After all the individual tracks have been recorded, the process of mixing begins. All tracks are organized, grouped, labeled, etc. A basic mix begins by making sure all tracks are within a specific gain structure, to ensure there is ample headroom moving forward with the process(s). From there I will use equalization, compression, delay, panning, automation, and various other methods to achieve a “commercially viable” song.  Part of the mixing process also involves whether decisions made are serving what the client envisioned. For example, is the chorus hitting hard enough, does it have enough impact? If not, perhaps the preceding verse needs to be reduced in either level, arrangement, or both in order to draw the listener’s attention to the now more impactful chorus. That is just one example of decisions a mix engineer makes on a given song. Mixing is perhaps the most time consuming part of the song creation process. It can quite literally make or break the production. Yes, a good song is a good song regardless, but a good song, mixed and produced well can take a good song and make it great!