Use glue compression on drum groups to enhance presence and cohesion
Problem: drum group lacks presence and cohesion
Glue compression helps bring together the drum group, making the percussion sound more present and three-dimensional. Using a longer attack time (30ms) and a fast release (0.1–0.4s) with a ratio around 2:1 helps maintain…
Use saturation to glue bass layers together
Problem: disconnected bass layers, lack of cohesion
Applying a saturation plugin like Fab Filter Saturn to the bass bus helps unify multiple bass layers into a cohesive sound. This technique adds harmonic content and subtle distortion, making the bass feel like a single…
Use distortion on the bass bus for cohesion
Problem: bass layers lack cohesion, distortion not applied
Applying a distortion plugin like Capitator to the bass bus can help glue the bass layers together and add character. This technique enhances the harmonic content of the bass and can help it sit better in the mix. It's…
Use a mastering compressor like Capital Mastering Compressor for glue and cohesion
Problem: lack of cohesion or glue in the mix
A mastering compressor like the Capital Mastering Compressor can be used to glue the track together and create a cohesive sound. It adds a subtle amount of gain reduction (typically less than 1 dB) to bring all the…
Apply parallel saturation on master bus with tight settings
Problem: disconnected elements, lack of cohesion
Using a saturation plugin on the master bus with a 'tight' and 'subtle' setting adds cohesion without muddying the mix. The technique works by slightly increasing the harmonic content of the entire track, making elements…
Use glue compression on low-end bus for smoother kick/bass interaction
Problem: muddy low end, competing kick/bass
Applying a compressor to the low-end bus (kick + bass) with slow attack and fast decay helps smooth out transients while maintaining punch. The visual representation of the compressor's effect on the waveform helps…
Real-time clipping for dynamic glue
Problem: loose, dynamic mix lacking cohesion
Using real-time clipping on the master bus can create a 'glue' effect by subtly compressing the entire mix. The speaker shows this by applying a clipper in real-time, making the mix feel more cohesive and 'locked'…
Use reverse delay and ambient elements to glue the mix together
Problem: elements not sitting together, lack of cohesion
Boosting ambient elements (like reverse delay) raises their presence in the mix, creating a cohesive 'glue' that binds the track. This technique helps the bass and kick sit closer together by adding spatial depth and…
Glue all drum elements together with OTT
Problem: drums feel disconnected or unbalanced
Using OTT (or a similar glue plugin) to combine all drum elements helps to create a cohesive and unified sound. This technique ensures that the drums sit well together in the mix and maintain a consistent feel throughout…
Use a glue compressor with fast release and 2:1 ratio
Problem: drums lack cohesion, need more glue
The producer applies a glue compressor with a 30ms attack and a fast release time, using a 2:1 ratio to subtly glue the drums together without over-compressing. This technique helps maintain the natural dynamics of the…
Use glue compressor for group processing on drum tops
Problem: drum elements lack cohesion, inconsistent dynamics
The glue compressor adds cohesion between drum elements by using a slow attack time (to let transients pass), fast release time (for quick recovery), and a gentle ratio (to avoid over-compression). This subtle processing…
Apply +0.6 dB boost for subtle enhancement
Problem: insufficient frequency emphasis
The speaker makes a precise adjustment of +0.6 dB to enhance specific frequencies without overdoing it. This technique demonstrates the value of small boosts in shaping the tonal balance, ensuring the mix remains natural…
Use glue compression between EQ and limiter
Problem: lack of cohesion in the mix
The speaker suggests placing glue compression between EQ and limiter to control dynamics while maintaining frequency balance. This technique helps glue the track together without compromising the EQ shaping done earlier…
Use slow attack and fast release for glue compression
Problem: over-compression or lack of cohesion
The speaker recommends setting glue compression with a slow attack time and fast release time for a gentle ratio. This configuration helps maintain dynamic range while subtly binding the track together, avoiding the risk…
Use a compressor on the master bus for glue
Problem: track feels fragmented, lacks cohesion
Dax applies a compressor (Mix Presser) on the master bus with 1.5-2dB gain reduction to add cohesion and glue to the track. This prevents the mix from feeling fragmented, especially in complex arrangements. The…
Apply glue compression to texture groups for cohesion
Problem: disconnected texture layers
Use a glue compressor on a bus containing multiple texture layers. Set the ratio to 4:1 or 10:1 with a long release time to subtly glue the elements together. This enhances the presence of subtle noises and ensures the…
Use room reverb to create a shared acoustic space in the mix
Problem: mix feels artificial, elements sound disconnected
Real-world sounds have tiny reflections that help the brain perceive spatial relationships. When mixing, removing these reflections makes the mix feel artificial. Room reverb (not halls/plates) simulates this natural…
Prioritize room reverb over excessive compression for glue
Problem: over-reliance on compression for cohesion
Compression can flatten the mix if overused. Room reverb provides a more natural way to glue elements together by creating a shared environment without sacrificing dynamics or separation. This approach maintains the…
Apply room reverb on a shared return track with specific settings
Problem: mix lacks cohesion and realism
Use a short decay (0.6s), ultra-short pre-delay (<26ms), and high-pass at 250Hz to avoid muddying the low end. Set the reverb mix level very low (subtle presence). Send all elements (drums, vocals, instruments) to this…
Avoid overusing reverb that is clearly audible
Problem: overuse of reverb making mix sound artificial
If you can hear the reverb itself, it's too loud. Room reverb should be subtle, adding presence without being noticeable. The goal is to create a sense of space, not to make the reverb the focal point. This rule applies…
Adjust reverb sends based on element type
Problem: inconsistent spatial cohesion across elements
Drums may need less reverb than vocals, but this depends on taste and the mix's needs. The key is to maintain the reverb's role as a 'glue' rather than a special effect. This approach allows for subtle tailoring while…
Glue is about cohesion, not just compression
The term 'glue' refers to making elements feel connected rather than disconnected. This can be achieved through compression, parallel processing, or shared reverb. The goal is to create a unified sound where elements…
Use shared reverb to glue elements in the same space
Problem: disconnected, flat mix
Send multiple elements (e.g., synth, vocal, pad) to a shared reverb bus with a small amount of reverb. This creates a sense of cohesion by making them feel like they're in the same room. The technique is especially…
Use Vowhala vintage verb on a bus for subtle room cohesion
Problem: lack of cohesion, dry-sounding mix
Adding a subtle reverb like Vowhala on a bus creates a unified spatial feel without overwhelming the mix. The reverb is blended at low levels to maintain clarity while adding a sense of depth and cohesion. This technique…
Glue is about cohesion through multiple subtle elements
Problem: disconnected, fragmented mix
The concept of 'glue' in mixing isn't a single trick but a collection of subtle techniques that make all elements feel connected. This includes reverb, EQ, compression, and panning choices that create a unified sonic…
Use a slow attack on the glue compressor to avoid catching kick transients
Problem: kick buried under bass, loss of punch
A slow attack time on the compressor allows the initial transient of the kick drum to pass through unprocessed, preserving its punch while still compressing the sustain of the bass. This creates a sense of movement and…
Use Ozone for final mastering touches to glue the bass and kick
Problem: lack of cohesion in final mix
Applying Ozone's mastering tools helps to subtly enhance the stereo image and frequency balance between the bass and kick. This final step ensures that both elements are cohesive and sit well in the overall mix without…
Apply glue compression to the master bus with 2:1 ratio and 30ms attack
Problem: lack of cohesion, flat mix
Glue compression on the master bus with a 2:1 ratio and 30ms attack time subtly glues the mix together without over-compressing. This setting allows transients to pass through while evening out the overall dynamics. The…
Use OTT to add glue and strength to front instruments
Problem: weak or disconnected lead instruments
Apply OTT (a dynamic saturation plugin) to lead instruments like pianos to enhance their presence and cohesion. Cranking the depth knob increases the perceived loudness and tightness of the sound. This technique works…
Use reverb to glue sounds together and create special effects
Problem: Lack of cohesion in a mix
Reverb can be used creatively to bind elements in a mix (e.g., a pad and bass) and generate unique spatial effects. The speaker highlights this as a versatile application beyond basic depth enhancement.
Compression glues elements together and enhances presence
Problem: disconnected sounds, weak presence in mix
By evening out dynamics, compression makes sounds feel more cohesive and punchy. For example, a vocal track with wide dynamic range can be made to sit consistently in the mix. This is especially useful for elements like…
Use a glue compressor on drum groups to glue sounds together
Problem: drum group lacks cohesion, kick buried in mix
A glue compressor (like an SSL bus compressor emulation) is used to unify the dynamics of a drum group (snare, cymbals). It creates cohesion without squashing the kick, which needs to remain punchy and dominant in EDM.…
Master with Pro-L2 for loudness and glue
Problem: achieve loudness without losing dynamics
When mastering, use the Pro-L2 plugin to glue the mix together and achieve loudness without over-compression. Set the threshold to around -12dB and use the 'Glue' mode to subtly compress the entire mix. This adds…
Use CLA2A compressor on the master bus
Problem: loose, unglued mix
The CLA2A is recommended for its ability to glue the mix together with subtle compression. It adds warmth and cohesion without over-processing, making it ideal for mastering. This technique is particularly effective in…
Use a glue compressor with 30ms attack and 0.1 ratio to preserve transients while adding cohesion
Problem: pluck lacks punch and cohesion
The glue compressor is set to a fast 30ms attack to let transients pass through unaltered, while the 0.1 ratio (which acts as a limiter) gently glues the sound together without squashing dynamics. This technique is ideal…