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If you want to produce quality, professional-sounding music, you need to learn how to mix and master music. Luckily, the internet has your back with a host of online mixing and mastering courses. So what’s the best online mixing course? The answer depends on what you want, as you can find everything from short introductory courses to comprehensive programs with dozens of modules.
To save you the hassle of finding the right mixing and mastering courses online, I’ve compiled a review of the nine best options. Let’s take a look.
Summary of Best Mixing and Mastering Courses
For those in a hurry, here’s a quick look at the best mixing and mastering courses online. If you’re serious about becoming an audio engineer or music producer, Point Blank Music School’s Mixing and Mastering in Depth will provide you with everything you need to start your career. It’s the best mixing and mastering online due to the depth of information covered.
Producer Tech offers great one-off mixing and mastering courses for those on a limited budget. The three standout mixing courses Music Mixing Fundamentals, EQ Fundamentals, and a Complete Guide to Stereo Width are each available at a low price and available for instant streaming.
Mixing commercial pop music with Goetz Botzenhard offers a comprehensive guide to mixing and mastering songs in the pop genre.
Mixing with Mike is a great value option, offering a reasonably priced monthly membership and some of the best online mixing courses.
Another subscription option is Mix with the Masters (MWTM), allowing you to access masterclasses from a variety of industry professionals. A free tier is also available. The plugin company Waves also offers a decent free mixing course From Demo to Master, all you need is to create a free Waves account.
You could also create a free 30-day trial account with Skillshare and get access to an online mixing course from Young Guru, How to Mix Music with Young Guru. A Skillshare account also provides access to other music production and online mixing courses on the platform.
Related: The Best Music Production Schools
Related: Best Audio Engineering Schools & Courses
Table of Contents
Related: The Best Electronic Music Production Books
1. Point Blank Music School – Mixing and Mastering in Depth
Point Blank Music School is a trusted name in music education, offering training to aspiring musicians, producers, and DJs for over two decades. Many of the instructors are pros who have worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry.
If you use Logic Pro or Ableton Live and want to finish off your tracks to a professional standard, then this hands-on course is for you. Developed by professional sound engineers, this is a 6-month programme that will teach you all the skills you need to mix and master your music. Suitable for any genre of music, whether you’re a beginner or professional, this course will help improve the quality of your work.
The Mixing and Mastering in Depth course stands out as being the best mixing and mastering course online, providing all the essential skills you need to make your music sound professional, including mixing procedures, signal paths, and routing.
The course is divided into two terms (or you can take the modules as individual courses).
Art of Mixing – 1st Term
This module aims to develop your skills as a competent mix engineer. Highlighting what the processes, equipment, considerations, and techniques involved in creating professional sounding commercial mixes.
You’ll develop your critical listening skills alongside technical and creative skills to create successful mixing and professional sounding productions.
- Mixing procedures and Techniques
- Critical Listening
- Signal Paths and Routing
- Aux Sends vs Insert Processing
- Stereo Width
- Dynamic Processing
- Corrective and Creative Equalisation & Filters
- Timbre and Harmonics
- Creating Depth through Reverberation and Delay Effects
- Modulation Effects & Distortion
- Creative Mixing techniques
View individual Art of Mixing course
Audio Mastering – 2nd Term
The second module focuses on mastering techniques. This section teaches you how to put the finishing touches to your mix. You’ll explore the role of the mastering engineer, the physics of sound, monitoring, basic acoustics, metering, advanced dynamic processing, and how this is all considered over different audio platfroms.
- The role of the mastering engineer
- The physics of sound
- Monitoring
- Basic acoustics
- Critical listening
- Digital audio key issues in relation to mastering
- Metering
- Types of EQ and techniques in mastering
- Loudness versus quality
- Advanced dynamic processing
- Mid/side techniques
- Mastering for Streaming Platforms
- Audio Restoration Techniques
View the individual Audio Mastering course.
While the mixing and mastering online course includes instructional videos and tutorials, you’ll also listen to live lectures from leading producers and sound engineers. The course has over 20 hours of video tutorials, 20 live group masterclasses, and eight live one-to-one tutorials with just you and the instructor. If you’re looking for a mastering course online – this is a good place to start.
With every Point Blank online course you also get access to a range of Online Learning features to improve your educational experience, and get 1-2-1 sessions with your instructor through Zoom. So, when you have questions, there is a professional you can ask for help and feedback – which is great.
The school also gives students access to a variety of exclusive discounts; you can save on an Ableton Live subscription, Waves bundles, Pioneer DJ equipment, and other essential gear and software.
Note – The online options for this mixing and mastering course have different start times throughout the year.
Other courses of interest:
Music Production Certificate – 3 months, 1 module.
Music Production & Sound Engineering Degree – 10 weeks, 1 module.
Related: The Best Music Production Schools
2. Producer Tech – Music Mixing Fundamentals
Producertech via pluginboutique.com
The Music Mixing Fundamentals course is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a solid introduction to the basics of mixing. The course is provided by Producer Tech, a company that has won awards for its tutorials on music production.
You’ll get close to five hours of tutorials that take you through each of the stages of mixing and mastering a track. This mix and master course was created by Rob Jones and is divided into eight modules, including:
- Module 1 – Mixing from the start
- Module 2 – Level balancing
- Module 3 – Getting levels under control
- Module 4 – Shaping frequencies
- Module 5 – Stereo imaging and spread
- Module 6 – Send effects and reverb
- Module 7 – Master effects
- Module 8 – Tips for improving your mix
The arrangement of the modules takes you from preparing and starting your mix before delving into more complex topics, such as level balancing, compression, and EQ settings.
The course also comes with downloadable content, including projects for Ableton Live and music stems. The song stems are audio files with multiple tracks that you can separate and tweak when mixing and mastering. After paying for the course, you can access it 24/7.
You can buy the course as a one-off via the Plugin Boutique website or you can pay a monthly subscription and get access to all of Producer Tech’s music production courses. Producer Tech offers various monthly subscriptions that provide access to all their video content.
Follow the link below for more details
Related: Best DJ Courses Online
3. Producer Tech – EQ Fundamentals
Producertech via pluginboutique.com
EQ Fundamentals is another Rob Jones audio mixing course released by Producer Tech, available through Plugin Boutique. It’s designed for beginners and provides a detailed look at equalization, including giving you a better understanding of frequencies and how to use EQ to manipulate them.
Being able to use EQ is a crucial aspect of learning to mix music. If you are unfamiliar with the fundamentals of EQ, this course is the perfect place to start. It will teach you how to use EQ to sculpt frequencies of specific instruments and alter the overall sound of your mix. The course covers basic EQ controls and goes on to provide individual lessons on EQ use for a variety of sources, including vocals, bass, guitar, piano, and organs. There are also separate modules for EQing drums and for EQing your kick and bass.
It includes 10 modules and 2.5 hours of video instruction. The main topics covered include:
- Module 1 – Introduction to frequencies
- Module 2 – EQ controls
- Module 3 – EQ in isolation
- Module 4 – Combining the piano and sine wave
- Module 5 – EQ with respect to other parts
- Module 6 – EQ’ing drums
- Module 7 – Common EQ practices
- Module 8 – EQ’ing kick and bass
- Module 9 – EQ on the master channel
- Module 10 – EQ in the mix
After purchasing the mixing course online, you can stream the online videos and download the course materials, which include audio stems, DAW projects, and two practice mixing sessions.
This is one of the best online mixing courses for those aspiring mix engineers who want to focus on upgrading their EQ skills.
Related: The Best Ableton Courses Online
4. Complete Guide to Stereo Width – Producer Tech
Producertech via pluginboutique.com
The Complete Guide to Stereo Width course is another recommended online mixing course from Rob Jones and Producer Tech.
In this mixing music course, Rob Jones explains stereo width and why the stereo field matters. Rob shows how careful use of panning techniques, delays, choruses, and reverbs can help to widen the stereo image of your music. The course also details how to use advanced mixing techniques such as mid-side EQ and mid-side processing, using compression techniques, grain delay, and frequency shifters to tweak the signal and adjust its width.
Each of the modules gives in-depth explanations of every technique and shows how to apply them to drums, synthesisers, vocals and other instruments. The course also comes with a few bonus modules which teach you how to build chorus racks using delays and implement stereo plugins. The last module offers a detailed look at how to put it all together.
- Module 1 – Panning and the utility effect
- Module 2 – Delay
- Module 3 – Chorus
- Module 4 – Reverb
- Module 5 – Detuning
- Module 6 – Adjusting phase
- Module 7 – Mid/side EQ
- Module 8 – Other mid/side processing
- Module 9 – Rack presets
It’s a great follow-up to Producer Tech’s previous courses, helping you develop your mixing skills to achieve a professional sound.
Click on the link below view the course details.
5. How to mix music with Young Guru – Skillshare
How to Mix Music with Young Guru is a short introductory video lesson on mixing music for beginners. The video is just under an hour long. You’ll get a crash course from a pro mixing engineer who has worked with the likes of Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
Young Guru is a Grammy-nominated producer who has worked on several multi-platinum albums, the online course distills his industry expertise into practical tips to move you towards achieving professional-sounding mixes.
Young Guru also has a few other online courses on Skillshare, with topics such as how to master songs, set up for a DJ gig, and an intro to audio recording. These prerecorded lectures are a good addition to the rest of your training and will help you to improve your critical listening skills and understanding of the mastering process.
To watch his online mixing courses you need to create a Skillshare account. You can start Skillshare free for 30 days, there are also other mixing and mastering courses on the Skillshare platform. (The platform has over 35,000 classes, including over 120 dedicated to mixing and mastering).
Related: The Best Music Business Courses
6. Free Online Mixing Course – Waves
If you don’t want to spend any money on mixing courses, try the Free Online Mixing Course from plugin developer Waves. Wave’s Free online mixing course covers the basic steps in mixing and mastering a demo. You’ll learn how to mix bass and drum tracks and balance lead and backing vocals.
Grammy-winning producer/mixer Dave Darlington explains how to use plugins and make critical decisions during the mixing process. It teaches mixing techniques that can be applied to all music genres, whether you want to mix hip-hop, rock, or pop.
A nice addition is that you have the choice of downloading Pro Tools sessions that feature the plugin presets to go along with the lessons. You can also download the stems for the songs to practice the mixing techniques from the mixing and mastering class.
Waves also offer other free courses and masterclasses, along with around a dozen premium courses. The premium courses include between 9 and 29 videos and average 1 to 2 hours to complete and include further lesson resources for Pro Tools.
Accessing the free mix course online requires you to register a free account with Waves.
7. Music Gurus – Mixing Commercial Pop Music with Goetz Botzenhardt
Mixing Commercial Pop Music with Goetz Botzenhardt, as the name suggests, is geared toward those interested in mixing pop music. Goetz is an award-winning producer, who’s worked with The Pet Shops Boys, Faithless, and other big names.
Goetz’s mixing and mastering online course gives you a complete rundown of the typical process of taking a mix and converting it into a hit pop song. He explains how to create a mix template, use racks, setup effects, and EQ to improve the quality of a track. You can also download song stems and plugins for use with Pro Tools or any other popular DAW. The course contains 23 lessons lasting 2 hours and 34 minutes in total.
If you’re interested there is a sample lesson on the Music Guru’s site. Music Gurus also offer other audio mixing courses and lessons on playing guitar, drums, piano, and other instruments.
8. Mixing With Mike Courses
Mike White is an industry expert with over 35 years of experience in music production and audio engineering. Through his online mixing classes “Mixing with Mike“, he shares all the skills he’s learned over a lifetime of audio engineering.
Mike’s site is designed for self-motivated audio engineers, artists and producers who are after detailed information on mixing, mastering and music production. You’ll find 22 Courses, 440 Mixing With Mike live-streamed classes, 3500 videos, 16 Complete Professional Mix Demonstrations, 550 Plugin Tutorials, Countless Mixing Tips and Career Development Advice, 1500+ hours of video, and 2-4 hours of new content added each week ensuring there’s always something new to learn, no matter your experience level.
Unlike other mixing and mastering courses online, you can choose from a variety of course options to suit your budget. You can buy the courses as one-offs or join with a monthly membership. Monthly membership levels start at $10 and go up to $25 a month – giving you an affordable mixing and mastering education. Each membership tier offers a different level of access to course content. You can find more about each membership level here.
Before committing to a membership or course you could start with the Fundamentals of Mixing course. This class is available with a “name your price” option, allowing you to pay what you feel is reasonable. The minimum price is $5.
After learning the fundamentals, you can progress through Mike’s other courses, which include:
- Basic mixing
- Boot Camp I & II
- Advanced mixing
- Master mixing
- Loudness course
- Mastering Courses
Mike also offers private mixing courses, feedback on your mixes and a mixing boot camp. These options include guided instruction directly from Mike if you’re willing to spend a little more.
9. Mix with the Masters
Mix with the Masters (MWTM) is an online community led by a team of experienced producers and mixing engineers. Becoming an MWTM member gives you access to a variety of exclusive webinars. You can watch hundreds of hours of video on:
- Recording
- Mixing
- Production
- Mastering
The courses are presented by Grammy Award-winning sound engineers and producers. These pros have worked with everyone from Green Day and Prince to Alicia Keys and Pink.
Depending on your location, you could also participate in a live educational event or masterclass in your area. The MWTM frequently hosts events in major cities around the globe, including LA, New York, and London, so that you can learn music mixing directly from the pros.
You can join MWTM with a free account to check out some of the videos. However, you’ll need the pro plan to access all the features of the site. Paid membership allows you to watch all the videos and online webinars. You’ll also get to download premium plugins, DAW templates, and other useful resources.
Also To Consider
Coursera & Udemy
Udemy & Coursera are both an online learning platform where you pay for each course you take. They are not as comprehensive as the mixing and mastering courses featured on the list – but maybe a cheaper option for some.
You could try these mixing and Pro tools course for beginners:
Udemy – Mixing Masterclass
Udemy Learn ProTools 12
Udemy Learn How to Mix Acoustic Pop Like A Pro
Coursera doesn’t have any specific audio mixing courses but some may find the music production courses of interest.
Click on the course links for more information:
Berklee College Of Music – Music Production
Berklee College Of Music -Music Technology
Berklee College Of Music – Pro Tools
Related: The Best Electronic Music Production Books
FAQ
Can I Learn Mixing and Mastering Online?
Yes, you can learn mixing music techniques online using any of the courses and resources above. Start by picking a course and applying what you learn before checking out other courses to round out your knowledge and expand your skills.
How Can I Get Better at Mixing and Mastering?
Practice is often the best way to get better at something, including making good music. You should also seek feedback from others to learn more about what works and what needs improvement. If you share your tracks publicly, pay attention to the comments for more ideas on what you need to work on or change.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Mixing and Mastering?
With the best online mixing courses, you can learn what it takes to mix and master tracks in a few days or a few months. However, this only covers the technical aspects of mixing and mastering. You also need to develop your skills and creative talents, which is an ongoing process for any in the music business.
Can You Mix and Master Yourself?
Yes, mixing and mastering a track yourself is an option if you’re competent enough and want to save money. The professional production process often involves separate mix and mastering engineers. This provides more objectivity to the mastering process as the engineer is new to the music. So be aware, if you mix and master the same track you may have become too familiar with the music during the mixing process to master objectively.
What are the best mixing and mastering courses?
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