I mostly mix these genres: Pop, R&B, Hip hop, Rap, Gospel, Christian, Afro-beat and very little EDM. The levels of your vocal ( especially lead vocal) are of utmost importance to the genre you are mixing. If you are a beginner or intermediate mix engineer, use this rule I have given you for at least 10-20 mixes then you may start breaking the rules. However, like all rules and guidelines, they are meant to be broken wisely. But if you have an instrumental that has already been mastered and hyper-compressed which is often the case. In that case, your case is different.Īfter studying various genres of music mixed by legends in the business. I have found this is the common practice. Vocals, especially the lead vocal should be louder than musical elements but a tad bit behind the drum transients in my opinion.
How loud should vocals be compared to instrumental Stay away from burying your vocals, especially your lead vocal in the mix. When vocals are too low in volume, they tend to disappear and lose the attention of listeners. You want a vocal that pulls your listeners into your music. That’s just obnoxious! Nobody wants that. What you don’t want is a vocal poking out like a sore thumb in your song.
No and Yes! Well it depends on the genre and style you are mixing or what the song calls for.
