So let’s talk mixtapes. Better yet, let’s talk about the quality of a mixtape. Since the rise in their popularity a few years back, artists have used mixtapes as platforms to get music out as a free promotional tool. Now for the common misconception that I’ve heard plenty of times: “I don’t need to get it mixed because I’m giving it out for free.” One of the statements that is absolutely true is that you have one chance to make a first impression. That statement holds a lot of weight. Now, does that mean that you have to go and spend hundreds of dollars to mix each song? Not at all. But having the attitude that you do not need your music to sound good because it’s a freebie shouldn’t even cross your mind.

I remember hearing Drake’s “So Far Gone” mixtape and thinking how amazing it sounded. It was a mixtape, but I can tell how much time was put into crafting it. When 40 [Noah “40” Shabib] had told me he mixed it mostly on headphones, I was blown away. 40 is an amazing engineer, so having a trained ear helped, but he spent quite a bit of time perfecting the sound. Later, that mixtape was re-released as an album on iTunes. You never know where your music will end up, and I wasn’t surprised.

Now saying that, what’s the best way to approach making your mixtape sound the best it can without spending all this money to get it mixed? For starters, make sure you record your vocals properly. This is by far the most important thing. The saying I live by is “you cannot polish a turd.” If you can’t record your vocals right—distortion, over compression, poor recording environment—a good mix won’t help it much. Hip hop is always about the vocal. Learn to do this properly and I can assure you that it will make your life a lot easier in the long run. If you want to spend your money properly, then this is where you should go to a pro studio or find a qualified engineer. And when I talk about qualified engineers, I’m not talking about “pro tools operators.” I’m talking about engineers who have a track record and experience in the field. At least you can rest easier knowing that your vocals will be properly recorded.

Second, there seems to be a growing trend of using some industry beats but having singles that are original music. That is where you might want to spend the money on mixing. Single, single, single! A great mix engineer will take that song to the next level, guaranteed.

Third, if you are using industry beats, try and find the highest quality mp3 download you can find. Anything 192 kps and above is your best bet. I know I’m talking about mp3s, but we are in the age of downloading, so it’s important to mention that first. Of course if you can get your hands on the actual WAV file, that would be ideal. This would be a 44.1K 16-bit file.

Everything you do in this business should be done with the utmost quality. No reason in the world to cut corners, even though it’s a mixtape. The latest project to prove me on this was Frank Ocean’s [“Nostalgia, Ultra”]. Even though it was considered a mixtape, I consider it an album. You can tell that they took their time from the recording, mixing, sequencing, and everything else in between. Now the industry is going wild and he is in the studio with all the best players. You never know.

I hope I was able to shed some light on sound quality in mixtapes with what I have written here. Again, don’t hold yourself back. Make the best product you possibly can without having the mentality of “Oh its just a mixtape.” It’s what represents you, and we all know that our work has to shine no matter what. With that said, peace and happy recordings.

Ariel Borujow is a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum engineer who has worked with some of the industry’s most esteemed artists and producers ranging from P Diddy, Black Eyed Peas, Just Blaze, and Kanye West. He currently works out of his C4 Mix room at Stadium Red Studios in Harlem (stadiumredny.com) alongside producers Omen and Just Blaze, who also call the facility home.

For bookings please contact juliet@westwardmusicgroup.com