Some years back, I worked as an assistant for another engineer - it was a transformative experience that helped me level up in a big way as a mix engineer. One of the biggest things my boss did differently from me was mixing “top down.” It was the opposite of everything I had been taught about mixing, and the perspective shift reshaped the way I approach a mix.

The thing with mixing guitars is that the frequencies they do need - for fullness, weight, or presence -  are some of the same midrange frequencies that are most crucial for vocals. Some guitar parts inherently sound good a little thinner - think funky rhythm guitar playing, for instance - so this is less of an issue. But a lot of guitar parts, especially distorted rhythm guitar tracks, need exactly the same frequencies where we find the fundamental notes of vocal parts and crucial early harmonics. This can create problems. Maybe you’ve encountered them.

Nasty, aggressive compression is the secret weapon behind a lot of great drum sounds. There’s something about heavy gain reduction - and all the un-subtle coloration that comes with it - that can really bring a drum part to life. These tricks shine in parallel, allowing us to get the best of both ugly and clean drum sounds. Think of it as a sonic mullet: business in front, party in the back.