Mixdown Hints

A bad sound, well recorded and produced using expensive equipment, will sound like a bad sound, well recorded. There is a studio cliché that is used time and time again by engineers; "we'll fix it in the mix". This is not possible, and is only used by people who have no interest in the final product.

We need good sounds in to get good sounds out.

Flatten (zero) everything you might use for the mix; desk, interfaces, outboard, the lot. This will make the actual process much quicker, and you won't need any head-scratching time trying to work out why you can't hear the triangle part.
Optimise the gain structure; make sure the audio files you are using are at a decent level, so that the desk doesn't have to boost their levels (and therefore the noise floor). If they are too low, try changing their gain so that they peak at -3 dB. Normalising to 0 dB leaves no room for processing.
Work around unity gain. Try to set the faders and pots so they are around unity.
Setting up aux sends in advance can help speed the mix process up.
Overdoing the reverb is a common problem. Try setting the reverb level as you think it should be, and then reducing its level by 4 to 5 dB.
Pan the channels before you set their level. Due to the panning law, the relative volume of a signal changes when it is panned.
Some people start a mix by setting the levels of the rhythm section, moving forward and setting the vocal (or other focal instrument) level last. I prefer setting the vocal level first, and bringing everything else in around that.
Check mono compatibility when working with panned mono tracks and stereo effects.
As much as possible, use subtractive EQ rather than boosting frequencies that were not present in the first place. Use the EQ bypass button to check any changes.
Subgrouping speeds a mix session up considerably.
Rest your ears. You'll need fewer rests if you monitor at low levels. Low monitoring levels will also improve your ear's linear response, making your hearing more subjective. Also, you won't go deaf as fast.
Vocals nearly always need compression to help them sit in the mix.
Try listening to the mix from outside the studio. This gives an idea as to how it will sound in the 'real world'.
The rhythm section needs to be at a constant volume; they very rarely alter in level throughout a track.
Using the vocal to trigger a ducking gate or compressor is a good way of maintaining clarity in the mix.
Check your mix on different monitors and speakers. Take it home and listen to it everywhere you can. Take notes on how the mix has changed on the different systems.
Take some time to live with a mix; it will sound different tomorrow!
Pre-processing sounds during recording can sound good and frees effects for different use during mixdown, but be careful as you cannot undo any treatment you have recorded.
Listen to each sound in isolation first to determine the treatment needed, BUT…
…remember to listen to instruments in place, as the true nature of each sound will only be heard when everything else is playing too.
Mixing on headphones is not a good idea, as they react very differently from speakers.
Consider who will listen to the mix; wide stereo is pointless for anyone listening off-centre, wide dynamics are not a good idea for listening in a noisy environment (like in a car)
If the monitor sound is coloured, your mix will have the opposite effect. For example, if the monitors are bass-heavy, you will mix with less bass. Try playing familiar music through the monitors to judge their transparency.
Use commercial recordings to check your mix; listen through the same monitors and note differences in level ,tone etc.
Spectral mixing is the process of EQing each track so that the frequencies of the instruments do not overlap; this produces a very clear mix.

Have a look at this great article on pro mixdown tips.

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