mixdown

Mixdown is the process of combining multiple individual audio tracks into a single stereo or multichannel master suitable for distribution. It can refer to the final mix as well as the session in which the mix is created. The term originated in analog multi-track recording and remains in use in both music production and audio post.

In music production, the mixdown involves balancing levels and panning, applying equalization and dynamic processing, and adding effects such as reverb and delay. Subgroups or busses are often used to process related instruments together. Automation is employed to adjust levels, effects, and tonal balance over time. The result is typically a stereo track, though multichannel formats (5.1, 7.1) are common for film or gaming.

Mixdown is distinct from mastering, which follows to optimize loudness, tonal balance, and consistency across a release. In film and television, mixdown refers to the dubbing of dialogue, music, and sound effects into final composite tracks, produced in a dedicated theater with calibrated monitors and room acoustics.

Historically, mixdown was performed by gradually reducing the number of tracks on tape onto a two-track master. Today, digital audio workstations render mixdowns as stereo or surround files, and engineers may deliver stems as alternative mixdowns for future remixes or archival purposes.