AI is revolutionizing many industries, and music production is no exception. AI-powered mixing tools can now analyze tracks and make EQ, compression, reverb, and other adjustments to achieve professional-quality mixes with minimal human input. There are many tools to help you create great tracks by utilizing machine learning algorithms. This article will explain everything you should know about AI mixing.
How Does AI Mixing Work?
AI mixing tools utilize sophisticated machine learning algorithms trained on thousands of professionally mixed tracks of different genres. It allows the AI to understand what constitutes a high-quality mix. The algorithm can then analyze different elements of the mix, such as frequency balance, dynamic range, stereo width, and other critical attributes, and adjust them accordingly.
A well-trained algorithm can analyze key mix factors across different instruments, track stems, and output the final mix faster than a human engineer. The AI system can then use this analysis and training to make automatic and smart mixing decisions. It can perform steps such as tweaking EQ shapes and settings, adjusting compressor thresholds, and setting filter parameters to polish the mix.
Many AI mixing assistants work as plug-ins that you can use with your preferred DAW. It allows them to analyze mixes to make intelligent adjustments in real-time. Over time, AI will learn and build a clear understanding of your production style and adjust its mixes accordingly.
Popular AI Mixing Tools
Several AI offerings in the market can help you achieve a professional-sounding mix. Here are some of the popular ones.
iZotope Neutron 4
The iZotope Neutron 4 is a new mixing suite from iZotope that comes with eight plugins, one mothership, and seven component plugins. You can use these plugins individually or combined with the mothership interface. This tool has some useful features that will help you easily mix music.
The Unmask module helps identify and fix masking issues between sounds in a mix to improve clarity. The Trash mode in the Exciter module lets you add distortion using technology from iZotope's Trash plug-in. Punch Mode in the Compressor module can create more impactful sounds.
There is an updated mixer assistant view where the Neutron 4’s AI capacity shows. It gives personalized starting points for the mix and allows customization as needed. The new feature Audiolens works seamlessly with this plugin to automatically populate saved reference targets to your Neutron 4 target library. Here, the AI will analyze the references so you can quickly match them with your mix to create great-sounding mixes.
If you are looking for an AI-assisted tool to help speed up your workflow and achieve polished mixes with minimal effort, the iZotope Neutron 4 might be the right tool.
Smart:EQ 3 by Sonible
It is an intelligent equalizer plugin from Sonible that helps establish spectral balance in individual tracks and multi-track arrangements. It uses AI filters to correct tonal imbalances, leaving only well-balanced sound automatically.
Its EQ view allows you to optimize the tone of single tracks. You choose a profile to prime the Smart Engine algorithm, then hit record, and smarteq3 analyzes the track and applies corrective EQ filtering to fix resonances, notches, and other issues. The group view lets you create a mixed hierarchy across six tracks. It applies intelligent cross-channel processing to eliminate masking and create a transparent, smooth-sounding arrangement where each element has its own space.
Other key features include adjustable parameters over the AI correction process, a redesigned set of profiles to choose from, splittable smart filters, and an intuitive interface to help users stay in their creative flow.
Smarteq3 leverages the power of AI to solve complex equalization tasks automatically and intelligently. It makes it easy for mix engineers to achieve spectral balance, detail, clarity, and transparency with minimal effort compared to manual EQing.
Lalal.ai
LALAL.AI is an AI-powered service for separating and extracting vocal instruments and stems from full audio or video files. It leverages advanced machine learning called "Orion" to remove or isolate elements like vocal, drums, bass, guitar, piano, and synth parts from songs and videos without quality loss. The Orion AI continues to be trained on more data to improve separation quality over time.
This versatile tool brings professional-grade stem and vocal separation to individual music creators and editors through an automated online service. Where manual isolation is imprecise and time-consuming, it leverages leading AI to handle this complex task quickly. Engineers can combine tracks in new ways, change tempo, pitch shift only certain parts, and more for creative freedom.
Fast Bundle by Focusrite
The FAST plugin bundle from Focusrite is a suite of 5 AI-powered audio plugins to streamline mixing and mastering workflows. It leverages machine learning technology to analyze audio signals automatically and make appropriate sonic adjustments. This versatile tool can deliver professional quality results with minimal manual effort.
The bundle includes the FAST Compressor for controlled and optimized dynamics. It uses AI to adjust the compression settings automatically according to your material. The FAST Equalizer helps you find the correct EQ curve for your track for quick EQ balancing.
You can choose from warm, natural, or bright tones to adjust the tonal character of your mix. The FAST Reveal plugin can carve out space between competing mix elements. It identifies your sound source's profile and automatically adjusts background and foreground signals. The FAST Verb plugin is suitable for quickly adding depth to your vocals and instruments.
You can apply the right reverb to the track using the Instrument Profile. It will help you add unique character to your sound with its Natural, Artificial, and Balance flavor presets. For loudness maximization and reference-grade mastering, there is a FAST Limiter. The AI does all the heavy lifting and sets parameters that adjust according to the unique characteristics of your track. You can choose Modern, Neutral, or Aggressive flavors to influence the track's sound.
With the ability to detect signal characteristics and musical elements like vocals, drums, and bass, the FAST plugins self-adjust their parameters to fit the needs of the given audio. It allows music producers at any skill level to achieve polished, release-ready results without getting bogged down in technical details.
The AI systems' capabilities and creative human choices can help create an exciting and refined groundbreaking sound. As AI becomes more capable, it becomes an indispensable tool that can help you take your music in new directions. Use these tools to streamline your workflow and easily create great-sounding tracks.