NULL DELTA — Ableton Mixing

GAIN STAGING

BUS STRUCTURE

EQ & PROCESSING

Every mix problem starts with gain staging. Get this right and mixing becomes 10x easier. Put a Utility at the START of every track's device chain.

Each track should peak around -12 to -6 dBFS before any processing. Use Utility as the first device to set this.

Master bus should peak around -6 dBFS during the loudest section. Leaves headroom for mastering.

Use track faders for mix balance, NOT device volumes. Faders are post-chain — they control what you hear without affecting plugin response.

UTILITY — THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE

Technique	Setting	Why
Input Gain	Adjust gain without touching fader	Consistent levels into your effect chain. Every plugin behaves predictably.
Mono Bass	Bass Mono below 120Hz	Everything below that frequency collapses to center. Essential for club playback.
Width Control	0% = mono, 200% = exaggerated stereo	Narrow bass elements, widen pads/textures. Stereo field management.
Mid/Side Audit	Two Utilities: one Mid, one Side	Solo each to hear center vs sides. Essential for debugging stereo issues.
Phase Flip	Phz-L / Phz-R buttons	Check for phase cancellation when layering. If it gets LOUDER when flipped, your layers are fighting.
Silent Reference	Utility at -inf dB on reference track	Quick toggle A/B against commercial release without accidental output.

Route all buses to a single PRE-MASTER bus before the actual master. Process the pre-master with gentle glue compression. The master stays clean for final limiting only.

Bus	Contents	Processing Chain	Purpose
DRUM BUS	Kick, snare, hats, perc	Glue Compressor → EQ Eight → Saturator (subtle)	Glue drums into one cohesive unit
BASS BUS	Sub, mid-bass, bass FX	EQ Eight (HP 25Hz) → Compressor → Utility (mono <120Hz)	Control bass dynamics, ensure mono sub
SYNTH BUS	Leads, pads, stabs	EQ Eight → OTT (subtle) → Stereo widener	Presence and width without crowding center
FX BUS	Risers, impacts, textures	EQ Eight (HP) → Compressor → Limiter	Control transients, prevent spikes
VOX BUS	Vocals, vocal chops	EQ Eight → De-esser → Compressor → Reverb send	Clarity and space
PRE-MASTER	All buses routed here	Glue Compressor (gentle) → Utility (check levels)	Final glue before master. Master = limiter only.

RETURN TRACKS (SENDS)

Return	Device	Setting	Use
A — Room	Reverb	Short decay (0.8–1.5s), 100% wet	Glue elements in the same "space." Send a little of everything.
B — Hall	Reverb	Long decay (3–6s), 100% wet, pre-delay 40ms	Dramatic tails. Breakdowns, pads, vocals.
C — Delay	Delay	Ping-pong, synced to tempo, filtered feedback	Rhythmic echoes. Vocals, leads, percussive stabs.
D — Destroy	Tritik Krush → EQ Eight	Krush on parallel bus, EQ to taste	Parallel distortion. Blend in grit without destroying source.

Subtractive first, additive second. Find and cut the bad before boosting the good. Sweep a narrow boost (Q=8, +12dB) to find resonances, then CUT there instead.

Element	HP Filter	Cut	Boost	Notes
Kick	20Hz	300-400Hz (mud)	60Hz (sub), 3-5kHz (click)	Sub-kick and click are the two pillars. Scoop the middle.
Snare	80Hz	400-600Hz (boxy)	200Hz (body), 5kHz (crack)	Body vs crack balance defines the snare character.
Hi-Hats	300Hz	1kHz (harshness)	8-12kHz (shimmer)	Aggressive HP. Hats don't need low content.
Sub Bass	20Hz	—	40-80Hz (weight)	Keep clean. No EQ boost often best. LP at 120Hz to separate from mid-bass.
Mid Bass / Growl	80Hz	200-300Hz (mud)	800Hz-2kHz (presence)	The growl lives in 500Hz–2kHz. Cut sub to avoid fighting the sub bass.
Leads / Synths	100Hz	300Hz (mud)	3-5kHz (cut-through)	Carve out space. Don't compete with bass or vocals.
Pads	150Hz	500Hz (boxy)	8kHz+ (air)	Keep wide, keep airy. Pads fill space, they don't lead.
Vocals	100Hz	200-300Hz (mud), 3-4kHz (harsh)	5kHz (clarity), 10kHz (air)	De-ess 5–8kHz. Clarity without sibilance.

SIDECHAIN ROUTING

Type	Source → Target	Settings	Result
Kick → Bass	Kick audio → Compressor on bass	Fast attack (0.1ms), medium release (100-200ms), -6dB reduction	Bass ducks on every kick hit. The foundation of EDM/bass mixing.
Kick → Pad	Kick audio → Compressor on pads	Slower attack (5ms), longer release (300ms), -3dB	Subtle pumping. Pads breathe with the rhythm.
Ghost Kick	Silent MIDI kick → Compressor on bass	Same as kick→bass but with a muted audio track	Sidechain pattern without audible kick. Breakdowns, intros.
Multiband SC	Kick → Multiband Dynamics on bass	Only duck the sub band (<120Hz)	Sub ducks for kick while mid-bass growl stays constant. Surgical.
Volume Shaper	LFO Tool / PanCake 2 on any element	Draw custom ducking curves synced to tempo	Rhythmic pumping without a sidechain source. More control.

PROBLEM FREQUENCIES QUICK REF

Range	Problem	Fix
200–350Hz	Mud, muddiness	Cut 2-3dB on every element that doesn't need it. The most crowded zone.
400–600Hz	Boxy, cardboard	Narrow cut on snares, vocals, guitars. The "box" resonance.
1–3kHz	Harshness, nasal	Gentle cuts. This is where ear fatigue lives. Be careful with boosts here.
3–5kHz	Sibilance, presence	De-ess vocals. But also where leads cut through — surgical balance.
6–8kHz	Brittle, thin	Cut if cymbals or synths sound harsh. Saturation can tame this zone.
10kHz+	Hiss, air	LP filter on elements that don't need "air." Keep for vocals, pads, room mics.

CROSS-CORE MAP

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