Audio mixing determines whether your content sounds professional or amateur. Viewers will watch a video with average visuals and great audio. They will not watch a video with great visuals and terrible audio. Mixing is where raw recordings become polished, clear, and balanced.
We mix audio for church content, podcasts, brand videos, and event recordings. This guide covers the fundamentals that apply to every mixing situation.
The Mixing Chain (In Order)
Noise reduction
Always first. Capture a noise profile from a silent section of your audio (room tone, AC hum, etc.). Apply noise reduction across the clip. Reduce by 6-12 dB — too much makes the voice sound robotic. DaVinci Resolve Fairlight, Audacity, and Adobe Audition all have this.
High-pass filter (EQ)
Cut everything below 80 Hz. Human voice rarely goes below 80 Hz — everything down there is rumble, HVAC, and handling noise. This single EQ move cleans up most audio immediately.
EQ adjustments
Cut the mud at 200-400 Hz (where boominess lives). Add presence at 3-5 kHz (clarity and intelligibility). Add air at 10-12 kHz sparingly (brightness). Use subtractive EQ — cut problems instead of boosting what sounds good.
Compression
Compression evens out the volume — quiet parts come up, loud parts come down. Settings for voice: ratio 3:1, threshold at -18 dB, attack 10ms, release 100ms. This makes the voice consistent without sounding squeezed.
De-essing (if needed)
Sibilance (harsh S and T sounds) can be distracting. A de-esser reduces the sharp frequencies around 5-8 kHz only when they spike. Most modern DAWs include a de-esser plugin. Apply gently.
Level balancing
Set dialogue to peak at -12 dB to -6 dB. Background music at -20 dB to -30 dB below dialogue. Sound effects at natural volume relative to the scene. Use keyframes to duck music during speech.
Loudness check
YouTube target: -14 LUFS (YouTube will normalize to this). Podcast target: -16 LUFS (Spotify, Apple Podcasts normalize here). Broadcast: -24 LUFS. Use a loudness meter to verify before export.
Mixing Software Comparison
| Software | Price | Best For | Learning Curve |
|---|---|---|---|
| DaVinci Resolve Fairlight | Free | Video editors who need audio mixing | Moderate |
| Audacity | Free | Basic editing, noise reduction | Easy |
| Adobe Audition | $22.99/mo | Advanced cleanup, spectral editing | Moderate |
| GarageBand | Free (Mac) | Music, podcasts, simple mixing | Easy |
| Logic Pro | $199 one-time | Professional music production | Steep |
| Reaper | $60 | Budget professional DAW | Steep |
For video producers, our podcast mixing guide covers the complete Fairlight workflow in DaVinci Resolve.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is audio mixing?
Audio mixing is the process of combining multiple audio sources (voice, music, sound effects) into a balanced final mix. It involves setting levels, applying EQ, compression, noise reduction, and ensuring everything sounds clear and professional together.
What software do I need for audio mixing?
DaVinci Resolve Fairlight (free) is excellent for video-related mixing. Audacity (free) for basic audio editing. Adobe Audition ($22.99/mo) for advanced cleanup. GarageBand (free on Mac) for music mixing. For video editors, Fairlight built into Resolve is the best free option.
What level should dialogue be in a video?
Dialogue should peak between -12 dB and -6 dB. This leaves headroom for music and effects without clipping. Background music should sit at -20 dB to -30 dB below dialogue. These levels ensure clear speech on every playback device.
How do I remove background noise from audio?
Use noise reduction: capture a noise profile from a silent section, then apply reduction across the entire clip. DaVinci Resolve Fairlight, Audacity, and Adobe Audition all have this. A noise gate removes sound below a threshold. Combine both for clean audio.
At Ruah Creative House, audio mixing is part of every project we deliver — from sermon editing to podcast production and brand video. Clean audio is non-negotiable. Need professional mixing? Get in touch.