Goal
Build a three-dimensional space: width (left-right), depth (front-back), and, in part, perceived height (register and brightness). Every element must have a clear position; the vocal and the main elements sit in front, the accompaniment behind, the lows in the center.
Step-by-Step Procedure
1. Define Each Element's Depth
| Plane | Typical elements | How to achieve it |
|---|---|---|
| Front | Lead vocal, kick, snare, bass, main lead | High level, little reverb, pre-delay 20–40 ms, more highs, more compression |
| Middle | Guitars, piano, accompaniment synths, backing vocals | Short or medium reverb, medium level |
| Back | Pads, distant choirs, ambiences, FX | More reverb, fewer highs (LP 6–10 kHz), fewer transients, lower level |
The distance cues for the ear are: level, direct-to-reverb ratio, loss of highs, loss of transients, early reflection delay.
2. Reverb Sends
- Room or short ambience (0.4–1 s): drum cohesion, acoustic instruments "in the same room."
- Plate (1–2 s): vocal, snare, bright and dense.
- Hall (1.8–3 s): pads, strings, ballads, depth.
- Pre-delay calculated from the BPM (see "Delay and Reverb Times Calculated from the BPM").
- Return EQ: HP 150–400 Hz, LP 6–10 kHz; possibly a 2–4 kHz cut on the vocal return.
- Ducking the returns from the vocal (2–4 dB): the tail opens up in the pauses.
3. Delay
- Vocal: dotted 1/4 or 1/8 delay with feedback 15–30%, filtered, at a low level; automated throws at the end of phrases.
- Instruments: ping-pong for width, slapback for thickness.
- Delay gives depth without the reverb's "wash": in dense mixes it is often preferable.
4. Width
- Mono lows (below 120–150 Hz).
- Double takes and stereo instruments on the sides.
- Imager only where needed (pads, choirs, FX), never on the lows.
- Contrast: narrower verses, wider choruses (more instruments on the sides, automated imager, longer reverbs).
5. Checking
- Listen in mono: the vocal stays clear, the reverbs don't become excessive.
- Listen at low volume: the vocal stays in front.
- Comparison with references: amount of perceived reverb, width.
Target Values
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Mix correlation | +0.2/+0.8 |
| Side/Mid amplitude below 120 Hz | −20 dB or less |
| Side/Mid amplitude 500 Hz–4 kHz | −10/−4 dB |
| Side/Mid amplitude above 8 kHz | −8/−2 dB |
| Loudness loss in mono | no more than 1.5–2 LU |
| Reverb returns | HP 150–400 Hz, LP 6–10 kHz |
| Number of main reverbs | 2–3 (more different spaces = incoherent mix) |
Common Mistakes
- Reverb on the vocal without pre-delay and without filters: the vocal recedes and gets muddy.
- A different reverb on every track: incoherent space.
- Reverb with full lows: mud and an unstable low end.
- Everything wide: no contrast between center and sides.
- Judging depth only on headphones.
Starting settings
| Parameter | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Main reverbs | Short room, plate, hall | Coherent spaces. |
| Vocal pre-delay | 20–40 ms (1/64 of a bar) | Vocal in front of the tail. |
| Returns | HP 150–400 Hz, LP 6–10 kHz | Clean tails. |
| Return ducking | 2–4 dB from the vocal | The tail opens up in the pauses. |
| Lows | Mono below 120–150 Hz | Stable low end. |
| Correlation | +0.2/+0.8 | Wide and compatible. |
Frequencies to watch
| Range | What to do |
|---|---|
| Below 150–400 Hz | HP on the returns: no mud from the reverbs. |
| 2–4 kHz | Cut or ducking on the vocal return: intelligibility. |
| 6–10 kHz | LP on the returns and on the "back" elements: distance. |
| Above 8 kHz | "Front" elements with more highs; greater width allowed. |
Example chain
| Step | Tool | Settings | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sends | Return tracks | Levels per element | Depth. |
| Reverbs | Fruity Reeverb 2 / Luxeverb / Valhalla | Room, plate, hall | Spaces. |
| Delay | Fruity Delay 3 | 1/4, dotted 1/8 | Depth in time. |
| Return EQ and ducking | Fruity Parametric EQ 2 + Fruity Limiter in sidechain | HP/LP, 2–4 dB | Clean tails. |
| Width | Imager / M/S EQ | HP Side 120–150 Hz | Compatible stereo. |
How to check the result
- Mix correlation between +0.2 and +0.8; no long stretch below 0.
- Side/Mid amplitude increasing from the lows to the highs: Sub and Bass −20 dB or less, Mids −10/−4 dB, Air −8/−2 dB.
- Upper-bass and Low-mid bands: increase of no more than 1 dB with the sends active.
- Mix crest factor unchanged within 1 dB with and without space effects (tails that are too long reduce it).
- Mono export: integrated loudness loss no more than 1.5–2 LU.