Mixing Music | Music Production, Audio Engineering, & Music Business

In Episode 354, the guys talk directly to the reality most creatives avoid: slow season fear, debt, no savings, and the pressure to spend during the holidays. The big mindset shift is simple: you are not a consumer, you are a producer, so make something instead of buying something. They share ideas for meaningful gifts that cost little to nothing, ways to pick up skills that help your career (content creation, editing, learning tools), and even how acts of service can pull you out of isolation when work is slow.

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HIRE DEE KEI

HIRE LU

⁠HIRE JAMES⁠

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu @JamesParrishMixes

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show is filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

In Episode 353, Dee Kei and Lu break down how to communicate timelines like a pro, even when you’re booked out. They talk about setting clear expectations for V1 delivery, revisions, and approvals, why daily updates can change everything, and how “underpromise and overdeliver” builds trust long term. They also warn against a common trap in mixing: thinking more plugins, more automation, or more hours automatically equals more value, and why your pricing should not be tied to effort or session complexity.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!

⁠SUBSCRIBE TO YOUTUBE⁠

Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord!

HIRE DEE KEI

HIRE LU

⁠HIRE JAMES⁠

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu @JamesParrishMixes

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show is filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

JOIN OUR PATREON AND GET ACCESS TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://mixingmusicpodcast.com/exclusive

I WRITE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN: https://deekeiandkayoko.com

HIRE DEE KEI: links.deekeimixes.com

HIRE LU: https://soundbetter.com/profiles/1419...

Hire James: https://www.jamesparrishmixes.com/

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @masteredbylu

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @masteredbylu

Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord:  

 / discord  

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show was filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at [email protected].

In this episode of the Mixing Music Podcast, Dee Kei and Lū wrestle openly with one of the hardest and most misunderstood ideas in creative life: commitment. Not hustle. Not motivation. Not blind discipline — but the deeper question of why committing feels so heavy, especially in a world full of options, anxiety, and burnout.

The conversation moves between mixing, relationships, career choices, and philosophy, contrasting Western goal-driven culture with Eastern ideas of alignment, duty, and craft. Dee Kei explores why overthinking and outcome-clinging create paralysis, how burnout often comes from committing to the wrong reasons, and why meaning in art and life emerges through commitment, not before it.

They discuss the paradox of choice, perfectionism, nihilism, and why there is never a “perfect time” to make art, choose a path, or finish a mix. Drawing on personal stories, Japanese craftsmanship, sports analogies, and cultural contrasts, this episode isn’t about giving rules — it’s about helping listeners think differently so committing feels less terrifying and more natural.

This one is for creatives who feel stuck, burned out, or afraid to choose — and for anyone who suspects that the answer isn’t more thinking, but committing anyway.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!

⁠SUBSCRIBE TO YOUTUBE⁠

Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord!

HIRE DEE KEI

HIRE LU

⁠HIRE JAMES⁠

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu @JamesParrishMixes

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show is filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

JOIN OUR PATREON AND GET ACCESS TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://mixingmusicpodcast.com/exclusive

I WRITE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN: https://deekeiandkayoko.com

HIRE DEE KEI: links.deekeimixes.com

HIRE LU: https://soundbetter.com/profiles/1419...

Hire James: https://www.jamesparrishmixes.com/

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @masteredbylu

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @masteredbylu

Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord:  

 / discord  

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show was filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at [email protected].

In this solo episode of the Mixing Music Podcast, Dee Kei breaks down why loudness is part of the mix, not an afterthought for mastering. He explains why you should never send clients an unlimited mix as the main reference, even if a separate mastering engineer is involved, and why your job as a mixer is to deliver something that already feels like a finished record.

DK talks through how to limit with intention, using loudness as an emotional dimension of the record instead of just cranking LUFS. He gets into the illusion of dynamics, sidechain feel, clipping, multiple limiters, and how different genres (jazz versus hyper-loud pop) demand different loudness philosophies. He also explains why mastering engineers would rather receive a well-intentioned, fully limited mix than an unintentional “safe” premaster that forces them to guess what you wanted.

To close, DK rants a bit about Dolby Atmos and spatial audio: how strict loudness specs in Atmos remove an entire emotional dimension for music, why it makes sense for film and games, and why spatial formats are pushed in music mostly to sell headphones, not to make records sound better.

What you will learn:

• Why you should always send clients a limited mix or “reference master”
• How to think about loudness as part of tone, impact, and emotion
• Illusion of dynamics, sidechain feel, clipping, and multi-stage limiting in loud mixes
• How intentional rough mixes and stems reduce guesswork for mixers and mastering engineers
• Why Atmos loudness standards remove a creative dimension for music and are better suited for film and TV 

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!

⁠SUBSCRIBE TO YOUTUBE⁠

Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord!

HIRE DEE KEI

HIRE LU

⁠HIRE JAMES⁠

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu @JamesParrishMixes

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show is filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

In this solo episode, Dee Kei thinks out loud about what keeps creatives going when outcomes are uncertain. He unpacks a hard truth many avoid: results are not guaranteed, and tying your identity to them creates desperation and bad decisions. Instead, build a career around love of the craft, alignment, and service to the song. Along the way, DK contrasts winning vs loving the game through Michael Jordan and Shohei Ohtani, explores ikigai and Japanese craftsmanship, pokes holes in hustle without purpose, and explains why the illusion of control shows up in studio superstitions. The practical takeaway is simple and difficult at once: enjoy the work, separate from the outcome, and your best mixes follow.

What you will learn

• How detaching from results reduces fear and improves decisions
• When grit helps and when to keep your head down and take the hit
• Why “use your ears” remains the only answer that matters
• The role of ritual and superstition in performance psychology
• Why craft comes first and money follows as a consequence 

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!

⁠SUBSCRIBE TO YOUTUBE⁠

Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord!

HIRE DEE KEI

HIRE LU

⁠HIRE JAMES⁠

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu @JamesParrishMixes

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show is filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

JOIN OUR PATREON AND GET ACCESS TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://mixingmusicpodcast.com/exclusive

I WRITE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN: https://deekeiandkayoko.com

HIRE DEE KEI: links.deekeimixes.com

HIRE LU: https://soundbetter.com/profiles/1419...

Hire James: https://www.jamesparrishmixes.com/

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @masteredbylu

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @masteredbylu

Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord:  

 / discord  

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show was filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at [email protected].

n this Thanksgiving special of the Mixing Music Podcast, Dee Kei and Lū pause to share what they’re truly grateful for — from family, friendship, and travel to growth, contentment, and the simple joy of still doing what they love. Lū reflects on a revival of his live-sound career and finding community on the road, while Dee Kei talks about fatherhood, inner peace, and gratitude for the unfamiliar quiet of contentment. They open up about long-term relationships, real support systems, and how gratitude shapes creative longevity.

The episode ends with a light-hearted discussion on AI and human experience — why technology can never replace real connection and why the most important part of our industry is still people. A perfect listen to slow down, reflect, and remember why we do what we do.

Topics include:

• Thankfulness for career and creative growth

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!

⁠SUBSCRIBE TO YOUTUBE⁠

Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord!

HIRE DEE KEI

HIRE LU

⁠HIRE JAMES⁠

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu @JamesParrishMixes

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show is filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

 this episode of the Mixing Music Podcast, Dee Kei and Lu unpack how to choose studio monitors that actually translate. Forget the brand wars. Your room, ears, and workflow matter more than price or marketing. We compare 2-way vs 3-way designs, talk crossovers and why moving them out of the midrange can change decision-making, and break down transient clarity vs perceived distortion so you can hear compression, clipping, and saturation with confidence. We also share how to demo monitors in your own room, use return policies wisely, and why a modest pair like HS8 or JBL 306 can beat a $20k system when the room and genre demand it. If you want consistent, confident mixes, start with the acoustics, placement, and a speaker you can work on for hours without second-guessing.

What you’ll learn

• Room first: placement, treatment, sweeps, and why comfort equals confidence.
• 2-way vs 3-way: how crossover points affect midrange decisions and punch.
• Subs and crossovers: unloading mains at ~60 Hz for more punch and clarity.
• Transients vs distortion: why some speakers reveal compression and clipping better.
• Demo strategy: try in your room, ask users for non-comparative impressions, and know return policies.
• Psychology of purchase: ignore cabinet “tonewoods” and luxury materials, chase translation instead. 

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!

⁠SUBSCRIBE TO YOUTUBE⁠

Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord!

HIRE DEE KEI

HIRE LU

⁠HIRE JAMES⁠

Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:

Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu @JamesParrishMixes

Twitter: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu

The Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠

The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.

This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show is filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.