When an artist tracks a song idea, either a demo or the final takes, they will often create a rough mix and listen to it obsessively. The intent behind repeated listening to such mixes is to consider what needs improvement. Without realizing it, artists become quite attached to the sound of those mixes.
In my work as a production consultant and as a producer, I often meet a lot of resistance from clients who always want to revert back to that original sound and vibe even though we started making the improvements they described during our initial conversations. In other words: They want everything to be “better” but still sound exactly like the mix they became attached to over days, weeks or even months of repeated listening.
In such situations, I have learned to be as diplomatic as possible in pointing out that they cannot have it both ways. Once they realize the dilemma, they become indecisive. The best solution I have found is to move slowly through production, suggesting minimal adjustments to mixes in each round so that the client can more gradually adjust to the improvements.
If you are a solo artist or band with a new song idea, the best thing you can do is distance yourself from it immediately after the tracking process and avoid creating a rough mix. Wait until you can map out the project with a producer so that the song can be mixed right the first time.
Do you want to ensure that your mixes are right the first time?
