So this is sort of a debate between audio engineers. When you ask people how long they take to mix a song, I have heard a variety of answers. Some say an 8 hour day. Others have said two 8 hour days, some say half a day. So what is technically correct or just a good approach in general?
In my early days I did a lot of rock and metal so an 8 hour day sometimes was the case because of drum replacement, drum editing, pitch correction, cool post production effects etc. However nowadays i get more hiphop, pop, and r&b so its basically just mixing instrumental stems and vocal layers.
So after years of doing this, I have found that less time on a mix results in a better mix.I have done a mix in 1 hour and loved it. Sometimes 3 hours and loved it. Sounds crazy but what your ears naturally hear off the rip and the decisions you make are often the best decisions. Those times where I obsess over the mix and let high expectations of the artist pressure me, are the mixes that don’t turn out right. Mixing is all about trusting your judgement and not thinking too much about what the artist or label will think. You obviously need to have a reference and a goal of how the mix should turn out but don’t over think.
Ask yourself if it sounds good to you. If you were the artist, would you be satisfied? That goes a LONG way.
Perfect Vocals Academy 