PERCEPTUAL EQUILIBRIUM IN THE ART OF AUDIO MIXING

Abstract

This article proposes a conceptual framework of perceptual balance in audio mixing, viewing audio mixing as a process of perception and aesthetic decision-making rather than merely the control of audio signals through technical parameters. The study aims to explain the relationships among auditory perception, visual perception through analytical tools, and the perceptual state of the mixing engineer in order to create works that exhibit overall quality and coherence.

The article argues that balance in audio mixing does not arise from the symmetry of physical parameters such as loudness or frequency, but rather from the organization of relationships among sonic elements in accordance with human perceptual mechanisms. Perceptual balance is explained through three dimensions: technical balance, which functions to control and correct the physical limitations of sound; perceptual balance, which involves listening to assign roles and relationships among sounds; and the mixing engineer’s perceptual balance in listening and creative decision-making.

Within this conceptual framework, the article discusses the role of intuitive mixing as a process that integrates listening, seeing, and the critical use of techniques, allowing technical parameters to function as indicators and problem-solving tools that support perception rather than as determinants of artistic quality. The article concludes that perceptual audio mixing represents a point of convergence between technical knowledge and the art of listening, and can serve as a conceptual approach for achieving balance in sound creation.