How AI Streamlines the Workflow for Mixing Engineers

Mixing can be a wild ride—one minute, you’re vibing with a track, and the next, you’re deep in plugin purgatory tweaking that one vocal frequency that just won’t sit right. But what if I told you AI could take some of that heavy lifting off your shoulders? No, it's not here to replace your golden ears, but it is here to make your workflow smoother, faster, and a whole lot more fun.

Let's talk about how AI is changing the game for mixing engineers and where Kits AI tools fit into the picture.

What is AI Mixing and Mastering?

AI mixing and mastering is a game-changer in the music production world. By leveraging advanced algorithms and machine learning, AI tools can automate the intricate processes of mixing and mastering audio tracks. This means that instead of spending countless hours tweaking levels, EQs, and effects, music producers can rely on AI to handle these tasks efficiently and effectively.

Imagine having a virtual assistant that listens to your music, understands its nuances, and applies the perfect settings to make it sound polished and professional. That’s the power of AI mixing and mastering. These tools analyze your audio tracks, identify areas that need improvement, and apply optimal settings to enhance the overall sound quality. Whether you’re a seasoned music producer or a budding artist, AI mixing and mastering can save you time and effort, allowing you to focus more on the creative aspects of your music.

AI-Powered Vocal Processing (Goodbye, Manual Tuning!)

One of the biggest time sinks in mixing is dialing in vocals. Tuning, cleaning up artifacts, stacking harmonies—it all adds up. This is where Kits AI steps in with Voice Conversion and Harmony Generator tools.

• Instant Voice Conversion: Got a great vocal take, but it’s not quite the right tone? Instantly transform it with a different voice model while keeping all the natural expressions intact. No need to re-record or go heavy on corrective EQ. Kits has a wide selection to fit with any genre you’re working in.

• Harmony Generator: Creating vocal stacks has never been easier. Generate harmonies in just a few clicks, skipping the tedious manual tracking and pitch shifting.

• AI-Powered Vocal Cleanup: Removing unwanted noise and artifacts and even instrumentals has never been simpler. AI-driven tools can automatically detect and remove background noise, reverb, and instrumental or backing vocal bleed, saving you hours of manual editing.

Smart EQ and Dynamic Processing

Plugins like Oeksound Soothe 2 and Gullfoss are already staples for cleaning up harshness and balancing frequencies, but AI-enhanced tools are now making it even easier to achieve polished, pro-level mixes without endless tweaking.

Kits AI fits right into this workflow, especially when working with AI vocals. If you’re using an AI-generated voice, you might need a little extra shaping to blend it seamlessly with live recordings. Kits’ AutoEQ can quickly finetune your vocal sound by applying a balanced, warm or bright EQ curve. In addition to these three, the AutoEQ can also analyze your original audio and match it’s tone, allowing engineers to easily insert a completely different voice into their mixes without having to go back through all their previous work.

Many modern AI mixing tools can now automatically detect problem frequencies and apply subtle corrections to keep your mix sounding clean and professional. One such tool is Antares Vocal De-Esser, which uses AI trained on the unique characteristics of the human voice to control sibilant sounds without compromising the performance or tone of your vocal tracks.  This means less time spent hunting for resonances and more time focusing on creative decisions.

AI for Better Mix References

When working with AI-generated elements, reference tools become even more crucial. Say you’ve used Kits AI to generate a hyper-clean vocal—AI-powered reference tools help ensure it sits naturally in the mix alongside real instruments. These tools can also help maintain consistency across different tracks, ensuring your mixes sound cohesive from start to finish.

Mix engineers swear by reference tracks, but AI is making them even more useful. Tools like Mastering the Mix’s REFERENCE let you analyze tonal balance and compression, and AI-driven assistants like iZotope Neutron give you smart starting points for your mix.

AI-Assisted Mastering

On the mastering side, Kits AI offers AI-powered mastering solutions that can give your track a finished, polished sound without having to send it out to a mastering engineer. With six presets to choose from, this tool might not replace a professional touch, but it can be invaluable for quick demos, reference tracks, and indie releases.

Faster Mix Revisions with AI

Let’s be real: mix revisions can be brutal. AI can speed up the process by automatically detecting problem areas, adjusting levels, and even suggesting fixes before you send out version 14 of your mix.

With AI-assisted tools, you can:

• Instantly clean up vocal tracks without endless automation.

• Auto-balance levels so you’re not nudging faders all day.

• Use AI mastering tools to get a preview of how the final product will sound.

• Get AI-generated mix suggestions based on your reference tracks, ensuring each revision is a step forward rather than endless tweaking.

AI as Your Mixing Assistant, Not Your Replacement

AI isn’t here to take over—it’s here to take care of the tedious stuff so you can focus on what actually matters: creativity. Whether it’s using Kits AI to speed up vocal processing, AI-powered EQs for precision mixing, or smart referencing tools to keep everything in check, AI is the ultimate workflow enhancer.

By incorporating AI into your mixing workflow, you’re not just saving time—you’re gaining a powerful assistant that helps you work smarter, mix faster, and get the most out of your music. And in a world where deadlines are tight and expectations are high, having an AI co-pilot might just be the edge you need.

So if you’re spending hours on tasks that AI could handle in seconds, it might be time to embrace the future. Work smarter, mix faster, and get back to making music, not just moving knobs.

-SK

Sam Kearney is a producer, composer, and sound designer based in Evergreen, Colorado.