We worked on our mixing skills for the fourth portfolio class at Full Sail University. The last two weeks of the course were focused on working on the song «Get up». This process was accomplished in three different parts and referenced this song’s mastered version.

Starting with a rough blend and imagining. By hearing the reference, this first blend had to assimilate what was happening in the song. What were the loudest or quietest parts/instruments of the song? How was the space distributed in the stereo image, what instruments were panned right or left, and where were the Background Vocals located.

Secondly, applied dynamics processing included only compressor, eq, and DeEsser. It started with a Dresser on the Lead vocal track, duplicated on all the BGV’s and Harmonies. Compression on all audio tracks takes time considering which tracks benefited a long or slower attack, the ratio, release, and threshold level. For example, we have the Kick drum with a slower attack to emphasize the impact of its signal and a slower release, which is a ratio of 3:1. At last, there is an EQ added to all audio tracks, in which in most there is a High Pass Filter to give room for the kick and the bass of the song. The other instruments have mostly some cuts and boost and high frequencies shelf boosts.

Lastly, I finished with time-based processing and automation. Automation was mainly done to raise the volume of tracks like the BGV on the chorus, bridge, and outro. The time-based processing included is mostly reverb, except for one of the guitars having a chorus and the Lead vocal also a 1/8 delay.

*This Song Was Used For Education Purposes Only.