If you’re new to mixing or producing music, it might surprise you how easily industry professionals can spot the differences in recording quality. Songs recorded in-studio hardly compare to homemade music; the quality is almost always 100x better. A final mix should not sound like you recorded it on your phone. People will notice if your song is not up to industry standards.

Engineers spend thousands of hours hyper-analyzing audio to hear the small details casual listeners can’t. As tedious as it can be, and even if you think it’s overkill to care, perfecting the details can make or break a song. Engineers are important; they have trained ears, years of practice, and know what sells. And because their input is valuable, they can be pricey to work with. 

Instead of Hiring an Engineer

Your budget is limited but you want your music to sound good. Let’s say you’ve recorded a song but, to save money, didn’t hire an engineer. You can do a little sound engineering yourself, starting with the car test.

The car test is a common reference in the music industry where, after mixing a track in the studio, you go out and listen to it in the car. Engineers do this to make sure sound translates well across different sets of speakers to create the best experience for listeners. 

Something can sound amazing in the studio, but when you take it home and bump it through your JBL, it doesn’t really hit the same way. Listening to your song through multiple sets of speakers (and taking notes for improvement) can help you polish up your mix.

Your 808 may sound fine in the studio but way too loud in the car and on a bluetooth speaker. This means you should make an adjustment to reduce the bass a little bit on the mix. If you continue to do this with each track, you are guaranteed improvement on the quality of your music over time.

The car test helps you sound more consistent. In other words, what you hear in the studio is also what it will sound like in the car.