One of the most important parts of the music production process is mixing. When an audio engineer mixes a song, they take the various audio tracks that go into that piece of work and layer them in a cohesive way to create a flawless final product.
Musicians who are new to recording may wonder: How much does it cost to mix a song? The answer is that the price depends on many factors, including the state of the original recording, the desired outcome of the song, the experience of the audio engineer, and the amount of time that they have to work.
Continue reading to learn more about mixing and how much it costs to hire someone to mix your music for you. Then, once you’re done, reach out to us so we can help you when your songs are all mixed and they’re ready to go out into the world.
In This Article:
The Cost Of Mixing A Song
A Range Of Prices
How Is Mixing Different From Mastering?
How To Choose The Right Audio Engineer To Mix Your Song
The Cost Of Mixing A Song
Exactly how much it will cost to mix a song is difficult to pinpoint until a professional is actually doing the work, as it always depends on a few factors.
First, the state the audio tracks are in when the mixer receives them is always incredibly important when trying to figure out the cost of mixing a song. Audio tracks that are of low quality or unorganized will require more expertise to sound right when they are mixed by an audio engineer. The outcome that you want for the song also makes a difference in the cost of mixing a song. Tunes that are more complex and nuanced obviously take more time and skill to finish, which means a higher cost.
The cost of mixing a song will also depend on the experience and acclaim of the audio engineer that you hire to mix your song. An audio engineer that is relatively new to the industry can mix a song well for a few hundred dollars. A more experienced professional who has years of steady work under their belts could charge upwards of $1,000 to mix your song. A very experienced audio engineer who mixes popular songs that get radio play will charge thousands of dollars to mix music for artists, and they will usually get it.
Musicians who want to mix their songs may also consider doing it themselves. However, artists who do their own mixing will have to build their own home studios, which will cost much more than hiring an audio engineer to mix their songs for them. They will also have to learn how to mix their songs properly, which is a huge investment of time. Depending on your long-term goals, though, a home studio may be a wise investment.
A Range Of Prices
A quick look around at various studios shows that it is possible to find someone to mix your song for a reasonable price…but it’s also clear that when creating an album, the cost of mixing can add up really fast.
Williams Sound Studio cites prices that range from as little as $50 per track to as high as $1,500 for one song, though not much detail is shared regarding the enormous range. Another company, Hit and Run Recording, makes things a little easier. That operation lists prices openly, charging $100 per song for mixing services, though that sum comes down slightly if artists buy in bulk (such as when they’re working on a complete full-length).
How Is Mixing Different From Mastering?
After you have completed recording your song, mixing and mastering are both important steps that must be completed before your music can be shared with the world. Understanding the nuanced differences between mixing and mastering is vital to hiring engineers that can perform each task properly and help you create your intended sound.
Mixing and mastering are different in that mixing entails combining all of the disparate audio tracks that make up a song while mastering sees a professional altering the overall sound of a song and preparing it to be played on different devices.
When songs are mixed, all of the different layers of audio are combined together to make one file. Different audio tracks are altered so they all sound perfect when heard simultaneously. Instruments and vocals are tweaked so that when they are played, they create one overall effect that the listener can comprehend and respond to. Sounds are edited so they elicit a specific emotion in a listener. Filters and fades are added to certain tracks, equalization is adjusted, compression and delay are incorporated, and volume is boosted or lowered. Glitches and imperfections in the original recording are removed entirely.
Meanwhile, mastering entails adjusting the volume of all the songs on an album so they are consistent. Final touches are added to the song during mastering so it will sound as pristine as is possible to listeners. Compression is another major part of mastering, which makes it easy for the song’s file to be played on the radio, streaming devices, and other media. (see our article: How Much Does It Cost To Master A Song?)
Speaking of radio, isn’t it time your song was played non-stop on stations across the country? We can help you get your music played on the Radio!
How To Choose The Right Audio Engineer To Mix Your Song
When you’re picking an audio engineer to mix your music, there are specific considerations you need to think about in order to ensure you’re making the best choice. When you select an audio engineer to mix your art, it’s important to go with someone that understands your style. This might mean that they might specialize in the genre of music that you create, or they may have a deep understanding of the unique qualities that set your music apart from the work of other musicians.
When choosing an audio engineer to mix your music, it’s also important to select someone that has demonstrable skills. It’s important to take their past work into consideration and decide whether it aligns with the music that you’re trying to make. Ask them for a list of albums or singles they’ve worked on and then go listen to them. Are they any good? Do they sound finished? If not, you should keep looking.
Their reputation among other musicians is also important to take into account. Are they dependable and easy to work with? Ask around! It never hurts to check in with their references and past clients.
Most importantly, it’s crucial to take note of the rate that the audio engineer charges. Choose an audio engineer whose price per hour or per song reflects their personal expertise in the art of mixing while remaining within your band’s budget. Audio engineers usually charge a flat rate per song, not per hour, but either way, you need to make sure it’s something you can afford.
Mixing is an important part of producing a song, and when that exciting new track is completed and ready to be shared with the world, Planetary Group will be there to help get your music heard: (323) 952-5050.