How to Give Great Mix & Mastering Revision Notes
Why clear feedback helps your engineer get the best results
When you hire someone to mix or master your music, communication is just as important as the technical side. A great mix engineer can only deliver their best work if they fully understand what you want — and that starts with clear, structured feedback.
Vague comments like “make it sound bigger” or “something feels off” might express how you feel, but they don’t tell your engineer what to change. The clearer your revision notes, the faster and more accurately your track will reach that final, polished, release-ready state.
💡 Why good revision notes matter
They save time and money.
The more precise your notes are, the fewer revision rounds you’ll need — which means quicker turnaround and less back-and-forth.They help your mix engineer understand your vision.
Good notes translate your creative goals into technical actions. Whether it’s balancing vocals, tightening low-end, or matching the energy of a reference track, clarity keeps the mix aligned with your intent.They strengthen collaboration.
Mixing and mastering are team efforts. Clear communication shows respect for the engineer’s time and skill — and usually results in them going the extra mile for you.
🧠 How to structure your feedback
When sending mix or master revision notes:
Be specific. Mention which element (e.g., “lead vocal,” “kick drum,” “bass synth”) and where in the song it happens.
Use time markers. Reference exact points in the track (e.g., “at 1:08 the snare feels too bright”).
Describe the goal, not just the problem. Instead of “the vocal’s too quiet,” say “raise the vocal slightly so it sits above the synth pad in the chorus.”
Reference other tracks if helpful. A short Spotify or YouTube example can give the engineer instant context.
Group your notes. Organise by category (Vocals, Drums, FX, etc.) to keep it easy to follow.
⚙️ The result: faster turnarounds, better mixes
Good revision notes aren’t about being technical — they’re about being clear. When you communicate your ideas precisely, your mixing or mastering engineer can spend more time improving the music and less time guessing.
Below, you’ll find examples of bad vs good revision notes — a quick visual guide showing how small changes in phrasing can massively improve results and speed up the entire mixing and mastering process.
🎚️ Mix Revision Notes: Good vs Bad
How to give clear, useful feedback that gets faster, better results.
🎤 1. Vocal Level & Tone
❌ Bad
“Can you make the vocal sound better?”
“The vocal feels off somehow.”
✅ Good
“The main vocal feels a little low in the first verse — maybe +1dB overall.”
“Can you brighten the vocal slightly around 8–10kHz for more air, but keep sibilance under control?”
🔊 2. Low End / Kick / Bass
❌ Bad
“The low end doesn’t hit right.”
“Kick and bass aren’t working together.”
✅ Good
“Kick feels buried under bass between 0:45–1:10 — bring kick up ~1dB or tighten sidechain.”
“Too much sub below 40Hz — roll off a little for better translation.”
🥁 3. Drums & Groove
❌ Bad
“The drums don’t slap.”
“Can you make it hit harder?”
✅ Good
“Snare feels soft — add transient snap or a 3–5kHz boost.”
“Drum bus compression a bit heavy; ease off for more groove.”
🎹 4. Instruments & Layers
❌ Bad
“The synths feel messy.”
“Guitars are weird.”
✅ Good
“Mid synth pad at 2:10 masks vocal — lower ~2dB or dip EQ at 1–2kHz.”
“Right-panned guitar sharp around 2.5kHz — soften slightly.”
🌫️ 5. Effects & Space
❌ Bad
“Too much reverb.”
“Make it sound more spacious.”
✅ Good
“Lead vocal reverb tail too long in verse — shorten decay for clarity.”
“Add width/reverb on BVs in chorus for contrast.”
⚡ 6. Arrangement & Transitions
❌ Bad
“The drop doesn’t hit.”
“The build-up needs more energy.”
✅ Good
“At 1:05 the transition into the drop feels flat — try filter rise or volume ramp.”
“Bring the drop kick in one bar earlier for more impact.”
🎧 7. Overall Mix Feel
❌ Bad
“The mix just doesn’t sound right.”
“Needs to be louder.”
✅ Good
“Balance is good, but add a touch more top-end sheen — gentle shelf at 10kHz+.”
“Raise final master ~1dB RMS to match [reference track name].”
💬 8. Communication Style
❌ Bad
“It still sounds wrong. I don’t like what you did.”
✅ Good
“Love how the chorus feels now! Verses could use a touch more warmth to match.”
🧾 Quick Reference
| Type | Bad Example | Good Example |
|---|---|---|
| Vocal | “Make it better.” | “+1dB on verse vocal, add air at 10kHz.” |
| Bass | “Too muddy.” | “Cut at 200Hz, keep sub <50Hz clean.” |
| Drums | “Doesn’t hit.” | “Add transient to snare, reduce bus comp.” |
| FX | “Too wet.” | “Shorter reverb tail on lead vocal.” |
| Transitions | “Drop’s weak.” | “Add riser/volume ramp into 1:05 drop.” |
| Overall | “Not loud enough.” | “+1dB RMS to match reference.” |
© YARDWRK / PEAK Producer Training – Clear notes = faster mixes 🔥