the last step. This is the last step, because I haven’t gotten to the point where I have a room and monitors that I like. It is always “this is the room and monitors that I am used to.” I am also terribly spoiled on my Sennheiser headphones, and know exactly what they sound like and how I can expect them to respond to certain types of music. I don’t find that I need 24 hours on my speakers; usually, an hour or two suffices for all but the most complex of mixing scenarios.
3. On the subject of headphones, I have always found that the open-air ones are always more accurate, in terms of tonal balance.
4. As always, a listen in the car and on the iPod should be the final cross-checks. In any case, I’ve found that, with experience, I’ve been able to get very good mixes on a great pair of headphones without too much trouble.
I like you.
#1) i just got my Pono player and the 1st HD tracks I am after are Steely Dan. That IS the reference.
#2 ) Like you said, a couple hours on any signal chain/monitoring should dial you in
# 2b) A respected audio guy tried to pry me away from my Sonys and use Sennheisers, I resisted for the reason you stated, we know them.
#3) Never cared, maybe I should?
#4) Check, got it covered. But I refuse to subject my ears to iBuds. I keep them in the car just in case and have pulled them out twice. Maybe I should follow Graham’s advice on this one. It would be useful if they served another purpose. I have a pair of $40 Beyer DynaBuds that get it done.
Thanks Graham.
You’re one of the most honest and humble
guys in the biz. Bless you for that, mister!
Funny about Starbucks! CLA once said
that some of his best mixes happened
with the air conditioner roaring
during a heatwave. Ha! a bit like
the pink noise mix test 🙂
MIxing in noise environment gives better results, as mixing with working vacuum cleaner is immortal classics.
Great advice, Graham! I mix pretty much exclusively on headphones as I don’t own monitor speakers, and my acid test is simply to play the track through my iPad’s internal mono speaker to see if everything is coming through OK.
I use a plugin:Redline Monitor..that accurately simulates my mixing room. I mostly use it when overdubbing vocals and for editing. But it works great! In a pinch it works to mix a whole song and when I play it back on speakers all the balances and effects levels are nearly perfect and I only have to slightly adjust things to make them sound correct. It has a dim switch and will flip the phase from each side and also a mono mode so it’s just killer.. I suggest you guys give it a try and see what you think ??
I second this. They offer 60 day, fully unhindered trials off all plugs. That speaks volumes of their conviction.
I enjoy your newsletter. This one’s no exception. You have a good herd sounding off on the comments too. I’d like to add cross-talk vst effects to this thread (I use 112db’s Redline Monitor). They’re a tool to aid in this task (only when properly set up). Your info and insight are superb and Equalizing in mono was kerosene to my balsa wood. Thank you kindly, Graham.
Well spoken. Great points as well by those posting. One additional thing that comes to mind is using a spectrum analyzer on the master track. This helps show any areas where my mix might be out of balance.
Another +1 and recommendation for Redline Monitor. This thing rules!
Graham should do a review of it.
I’ve been mixing for many years on headphones and no matter how you slice it monitors provide a more natural way to find the right balance in a mix. However, not many of us have the means to have a proper room setup and certainly plugins like 112db Redline monitor do help. The plugin creates crossfeed between the L and R stereo mix – like with real monitors – your right ear hears sound from the left speaker at a different volume and time in relation to the sound coming from the right speaker and vice versa. You don’t get this crossfeed effect with standard stereo headphones which creates a very wide stereo field that simply isn’t natural to the way sound normally bounces around a room and the way our ears work. I don’t think that you can get around the fact that if you have good monitors and use them wisely that it is the way to go. Headphones are a work around , but there are also many advantages to mixing on headphones including being able hear tiny details in the mix. I actually find it less fatiguing using good headphones than monitors. You can play back parts over and over again without your friends and family going “nuts” which is always good. You can save yourself the embarrassment of listening to that Taylor Swift song that you say you’re using as a “reference mix”, but actually just can’t stop listening to it. The list is endless really…
On a related topic, I have mixing for years with a $4000 set of monitors, and for years the top end in my mixing room was never right. 5k and up just kind of disappeared, leaving the resulting mixes overly vocal heavy. Interestingly, when I tried out the advice on this blog of mixing in mono, the top end reappeared (while listening in mono) pointing to some sort of phase issue in my listening environment. The lessons to be learned here are that no room or playback system is perfect; identifying problems with your monitoring system take some subtle detective work (and in this case, a bit of luck); and that a solid mix should be durable enough to survive crappy playback conditions. As Graham suggests, this is achieved by listening to it on a variety of systems and rooms.
Graham,
It’s easy to get locked into making a mix sound right on my headphones, but my mind apparently starts to fill in some gaps on it’s own because when I check it the next day on monitors or in the car – *FACEPALM*. Doing things to re-focus my brain/ears (the volume & second headphone tricks) are going to help me out a bunch. Thanks so much for the tips!
As for plugins, I have demoed RedLine, I own TB Isone, and I own a Focusrite VRM Box. At the moment, I don’t use any of them. They’re not bad, but they’re not the holy grail, either. They ARE a little less fatiguing. But the primary thing they help with is the stereo imaging via crossfeed with some filters, and if I do the heavy mixing in mono, they aren’t doing much. I like them, but they’re not as useful to ME as I had originally hoped. I CAN get the VRM box to sound a lot like my little Rokit 5’s, but they’re not the best and I’m in an unfinished basement up against a wall – so I don’t trust my monitors much, anyway. Why would I want to emulate THAT?
Once I’m ready to start panning things, I’ve learned to make the stereo image sound STUPID-wide. If I make it sound correct on the headphones, it’ll be narrow on everything else. Checking against reference tracks is key here, too.
Just yesterday (I get to mix about 1 day a week) I was at my computer, headphones on, wondering if you had covered this topic. Then today it gets covered 🙂 Turns out I’m already on the right track! Though your writing didn’t open my eyes to anything new it did let me know that as much as I lack in experience I have just as much if not more in ‘common sense’ or whatever you want to call it. I can’t thank you enough for doing what you do and the way you do it!
I’ll say
#5
Get a simple and free useful spectrum (Voxengo Span was mu choice) to check a graphic and visual manifestation of the track and its freqs.
And also a basic bounce of the mix to compare with other mixes waveforms (if possible with you sw, as in Ableton Live is) could help.
I mix on headphones all the time and then check my mixes on speakers. I find it best to get all the levels while listening in mono. Also, I do my panning in mono because panning things to the sides decreases the level so those tracks have to be readjusted.
I am about to mix and entire album using a pair of KRK 8400’s as my primary monitoring source. I found Grahams advice to be spot on as I have used a similar technique myself with pretty good results. In fact, I have gotten better results from mixing on headphones than I did from mixing on a set of Mackie hr624’s. This was partly due to my inexperience and partly due to the room being untreated and small leading to extreme reflections and bass build up (i know this now).I think the key here is using reference tracks for comparison and knowing what things should sound like on your headphones. Panning about 90% instead of a hard LR can mitigate the lack of crosstalk at least a little bit without compromising your mix.I then use whatever other pair of mulitmedia speakers or headphones I have,whose sound I am familiar with, as a way to hear how they translate on different systems. The key here is knowing the way a professional mix should sound on all your other monitoring systems.Lastly the advantages of headphone mixing are not to be dismissed,you can mix anywhere at any time without concern for upsetting your neighbours etc. I will be hooking my laptop up to a hd tv, sitting on my couch next to the fire and mixing using a pair of headphones and wireless keyboard with tracking pad…happy days!
First of all, my hat’s off to Graham for another insightful look from the other side of the glass. I’m relatively new to recording/mixing, and, unfortunately, I have neither a sound appropriate space nor a set of playback monitors, so I record my stuff, mix, etc. with my phones. I’m pretty stoked to get some time over the holiday weekend to put these suggestions into action, and hopefully stop making so many coasters in the process!
I don’t really have enough experience to have very many good tips to pay forward; there is a habit I’ve gotten into that may help someone else.
When I’m listening to my mix on other devices, usually thru T.V speakers, I always listen to my recording(s) twice. During the first listen, I sit still, eyes closed, and make mental notes…a lot usually. On the second listen, I put distance between me and the sound source, walking around a bit here and there to create a casual listening experience. This really helps me to pinpoint the gaudy parts, but also the pleasant ones. I then take it back to the drawing board and scrub the dirty parts clean, and polish the pretty parts to a high shine, so to speak.
Thanks again Graham, and you all have a Merry Christmas!
Great videos on the Starbucks project Graham. Not everybody can cut through that back round noise when mixing, only us diehards that have a passion to make and mix music will do this, kinda like the golfers in the rain. your a real trooper. Its my world here in the home studio with tv, phone, heater you know the noise. I mix mostly 90% headphones 10% monitor then head to my car where the real world hears it. Maybe a hoody with some foam might work at Starbucks.
That redline monitor. . I use that all time, during headphone mix. And the fun thing is. . . ” Many guys tracked songs in a nearby studio, having nice set of monitors, but when those guys send their mixed tracks for mastering, I even listen it more accurately through Redline Monitors. Even having such a great pair of monitors, they don’t have control over low mid frequencies. .
After my mastering. . Those studio guys says only one word ” Good Job Buddy, I can hear everything clear and punchy now “.
And what I did. . ? Mastered in headphones and checked in monitors.
I can confirm that certain of these tactics, like using a second pair of headphones, are very useful. The ideas are helpful for professionals or DIY mixing hobbyists alike. As stated above, be particularly concerned about ensuring the drum sound is balanced, across several listening devices.
Hello, first of all thank you for your awesome tips, i am a seaman except musician so i used to compose music onboard for a period of 6-7 months before i go back home in my little studio and prepare the tracks for sign it in several labels (premasters) i use to have sound card and most of my compact studio gear with me but not my monitors. I’d like to ask:
i have a pair of AKG K514 because is flatter than others and i thinking to take with me this time a pair of Sennheiser HD 25 1-II for get a common listening of my premasters too , is a good choice? i asking because is hi end speakers.
Thanks in advance
thank you very much for great tips !! i had big trouble with my mix, it always sound good in my studio monitors ,, but when i check them in friends home or car system i always found that my mixes are thin and not much fat enough (space ) as other records .. but while i compose them by my AKG headphones i do rough mix.. when i check those mix in studio monitors they are sounds good .. than i start from 0″ to mix in the studio .. now what i found i do rough mix through the composition by headphone and mix down all track separate as they are !! and then start mix in the studio ,,, for me it works .. but im still experimenting .. to make better mix 🙂 good luck every one !!
Thanks Graham! I work with tons of cans. But what I then also do is to sweep EQ filters across the mix bus as a way to reference various frequency response windows. By learning which frequency response windows stay beautiful on your favorite mixes you can also do that same check on your own mixes. This in turn guides you towards better mix balance because you learn what kind of balancing issues you have compared to those really great sounding mixes. I highly recommend the technical approach of using tools and techniques to find out the qualities of your mixes, what you truly have underneath it all as oppose to the illusion you have on top of it. At least it works for me. 🙂 Thanks again Graham, you have a great site, I love it!
These are some great strategies. I try not to mix on headphones at all unless I’m doing final checks on my mixes. I use different headphones: for critical mixing – Sennheiser HD 280 Pro and S-Logic Pro 2500 (that supposedly mimic how sound hits your ears in real life), for casual (fun) listening – Sennheiser open-ear HD 595, and crappy earbuds that came with my digital mp3 players. Since I have a Subpac S1, I no longer have to worry about the sub being a problem as well.
Great article, another tool that may be helpful is the Focusrite VRM (an interface that simulates several types of monitors) I guess it´s worth a shot.
I find myself mixing in headphones a lot. While it isn’t my first choice, I don’t have much of one as I work 12 hour days at my day job so most of my mixing time is spent after everyone else is asleep. Which means I can’t really get my monitors up to a par volume. I try to use my monitors primarily but when I have to go to headphones I am immediately aware of the difference in frequency response. I use Sennheiser HD280 Pro’s and while they do give an incredibly strong and flat response overall, I find them to be lacking on the top end a bit, and a tiny bit mid heavy. The problem is after I’ve been using them for a little while that reference point goes away and I start trying to mix to them instead of around them.
My supposed solution has always been to know my way around them and how they sound in reference, but I never really considered enough the effect that prolonged usage has, I already tend to vary my volume levels to compensate but I needed something else too. Switching to another pair of headphones is kind of a “duh” idea but it’s one that I needed to hear so thanks!
Using a reference track can help a lot too. When you find that you’re starting to lose perspective, flip back and listen to your reference track for a bit (remember to level match it with your mix!). Try to emulate the reference, and it can help you to maintain the perspective of how your monitoring system sounds (whether it’s headphones or speakers).
I’ve personally found that mixing with a reference track has helped me a lot. Maybe you already do,, and if so, great! I think it’s part of the solution to your problem 🙂
I’v been mixing most of the time Using Headphones because its my only available option now,
i was following 2nd and 3rd advice but not always the 1st,
i have an important concern hope Mr, Graham can clarify it for me.
i believe the main difference between listening to Speakers or listening to headphones is that:
While using the headphones you will never experience any waves interference
But if using the monitors it help to know how the mix will look like when the Right and the Left sound interfere
which may result in audio cancellation, audio boosting, etc…
Is This True as a point of view?
Thanks So Much for the nice article 🙂
Headphones are great – they just give you a much wider stereo image, and you tend to mix a bit to conservatively because the sound is so close to your ears. Just need to reference a lot when working in headphones.
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There’s a plugin now that has EQ-curves for a large number of commonly used studio headphones to adjust the frequency response into flat !
http://sonarworks.com/headphones/overview/
Ok… It’s another $99 investment…
I was lucky enough to have two headphones being listed so I could apply the specific curves on both of them and they sound exactly the same…
For stereo field judgements I think speakers are still essential but they don’t need to be monitors.
Mixing entirely on headphones is never a good idea. Sure you can do it.. but like the author stated.. you must cross reference them on speakers anyway so what is the point of spending all that time and having to redo everything anyway?!? You WILL NOT ever get a good mix off headphones alone. Period. You should use monitors and cross ref w/ headphones to make executive decisions on small but important details. You’re going to time trying w just headphones. Can it be done? Sure. Will it take 80% more time? Absolutely. If you don’t have the means to do it right… why bother? Just wait til you’re in front of monitors because chances you’ll be “restarting” when you get your hands on speakers anyway
Waste time****
The low end is a challenge in headphones. I always use multiple monitor references and also use headphones specifically for planning and helping with levels. Great article!
The main difference between listening to the speakers or listening to the headphones is: You will not experience any wave interference when using headphones.
But using the monitors helps to know how the mix will be when it interferes with the right and left word interference. This can cause audio cancellation, audio boosting, etc.
The main distinction between being attentive to the speakers or being attentive to the headphones is: you may not expertise any wave interference once victimization headphones. however victimization the monitors helps to grasp however the combo are once it interferes with the correct and left word interference. this may cause audio cancellation, audio boosting, etc.
Using monitors, it helps to know how the mix will be when the right and left sound interference is used. This can cause audio cancellation, audio boosting, etc. I believe the main difference between listening to speakers or listening to headphones: When using the headphones you will not experience any wave interference.
I am thinking about trying to edit some short films that my friends and I made, but I’m not sure how to judge the audio quality the right way. Thanks for mentioning that it can be smart to get multiple pairs of headphones since each will have it’s own EQ curve that will help you hear differences and problems that you might not have otherwise. I’ll have to look into getting a good pair of headphones to help me judge the audio better so that I can have a better short film.
Should I use a small DAC PORTABLE with laptop or plain inbuilt laptop dac will do…? For a budget mixing…?