How can I pick out parts in a mix?

When producing music it is helpful to be able to hear all the individual parts in a recording.

Think About

• Why is it helpful to hear all of the different parts of a recording?
• How can I focus my listening to hear the different things happening in the music?

Get Started

1. Watch and interact with the following video on developing your listening skills. Make sure to try out the suggestions!
   1. Note: this video is also used in our Get Started Jamming Playlist. You don’t need to know about the connections to that playlist but feel free to explore it later.

2. Head over to Incredibox.com and mess around to get a feel for how it works. 

3. Try out some of the following activities suggested in the video to help you develop your listening skills:

1. Add all of only one kind of part (all beats, all effects, etc.) and leave 2 spots open.
   1. Go through and “solo” each part (click the headphone icon), then click again to hear the whole mix but isolate the one part you just heard alone.
   2. How clearly can you hear it?
      1. bonus: Try singing/humming/beatboxing/etc. to imitate the part you’re listening to. More tips on this later
2. Add 2 more voices, whatever you want, so you now have all 7 parts going.
3. Gradually replace voices with only one kind of part (all beats, all effects, etc.), different from the part you used in #1.
4. Repeat the whole process with each kind of part.

Share What you Learned

• Share an audio or video recording of you singing/humming/beatboxing along with a part from Incredibox to show you can pick out a part and follow it.

Go Further!

(optional) Try practicing your listening skill with some other types of music (this is a part of our Get Started Jamming Music Learning Playlist)

OR

Move On

Return to XP How can I listen to other people’s music like a producer?

OR

Return to the Get Started Producing Music Learning Playlist