{"id":6961,"date":"2023-12-04T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/?p=6961"},"modified":"2023-12-04T16:01:59","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T21:01:59","slug":"how-to-mix-izotope-neutron","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/how-to-mix-izotope-neutron\/","title":{"rendered":"How to mix your music with iZotope\u2019s Neutron"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

iZotope\u2019s Neutron<\/strong><\/a> is an all-in-one mixing suite that takes the guesswork out of mixing.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With innovative mixing tools and top-notch versions of all the standard tools you might need to approach a mix (EQs, exciters, gates, compressors, and much more), Neutron is a powerful addition to any mixing workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neutron 4 takes this up a notch by adding brand-new tools and updating some of the fan-favorite features from the Neutron line. In this article, we\u2019ll run through a few of these key features and how they can help bring impact, presence, and clarity to your next mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The new Mix Assistant View<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A quick note on the iZotope’s Assistant features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Long-time iZotope users are likely familiar with the ‘Assistant’ features found across their roster of plugins, particularly in flagship suites like Neutron,<\/a> Ozone,<\/a> and Nectar.<\/a> These plugins act as channel strips, featuring individual modules (EQs, compressors, etc.) to process your audio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who aren\u2019t familiar with iZotope\u2019s assistants, many iZotope plugins feature an AI-powered workflow in which the plugin listens to incoming audio and sets a custom effect chain according to targets that you outline and the analysis of thousands of professional tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These assistant workflows aren\u2019t intended to \u201cmix your track for you,\u201d but instead shave hours off of a mixing or mastering session by offering a great starting point in minutes, ensuring that you\u2019re on the path to a professional-sounding track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The assistant workflows show up as Mix Assistant<\/strong> in Neutron, Master Assistant<\/strong> in Ozone, and Vocal Assistant<\/strong> in Nectar. In their recent string of updates, iZotope has turned this workflow into a dedicated Assistant View,<\/strong> allowing for intuitive and quick adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How this shows up in Neutron<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Neutron features an Assistant View like this, which hinges off of the concept of identifying a \u201ctarget\u201d for Mix Assistant to hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

First, you\u2019ll want to click the Relearn<\/strong> button and play some audio so Neutron can analyze your audio. Mix Assistant will then display a tonal balance target curve in the center of the Assistant View that represents the frequency and dynamic information that Neutron recommends for your track (the target is the hazy orange line, while your audio is the defined white line).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, this might be all you need, but if you had something else in mind, you can take advantage of a few other controls here to communicate your intent to the assistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the left-hand side of Neutron\u2019s Mix Assistant View, you\u2019ll find a Target Library,<\/strong> featuring AI-analyzed profiles of how a variety of instruments, vocals, and drums “should” sound. You can use these targets to \u201cteach\u201d Mix Assistant the spectral profile that you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking for a highly specific sound? You can also load your own audio into Neutron\u2019s Target Library to guide Mix Assistant\u2019s processing (using the plus button). Love the sound of a drum loop you found?<\/a> Create a custom target and put Neutron on your drum bus to push your drums in that direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neutron\u2019s Assistant View also features four \u201cintent-based controls\u201d\u2014the Tone Match <\/strong>slider at the top and the Punch,<\/strong> Distort,<\/strong> and Width<\/strong> sections. These sections act as macros to control the parameters in Neutron\u2019s underlying effects chain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n