Mix Trick or Trash? Joe Chiccarelli Rates 15 Mix Tips

Feb 05, 2026 | 57,231 Views

Ever wonder what a multi-Grammy-winning engineer thinks of social media's favorite mixing hacks?

In this latest episode of Mix Trick or Trash, Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, Weezer, Alanis Morissette) shares his expert opinions on 15 mixing philosophies. It’s a masterclass in gut instinct over textbooks, delivered with the blunt honesty only a pro like Joe can provide.

  • 0:00 - Introduction
  • 0:29 - High-pass everything
  • 0:55 - Always mix with reference tracks
  • 2:06 - Mixing in mono
  • 2:37 - Quantizing live drums
  • 3:27 - Mixing at low monitor levels
  • 3:55 - Checking your mixing the car
  • 4:26 - Tuning drum toms to the key of the song
  • 5:05 - Writing vocal automation to lead vocals
  • 5:51 - Mixing through your stereo bus as early as possible
  • 7:06 - If the mix sounds good on AirPods, it’s done
  • 7:36 - Using only one reverb for the entire mix
  • 8:36 - Starting every drum mix with the kick and snare
  • 9:28 - Loading all or most of your go-to plugins before starting a mix
  • 10:17 - Sidechain compression
  • 10:45 - Keeping an eye on gain staging throughout your mix

Mix Trick or Trash is where industry experts cut through the noise. Watch Episode 1 to find out which mix tips held up to Chris Galland’s seasoned studio perspective.

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