The "Loudness" Trap One of the biggest complaints we hear from bedroom producers is, "Why does my mix sound thin compared to the pros?". The irony is that in an attempt to make tracks sound loud and huge, many producers destroy the very thing that gives a mix power: Dynamics. I’ve spent 20+ years engineering for artists like Taylor Swift, Nine Inch Nails, and The Doors. If there is one thing I’ve learned from working on platinum records, it’s that "loud" comes from a balanced mix, not a smashed master fader. A mix with no headroom is a mix with...