🎯 Tip/Trick — “Mix in Mono, Master in Stereo”

Let me let you in on one game-changing habit: always start your mix in mono — then switch back to stereo for depth later.

Why it works:

Clarity first: In mono, your elements sit or clash without the stereo field hiding trouble. If your bass disappears or guitars drown out vocals in mono, it’s a sign something needs fixing before you add width.

Glue the core: When your mix feels balanced in mono, it only gets stronger when you open it up in stereo — the mix glues itself with better focus.

Quick problem spotting: Phase issues, level imbalances, and overuse of effects become obvious immediately—saving you hours of hunting later.

How I use it:

Drop half your mix in levels until it sounds coherent in mono.
Make adjustments—especially with low-end, vocal clarity, and stereo wideners.
Once your mix “still bangs” in mono, switch to stereo and breath in life—use panning, reverbs, and effects to enhance, not mask.

Try this next session:

Mix the first 3–4 minutes of a song in mono—don’t peek into stereo yet.
Listen back—does everything still stand out? What needs tweak?
Drop in stereo, note what changes for the better and let the mix breathe.
Do you notice all the frequencies at low levels punching through?

Do you even mono... bro?

With love

- Spike

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