Understanding subtractive synthesis can really help you improve your mixing skills, especially when making electronic music.

At its simplest, subtractive synthesis is all about making cool sounds. You start with oscillators that create different waveforms, and then you use filters to shape those sounds. Lastly, envelopes help control how the sound changes over time. Here’s how you can use these ideas in your mixing:

1. Knowing About Sound Design:

• When you understand subtractive synthesis, you get better at creating sounds. For example, if you know that a low-pass filter removes higher sounds, you can make sounds that go well together. Picture this: you make a deep bass sound with a low-pass filter, so it doesn't fight with your snare drum.

2. Managing Frequencies:

• In mixing, it's really important to create space for each sound in the mix. Knowing about subtractive synthesis helps you figure out which frequencies to reduce in different tracks. For instance, if you have a synth pad and a vocal track, you might lower the mid frequencies of the pad using a notch filter. This way, the vocals can stand out without getting lost in the mix.

3. Controlling Dynamics:

• The envelopes used in subtractive synthesis can give you ideas for controlling how sounds behave in your mix. Envelopes can change how a sound develops over time. You can apply this idea when using compression on a track—set the attack and release times to match the natural rise and fall of the sounds you’re working with.

By using these tips in your mixing process, you can create a balanced mix where all the sounds work well together. This will make your electronic music even better!