ALL "MIXED" UP (#4)....

            Before I delve into some of the favorite techniques I use during mixing, I'd like to give some general mixing theory for those of you who may never have been exposed to it. Some of this assumes your monitors are in an upright orientation, but follow your manufacturer's recommendation or whatever works for you.
          Also this is assuming a stereo mix (2 speakers) and NOT a 5.1 or other mode, as that isn't in my realm and is a whole different matter.
          The entirety of stereo mixing theory is based on 2 speakers being used to create the illusion of a 2 dimensional field suspended in between. With certain techniques this illusion can be enhanced to create a limited 3rd dimension in your mix as well.
          I believe stereo mixing theory began merely as a way to represent music as though the players were performing in a concert hall, with a left & right dimension, which seems much more natural to the human ear than  the "monophonic" recordings that preceded it. However, pioneering engineers and artists have since developed this into new & innovative ways of mixing that capture your fancy with recordings that do not simulate any known space in nature.

        First the basics: Assuming your monitors (speakers) are oriented upright, since the tweeters are usually above your woofers, it's natural for your ear to interpret your high-frequency instruments to appear "above" your lower frequencies. This is not so unnatural; in live performance cymbals are above the drums, someone standing up playing a shaker e.g. is above a guitar amp sitting on the floor...for whatever reason it seems to work....That's your "up & down" in the mix.
       Of course, panning controls your "left & right". That's the sole purpose of them being on your console, so that's no surprise.
      What you might not realize is that you have considerable control over whether your instruments sound as though they are toward the "front" (toward you) or the "back". So thought may be given to which instruments are "up front" or further back. The vocal is a natural choice for being out in front, but not always. Sometimes you might want some supporting instruments more present and your vocal sounding as though your singer were up on the stage, the voice floating over the music from a distance.
       The primary control for this is your faders. Those parts lower in level will always sound as though they aren't as close to you. But that's not the end of the story. So I would like to break this concept into "actual level" and "apparent level".
      Assume you have a supporting part that must, by necessity, be lower in level, but wants some attention and not to get lost in the mix...eq is an option. A better one is compression. Adding a little delay will bring up it's "apparent level" without interfering with the balance between them much. 
      Reverb will tend to send a track of the same level "toward the back" compared to another track of the same level, while retaining its audibility.
      You can see the possible combinations become very numerous. These are only some examples, as my purpose today is to get you thinking about this way of looking at your mix to see if one can gain another perspective on it. Your own experience is what you need to rely on, but new ideas can only help as far I have seen.