Don’t touch the volume when mixing!

Constant listening levels during mixdown is critical, as our perception of frequency changes according to sound pressure levels. In plain English: we hear pitch differently depending on the volume.

For example, at high volume, our perception of sound frequencies may resemble this:

…whereas at lower listening levels, it’s more likely to resemble this:

So when you alter your listening level halfway through mixing, you might inadvertently overcompensate for the “missing” lows and highs. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t ever raise/lower the volume when mixing – just be aware! -kf