The mixing ABCs
When mixing, it's a very good idea to have some sort of system. There are some common rules that help take a mix where it needs to go by breaking the process down into stages.
Volume balancing
Balancing the volume is the most common first step for a mix. We've already accomplished our initial volume settings in the Time for action — separating audio streams section. The idea here is to get all of our relative volumes.
The best way to attack the volumes of a mix is to find the most important element and start there. In the case of dance music, the kick is usually going to be the initial focus. We then add in the clap, hihats, and other percussion. Bass would be a good place to start next, then all of the harmonic and melodic sounds.
Once our relative volumes are in place, it's a good idea to be sure that there is still a little bit of range left on the master fader so that we can potentially add more effects. The idea behind this is called leaving headroom...
