Mixing on Headphones: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
It sounds SO appealing, right?
No expensive studio monitors…
No big control room with fancy acoustic treatment.
Just you, your headphones, and the tracks that will become your next masterpiece.
But mixing on headphones is a bit more complicated than that, isn’t it?
While it DOES offer many advantages, it can create some problems as well.
And so, to help you make the most of your headphones…
We will cover a little bit of both in today’s post…entitled:
Mixing on Headphones: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide.
First off…
The 5 Big Advantages
Some folks say you should NEVER mix on headphones. Yet they probably do it themselves
sometimes.
Because the truth is…in the right situations, it has its advantages.
The 5 BIG ones are:
1. The Freedom to Work in Silence
In most home studios, noise is a constant battle.
Loud neighbors disturb YOU during the day. And at night when they’re asleep, you disturb
THEM.
With headphones, EVERYONE gets the peace and quiet to do as they please.
2. Privacy
As much as we hate to admit it, many of us are self-conscious about our music.
Especially when…
, Mixing on Headphones: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
It’s YOU playing or singing, and…
You know it doesn’t sound good yet.
Knowing that others are listening can be a crippling distraction that kills your creativity.
But with headphones…no one hears you, but YOU.
3. Freedom of Location
With studio monitors, your work is confined a single location.
And normally that’s fine…except when it’s NOT.
Maybe you’re on the road
Maybe you need a break from your studio.
Or maybe you don’t have a studio yet
With headphones, you can work wherever, whenever you please…
And you don’t even have to worry about acoustic treatment.
4. More Money in Your Pocket
It’s not that headphones are cheap, because the good ones usually AREN’T.
But compared to the cost of studio monitors and a decent room…
Headphones win, hands down, every time.
5. Greater Attention to Detail
In terms of sound quality, studio monitors beat headphones in ALMOST every way.
But there is ONE way headphones are better…
Because they’re up against your ears…headphones allow you to hear MUCH more of the finer
details in a mix.
This makes them ideal for spotting noise such as clicks, pops, chair squeaks, etc. It also makes
them great for adding those subtle background effects that are only heard subconsciously on
speakers.
Of course, this only works with a GOOD pair of headphones.
It sounds SO appealing, right?
No expensive studio monitors…
No big control room with fancy acoustic treatment.
Just you, your headphones, and the tracks that will become your next masterpiece.
But mixing on headphones is a bit more complicated than that, isn’t it?
While it DOES offer many advantages, it can create some problems as well.
And so, to help you make the most of your headphones…
We will cover a little bit of both in today’s post…entitled:
Mixing on Headphones: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide.
First off…
The 5 Big Advantages
Some folks say you should NEVER mix on headphones. Yet they probably do it themselves
sometimes.
Because the truth is…in the right situations, it has its advantages.
The 5 BIG ones are:
1. The Freedom to Work in Silence
In most home studios, noise is a constant battle.
Loud neighbors disturb YOU during the day. And at night when they’re asleep, you disturb
THEM.
With headphones, EVERYONE gets the peace and quiet to do as they please.
2. Privacy
As much as we hate to admit it, many of us are self-conscious about our music.
Especially when…
, Mixing on Headphones: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
It’s YOU playing or singing, and…
You know it doesn’t sound good yet.
Knowing that others are listening can be a crippling distraction that kills your creativity.
But with headphones…no one hears you, but YOU.
3. Freedom of Location
With studio monitors, your work is confined a single location.
And normally that’s fine…except when it’s NOT.
Maybe you’re on the road
Maybe you need a break from your studio.
Or maybe you don’t have a studio yet
With headphones, you can work wherever, whenever you please…
And you don’t even have to worry about acoustic treatment.
4. More Money in Your Pocket
It’s not that headphones are cheap, because the good ones usually AREN’T.
But compared to the cost of studio monitors and a decent room…
Headphones win, hands down, every time.
5. Greater Attention to Detail
In terms of sound quality, studio monitors beat headphones in ALMOST every way.
But there is ONE way headphones are better…
Because they’re up against your ears…headphones allow you to hear MUCH more of the finer
details in a mix.
This makes them ideal for spotting noise such as clicks, pops, chair squeaks, etc. It also makes
them great for adding those subtle background effects that are only heard subconsciously on
speakers.
Of course, this only works with a GOOD pair of headphones.
