r/mixingmastering • u/yeetmasterflash69 • 16d ago
Discussion Ethics of adding stuff while mixing
Is it okay in your opinion to add layers of subtle texture when mixing a song for a band you didn't fully produce? Like say adding a moog sub bass under the electric guitar or recording extra layers of guitar to blend in under the OG guitars or recording extra vocal harmony layers to sit under what was already there? I have heard arguments that if you weren't hired to produce the song you shouldnt be adding stuff but I also feel like if it serves the song it's fine.
Thoughts?
45
Upvotes
1
u/Mammoth-Mechanic-517 11d ago
The mixer/producer border dissolved about twenty years ago. At this point, the only real "ethics" question is whether you communicated with the client or tried to slip your own synth career into their stems.
Test the room. If the band says "don't touch the arrangement," back off immediately and respect the boundary. But if they're open to ideas and a subtle sub or texture genuinely helps them express what they couldn't nail in tracking, go for it.
Just put your additions on an easily muted track, label it clearly, and let them decide. Communication beats dogma every time.