Alright, imagine this: you’ve got a snake with ten heads and one tail. Each head is pulling in a different direction, trying to slither its way through a fence. What happens? That poor snake isn’t going anywhere—it’s stuck in decision paralysis, each head fighting to be the one in charge, but nothing’s moving forward. Now, picture the opposite—a snake with one head and ten tails. It knows exactly where it’s going, and the tails just follow. That snake? It’s making it through the fence, no problem.
That’s your mix.
You’ve got a song, a vision, and you’re standing there, trying to figure out how to make it work. But if you’ve got too many directions pulling at once—too many “we’ll see how it feels later” or “maybe we’ll try it in post” moments—guess what? You’re just like that ten-headed snake, tangled up in indecision, not going anywhere. And the truth is, the more you hesitate, the more you let your mix slip away.
But if you commit—if you make decisions early, stick to your vision, and don’t get bogged down in endless second-guessing—you’re the one-headed snake, slithering straight through to a killer final product. Bias for action is your secret weapon, and trust me, it’ll change your entire approach to recording and mixing.
Stop Waiting for Perfection—It Doesn’t Exist
Perfectionism is that tenth head on the snake, constantly telling you, “Just one more tweak, and it’ll be perfect.” Guess what? It won’t. It never will. I’ve seen countless musicians stuck in the trap of trying to tweak their mix to “perfection” for weeks—sometimes months—only to end up with something that’s lost all its vibe. The human element, the magic that made it feel alive in the first place? Gone. Smoothed out by an endless pursuit of “better.”
The greats—whether it’s The Stones, Prince, or even Radiohead—knew when to let go. They understood that there’s a raw energy to early decisions that can’t be replicated by obsessing over every little detail. That guitar take might not be flawless, but it’s got soul. Those drums might be a little loose, but damn, do they groove. It’s that imperfection that makes it human. Don’t iron out all the wrinkles. Let them live in the mix.
Have a Vision—And Stick to It
Here’s the thing: if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there. I’ve worked with bands that had no clear vision of what they wanted their record to sound like. Every session was just a series of “let’s try this” or “what if we added that” moments, and by the end, we had ten different ideas pulling the mix in ten different directions. You can’t shape a sound like that.
When you step into the studio, you need to have a clear idea of what you want. Maybe you want a gritty, raw garage rock sound. Maybe you want something slick and polished like a pop record. Whatever it is, commit to that direction. From the first mic placement to the final bounce, everything should serve that vision.
I once had an artist who came in with a very specific idea—he wanted his record to sound like it was recorded in a basement in 1972, with all the grit and dirt that comes with that. We recorded everything live, used as little compression as possible, and embraced the imperfections. He didn’t fuss over every take, and you know what? That record felt like something. You can hear the room, you can feel the energy of the band. It’s real, it’s raw, and it hits you right in the gut. That’s the power of commitment.
Make Decisions Early—Trust Your Gut
Mixing is all about making decisions. From the moment you hit record, you should be making choices. Don’t wait until the very end to figure out what’s going on. If a vocal take isn’t right, re-record it. If the kick drum is too thin, change the mic or adjust the tuning. Don’t just record a bunch of “maybe” takes and assume you’ll figure it out later. That’s a recipe for disaster.
I’ve seen engineers who spend hours automating vocal tracks, when really, the issue was that the singer was just too far off the mic. Don’t be afraid to stop, assess the situation, and make the change now. You’ll save yourself a ton of headaches down the line, and your mix will come together so much faster when you’ve made intentional decisions from the start.
And once you’ve made those decisions? Stick with them. If you recorded the guitars crunchy, don’t second-guess that when you’re halfway through mixing. Trust your gut. Those initial instincts are usually right.
The Bias for Action—Move Forward or Get Left Behind
Being decisive doesn’t mean rushing through everything, but it does mean moving forward with purpose. When you’re tracking, take action. When you’re mixing, commit to decisions early and often. That vocal reverb? Make a call. That snare EQ? Make it work and move on. Keep the momentum.
One of the biggest killers of creativity is getting stuck in endless tweaking. You lose the vibe, the energy that brought the song to life in the first place. Remember, mixing isn’t about perfection; it’s about making choices and bringing out the best in what’s already there.
I worked a show with this up-and-coming indie band a few years ago. During soundcheck, they were obsessed with getting the snare drum just right. But in the process, they ran over time, killed the energy of the room, and ultimately ended up sounding worse because they had drained the life out of their set before they even played a note. Action beats hesitation every time.
The Human Element—Leave Some Flaws
I’m not saying you should go all punk rock and record everything in one take, but remember that humans aren’t perfect. It’s the imperfections that people connect to. A vocal that’s a little bit raw, a drum fill that’s slightly off—it’s all part of the magic. Sure, you could edit it to perfection, but what’s the fun in that?
At the end of the day, music is about emotion, not precision. So next time you’re tracking or mixing, make decisions that bring out the feeling of the song. Don’t get hung up on trying to perfect every tiny detail. Be the one-headed snake. Know where you’re going, make the call, and slither your way to a killer mix.
