Mixing vs. Mastering: What Austin Artists Get Wrong (and How to Fix It Before Your Release)

By Blak Marigold Studio — Austin’s one-stop shop for sound that travels from East 6th to Spotify’s New Music Friday.

You’ve been there: you record a track, bounce it down, throw it on in the car headed down Mopac… and it sounds nothing like it did in your headphones. The vocals vanish, the bass eats everything, the highs slice like a broken margarita blender at Chuy’s.

That’s usually because somebody (maybe you, maybe your “friend who knows Pro Tools”) mixed and mastered it like they were the same thing. Spoiler: they’re not.

At Blak Marigold Studio, we’ve helped artists hit over 1.3 billion streams (yep, Muso confirms it), and one of the most common mistakes we see is confusing mixing with mastering. Let’s clear this up — with a little sarcasm, some real Austin perspective, and advice you can actually use.

Mixing vs. Mastering: The Honest Breakdown

• Mixing: Balancing the ingredients. Vocals, drums, guitars, synths — each one EQ’d, compressed, placed, and leveled so they sit together instead of fighting like drunk roommates.

• Mastering: Making the meal plate-worthy. Once it’s mixed, mastering polishes it, balances loudness, and makes sure it tastes the same whether you eat it at home, at a dive bar, or on a Spotify playlist in Seoul.

Think of it this way: mixing is the chef cooking, mastering is the plating before it leaves the kitchen.

Where Austin Artists Go Wrong

We’ve heard the demos. Here’s what happens way too often:

1. “Louder is better” syndrome. You slam everything into the red, then wonder why Spotify turns it down and your mix sounds flat.

2. Ignoring the car test. If it doesn’t slap in a Civic with subwoofers, it’s not ready.

3. Skipping references. If you’re not comparing your track to pro records, you’re mixing blind.

4. Assuming mastering will fix bad mixing. That’s like painting over a cracked wall — it just cracks again.

5. Mixing on one system. Headphones alone won’t tell you what that track sounds like on 6th Street’s PA system.

The Blak Marigold Fix

Here’s how we handle it (and why artists keep coming back):

• Hybrid workflow. Analog flavor meets digital precision. SSL, Neve vibes + modern tools = results.

• Translation checks. Studio monitors → earbuds → car subs → Bluetooth → (sometimes) club test. If it passes all that, it’s ready.

• Smart loudness. We don’t just crank it; we match streaming targets so it bangs without getting squashed.

• Revisions built in. You get a say. We adjust. Simple.

Want to see how we do it? Check our Mixing & Mastering page.

Real-World Examples

• Case 1: Rapper brings us a track mixed at home. Vocals buried, hi-hats piercing. We carve space with EQ, add tasteful compression, tuck ad-libs just right. Result? Club-ready.

• Case 2: Indie band drops off stems. Mix is thin, guitars all fighting. We widen them, clean up the low end, glue the whole thing together in mastering. Suddenly sounds like it belongs on KUTX.

• Case 3: Singer-songwriter brings a “finished” mix. Mastering reveals distortion baked into the stems. Solution? Re-mix, then master. Tough love, but necessary.

Austin Context: Why Translation Matters

This city is wild with sound systems. What works at Empire Control Room might collapse on a Bluetooth speaker at Barton Springs. If your mix only sounds good in one environment, it’s toast.

That’s why we check across systems. Our reputation (and your streams) depend on it. With over 1.3 billion plays on records we’ve touched, we know fans don’t forgive sloppy mixes — especially when they can skip to the next polished track instantly.

Pricing Reality (and How We’re Different)

Let’s be real: Austin has studios listing scary hourly rates or “day lockouts” where you blow half your budget before the chorus even gets EQ’d. Others offer “flat fees” with zero revisions.

At Blak Marigold Studio, we give custom quotes. You pay for the song, not the clock. And revisions are part of the deal, because nobody gets it perfect on the first bounce. (Check our Recording Studio page for more.)

Prep Before You Send Us Tracks

• Name your stems. “finalmixNEW_v3.wav” isn’t cute.

• Leave headroom. Don’t send us tracks already clipped.

• Bring references. If you want Travis Scott vocal space or Billie Eilish vocal intimacy, tell us.

• Be realistic. One hour of work won’t make you sound like Kendrick.

Why Reputation Counts

Anyone can buy plugins. Not everyone can point to platinum credits, Muso verification, and 1.3+ billion streams.

When you trust Blak Marigold Studio, you’re getting results that have been heard everywhere — from Austin bars to global playlists. That’s why artists book us: we know what actually works.

Call to Action

Ready to stop confusing mixing with mastering and actually drop something that translates everywhere? Let’s work.

Start with our Mixing & Mastering services.

Or lock in a full studio session through our booking page.

FAQs (Because You’ll Ask Anyway)

• What’s the difference between mixing and mastering?

  Mixing balances each element of your track; mastering polishes the final mix so it translates everywhere.

• Why can’t I just skip mastering if my mix sounds good?

  Because your “good mix” might collapse on Spotify, car subs, or club systems. Mastering makes it consistent.

• Does mastering make my track louder?

  Yes, but properly. Not “brickwalled into a pancake” loud.

• Can mastering fix a bad mix?

  Not really. It can polish, but if the vocals are buried or the kick is clipping, you need a remix first.

• Can I do both mixing and mastering at home?

  You can try. But plugins aren’t a replacement for experienced ears, pro monitoring, and a treated room.

• What’s the average cost of mixing and mastering in Austin?

  Mixing: $200–$600 per song. Mastering: $50–$150. At Blak Marigold, we do custom quotes with revisions included.

• How long does it take to mix and master a song?

  Mixing: usually 1–3 days. Mastering: 24–72 hours depending on project scope.

• Why does my mastered track sound quieter on Spotify?

  Because Spotify normalizes volume. Mastering targets their standards so it still hits without distortion.

• Do you use analog or digital gear for mixing and mastering?

  At Blak Marigold, we use both — analog for warmth, digital for precision.

• Do you offer remote mixing and mastering?

  Yes. Send stems or a stereo mix, we send back polished, radio-ready tracks.

• How do I prep files for mixing or mastering?

  Label stems clearly, export in 24-bit WAV/AIFF, leave –6dB headroom, and remove unnecessary FX unless they’re intentional.

• Why should I choose Blak Marigold Studio over another Austin studio?

  Because our mixes and masters have powered 1.3 billion+ streams, we’re Muso-verified, and we know Austin’s music scene inside and out.

Final Thought

Mixing and mastering aren’t the same thing. Get them both wrong, and your track dies in the car test. Get them right, and suddenly you’re competing on playlists with the big names.

At Blak Marigold Studio, we don’t just make songs sound good in one room. We make them sound good everywhere. That’s why we’ve helped rack up billions of plays — and why your next track could be the one that breaks through.

Book now → https://www.blakmarigold.com/mixing-and-mastering.