JOIN ME FOR A SPECIAL 2 HOUR ROCK/INDIE MIXING MASTERCLASS WHERE YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO MIX ROCK/INDIE TO THE HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL LEVELS
 
CLASS TIMINGS
Saturday 11 April at 15:00 BST (class is approx 2.30 hours)
 
CLASS RECORDING
The class will be recorded and available to stream once the live class ends, with lifetime access
 
INCLUDED FREE - INDIE/ROCK PLUGIN PRESETS
The class also includes plugin presets specifically for rock/indie that you can use in your DAW for enhanced mixes. The presets will be sent to you once the class ends
 
CLASS AGENDA
 
1. Introduction
What defines rock and indie sonically today
Energy, emotion, and realism vs polish
Choosing references tracks(modern vs classic)
 
2. Session Prep & Static Mix (15 min)
Gain staging for dynamic music
Organising live-recorded sessions
Phase checking (especially drums & multi-mic sources)
Building a static mix that already feels musical
 
3. Drums: Feel, Punch & Cohesion 
Kick & snare tone shaping 
Overheads and room mic mixing for size and attitude
Parallel drum compression (New York style!)
 
4. Bass Guitar:
Bass tone decisions: clean vs dirty
EQ for note definition vs low-end weight
Compression for consistency without killing dynamics
Bass-to-kick relationship 
 
5. Guitars: Space, Width & Character 
Managing dense guitar layers
Double-tracking & panning strategies
EQ carving between guitars, bass, and vocals
Re-amping and remodelling guitars
 
6. Vocals: Front and Center
Vocal presence without over-processing
Serial compression for rock vocals
De-essing while keeping aggression
Vocal effects:
Slap delay
Plate vs room reverb
Automation for emotional impact
 
7. Keys, Synths & Texture 
Supporting vs competing with guitars
Lo-fi texture and ambience
Stereo placement in indie mixes
Filtering and movement for interest
 
8. Bussing, Glue & Analog Vibe 
Drum, music, and vocal busses
Glue compression 
Console-style coloration
Creating cohesion without flattening the mix
 
9. Dynamics, Loudness & Translation 
Loud vs exciting: why dynamics matter
Rock/indie loudness expectations
Avoiding over-limiting
Translation across headphones, cars, and small speakers
 
10. Overcoming common Rock/Indie Mixing Mistakes
Over-editing performances
Scooping too much midrange
Over-compressing drums
Vocals buried or overly polished
Keep that live band feel in the mix
 
11. Q&A