By: Krazyfingaz
Let’s talk about a trend that’s been quietly hurting a lot of music before it even has a chance to connect with people: artists releasing music that hasn’t been properly mixed. Not rough demos. Not voice memos meant to sketch an idea. We’re talking about finished songs recorded with intention but thrown out to the world without a proper mix and this is not just from new artists either. This is happening across the board. People are bypassing the mix process like it’s optional, like it’s a luxury instead of what it is: a necessary step in making music that sounds professional, translates across platforms, and holds up next to anything else on someone’s playlist.
If that’s you or if you’ve been tempted to skip this step this is for you. Because there’s a lot at stake when you release music that hasn’t been mixed by someone who knows what they’re doing.
The Harsh Truth: Most People Won’t Tolerate Bad Mixes
We’re living in a world where listeners are spoiled by quality. Even casual fans can hear when something sounds “off.” They might not know it’s the kick that’s too boomy or the vocals that are buried under the beat but they’ll feel it. And they’ll move on without even thinking about why.
Unmixed music sticks out—and not in a good way. It sounds amateur. It sounds unfinished. It might even sound disrespectful, especially to listeners who take music seriously. And the worst part? The song could actually be good. The writing, the melodies, the performance it could all be strong. But if the sonics don’t match, none of that gets a fair shot.
“I Can Mix It Myself” — Can You Though?
This is where ego can quietly sabotage progress. A lot of artists think they can do everything themselves. And sure, maybe you’ve watched a hundred YouTube tutorials. Maybe you know your way around EQs and compressors. But let’s be honest: there’s a difference between knowing what a tool does and knowing when and how to use it in context. That kind of decision making comes from years of doing it on real records, under real pressure, across different genres and environments.
Mix engineers aren’t just button pushers. They’re translators. They take the emotion of a track and bring it to the surface. They know how to create space, how to make a vocal feel alive, how to make the drums hit without overpowering everything else. That’s not something you can fake or rush.
And let’s say you are good. Let’s say you’ve got some real skills. Even then, mixing your own music is risky. You’re too close to it. Your ears are biased. You’ve heard the track so many times your brain starts filling in gaps and glossing over flaws. That’s why even experienced mix engineers will often get a second pair of ears when it comes to their own work.
“I Don’t Have the Budget” — But You Had Money for a Video?
Let’s talk priorities. Too often, artists will drop hundreds (sometimes thousands) on cover art, music videos, marketing campaigns, outfit styling, or even studio time then cheap out when it comes to mixing. That shit don’t make any sense what so ever.
The mix is the product. It’s the final shape your music takes. Everything else exists to support that. If your track doesn’t sound good, none of that other stuff matters. A beautiful music video won’t save a song that sounds like it was recorded in a closet and bounced in a rush.
A good mix isn’t an “extra.” It’s the cost of making music that can compete in the real world.
And yes, real mixing costs money especially if you want someone with experience. But guess what? So does growth. So does anything worth doing right. If you’re serious about this, you have to treat it like something worth investing in.
The DIY Trap: Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
Technology has made it easier than ever to make music from your bedroom. That’s is a wonderful thing and the price… OOOHHHWEEEE, whatever your needs are are pretty affordable, shit, you can even rent to own some of your favorite plugins and DAWS. But the side effect is that people are skipping steps thinking that because they can technically do everything themselves, they should.
But mixing isn’t just about having a DAW and some plug-ins. It’s about taste, experience, reference points, acoustics, and instinct just to name a few. It’s about balance. It’s about being able to step back from the emotion of the song and make decisions that serve the listener, not JUST the artist’s vision.
When you mix your own stuff without that skillset or worse, don’t mix it at all, you risk putting out music that only sounds good to you. Not to fans. Not to DJs. Not to playlist curators. And definitely not to other artists or producers who know what a finished record sounds like.
Mixing Is a Collaboration, Not a Compromise
Some artists avoid hiring a mix engineer because they think it means giving up control. But a good mix engineer isn’t there to change your vision they’re there to bring it to life. A mix is a conversation. You can give notes, reference tracks, preferences. The engineer then brings their technical and creative skills to elevate the track.
It’s like having someone help you put on a suit that fits perfectly. You picked the style. You brought the fabric. But they made sure it sits right, moves well, and makes you look your best when you step out.
Why wouldn’t you want that?
The Long Game: Build With People Who Know What They’re Doing…
One of the best things you can do for your career is build a relationship with a mix engineer you trust. Someone who gets your sound, challenges you, and grows with you. Because the better they know you, the faster and more intuitively they can work. The better your records start sounding and the more consistent your output becomes.
That kind of collaboration is what separates artists who grow from those who stay stuck in the loop of unfinished sounding music.
And by the way: there are experienced engineers at every price point. Maybe you can’t afford a Grammy winning guy right now but you can find someone hungry, skilled, and serious about their craft. The point is to find someone who knows more than you and let them do their job and not someone who’s gonna capitulate to your ego.
Don’t Sell Yourself Short
If you’re putting your heart into your music, don’t cut corners at the finish line. Don’t rob your songs of the chance to be great just because you didn’t want to ask for help or didn’t think it mattered.
It matters.
Mixing is what makes your music competitive. It’s part of what makes people stop scrolling and actually listen. It’s what gives your sound the clarity, punch, and polish it needs to stand next to anything else out there.
Final words…
In a time where there’s new music being released everyday there’s really no rush to hurry up and drop a song that most won’t have the time to fully sit with because of the battle with attention spans and algorithms I kind of get it. But understand with each record you drop there’s a potential new listener, fan, or supporter that’s going to be introduced to you and more often times then not, a first impression is a lasting impression and they will turn you off and possibly never listen to anything else after (this may be hyperbole but so what). Don’t listen to those who will tell you to “Just put that shit out” knowing damn well the mix truly sounds like shit and people do talk, I’ve heard them and had the conversations… Don’t do your new listeners and current supporters that way by giving them poor underbelly quality. Give them the experience they deserve because, at the end of the day It’s nothing worse than hearing what may be a great song get skipped because it was not mixed or poorly mixed by someone who copied and pasted a template they brought (Not knocking those who sell them), IDC what genre it is. Take more pride in your art. Do better…