Let’s talk about something real: getting better at recording and mixing music isn’t about chasing the latest, fanciest plugin. It’s about practice, patience, and putting in the work.

The Gear Trap

I saw a post on Instagram recently that hit home: “Skill in recording music comes from practice and patience, not buying the newest plugin.” Man, did that take me back. When I started recording, I was convinced that if I could just get that compressor or this shiny new plugin, my tracks would sound amazing. Spoiler alert: I was wrong. Even after I got some of those “must-have” tools, my recordings still weren’t great. Why? Because making music is a craft, and crafts take time to learn.

Repetition Is Your Friend

Mixing and recording are skills you build through repetition. Every time you record a vocal, tweak an EQ, or balance a mix, you’re learning. It’s not about having the perfect gear—it’s about understanding how to use what you’ve got. Over time, I realized that quality mixes and great original songs come from hours of practice, not from a magic plugin. The more you work at it, the better you get.

Trust Your Intuition, Build Your Skills

When you’re mixing, intuition is huge. That gut feeling about what a track needs often guides you to a great mix. But if the technical stuff—like compression settings or EQ curves—is slowing you down, don’t worry. It just means you need more experience. And guess what? Experience comes from doing the work, over and over. If someone else can learn to mix killer tracks, so can you. It’s not about talent—it’s about time, effort and discipline.

Celebrate the Wins

Here’s a good benchmark: if you can take a song idea, record it, mix it, and it sounds great to you, you’re doing awesome. That’s the goal! Every finished track is proof you’re growing as a mix engineer. Keep practicing, stay patient, and don’t get distracted by the hype around new gear or plugins. Your skills are what make the difference.

So, fire up your DAW, grab a song idea, and start mixing. The more you practice, the closer you’ll get to the sound you’re chasing. You’ve got this.

Talk soon.
-Jaren Scott