Mixing engineer

Whether in music, cinema, or any other auditory material, a mixing engineer (also known as a "mixdown" engineer) is responsible for merging ("mixing") diverse sound parts of an auditory piece into a full rendering (also known as a "final mix" or "mixdown" engineer). While achieving a good balance of features such as loudness, pan placement, and other effects in the completed piece, whether it is recorded or performed live, it is also necessary to reconcile any emergent frequency conflicts from the different sound sources. These sound sources may include a range of genres instrument or vocalists in a band or orchestra, speech or foley in a film, and a variety of other elements.

A great deal of expertise and training with audio equipment is often required for the greatest mixing pros, which allows them to become experts in their field. A mixing engineer occupies a liminal zone between the realms of artistry and science, and his or her abilities are employed to examine the harmonic structure of sound in order to create the timbres that are wanted. However, because of the simplicity with which they can be used and accessed, many musicians are now able to mix and compose their own music using just a digital audio workstation and an internet-connected laptop or desktop computer.