Top 5 Vocal Mixing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Top 5 Vocal Mixing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Update: 2025-10-28
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Description

earn how to get clean, upfront, professional-sounding vocals without guesswork. In this episode of the Mixing Music Podcast, Dee Kei and Lu break down the top five vocal mixing mistakes and the exact ways to fix them. You will hear why too many narrow high-Q EQ cuts remove character, how to set attack and release for musical compression, when to use parallel compression, and why reverb and delay must be automated for movement and depth. The guys also cover context and referencing so your tonal choices fit the genre and era, plus essential quality control to catch pops, clicks, tuning misses, and bad edits before delivery. Finish with a practical mindset shift: the best mixers are the best communicators, so talk to the artist and get the target sound before you touch a knob.

What you will learn

  • Smarter EQ: limit surgical notches, use wider moves, reference the right records
  • Compression that works: signs of over-compression, breath and sibilance control, parallel options, dialing attack and release
  • Reverb and delay that serve the song: EQ your verbs, automate throws and levels, use dryness for intimacy
  • Context is everything: genre trends, artist preferences, prior discography, talk to the client first
  • Quality control checklist: fades, pops and clicks, tuning, file naming, reliable delivery


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The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show is filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at ⁠deekeimixes@gmail.com⁠.



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Top 5 Vocal Mixing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Top 5 Vocal Mixing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

@DeeKeiMixes