#234: How to Prevent Over Mixing & Finish Tracks Faster with Lij Shaw

2026-02-17

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How to prevent overmixing and finish tracks faster is one of the biggest challenges facing independent producers. In this episode of Inside The Mix, Marc Matthews sits down with producer and Recording Studio Rockstars host Lij Shaw to unpack a powerful truth: the fix for overmixing isn’t another plugin, it’s a process.Why do producers overmix in the first place? What makes a song feel complete? And how do you know when to stop mixing music? Marc and Lij break down the psychology behind endless tweaking and explain how to cha...

How to prevent overmixing and finish tracks faster is one of the biggest challenges facing independent producers. In this episode of Inside The Mix, Marc Matthews sits down with producer and Recording Studio Rockstars host Lij Shaw to unpack a powerful truth: the fix for overmixing isn’t another plugin, it’s a process.

Why do producers overmix in the first place? What makes a song feel complete? And how do you know when to stop mixing music? Marc and Lij break down the psychology behind endless tweaking and explain how to channel that instinct into structured improvement instead of decision paralysis.

You’ll learn a simple “1% rule” for steady growth, how templates and labelled routing speed up workflow, and why mixing on the fly can capture more energy than a drawn-out session. They explore plugin overwhelm, the danger of polishing the life out of a track, and how to separate creative play from technical execution.

Marc also shares practical systems to prevent overmixing: print early, leave the room, level-match your references, and use car and phone checks to spot real issues. You’ll discover how to recognise diminishing returns, gather meaningful feedback, and finish music with confidence.

If you’re stuck tweaking instead of releasing, this episode gives you a repeatable system to close projects and build momentum.

TL;DR:

Overmixing isn’t a plugin problem; it’s a process problem. Use templates, the 1% rule, fresh ears, and level-matched checks to finish tracks faster and keep their energy.

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