Mixing Engineer as Musician

An instrument is an object or device used for the production of musical sounds. Due to the vague nature of this definition, there exists a great deal of interpretation for what is, or is not, considered an instrument. While mixing is a central aspect of the musical process, it is generally not considered a part of the song’s artistic expression. However, like any other musical artist, the mixer alters and creates new sounds. Could a mixing device, used for the advancement and manipulation of a recorded instrument, be an instrument itself? Consider this example: there is a prerecorded track, containing sounds from a vocalist, a synth, a guitar, a bass, and drums. If compression or reverberation is added, or altered during the process of mixing a song, you are in fact changing sound. However, most individuals would not consider the mixing device as an instrument on this track. Furthermore, despite the mixers central role in the creation of this track, they are often not considered as a musician. In Brian Eno’s essay titled “The Studio as Compositional Tool”, Eno makes the claim that the editing and manipulation of recorded sound allows musicians and sound engineers to explore a deeper layer of artistic potential, one exempt from time and space. I believe that the element of technological manipulation that Eno explores should be considered as an instrument within itself. In other words, I believe that mixers should be considered musicians just as much as the artists who are originally recorded. Generally, mixing additions are viewed as post production measures, rather than a form of accompaniment, or an instrument in itself. However, the process of mixing wholly changes the original sound, and without these additive measures the final result would have a different character. By defining mixing as anything other than an instrument in itself, we overlook the significance of this technology, and its effect on music.