Goal
Find the levels and stereo positions of all the elements using only faders and pan, before EQ, compression, and effects. A good static balance gets the mix to 80% of the result: the other processors are there to make the instruments sit where the balance wants them.
Step-by-Step Procedure
1. Choose the Working Section
Work on the densest section (chorus, drop): if everything sits well there, the sparser sections work with small automation adjustments.
2. Build Order
Start from the most important element and add the rest in order of priority:
- Pop, R&B, rap: lead vocal → kick → snare/clap → bass/808 → harmony → melodies → backing → FX.
- EDM, techno, house: kick → bass → lead or vocal hook → percussion → harmony → FX.
- Rock, metal: drums (kick, snare) → bass → rhythm guitars → vocal → solos → keyboards.
- Jazz, acoustic, classical: main pair or solo element → rhythm section → other instruments, looking for the natural balance of the ensemble.
For each new element, raise the fader from zero until you hear it clearly, then lower it until it sits "inside" the mix without disappearing.
3. Panning
- Center: kick, snare, bass/808, lead vocal, main elements.
- Sides: doubled guitars (80–100%), stereo keyboards, hi-hat (20–40% toward the side of the chosen perspective), percussion (30–70%), backing vocals in symmetrical pairs (40–100%).
- Balance the two sides: for each element on the left, one of similar energy on the right.
- Pan law: in FL Studio the pan preserves power; check that moving an element doesn't change its perceived level too much.
4. Level Tests
- Very low volume: the vocal (or main element), kick, snare, and bass must remain audible.
- Mono: the center elements stay stable, the sides don't disappear.
- Fader pass: lower each track by 2–3 dB for a moment; if the mix doesn't change, the track is too low or useless.
- Comparison with references at equal loudness: vocal-to-backing ratio, how much the kick and bass dominate.
5. Starting Ratios
Measuring each element in solo in the dense section with a short-term meter (LUFS at 3 s), with the mix at −20/−16 LUFS:
| Genre | Kick | Bass/808 | Lead vocal | Snare/clap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop | −7/−9 LU below the mix | −7/−9 LU | −4/−6 LU | −8/−10 LU |
| Hip hop/trap | −7/−9 LU | −4/−6 LU (808 dominant) | −5/−7 LU | −9/−11 LU |
| EDM/house/techno | −4/−6 LU (loudest element) | −5/−7 LU | −6/−8 LU | −9/−11 LU |
| Rock | −9/−11 LU | −8/−10 LU | −5/−7 LU | −7/−9 LU (guitars together about −4/−5 LU) |
| Acoustic/jazz | natural balance | −8/−10 LU | −3/−5 LU | — |
Loudness values add up in power: the sum of the main elements must leave room for the rest of the arrangement (with these values the four elements occupy about 80% of the mix's loudness). These are starting points: the final decision is always by ear and with references.
6. Lock In the Result
Save a version of the project ("static balance") and export a reference rough: if the mix gets worse in later phases, you come back here.
Target Values
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Mix bus peak | −6/−3 dBFS |
| Loudness of the dense section | −18/−14 LUFS short-term |
| Correlation | +0.3/+0.8 |
| L/R balance | within ±0.5 dB |
| Below 150 Hz | Side/Mid amplitude −20 dB or less |
Common Mistakes
- Starting with EQ instead of faders.
- Working on the empty verse: the chorus is then overcrowded.
- Always raising and never lowering: the mix bus clips and everything is "loud."
- Balancing only in solo or only on headphones.
- Random pans: one side fuller than the other, unbalanced image.
Starting settings
| Parameter | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Working section | The densest | The rest gets sorted out with automation. |
| Order | Main element first | Clear priorities. |
| Low-volume test | Vocal, kick, snare, bass audible | Solid balance. |
| Mix bus peak | −6/−3 dBFS | Headroom. |
| Dense section loudness | −18/−14 LUFS short-term | Healthy working level. |
| Pan | Center for low and main elements, balanced sides | Stable image. |
Frequencies to watch
| Range | What to do |
|---|---|
| Below 150 Hz | Kick and bass in the center; a wrong ratio between the two is corrected first with the faders, then with EQ and sidechain. |
| 1–4 kHz | Zone where the vocal competes with guitars and synths: first try lowering the instruments. |
| Above 8 kHz | Hats and cymbals: balance the level before adding air with EQ. |
Example chain
| Step | Tool | Settings | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faders | FL Studio Mixer | Levels by priority | Balance. |
| Pan | Pan knob of the mixer tracks | Center and sides | Image. |
| Measurement | Youlean (short-term) / Wave Candy | Ratios in LU | Checking the ratios. |
| Reference | Reference track at equal loudness | Vocal/backing comparison | Direction. |
| Saving | Project version + rough export | — | Point of return. |
How to check the result
- Mix peak between −6 and −3 dBFS; short-term loudness of the dense section between −18 and −14 LUFS.
- Correlation +0.3/+0.8; L/R balance within ±0.5 dB.
- Sub and Bass bands: Side/Mid amplitude at −20 dB or less.
- LU ratios between kick, bass, and vocal within ±2 LU of the genre's starting values or, better, of the reference.
- Energy per band within ±3 dB of the references at equal loudness (beyond that, EQ or arrangement changes are needed).