How do you know when your song or mix is good enough to release to the world?
At what point can you be sure it’s ready for Spotify or Apple Music?
If you’ve ever asked yourself that question then welcome to the club. It’s a frustrating reality of doing creative work.
Today I want to give you 4 simple frameworks you can use to help you know exactly when it’s time to stop tweaking that mix or throwing on any additional plugins and get that sucker out in the real world!
Do Not Create Another Song Until You Read This Guide
(Price: $17 Free Today)
Discover the 6 Steps for Creating a Radio-Worthy Song From Scratch
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. 
It is never good enough to a perfectionist! Haha. But someday you have to call it final (even if the file name is already “final_finalmix_v2_newmaster_v3” :D)
You hit the point is music and is free to love to sing and harmony is the key
Ha! And here I thought that the track label “final_finalmix_v2_newmaster_v3” was original to me!
I have been a loyal follower of Recording Revolution for five years. I recommend. your site often.
I do have a few questions….
1. A few years ago I watched one of your video’s on setting up the recording/Mix template to assign bus/send routing for effects processing. I’d like to set up my mix with the routing already assigned.
2.I am old school….when I am done recording and mastering a song, I master it
onto a CD. What is the preferred format for programs like Apple Music or Spotify.
Is there a format that they prefer?
I thank you for producing a great site. In 30 years of recording I have learned more from you, than any other source. I’m a big fan and look forward to viewing more tutorials.
Tank you
Hi Patrick, If I understand your question properly I think this link may serve what you are looking for or at least provide a better understanding.
(Wave)
http://reaper.fm/videos.php#0wPnlND92QU
Cheers!
Thanks for some great reminders!
I’m especially soft on creating a lot of music. I tend to tweak forever.
Great video Graham. You make excellent points that make sense to me. I can relate to everything you said. I have been been using this approach more and more over the last year or so.
Excellent advice bro, describes my journey of doubt. You are goldmine of info and I look forward to more.
great advice – thanks for taking time to share
I agree with everything you say here. And especially, that when you release something, publish something, you spot all the errors a week later! Ha such is life. But one presses on.
I especially like the suggestion to wait a day and listen again, because sometimes I have the opposite problem, which is I say “okay, hey, it’s done, that’s that!” when I really need to give it just a little more time and effort. True, it will never be perfect, and you can certainly go down a rabbit hole, but it really is good to eliminate obvious distractions, some of which you won’t even be aware of until you re-listen another time.
Just one thing. Thanks!
Graham, I stumbled onto your site not long ago. I have learned a ton in a short amount of time. I have been a musician all my young life, but it wasn’t until I found your videos and information that I can finally feel confident about recording, editing, mastering and releasing my own songs. Great video.
Thank you!
Awesome video!
Just what I needed!
Thanks for taking the time to put this together in a palatable framework. I’m gonna have to go back through and watch this again to take notes. Thanks again!
Although you might spot some forgotten tweaks after having released a track, it is a great feeling delivering it to the world. You are proud and that will always push you to release more songs.
This was such a helpful video! Thank you so much!
So true! A great video. Thanks!
Thank you for your insights – fabulous!
Guy
Hilarious, but true. Get a deadline and then fix stuff. Take breaks and come back to it. References.
And Ozone Tonal Balance Control. After the references, it pulls the mix back into my own ears. If what I’m hearing at that point is what TBC is showing, it’s ready.
How to mix in 17 minutes.
An astrologer would say: Everybody’s got Saturn in their chart. You gotta learn about limits. My deadline is always Christmas. “What are you waiting for – Christmas?”
You speak so much truth and wisdom Graham!
Could not have been a better time to watch this video, I’ve very nearly finished the final mix of a portfolio track and your words have reassured me that I should bring in a reference track to help the master shine and release it to the world.
Love your channel and website dude!
Hi Graham, another great video getting to the salient points of a topic.
I’ve not watched one video or taken one course that has not moved me forward in making music. Your a trusted and my favourite go-to source my friend. Thank you for what you do!
There was an interview with Bruce Swedien where he said something to this effect…”in the creation of modern popular music, there is a difference between being done and being satisfied”.
I agree with you 100% here. Can you put out the one-song-one-month challenge again? I loved that and it was a great mandate towards producing a full song.
This is so brilliant, just what I needed to hear as we reach the 30th. I’m trying to get my song ready to submit to your VIP contest, and I’m at that point where I’m tweaking and retweaking, so thank you.
“and I’m at that point where I’m tweaking and retweaking”
That’s the point at which something like Graham’s 17-minute guide to mixing is useful. It just gives you something else to think about that also turns out to be useful when you return to your mix.
Is the heart is the mind is the reality that makes the music sound alive, thanks for point in the reality, and grab more soul to the sound
I’m new to all this, and pretty much hanging on your every word 🙂
Right on for that good word man. I truly resonated with a lot of what you said. That was true game.
I downloaded the Radio Ready Guide and use it as my template for mixing. Along with the information you sent out about EQ, Compression and Panning. Even though my last CD had some issues it was he best mix I ever made. I have now identified what my issues are and what is needed to correct them on the next CD. I just wanted to let you know you have changed my process radically for the better. So, thank you so much for what you do.
Thanks Graham. Great stuff and spot on!
Great video, Graham. Been doing this for decades and again, you are answering important questions in a practical way. Love how this is not about technical moves but rather about the creative process. You nailed this topic, my friend. God bless, I really appreciate what you do.