Mixing Guitar In A Headphones World

HOW YOU MIX YOUR MUSIC determines how listeners will hear your music. For decades, mixing was done through speakers, because that was the dominant way people heard music. A standard recommendation was not to mix through headphones—except as a reality check—because they distorted the sense of space and stereo separation.

- Craig Anderton

Well, the world has changed. The retail value of headphone sales has gone from $1.8 billion in 2005 to $15.5 billion in 2017, and speakers are now about Bluetooth speakers and soundbars— not traditional stereo systems. So why should you care? Because that will influence how you mix your music, and there are some special considerations for guitar.

Guitars are mono instruments.