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Chapter 9 Tutorial 7: Mixing and Adding Effects 73
Basic Mixing
The most basic steps in mixing are balancing the volume level of different tracks,
setting track pan positions, and setting the master volume.
Setting Track Volume Levels
The instruments and loops you use in your project may have different volume
(loudness) levels. To hear all the parts you’ve added, you balance the volume levels so
that no track overwhelms the others, and no track is lost in the mix.
This doesn’t mean that every track should be set to the same volume level. In
commercial mixes, certain tracks (typically the lead vocals, drums, and lead or solo
instruments) are louder, while other tracks (the backing instruments and vocals) are
softer.
To set a track’s volume level:
m In the track’s header, drag the volume slider left to lower the volume level, or drag it
right to raise the volume level.
Hold the Shift key as you drag to set the volume level in finer increments.
Setting Track Pan Positions
Setting different tracks to different positions in the stereo field (panning) helps make it
easier to distinguish tracks in the mix, and creates a sense of three-dimensional space
in your project.
In commercial music, the most important tracks (typically the lead vocals, drums, and
lead or solo instruments) are panned to the center or close to center, while other tracks
(the backing instruments and vocals) are panned left and right. Panning tracks no
farther than 50 percent left or right creates a natural sense of space; in contrast,
panning tracks to the extreme left or right creates a more unusual, artificial sound.
To set a track’s pan position:
m In the track’s header, drag the pan dial left to pan the track farther to the left, or drag it
right to pan the track farther to the right. You can also click along the edge of the dial
to set it to a specific position.
Note: Dragging inside the pan dial lets you set the pan position in more precise values.