I used to mix like a rulebook. High pass everything. Compress everything. If there was a plugin slot, I felt like I had to fill it. That version of me was busy, and that version of me was not always happy with the result.
These days I am chasing a different vibe. I call it Zen Mixing (or “Zin” if you want to be playful). It is simple. Before I do anything, I ask why.
The Rulebook Trap
Rules are helpful. They teach us the basics. But rules can become a crutch. “Always high pass.” “Always compress.” “Always add air.” That kind of autopilot pushes me away from the source and into a mix that sounds processed instead of honest.
Zen Mixing is the opposite. It is mindful. It is intentional. It is the practice of asking, What am I trying to hear that I cannot hear yet?
Faders First
Before I touch a plugin, I try to get as far as I can with only volume and panning. No EQ. No compression. Just balance. You can go a long way with the faders if you let them work.
If the mix already feels good here, that tells me something. It tells me the source is strong. It tells me I can do less. And doing less is a gift.
If the balance feels good before plugins, I am already most of the way there.
The Bypass Test
Every time I add a plugin, I force myself to bypass it right away. If I cannot instantly say, “Yes, that is better,” I remove it. I do not negotiate with it. I delete it.
That means sometimes there is no compression. Sometimes there is no high pass filter. Sometimes I even leave extra low information in a snare because it gives the track body. The point is not to follow a rule. The point is to serve the song.
Why Less Is More
Fewer plugins mean faster sessions and fewer glitches. Each decision matters more because there are fewer of them. And you stay closer to the original performance, which keeps the mix honest.
For me, that builds confidence. I trust my ears instead of a checklist.
Try This On Your Next Mix
Start with a full balance using only volume and panning. If that does not feel right, pause and fix the source before reaching for a plugin.
Only add a plugin when you can name the exact problem it solves. Then bypass it before you commit and ask if the track is clearly better.
If the change does not help within a couple of seconds, remove it and move on.
Zen Mixing is not about being anti plugin. It is about being intentional. It is about doing what the music asks for, not what a rulebook says. So next time you are mixing, breathe, move the faders, ask why, and then decide.
That is the whole practice.
Keep the faders first mindset
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