Monitoring Techniques

Listening to your monitors may seem straightforward, but there's much more to it than just sitting in front of them and hitting play. Your listening habits hugely impact your mixing ability and the translation of your work to other systems.

In this Puremix exclusive, award-winning producer and engineer, Fab Dupont dives into the science and art of monitoring. He explains how volume affects perception, the importance of consistency, and strategies to ensure your mixes translate perfectly outside of your studio.

See how Fab Dupont:

Explains the concept of monitoring levels and how they influence your mix balance
Details the significance of the Fletcher-Munson curve and how it guides optimal listening levels
Shows practical steps to standardize your monitoring level using SPL meters and simple calibration techniques
Discusses how to use different types of monitors and headphones to cross-reference your mix and ensure balance across all playback systems
Demonstrates methods to adjust your listening environment to overcome room acoustics and speaker idiosyncrasies
Shares tips on managing ear fatigue and ensuring consistent mixing quality over long sessions
Explores how quiet listening can be particularly effective for placing vocals and maintaining mix balance
Teaches how to set up secondary reference speakers to get an alternate perspective on your mix
Shows how to use the Process.Audio plugin, Decibel, to listen to AirPods when working in Pro Tools