Mixing for Guitarists: Make Your Recordings Sound Huge

You’ve recorded your guitar parts… now what?

This one-hour workshop is all about taking those raw tracks and turning them into a proper mix that sounds great on any system – from studio monitors to phone speakers.

Designed as a follow-on from our “Creative Guitar Recording” session, this workshop shows you how to use compression, EQ, reverb, panning and basic mix bus processing in a clear, guitar-focused way. You don’t need to be a tech wizard – just comfortable with basic recording.

What we’ll cover

In this practical session we’ll walk through a full mix, step by step, focusing on guitar-friendly techniques:

• Compression made simple
• • How to use attack, release, ratio and threshold without frying your brain
  • Tightening up rhythm guitars vs smoothing out leads
• EQ for clarity
• • Getting rid of muddiness and harshness
  • Carving space so guitars, bass and drums all sit together
• Space & depth with reverb and delay
• • Creating width and ambience without washing everything out
  • Keeping guitars upfront and exciting in the mix
• Balancing the whole track
• • Volume, panning and automation for dynamic, musical mixes
  • Simple mix-bus processing (gentle compression & limiting)
• Translation: making it sound good everywhere
• • Checking mixes on different speakers/headphones
  • Using reference tracks like a pro

You’ll see exactly what’s happening on screen and hear the difference in real time, with the chance to ask questions as we go.

Is this for me?

This workshop is perfect if you:

• Play guitar and record at home (DAW of your choice – Logic, Reaper, GarageBand, etc.)
• Came to our Creative Guitar Recording session and want the next step: mixing
• Have demos that sound “okay” but not quite radio-ready or gig-ready
• Want to understand why your plugins work, not just click presets

You don’t have to have attended the first workshop, but we’ll assume you know how to record a basic guitar track into a DAW.

What to bring

• Optional: a USB stick or link to one of your own guitar sessions/stems
• A notepad / your laptop if you like taking notes
• Your questions about your own mixes!

We’ll provide example sessions to work from, so you can still participate fully even if you don’t bring anything.

Practical info

• Length: 1 hour
• Format: Live, small-group workshop with demos, tips and Q&A
• Location: Guitar Academy Petersfield (studio/reception area)
• Suitable for: Teen and adult guitarists with basic recording experience

You’ll leave with

• A clear, repeatable mixing checklist you can use at home
• Confidence to use compression, EQ and reverb on your guitar tracks
• Practical tips to fix your current mixes straight away
• Fresh inspiration to turn your ideas into finished songs

If you’ve ever thought, “My playing’s fine – I just wish it sounded bigger and clearer,” this workshop is for you.