Beginner's Mixing & Mastering

Part 1 -- Intro & Digital Audio Workstation (DAWs)

This guide covers in-depth but simplified steps throughout the chapters, which are also the mixing chain. If you are already familiar with plugins and DAWs, the mixing chain and steps are explained immediately,

1. Panorama
a) Panning instruments / tracks, use mono to find available space easier
b) Phantom Imaging / Phase Inverter (if desired)
c) Listen to samples to check audio signals

2. Spatials / Stereo Widening for instruments / tracks, if desired

3. Signal
a) Clipper / Soft Clipper
b) De-Esser
c) Limiting / Limiter

4. Compression
Low compression for dynamic instruments and vocals
High compression for drums, bassy instruments and epic choir
Start with low compression, slowly building up to avoid hypercompression

5. Shaping & Modulation (if desired)

a) Transient Shaper / Transient Designer / Transient Processor / Shaper
b) Phase Shift
c) Flanging
d) Phaser
e) Chorus 
f) Tremolo
g) Vibrato
h) Anything other mods?

6. Filtering & Gating

7. Echoes & Distortion
a) Decay
b) Reverb
c) Delay
d) Saturation
e) Distortion

8. EQ & tips

800 Hz Walmart sound (audio akin to a cheap stereo), move away from here!
1k to 1.5k Hz = 'Nasal range' makes vocals sound like they're sung through a giant nose!

2k – 4k Hz High Mids = useful for vocal words starting with M, B, or V
Too much boost causes lisping; can use this range for background instruments; can then peak vocals by 3k Hz; overuse causes ear fatigue and annoyance so be careful

15000+ Hz = shimmering, angelic, godly; too much causes harshness and vocal sibilance

9. Normalise Audio & Finishing Touches by double checking panning, EQ, MIDI notes and sliders

10. Export as WAV or FLACC

a) Upon completion, drag and drop exported audio back into your DA
b) Mute everything except the exported file
c) Listen to entire track very carefully

d) Optional: Copy-paste track, duplicate given additional adjustments to EQ and Reverb, such as lower volume, extra reverb, and increased low end, to serve as backing track, or whatever else you feel fits. Listen again

e) If everything sounds good, export into MP3 with at least 192 kbps in case you find any future issues and require additional adjustments. Mission accomplished!

But...

If you want a thorough exploration of audio mastering, even if you are a beginner, I made this so you can get started...and without buying stuff you won't even need! Moreover, it's better to start with free stuff, which are simpler using. This way, you'll learn without overwhelming yourself or overspending.

Although mostly about DAW-produced music, this also applies to real life recordings, voice acting, vocal narrations, and sound in general. I'm not a professional, but I can share what I experienced and researched, reading from books and forums. I've combined all knowledge I could get into this guide, but sticking only to the easier stuff (I plan on adding additional content from other books I haven't finished reading).

Also, if you see any underlined text, these are links to free material. If you'd like to learn the basics from the very start, read on!

Get a Free DAW: Digital Audio Workstation

Most DAWs already have their own tutorials and instructional videos, so I won't actually explain them here; e.g. once installed, Waveform has popups that explain how it works.

Waveform is the more complicated of free DAWs but very versatile and effective
Has free instruments in its downloader, too, useful for electronic music.

Cubase LE is the best free DAW for MIDI, in my opinion, as it's quite powerful and crystal clear--albeit a bit dated. If you like orchestration, electronic music and MIDI in general, Cubase LE is a great start. The Steinberg downloader also has Dorico SE, free music notation software that also works with MIDI files. Cubase is mostly geared towards orchestral and band, but some use it for digital sounds, too.

Already fully equipped as a musical studio but only for Mac, GarageBand is popular for a reason: It works well for beginners and pros alike!

There are many other free music production software out there, like SoundBridge, MuLab or SunVox, it's mostly a matter of personal taste which you'd like to use. Note that almost all DAWs have cross-platform functionality, so you can open them in each other, too.

Go out and explore and experiment! See what you like!

Physical Safety

If you are mixing music, you are quite distracted, and may not notice danger on time. Be sure to keep your vehicle and home locked, and your phone nearby you. Sneaky people may overhear you are musically busy and take advantage (eg., the bass player drinks all your beers, leaves the bottles behind, and buggers off).

If you have any candles, extinguish them. However, some artists like candles for scent or relaxation. If you are one such person, do you have a fire extinguisher in your room? If not, you better get one!
The most important thing in your artistic journey is a fire extinguisher; you should also have one in your vehicle.

If you can't afford one, keep a damp towel with you in case you must smother an unexpected fire (splashing water upon electrical equipment may not work). Then, shut down your electronics. If nothing works and the fire keeps spreading, abandon your project and call the fire department.