What higher-level mixing techniques are a MUST for professional sounding stuff?

Edit, EQ & compression ( knowing how and why). FX (what, and why), automation. You will probably never accomplish a pro level mix without having a sound grasp on any of these. Oh and train your ears, that’s probabky one of the most effective things. If you can’t hear the problem you can’t fix the problem, even understanding that there is a problem. That’s my 2 cents. Master the basics first.
 
On the keep it simple mindset. One does not have to treat the whole room, just the area where the source is. Most of us do not record the entire room, but probably less than 2-3 meters.

This has been discussed on the threads here so many times. If you can't treat the room, treat the area where you will be recording. Mixing and tracking are not the same objectives.

If the sound gets to the mic correct, then it is correct regardless of the room.
 
Some chinese wisdom. About an old and young bull on a mountain looking at a lott off cows.
Google the wisdom for the clue ;)

I heard this when I lived down in Texas from an old Native American colleague. Chinese, are you sure ;)
 
alterman said:
With this example of the condensor microphone you buy yourself the 'problem' of needing to do something with the accoustic. Much less to not needed if you stay with a wide frequency dynamic.

Sort of. Only if you use that dynamic as a nearfield pickup. When the mic is farther away from the source you get more room sound. Condenser mics generally have higher sensitivity (meaning they output a higher signal level) and faster transient response (meaning the sound will start and stop being picked up more quickly in relation to a lower mass pickup element). The polar pattern used will also have an effect, regardless of the type of mic. The biggest influence on the ratio of direct to reflected sound is the working distance.

Getting the acoustics right at the mix position is critical. You can't mix properly to what you can't hear properly.
 
When I worked at a studio the owner never spent time showing me how to mix, because it doesnt exist. We worked on dynamics and eq. Mixing is too personal, and too specific for each song. At mix time we would start with a rough mix and kind of make decisions together. Sometimes he just let me do it and see if the artist was happy. But I learned my own way.
 
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