As a professional mixing & mastering engineer, I hear this all the time.
You've got a friend with a DAW who knows how to EQ and use compression, etc.
But what you don't realize is:
π Professional mixing & mastering comes down to experience! π―
For every mix I hear that uses 1,000 plugins and took a week to make...
...There's another mix I've heard that took an hour and uses two plugins, and sounds waaay better! π₯
And why is this? π§
This is because pro mixing & mastering relies on your EARS more than anything else! π
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More than the gear you have
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More than the amount of time spent... β°
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Even more than the quality of the recording sent to the mixer!
And why risk your time and money with someone who's unproven?Β
...When I've been trusted to work with studios and producers that have worked with names like:
π Jack Harlow
π The Hunger Games
π Brockhampton
Just to name a few? π
You're much better off investing in a professional with years of experience under his/her belt! πͺ