Mud is usually too much energy in the low mids, roughly 200 to 500 Hz. Lots of parts have something there, and stacked together they mask each other. Find which parts pile up, high-pass the ones that don't need low end, and cut a little where two parts overlap. Don't fix it by boosting the highs.
Where mud comes from
Kick, bass, pads, guitars, keys and the lower half of a vocal all put energy between about 200 and 500 Hz. Each one sounds fine in solo. Together they stack up, the louder parts hide the quieter ones, and the mix turns thick and blurry.
Reverb adds to it. Every tail carries low mids too, and long tails keep them hanging between notes.
Find the parts that overlap
Mute one suspect at a time. If another part suddenly sounds clearer, those two are masking each other.
To find the exact spot, put Prismate on the louder of the two and use SOLO: it plays a one-octave band around the Mid frequency, so you hear only that range while you sweep. Stop where the low mids sound thick or boomy.
High-pass what needs no low end
Hi-hats, most vocals, pads and lead synths rarely need anything down low. Raise Prismate's LC Freq until the part starts to thin, then back it off a little. Do it with the whole mix playing, not in solo.
Slope sets how steep the cut is. 48 dB per octave removes rumble sharply. 12 dB per octave is gentler and suits a musical roll-off.
Cut where two parts fight
Where two parts overlap, cut the one that matters less, using Prismate's Mid bell. A few dB is usually enough. A narrow Q takes out one problem frequency, a wide one shapes the whole range.
Tame boxy resonances
Some mud is a narrow ring rather than broad buildup: a boxy drum, a hollow room on a vocal. Cleansix finds and reduces those resonances. Set Focus band to Box (300 to 800 Hz), start Intensity around 30 to 40%, and raise it until the boxiness fades.
Turn on Delta to hear only what it removes. If you hear the body of the sound, back Intensity off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I boost the highs to fix a muddy mix?
No. A high boost makes the mix brighter, but the low-mid buildup is still there, and the top end gets harsh. Cut the buildup first. Many mixes need less high end once the mud is gone.
Why do my tracks sound clear in solo but muddy together?
Masking. Each part is fine alone, but where several parts share the low mids, the louder ones hide the quieter ones. Fix it in the full mix, not in solo.
Will a low cut on every track make my mix thin?
It can, if you cut too high. Set each low cut with the full mix playing, and leave parts that carry the low end, such as the kick and bass, alone.
What frequency is mud?
Mostly between about 200 and 500 Hz, but it depends on the parts and the mix. Sweep and listen instead of cutting a fixed number.
Plugins in this post
- PrismateFree: low cut (LC Freq, Slope) and a mid bell (Mid, Q) to clear the low midsManual: LC Freq · Mid · Q · Frequency zones
- CleansixPaid, one-time purchase: finds and reduces boxy resonances with the Box focus bandManual: Focus band · Intensity · Delta
This tip uses Prismate 1.1.3 and Cleansix 1.1.0. Some steps may differ, or not apply, if you're on a different version. Tried this workflow, or got stuck along the way? We'd love to hear from you: contact us.