Composers, Let's Talk About the Mix: What Happens to Your Music in Post

Last month, I had the privilege of joining a panel discussion hosted by SCL Chicago at the beautiful Mainstage Chicago. I was alongside two incredibly talented composers—Tim Corpus and Megan Carnes—for what turned into a fascinating conversation about composing, music supervision, and post-audio workflow.

The discussion could have easily gone on for hours. There's so much nuance in how composers, music supervisors, and post-audio teams collaborate to serve the story. But time ran short, as these things do, and I left with a head full of thoughts I wanted to share.

So here we are.

You spent weeks crafting the perfect crescendo for that climactic scene. The strings swell, the brass hits, everything builds to this emotional peak—and then you hear the final mix and wonder where half your music went.

Here's the thing: you're not just writing music. You're writing music for picture. That means your score is entering a crowded ecosystem where dialogue, sound effects, ambient environments, and your music all compete for the same sonic real estate. The final mix isn't about diminishing your work—it's about making your music serve the story in the most powerful way possible.

This post is for composers who want to understand how their work fits into the bigger sonic picture, and how to set themselves up for a smoother, more collaborative post process. Because when you know what we're doing and why, you can compose smarter from the start.

Dialogue Is King (And We're All Its Loyal Subjects)

In most narrative film and TV, dialogue drives the story. Period. This isn't about creative preference—it's about audience comprehension. If viewers can't understand what characters are saying, the story breaks down.

Here's where it gets technical: the human voice primarily lives in the 1-5kHz frequency range. Unfortunately, that's also where a lot of musical elements love to hang out—lead vocals, string sections, brass, synths, cymbals, and pretty much anything that carries melody or harmonic detail.

In post, we solve this collision through EQ carving and ducking. We'll notch out specific frequencies in your music to create a clear pocket for dialogue. We'll automate the music down during heavy dialogue scenes and bring it back up during pauses. Sometimes we'll use multiband compression to specifically target problem frequencies while leaving the rest of your mix untouched.

What this means for you: If your score is consistently masking dialogue, we're going to have to adjust it—often more aggressively than you'd like. But you can work with us from the composition stage.

Pro tip: Try pre-carving your mix around key vocal frequencies (2-4kHz is usually the sweet spot). Or better yet, build in musical breathing room during heavy dialogue scenes. Leave space for a character's big emotional speech instead of layering a lush string arrangement underneath it. Your restraint will make the moments when the music does come in feel more powerful.

The Music Editor vs. The Mixer: Who Does What (And Why You Should Care)

Let's clear up some confusion about who's handling your music and when. There are two key players in post who work with your score, and they have very different jobs.

The Music Editor is your music's closest friend in post. They conform your cues to the latest picture cut (because trust me, there's always a latest cut). They handle temp track replacements, smooth transitions between cues, and adjust timing without changing your actual mix. If a scene gets trimmed by 10 seconds, the music editor figures out how to make your 2-minute cue fit the new 1:50 runtime—maybe by tightening a section or finding a different edit point.

The Re-recording Mixer (or just "the mixer") is thinking about the whole sonic landscape. They balance your score against dialogue, sound effects, and ambient environments. They use EQ, compression, automation, and spatial tools to make everything fit together. They might ride your music up during quiet character moments and pull it down when a car chase starts. They're not trying to fix your music—they're trying to make it serve the story.

Why this distinction matters: The mixer's primary goal is storytelling clarity, not musical purity. Understanding this can help you let go of some ego and lean into collaboration. When the mixer pulls your strings down during an action sequence, they're not insulting your arrangement—they're making room for the sound design that sells the visual impact.

Volume Automation: The Art of Emotional Sculpting

Think of volume automation as sculpting, not shrinking. We're not just making your music quieter—we're shaping its emotional impact moment by moment.

Here's how it works in practice: during a tense dialogue scene, we might automate your underscore down to -15dB so the audience can focus on the subtext in the actors' voices. But when the scene transitions to a montage, we'll ride that same cue back up to full volume because now the music is carrying the narrative weight.

We also use automation to give space to big sound moments. That gunshot needs to hit with full impact, so we'll duck the music for a split second around it. The explosion at the climax needs to feel massive, so we'll create a brief pocket of silence before it hits, then bring the music back with even more intensity.

Your quiet parts might get boosted, and your loud cues might get dialed back. It's all about dynamic storytelling, not consistent volume levels.

Best practice for composers: Flag any cues that absolutely must stay prominent for narrative reasons. A quick note like "this melody carries the main character's theme—please keep audible throughout" helps us protect your creative intent while still serving the scene.

How to Bounce Your Stems (So We Don't Cry in the Mix Bay)

Let's talk about stem delivery, because this is where a lot of post relationships go sideways. Good stems make our job easier, which means your music sounds better in the final mix. Bad stems make us work harder to fix problems that could have been avoided.

Deliver these stems at minimum:

• Full Mix (your complete composition)

• Drums/Percussion

• Bass/Low End

• Harmonic Elements (keys, pads, strings)

• Melodic/Lead Elements

• FX/Textures/Atmospheres

• Any Solo Vocals or Choir (as separate stems)

  
  

For bigger orchestral scores, consider additional stems:

• Woodwinds

• Brass

• String sections (or even divisi: violins, violas, cellos, basses)

• Harp/Specialized instruments

  
  

Technical requirements:

• 24-bit, 48kHz WAV files (unless the project specifically requests something else)

• Stereo interleaved files

• Leave 3-6dB of headroom (peaks around -3dB to -6dB) to avoid clipping in post

• All stems should be the same length, matching your picture timing

• Include any silence/padding before and after the musical content

• Use clear naming conventions that work in post facilities: "ProjectName_CueNumber_StemType.wav" (e.g., "RedHawk_M12_Strings.wav")

  
  

File naming that actually helps us:

• Start with project name or episode number

• Include cue identifier that matches your spotting notes

• End with stem type

• Avoid spaces, special characters, or overly long names

• Stay consistent across all deliveries

When to include MIDI files: Only if specifically requested, or if you're using virtual instruments that might need adjustment. Most post facilities work with audio stems, not MIDI data.

Here's what makes our job easier: When your stems are properly separated, we can EQ your strings without affecting your percussion. We can duck your bass during dialogue without touching your melody. We can add reverb to your choir without muddying your rhythm section. Good stems give us surgical control over your music.

What makes our job harder: Everything bounced to one stereo mix. Overlapping elements on multiple stems (like having the same string pad on both your "Harmonic" and "Melodic" stems). Stems that don't match in length or have different fade-ins/outs.

Add a 2-Pop (Seriously, It Makes Everyone's Life Better)

A 2-pop is a 1-frame, 1kHz tone that appears exactly 2 seconds before picture starts. It's used to sync audio with picture across all departments—from the music editor to the mixer to the colorist who's working with the same timeline.

Include a 2-pop on every stem and your full mix. It should be prominent enough to see on a waveform but not so loud that it damages speakers if someone accidentally plays it.

If you forget the 2-pop, we'll still make it work. But syncing becomes a lot more tedious, especially when we're dealing with multiple stems that need to line up perfectly. A 2-pop turns a 10-minute syncing process into a 30-second one.

Pro tip: Most DAWs have 2-pop generators, or you can create one manually. Just make sure it's exactly 1 frame long and positioned correctly relative to your picture start.

Cue Sheets: Your Royalties Actually Depend on These

Cue sheets are the paperwork that ensures you get paid for your work. They're submitted to performing rights organizations (BMI, ASCAP, SESAC) and detail every piece of music used in the final program.

A proper cue sheet includes:

• Cue title and duration (to the second)

• Composer name(s) and publisher(s)

• Usage type (background, feature, theme, etc.)

• Episode/scene identification

• Whether it's original score or licensed music

  
  

Here's the thing: most post facilities help prepare cue sheets, but the cleaner your cue labeling and documentation, the faster the process goes. If your cues are clearly named and you provide accurate composer/publisher info upfront, everyone saves time.

What hurts cue sheet preparation: Generic cue names like "Cue_01.wav" or "Untitled_Mix.wav." Missing or incorrect composer credits. Cues that get edited or restructured in post without updated documentation.

What helps: Descriptive cue names that match scene content. Clear composer and publisher information provided with your delivery. Notes about any musical themes or motifs that carry through multiple cues.

Red Flags That Signal Mixing Problems

Learn to spot these issues before delivery, and you'll save everyone time and headaches:

Frequency conflicts: Your melody and the dialogue are fighting for the same space (usually 2-4kHz). If you can't clearly hear both when playing together, the mixer will have to choose.

Clipping stems: If your individual stems are hitting 0dB or showing distortion, they'll be unusable in post. Always leave headroom.

Inconsistent loudness: If your quiet cues are barely audible and your loud cues are overwhelming, we'll spend most of our time riding faders instead of crafting emotional moments.

Missing elements on stems: When key parts only exist in your full mix but not on individual stems, we can't adjust them independently.

Tempo/timing issues: If your music doesn't lock to picture or has timing inconsistencies, it creates problems throughout the post chain.

What Happens When Picture Changes (And It Always Does)

Here's a reality check: picture will change after you deliver your score. Sometimes it's minor—a scene gets trimmed by a few seconds. Sometimes it's major—entire sequences get restructured or removed.

How this affects your music:

• Cues may need to be shortened, lengthened, or repositioned

• Musical edit points might need to be found in different places

• Some cues might become obsolete entirely

• New music might be needed for added scenes

  
  

How to prepare for this:

• Build natural edit points into your compositions (musical phrases that can be shortened or extended)

• Provide stems that allow for flexible re-editing

• Keep your project files organized so you can make revisions quickly

• Budget time and budget for revision rounds

  
  

Communication is key: When picture changes significantly, reach out to the music editor or post supervisor. Don't assume they'll figure out how to make your 3-minute cue work in a 90-second scene.

Navigating Post Communication Like a Pro

Good collaboration in post isn't just about technical delivery—it's about communication. Here's how to build productive relationships:

When to advocate for your vision:

• If a musical choice is crucial to character or story development

• If the proposed change would fundamentally alter the emotional intent

• If there's a better creative solution that serves both music and mix

  
  

When to be flexible:

• If the change serves dialogue clarity or story comprehension

• If technical limitations require adjustment

• If the overall impact improves even though your specific element changes

  
  

How to give useful feedback on rough mixes:

• Be specific: "The strings feel buried in the second verse" rather than "it doesn't sound right"

• Focus on story impact: "This moment needs more emotional weight" rather than "make it louder"

• Ask questions: "What would happen if we tried..." rather than demanding changes

• Acknowledge the mixer's expertise: "I'm hearing dialogue masking—what are our options?"

  
  

Red flags in post communication:

• Mixer or music editor isn't responding to emails or calls

• Changes are being made without explanation or consultation

• Technical issues are being ignored rather than addressed

• Creative intent is being dismissed without discussion

  
  

If communication breaks down, address it early. Most post professionals want the music to work—if there's conflict, there's usually a solvable problem underneath.

Quick Reference: Post-Audio Checklist

Before you compose:

• Understand the genre's dialogue demands

• Know the delivery timeline and revision budget

• Clarify stem requirements upfront

While composing:

• Leave space around heavy dialogue scenes

• Consider frequency content of your arrangements

• Build in natural edit points for flexibility

Before delivery:

• Check all stems for clipping and phase issues

• Verify file naming consistency

• Include 2-pop on all stems

• Test that stems add up to your full mix

• Provide clear cue documentation

After delivery:

• Stay available for questions during the conform process

• Be responsive about picture changes

• Attend spotting sessions or mix reviews when possible

• Provide feedback constructively and specifically

  
  

Troubleshooting common scenarios:

"The director wants the music louder than dialogue allows" Solution: Find frequency pockets where music can be present without masking speech, or identify specific moments where music can take priority.

"My stems are clipping in the mix bay" Solution: Provide new stems with proper headroom (-3dB to -6dB peaks), or ask the mixer if they can work with lower-level versions.

"The music editor needs to restructure my cue" Solution: Provide additional edit points, alternate versions, or individual instrument stems that allow for more flexible re-editing.

"The temp music was louder/more present" Solution: Discuss the story function the temp music served and find ways to achieve that impact within the technical constraints of the final mix.

The Science of Frequency Management

Let's get slightly nerdy for a moment, because understanding basic frequency ranges will make you a better collaborator in post.

Dialogue primarily lives in 1-5kHz, with critical intelligibility around 2-4kHz. This is where consonants live, and consonants are what make speech understandable. When your music competes in this range, dialogue suffers.

Music tends to spread across the entire frequency spectrum:

• Sub-bass and bass: 20-250Hz

• Low-mids: 250Hz-1kHz (where a lot of musical warmth lives)

• Mid-range: 1-5kHz (where dialogue also lives)

• High-mids: 5-10kHz (presence and clarity)

• Highs: 10kHz+ (air and sparkle)

  
  

In post, we create frequency pockets for different elements. We might high-pass your strings at 200Hz to make room for sound design rumbles. We might notch out 3kHz from your brass to create a dialogue pocket. We might add some 10kHz sparkle to your percussion to help it cut through a dense mix.

Quick frequency guide for common instruments:

• Strings: Warm body around 200-500Hz, presence around 2-5kHz

• Brass: Power in 100-400Hz, bite around 1-3kHz

• Piano: Fundamental around 80-300Hz, clarity around 2-5kHz

• Vocals/Choir: Warmth around 200-500Hz, intelligibility around 1-5kHz

• Percussion: Thump below 100Hz, attack around 2-8kHz

  
  

How you can help: Consider the frequency content of your arrangements. If you're writing under heavy dialogue, maybe emphasize lower frequencies or higher frequencies, and go lighter in the 2-4kHz range. If you're scoring an action sequence with lots of sound effects, think about how your music can complement rather than compete with the sound design.

Want to Go Deeper?

This post covers the essentials, but each of these topics could be its own deep dive. If you're working on a project and want more specific guidance on any of these areas—whether it's advanced stem preparation techniques, frequency management strategies for specific genres, or navigating the politics of post-audio collaboration—let's talk.

I'm always interested in hearing what challenges composers are facing in their post workflow, and I'm happy to dig deeper into any of these subjects in future posts or one-on-one conversations.

Final Thoughts: Your Music's Cinematic Evolution

Post is where your music gets its final cinematic shape. It's not about making your music smaller—it's about making it smarter. The more you understand how music fits into the complete sonic landscape, the more powerful your compositions become.

We love working with composers who:

• Leave intentional space for dialogue and sound design

• Trust the mixing process to elevate rather than diminish their work

• Communicate clearly about story-driven musical choices

• Deliver clean, well-organized stems that give us flexibility

• Understand that the final mix serves the story, not any single element

  
  

We struggle with composers who:

• Deliver everything as one stereo mix with no flexibility

• Fight every mixing decision without understanding the bigger picture

• Assume that louder always means more impactful

• Don't consider dialogue when writing underscore

• Provide stem structures that make it impossible to quickly drop music into scenes (like having reverb tails or atmospheric elements that can't be separated from the core musical content)

  
  

The best film scores aren't just great music—they're great music that serves picture. Understanding the post process helps you write with that end goal in mind.

Need help delivering your score for post? Said So Sound works with indie composers, editors, and directors to make sure every musical moment serves the story. Whether you need stem preparation, mixing consultation, or just want to understand how your music fits into the bigger picture, let's talk about making your next score sound its absolute best.

Questions about stems, mixing, or post workflow? Drop us a line—we're always happy to help fellow music makers navigate the world of post-audio. saidsosound.com

About Ben Flint

Ben Flint is the founder of Said So Sound, a Chicago-based post-audio facility specializing in music mixing, sound design, and music supervision for independent films and television. With 15+ years of experience across sound, entertainment, and music industries, he's passionate about helping composers and filmmakers navigate the post-audio process to make every musical moment serve the story. When he's not in the mix bay, you can find him at Chicago film events or collaborating with the city's vibrant indie film community.

Working on a project that could use post-audio expertise? Let's talk.