5 Benefits of Hiring a Mix Engineer

Producing and mixing your own music can be a lot of fun and at times, very rewarding.

Today, I would like to give you a few reasons why you should consider hiring a professional mix engineer for your next recording.

1. EXPERIENCE

Experience in the music industry is one of those things that is accumulated over many years.

It is the culmination of trial and error, multiple failures, constant training, and learning. Going to college for music training, going to a trade school for education. Years of mixing, recording, and honing your craft.

These are the types of things You then arrive at a point where one may label you as “experienced”. One of the benefits of hiring a mixed engineer is having the opportunity to tap into those years of experience (without having to personally accumulate them!).

This, in turn, effectively bypasses the need for you to actually learn all of the intricacies of mixing and fast-track your project. Bringing in someone else to mix/record your project brings a fresh perspective & can greatly improve the quality of the end result.

If you are serious about progressing your music and spending more time writing, performing, promoting your music, and making music videos/content then hiring a pro mix engineer should be on your list of priorities.

2. EQUIPMENT/QUALITY

Imagine being able to access a professional studio purposely built for audio mixing, with all the gear you could ever need. Well, that’s another benefit of hiring a professional. The other important thing to note (closely linked to the above point on experience) is the years it takes to not only acquire the equipment but learn how to use it properly and gain maximum benefit for the client. Professional music studios put 10s of thousands of $$$ dollars into plugins, computers, audio interfaces, microphones etc. Not to mention expenses for going to school/college for music/private music lessons & mentorships.

There is also a vast difference in sound quality of a cheap mic and cheap recording interface vs what pro studio gear can offer to you.

The key thing that needs to be remembered is the skill level and experience, and education of the Producer/Engineer.

A beginner level type of setup (Scarlett interface with a budget mic) is great for getting your ideas down and for helping you to write your songs.

Is it enough to mix professional-grade, radio-ready songs? No, it is not.

3. OBJECTIVITY

An experienced mix engineer will be able to listen to your music with fresh ears and a completely unbiased opinion. They will be able to identify any deficiencies in the recording and be able to process and balance each track to provide the most competitive commercially viable product. They will consider all aspects of the recording and often be able to provide additional feedback and tips on how to optimize future recordings and song structure.

You may also find the process of working with an experienced engineer that is able to guide you through the process can become an inspiration for future songwriting and help you cultivate a fresh approach.

4. TASTE

I’ve always believed that there is a strong connection between the process of audio mixing and cooking. This is where taste and flavor come into it!

A great mix engineer is very much like a great chef. They can elevate what is already there and take you to new levels.

They have become experts at blending flavors and knowing when to add the right amount of ‘spice’ or ‘seasoning’. Many great mix engineers through their years of experience often develop a signature sound, that becomes their trademark.

At the same time, don’t feel that you need to limit your choice of mix engineer to a genre-specific person. As an example, you may aesthetically like the sound of a heavy metal mix engineer, yet you may be a hip-hop artist.

Versatility is also a very important aspect to consider, and a mix engineer versed in all genres may present the best option on many occasions. A great engineer/producer won't shy away from working on different types of genres.

5. OUTSOURCE

Closely linked to what I mentioned earlier on about saving time. Budget permitting, you’d be surprised at how much additional time you can create for yourself by outsourcing some of the tasks associated with music production. In this instance, by hiring a pro mix engineer.

You will no longer have to spend valuable time trying to learn the nuances of mixing and you can spend more time writing, recording, and doing the fun creative stuff!

I hope this article has given you a good insight into the benefits of hiring a professional mix engineer. All the best with your next music production project!