The Easiest Way to Add Depth to Your Mix

When we think about "depth" in the mix, we often reach for things like reverb, delay and other fancy FX.
But there's a much simpler way to create front-to-back depth in a mix, and it's more powerful than artificial effects. Here it is!

[timball]

Other depth techniques include:
- Fast attack compression
- Increased predelay on reverb
- Volume/gain reduction
- High pass filtering
- Centred panning

[hyperactivists]

WOW 45 years mixing and I never realized you can do this with a high pass. And there’s less competition for the high end. Good tutorial!

[jbealsmusic]

I've binge watched a few dozen of your videos in the past week. Frankly, you have the best mixing related tutorial content on YouTube (and I follow a lot of "recording tips" channels.) It's criminal that you don't have more subs. The quality of the content you put out is great.

[charlesbrown]

This reminds me of a compression trick I learn a couple of months ago. If you squash a sound with a glue compressor and remove the transient you emulate a sound wave coming from farther away. Complement this with your EQ-trick and you have a nice tool to add depth without needing to get all wet with reverb and delays.

[elviscabrera]

Congrats!
Your spot on. It's a real life example; As things get more distant from you, they lose top end. Even in the studio, the more distant your are from your monitors, the less highs you'll hear. Here's a PR move, based on your tip: At the end of a mix, have your client sit at the engineers chair for added clarity.
Genius!
Thank you, my friend

[Giofergom]

How crazy it is that in 1min and 30 secs you managed to explain something that I couldn't understand in 3 years of mixing.
Thank you!

[killergege]

Great tip !
Depth is something I've been wondering a lot lately, and never managed to do something satisfying with reverb. Will apply it ASAP !

[robhaley]

Some of the best advice I've ever, ever heard, less than 2 minutes in. It's not advice that's convoluted or confusing that you need... it's something like this that is so simple even non-engineers can understand it. It clicked instantly, and now all my mixes are going to be so much better for it. Thank you!!!

[pcaudio]

Excellent stuff! It is easy to forget in the grand scheme some of the simpler steps. Thanks Jordan!

[PhoenixFlip]

Great tip with the delay! Never thought of doing that!

[nathanjean]

Honestly… you deserve an award! Gold! So simple! Changed my whole view on this over complex thing called mixing!

[themodernairline]

Great, simple and clear vid! Thanks for posting!

[norbertbalaz]

Great vid man! Awesome how easy it can be to achiev a great mix! Thanks for your sharing!

[rodrigolaporte]

Very cool tip! will start using it! I've already do that for the delays just for intuition, it's good to know the details on it!

[AudioswayLabs]

Great tip. Thanks so much! I can see how that really provides a good front to back landscape on the mix.

[jirehjamesasis]

Thank you for all that you have done, sharing your knowledge with us. More power to you & God bless!!

[thiagoborges]

First time i heard this in two years of mixing tutorials!! Genius!!! Thank you so much!!!

[EricF]

This might be the single most helpful mixing tutorial I have ever seen. THANK YOU

[dodo]

OMG are you serious? Something as simple as that will give my mixes space?!! Everything just sounds up front in my mix. No depth, space on anything! Thank you.

[michaelbreslin]

THAT DELAY TRICK IS SO GREAT I CAN’T BELIEVE I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT! THANK YOU!