# Q&A Jon Castelli **URL:** https://community.mwtm.com/c/masters-q-a/q-a-jon-castelli/74.md [Latest](https://community.mwtm.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://community.mwtm.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://community.mwtm.com/tags.md) --- ## [Ask your questions to Jon Castelli by creating a New Post in the top right corner](https://community.mwtm.com/t/ask-your-questions-to-jon-castelli-by-creating-a-new-post-in-the-top-right-corner/12627)
**Author:** [@MWTM\_Admin](https://community.mwtm.com/u/MWTM_Admin)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 4, 2025, 6:53am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/ask-your-questions-to-jon-castelli-by-creating-a-new-post-in-the-top-right-corner/12627 "2025-01-04T06:53:47Z")
Ask your questions by creating a New Post. --- ## [What level do you tend to hit your mixbus at?](https://community.mwtm.com/t/what-level-do-you-tend-to-hit-your-mixbus-at/17511)
**Author:** [@Marc\_Vonbank](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Marc_Vonbank)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2026, 1:28pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/what-level-do-you-tend-to-hit-your-mixbus-at/17511 "2026-01-13T13:28:33Z")
How hot do you usually hit your mixbus and whats the thought process behind it if i may ask? mixing into it, i default to 0dbvu with peaks around ~2.5dbfs, but theres lots of people that keep saying you should leave 6db… --- ## [Low End Mixing (808)](https://community.mwtm.com/t/low-end-mixing-808/12937)
**Author:** [@Gils\_Opoku\_Asante](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Gils_Opoku_Asante)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2025, 6:38am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/low-end-mixing-808/12937 "2025-04-28T06:38:35Z")
Hey Jon Love your work especially on “I LUV IT” !! I was just wondering how you got that big low end on the mix for I LUV IT. I usually run into that my 808 distorts the mix & it takes a lot of space. So how do I get t… --- ## [\-5db on send returns](https://community.mwtm.com/t/5db-on-send-returns/15171)
**Author:** [@Roger\_Hansen](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Roger_Hansen)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [March 26, 2025, 5:18am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/5db-on-send-returns/15171 "2025-03-26T05:18:35Z")
Hi, i noticed while watching your jftr episodes that you keep your return tracks at -5db. Is there any particular reason for this? Thanks --- ## [Routing folders](https://community.mwtm.com/t/routing-folders/15077)
**Author:** [@Roger\_Hansen](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Roger_Hansen)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/routing-folders/15077 "2025-03-20T17:38:12Z")
I see that you never uses routing folders is this just because you´re used to only using auxes or is it because of the different summing that is happening? Would love to hear your thoughts on this topic --- ## [How to dynamically pull up static sources](https://community.mwtm.com/t/how-to-dynamically-pull-up-static-sources/14181)
**Author:** [@Jung\_Jaehyeon](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Jung_Jaehyeon)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [February 8, 2025, 12:38pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/how-to-dynamically-pull-up-static-sources/14181 "2025-02-08T12:38:02Z")
Hello, I’m studying mix in Korea and I have a lot of respect for you. I was wondering what processing I could do to dynamically pull up the sauce if overall it was static. There are times when a sauce that doesn’t live a… --- ## [Slow Response To Questions](https://community.mwtm.com/t/slow-response-to-questions/12875)
**Author:** [@Jon\_Castelli](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Jon_Castelli)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [January 25, 2025, 4:05am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/slow-response-to-questions/12875 "2025-01-25T04:05:53Z")
Hey everyone! I’ll be trying to answer all of these questions, but due to the fires in LA, a death in the family back home, and just an overall air of weirdness going on, I might be slow. I appreciate everyone’s interes… --- ## [Low end in CHIHIRO](https://community.mwtm.com/t/low-end-in-chihiro/13100)
**Author:** [@Melvix](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Melvix)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 12:13pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/low-end-in-chihiro/13100 "2025-01-17T12:13:17Z")
Please tell me how you created such a dynamic, fast and deep bass in the song CHIHIRO, what instruments contribute to such depth and warmth? I’m also interested in its interaction with the kick, what was the kick saturat… --- ## [Unfairchild on vocals](https://community.mwtm.com/t/unfairchild-on-vocals/13084)
**Author:** [@Roger\_Hansen](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Roger_Hansen)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2025, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/unfairchild-on-vocals/13084 "2025-01-16T19:43:03Z")
How do you use unfairchild on vocals and drums? And if you have to use the plugin, would the settings stay the same? --- ## [Bgvs/stereo field](https://community.mwtm.com/t/bgvs-stereo-field/12997)
**Author:** [@Charliedhickey](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Charliedhickey)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2025, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/bgvs-stereo-field/12997 "2025-01-13T17:42:50Z")
Hey Jon. Hope you and your loved ones are staying safe in LA. My question is about width. Do you have any helpful philosophies optimizing width? Are there tools you rely on the most? I sometimes struggle to know what sou… --- ## [Favorite plugins](https://community.mwtm.com/t/favorite-plugins/12822)
**Author:** [@C\_Sound](https://community.mwtm.com/u/C_Sound)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 12, 2025, 7:05pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/favorite-plugins/12822 "2025-01-12T19:05:52Z")
Could you recommend us some of your favorite plugins? What do you think about replacing VT5 with Ruby from Acustica Audio (assuming it’s not 100% the same)? Thank you Jon!! Love your work. --- ## [Advice - Question for Jon](https://community.mwtm.com/t/advice-question-for-jon/12843)
**Author:** [@Produsenten](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Produsenten)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2025, 9:40am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/advice-question-for-jon/12843 "2025-01-11T09:40:33Z")
Hey Jon, hope you´re doing fine! Love your work, thanks for inspiring! :smile: If you had one advice about the music industry aspect or mixing aspect that you wish you knew from the start, what advice/tip would that be? … --- ## [VT7 or VT5 transformer glue](https://community.mwtm.com/t/vt7-or-vt5-transformer-glue/12789)
**Author:** [@Dragi\_Janev](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Dragi_Janev)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2025, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/vt7-or-vt5-transformer-glue/12789 "2025-01-09T19:43:58Z")
Hey Jon, I produce my own beats and I record my vocal on them for demo purposes. I have been thinking about an analog component to mix/produce into for that transformer lowmid density. Been thinking about a pair of bae 7… --- ## [Monitoring/Listening Level](https://community.mwtm.com/t/monitoring-listening-level/12795)
**Author:** [@TianChe\_Zhou](https://community.mwtm.com/u/TianChe_Zhou)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2025, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/monitoring-listening-level/12795 "2025-01-09T19:41:45Z")
Hi Jon！ What’s your preferred listening/monitoring level when mixing? Do you swap between listening quiet and loud? Or do you always stay on the same level? Thanks! --- ## [Level crawl when mixing](https://community.mwtm.com/t/level-crawl-when-mixing/12781)
**Author:** [@Austin\_Jones](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Austin_Jones)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2025, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/level-crawl-when-mixing/12781 "2025-01-09T19:37:40Z")
hey john! love your mixes on the new Billie Eilish record. and am very grateful for all the things you’ve shared about your process w live w matt rad and mwtm. i have a question about level crawl in mixing. i find somet… --- ## [Warm and thick mixes](https://community.mwtm.com/t/warm-and-thick-mixes/12800)
**Author:** [@Fernando\_Herrera](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Fernando_Herrera)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2025, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/warm-and-thick-mixes/12800 "2025-01-09T19:34:25Z")
hey Jon! I’ve noticed your mixes tend to be in the warm side of things. I like warm/thick mixes and usually go for that cause my ears want that also. Do you have some tips to get away from harsh and digital sounding mix… --- ## [Finneas vocal chain](https://community.mwtm.com/t/finneas-vocal-chain/12803)
**Author:** [@Alex\_BSA](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Alex_BSA)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/finneas-vocal-chain/12803 "2025-01-09T19:31:25Z")
Hi Jon! As I’m a big Finneas fan, and I also listened and liked a lot of songs of other artists you mixed, without even knowing you did (sometimes even took them as reference). Really wanna ask, what is your most common … --- ## [Question for Jon](https://community.mwtm.com/t/question-for-jon/12816)
**Author:** [@Paolo\_C](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Paolo_C)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2025, 7:29pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/question-for-jon/12816 "2025-01-09T19:29:55Z")
Hello Jon, huge fan of your work on Hit Me Hard and Soft. I have a couple of questions. How did you reach that sound in the start of Chihiro? Cause it feels like the voice is floating between the instruments, sounds m… --- ## [Raye Escapism Vocals](https://community.mwtm.com/t/raye-escapism-vocals/12762)
**Author:** [@Boi\_BOI](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Boi_BOI)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 10:56am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/raye-escapism-vocals/12762 "2025-01-08T10:56:58Z")
I’m really curious about how you achieved such incredible depth and dimension in the vocals. Was TrueVerb part of the process, or did you use a combination of different effects? Could you share some insights into the EFX… --- ## [Overall mixing tips, depth and master bus](https://community.mwtm.com/t/overall-mixing-tips-depth-and-master-bus/12805)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_Perez](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Johnny_Perez)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 7:52am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/overall-mixing-tips-depth-and-master-bus/12805 "2025-01-08T07:52:28Z")
Hey Jon love your work! A couple things come to mind when hearing your mixes! What is your mix bus chain or starting point. I love the depth and spread your mixes have and would love to know your approach. I’ve also not… --- ## [What is your approach to - Gain Staging?](https://community.mwtm.com/t/what-is-your-approach-to-gain-staging/12754)
**Author:** [@TS110](https://community.mwtm.com/u/TS110)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 7:06am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/what-is-your-approach-to-gain-staging/12754 "2025-01-08T07:06:28Z")
Hi Jon, I wanted to ask if you could explain your approach to gain staging? i.e do you have a target your aiming for in db, would you use a VU meter and look for a target input level etc? (Thank you for answering questi… --- ## [Understanding the “good” frequencies in the context of a song](https://community.mwtm.com/t/understanding-the-good-frequencies-in-the-context-of-a-song/12799)
**Author:** [@Michael\_Garmany](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Michael_Garmany)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 4:29am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/understanding-the-good-frequencies-in-the-context-of-a-song/12799 "2025-01-08T04:29:34Z")
For the sake of brevity, let’s assume I have a consistent and decently accurate set of listening references/speakers. I find that the frequencies in my mixes “work” in relationship to each other. The groove grooves, it… --- ## [VT5 in the Mix Buss order](https://community.mwtm.com/t/vt5-in-the-mix-buss-order/12743)
**Author:** [@Joshua\_Caspian](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Joshua_Caspian)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 3:03am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/vt5-in-the-mix-buss-order/12743 "2025-01-08T03:03:30Z")
It looks like you’re using a lot of the VT-5! In your mix buss, where do you place it/optimal place to place it on our mix buss? --- ## [Monitoring, are you using your Hilo or another device? What would you recommend and/or steer clear from?](https://community.mwtm.com/t/monitoring-are-you-using-your-hilo-or-another-device-what-would-you-recommend-and-or-steer-clear-from/12785)
**Author:** [@Joshua\_Caspian](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Joshua_Caspian)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 2:40am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/monitoring-are-you-using-your-hilo-or-another-device-what-would-you-recommend-and-or-steer-clear-from/12785 "2025-01-08T02:40:03Z")
Hey Jon! Thanks for your insight! Ive seen yours studio and a few others be designed by sdp.la! A constant thing ive seen is having the lynx aurora and Hilo and some videos ive seen you use the Grace audio design for yo… --- ## [Questions on drums and loudness](https://community.mwtm.com/t/questions-on-drums-and-loudness/12778)
**Author:** [@jisung\_yang](https://community.mwtm.com/u/jisung_yang)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 1:52am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/questions-on-drums-and-loudness/12778 "2025-01-08T01:52:02Z")
Hello from Korea. Huge respect on your mix results, and congratulations to your success. I am a producer and i self-mix my stuff. I have watched finneas birds of a feather video and have some questions about your work … --- ## [Question about vocal buses](https://community.mwtm.com/t/question-about-vocal-buses/12734)
**Author:** [@john\_martin](https://community.mwtm.com/u/john_martin)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 1:40am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/question-about-vocal-buses/12734 "2025-01-08T01:40:35Z")
I produce and mix my own music at home, and I’m fairly happy with the sounds that I’m getting, but I always get insecure about not being sure with how many effect buses I should use to get the sound that I want. Sometime… --- ## [Mixing vocals for top artist](https://community.mwtm.com/t/mixing-vocals-for-top-artist/12774)
**Author:** [@C\_Sound](https://community.mwtm.com/u/C_Sound)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 1:37am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/mixing-vocals-for-top-artist/12774 "2025-01-08T01:37:39Z")
Hi Jon! Thank you very much for sharing your answers with us. I wanted to ask you about vocals. What kind of chain do you use? Do you start the mix early on the vocals? --- ## [Saturation/Compression](https://community.mwtm.com/t/saturation-compression/12744)
**Author:** [@Michael\_Tinker](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Michael_Tinker)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 1:28am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/saturation-compression/12744 "2025-01-08T01:28:45Z")
Hi Jon, thank you for doing this! I’ve listened to a lot of your conversations with Matt Rad and I’d love to hear you talk about your techniques on using saturation/transient designers instead of compression. Thanks ag… --- ## [Low Mids Masking](https://community.mwtm.com/t/low-mids-masking/12745)
**Author:** [@Andrew\_Gabra](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Andrew_Gabra)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 1:26am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/low-mids-masking/12745 "2025-01-08T01:26:29Z")
Hi Jon! Would love to get your insight on how you approach getting separation and less mud/masking in a mix (when the song calls for more separation of course). Starting with hearing the overlap and muddiness, how are yo… --- ## [How would you (Jon) describe your mix style in general?](https://community.mwtm.com/t/how-would-you-jon-describe-your-mix-style-in-general/12767)
**Author:** [@Mei\_Yap](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Mei_Yap)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 1:13am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/how-would-you-jon-describe-your-mix-style-in-general/12767 "2025-01-08T01:13:20Z")
Hi Jon, thanks for doing this! Love your work. More of a general question, how would you describe your ‘style’ of mixing and how does it differ from other top industry professionals? I have some ideas but I’d like to … [Next page](https://community.mwtm.com/c/masters-q-a/q-a-jon-castelli/74.md?page=1)