1. Keep your volume level even or at the same level.
You monitor sound through speakers and headphones, using meters as a reference. Use flat equalization and keep the volume the same the whole time you do the mix to ensure a consistent volume no matter how many tracks are being mixed. Make sure to turn off any equalizers, bass boost, or other enhancements that may be available on the monitoring system.
2. Use good quality speakers.
Avoid using cheap computer speakers and instead use a high quality stereo and amplifier with the equalizer set to flat.
3. Avoid headphones
Keep in mind that headphones will result in a different sound than using speakers will. The lack of ambient sound, coupled with the extreme stereo field, creates an unrealistic monitoring environment that often doesn't translate to larger systems. Mixing solely using headphones is usually avoided, but you can use them if you keep in mind that it sounds different from speakers as sound is not bouncing off surfaces, you will hear more distinction between left and right and you may pick up some sounds you don't hear on speakers. You could probably mix 90% of the time with a good pair of headphones, but you will at some point have to hear your mix through speakers.
4. Choosing the right software.
The sound editing tools found in Final Cut Pro, Premier and Avid will do basic effects but can't be relied on for anything complex. For complex sound editing use professional sound mixing software such as Pro Tools, Soundtrack Pro, or Cubase. These are your best options as they include advanced features to help in cleaning up sound but it is a steep learning curve.
You monitor sound through speakers and headphones, using meters as a reference. Use flat equalization and keep the volume the same the whole time you do the mix to ensure a consistent volume no matter how many tracks are being mixed. Make sure to turn off any equalizers, bass boost, or other enhancements that may be available on the monitoring system.
2. Use good quality speakers.
Avoid using cheap computer speakers and instead use a high quality stereo and amplifier with the equalizer set to flat.
3. Avoid headphones
Keep in mind that headphones will result in a different sound than using speakers will. The lack of ambient sound, coupled with the extreme stereo field, creates an unrealistic monitoring environment that often doesn't translate to larger systems. Mixing solely using headphones is usually avoided, but you can use them if you keep in mind that it sounds different from speakers as sound is not bouncing off surfaces, you will hear more distinction between left and right and you may pick up some sounds you don't hear on speakers. You could probably mix 90% of the time with a good pair of headphones, but you will at some point have to hear your mix through speakers.
4. Choosing the right software.
The sound editing tools found in Final Cut Pro, Premier and Avid will do basic effects but can't be relied on for anything complex. For complex sound editing use professional sound mixing software such as Pro Tools, Soundtrack Pro, or Cubase. These are your best options as they include advanced features to help in cleaning up sound but it is a steep learning curve.