Built by David Glenn / The Mix Academy — born out of necessity, built with obsession

Your Session Prep Just Became the
Fastest Part of Your Day

Drop a folder of stems. Get back organized, gain-staged to your taste, labeled tracks — with a full session report — before you open your DAW.

The first Pre-Mix Intelligence engine built for working mix engineers. 100+ tracks analyzed in seconds, not minutes.

Get MIXPrep — $97 Watch the Walkthrough

macOS 11+ ready · Windows in active beta · Launch price locked for life · 30-day money-back guarantee

MIXPrep walkthrough — click to play

Full walkthrough — click to play. No cuts, real session, complete transparency.

Launch Week Pricing

MIXPrep Core — $97 one-time

Launch pricing ends this week. After that, Core moves to $199. Want AI-matched references, deeper session analysis, and phase alignment? Add the Pro layer at checkout for $49/year — totally optional, skip it if you just want Core.

Get MIXPrep — $97

One-time payment. Core features always work without a subscription. AI layer is a separate $49/year add-on at checkout.

The Problem

You got into mixing to mix. Not to rename 120 files.

Every session starts the same way. A Dropbox link. A zip file. A folder full of chaos. And the next 30–60 minutes of your life disappear before you touch a single fader.

01

The Name Game

Audio_Track_14.wav. bounce_v3_FINAL(2).wav. You spend 15 minutes just figuring out what each track is — kick, snare, or somebody's rough vocal comp.

02

The Gain Lottery

Tracks arrive at wildly different levels. That "quiet" guitar clips your mix bus. That "loud" vocal barely registers. You re-gain every. single. track.

03

The Reference Hunt

The artist says "make it sound like The Weeknd." You open Spotify, scroll through 15 tracks, and still aren't sure which one fits this session's vibe.

04

Flying Blind

You start mixing without knowing the key, tempo, phase issues, or sub-bleed. You discover problems 2 hours in. Then you're troubleshooting instead of mixing.

That's not mixing. That's data entry. MIXPrep handles the prep so you can get to the part that actually matters.

The Transformation

From chaos to clarity in under 3 minutes

Drop a folder. MIXPrep handles everything else.

Before MIXPrep

×120 files named "Audio_1" through "Audio_120"
×45 minutes of manual organizing, renaming, color-coding
×Gain staging everything to -18 dBFS and hoping for the best
×Guessing at references from a Spotify playlist
×Opening your DAW blind — no idea what the session needs
×Fighting levels for the first hour instead of mixing
→ < 3 min total prep time

After MIXPrep

✓TrackSense categorizes every track by what it sounds like
✓SMART Gain stages each category to its ideal headroom
✓Clean Names replaces cryptic filenames instantly
✓MixBrief tells you what the session needs before you solo a track
✓MixPrint starts you at a proven balance from your best mix
✓You open your DAW knowing exactly where to start
How It Works

Drop a folder. Get a mix-ready session.

1

Drop a folder or zip onto MIXPrep.

Any folder of audio stems or a zip file. WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3. Any sample rate, any bit depth.

MIXPrep drop screen — clean landing screen with drag-and-drop zone

Drop a folder and MIXPrep takes it from here.

2

MIXPrep listens to every track and figures out what it is.

Kick, snare, lead vocal, clean guitar, room mic, pad — 37 categories, identified automatically. Across 100+ tracks in seconds, not minutes.

3

Every track gets gain-staged to the right level for what it is.

Not one flat target for everything. Your kick gets different headroom than your room mic. Your vocal gets different headroom than your bass DI. Category-aware gain staging, calibrated from real sessions.

MIXPrep SMART Gain mode selection — choose between SMART, Peak, and RMS gain staging

Choose your gain mode — SMART, Peak, or RMS — before processing.

4

Clean, readable names replace the chaos.

No more "Audio_Track_14." Now it says "Kick In" and "Snare Top" and "Lead Vox." See what everything is at a glance.

5

You get a full session report — the MixBrief.

Key, tempo, track count by category, frequency relationships, and an overview of what you're working with. Know the session before you open your DAW.

6

Start at a proven mix balance with MixPrint.

Load a reference mix you love. MixPrint captures the per-category balance as a reusable template. Every new session starts at that proven balance — skip the rough mix guesswork entirely.

7

AI-matched reference tracks that fit your session.

MIXRef analyzes the genre and sonic profile of your session, then suggests professional releases that match. Audition them side by side with SonicLens. Verified engineer credits on every recommendation.

Your session goes from a pile of mystery files to an organized, gain-staged, fully analyzed project. In minutes instead of an hour.

Features

Everything you need. Nothing you don't.

Built by a mix engineer who got tired of prepping sessions the hard way.

TrackSense

37-Category Audio Recognition

Drop 100+ tracks and MIXPrep identifies what each one is — kick, snare, vocal, guitar, synth, and 32 more categories. When it gets one wrong, correct it once. The teachable dictionary learns your preferences and gets smarter every session.

SMART Gain

Category-Aware Gain Staging

Session-Matched Adaptive Ratio Targeting. Your kick, your vocal, and your room mic each get the right amount of headroom for what they are. Not one flat number for everything. Calibrated from real-world mix sessions.

MixPrint — New

Scan Your Best Mix Once. Start Every Session at That Balance.

Load a reference mix you love, and MixPrint captures the per-category balance as a reusable template. Every new session starts at that proven balance — with per-category lock and SMART toggle so you stay in control of every stem type. Stop building rough mixes from scratch. Start where your last great mix left off.

Clean Names

Readable Labels, Instantly

MIXPrep replaces cryptic filenames with clear, readable labels. "Audio_Track_14" becomes "Kick In." "bounce_v3_FINAL(2)" becomes "Lead Vox." See what everything is at a glance.

MixBrief

Your Musical Intelligence Report

Before you open your DAW, MixBrief gives you the overview: key, tempo, track count by category, kick/bass relationship, and a plain-English summary of what the session looks like. With the AI add-on, get deeper analysis including frequency relationships and mix approach suggestions. Export as PDF for clients.

MIXRef + SonicLens

Reference Tracks That Actually Match Your Session

Stop scrolling Spotify hoping to find the right reference. MIXRef analyzes your session's genre, energy, and sonic profile, then recommends verified professional releases. SonicLens lets you audition references side by side with 30-second previews. Confidence scoring on every pick. Every recommendation comes with verified mixer, producer, and mastering credits — not guesses. Grammy, Dove, BET, and Billboard award badges appear right on the card.

MIXRef reference cards showing Al Green and Earth Wind & Fire matches
MIXRef reference cards showing Aretha Franklin and Boyz II Men matches

AI-matched references with verified engineer credits, award badges, and confidence scores.

PhaseSyncBeta — Coming Soon

Automatic Phase Alignment for Multi-Mic'd Instruments

Drop your drums, guitars, vocals — PhaseSync detects which mics belong together, finds the optimal time alignment, and fixes phase issues in seconds. No manual nudging. No trial-and-error polarity flipping. No $149 plugin required. Currently in beta with launch week buyers getting first access.

Session Intelligence

Key, Tempo, Time Signature — Detected Automatically

MIXPrep auto-detects key, tempo, key changes, and time signature from the audio itself. Know exactly what you're working with before you open your DAW. No metadata guessing, no manual BPM tapping.

MIDI Key Map Export

Auto-Tune and Melodyne Setup in One Click

Export a MIDI key map based on detected key and key changes. Load it directly into Auto-Tune, Melodyne, or any pitch correction tool. Skip the manual scale setup entirely.

HP Filter Suggestions

No More Mud. No More Guessing.

Sub-frequency analysis flags every track with unnecessary low-end energy, with suggested filter frequencies. Clean up your low end before you even open an EQ plugin.

Track Translator

International Sessions? Handled.

170+ audio terms in 15+ languages. MIXPrep auto-detects international sessions and translates track names so every stem makes sense, no matter where the session originated.

Privacy-First

Your Audio Never Leaves Your Machine

All core processing happens locally on your computer. The AI features use metadata and analysis data only — never your actual audio files. If you work with pre-release material or major-label sessions, your files stay exactly where they are.

Who This Is For

If you open session folders for a living, this is for you.

Mix engineers doing 2+ sessions a week who are tired of burning prep time
Freelance mixers juggling sessions from different artists, producers, and studios — where every folder is a different kind of chaos
Producers who mix their own work and want to start from an organized, gain-staged foundation
Engineers working in any genre — hip-hop, R&B, rock, country, pop, worship, electronic, Latin, metal, jazz. If it comes as a folder of stems, MIXPrep handles it.
Anyone who's ever opened a 120-track session folder and felt their stomach drop

This is not genre-specific. This is not DAW-specific. If you receive audio files and need to make sense of them before mixing, MIXPrep saves you time on every single session.

Get MIXPrep

One session pays for itself.

Save 30–60 minutes per session. At any billing rate, MIXPrep pays for itself on your first mix.

MIXPrep Core Launch Price
$97 $199
one-time payment · yours forever · launch price
Full MIXPrep desktop app — unlimited sessions, unlimited tracks
TrackSense — 37-category auto-identification + teachable dictionary
SMART Gain — category-aware gain staging
MixPrint — capture and reuse mix balances from your best mixes
Clean Names + MixBrief — organized files, session overview, HP filter suggestions
Track Translator — 170+ terms in 15+ languages
Session Intelligence — auto-detect key, tempo, key changes, time signature
MIDI Key Map Export — one-click setup for Auto-Tune and Melodyne
Free updates forever — every core improvement, no extra cost
Silence trimmer — strips trailing silence, reclaims disk space (saved 1 GB on one session)
Get MIXPrep — $97

30-day money-back guarantee · macOS 11+ · Windows in active beta · Launch price going to $199

Optional at checkout — Pro Layer $49/year

Want AI-matched references, deeper mix analysis, and phase alignment? Add the Pro layer at checkout for $49/year. Skip it if you just want Core — no pressure, no lock-in.

MIXRef — AI-matched reference tracks with verified engineer credits
SonicLens — side-by-side reference audition with 30-second previews
MixBrief AI — deeper session analysis, frequency relationships, mix approach suggestions
PhaseSync Beta Access — automatic phase alignment for multi-mic'd instruments

Billed $49/year. Cancel anytime. Core features always work without it.

If MIXPrep saves you 30 minutes per session and you mix twice a week, that's 52 hours a year. At any billing rate, this pays for itself before you finish your first week.

30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.

FAQ

Questions? Answers.

Is MIXPrep available for Windows?
macOS is the lead platform and where I run MIXPrep daily. Windows is in active beta. v1.4.1.2 shipped 2026-05-18 with the major Windows-specific fixes (drag-and-drop now copies instead of moving source files, the silent install crash is diagnosed and fixed, the process worker no longer hangs on protected folders). Activation and licensing are solid across both platforms (three-device licensing, magic-link recovery, the works). A few visual quirks on Windows light-mode are still on the queue for v1.4.3. If you buy in today on Windows, you get the current Windows build (installer, portable, and debug variants), a direct line to me at david@themixacademy.com, and the 30-day money-back guarantee. No awkward hoops if it isn't working for your setup. You also lock in the $97 launch price for life (it's going to $199 once stable). Target for Windows-to-Mac parity: a few more weeks. If you'd rather wait until then, email me and I will hold your $97 slot.
What file formats does it support?
WAV, AIFF, FLAC, and MP3. Any sample rate, any bit depth. Just point it at a folder of stems and it does the rest.
What genres does it work with?
All of them. TrackSense recognizes 37 categories that span every genre — from hip-hop to country to metal to worship to Latin pop. The SMART Gain targets are calibrated from real sessions across multiple genres.
Does my audio get uploaded to the cloud?
No. All core processing runs locally on your machine. Your stems never leave your hard drive. The AI features use metadata and analysis results only — not your actual audio content.
How accurate is TrackSense?
Engineers report 90%+ accuracy out of the box on sessions with 100+ tracks. When it gets one wrong, correct it once and the teachable dictionary learns. Most engineers see 95%+ accuracy after a few sessions.
Does MIXPrep work with VoiceOver, screen readers, or keyboard-only navigation?
We're actively auditing MIXPrep for VoiceOver compatibility, keyboard navigation, color contrast, and high-contrast display. The app isn't fully accessible yet — we'd rather tell you that honestly than pretend otherwise. If you rely on assistive technology, email david@themixacademy.com before purchasing so we can be honest about what works today and what's in progress — and so your feedback can shape what we ship next. Engineers with vision loss make great mixes too, and we want MIXPrep to be a tool you can actually use.
What does the AI add-on actually do?
The AI add-on ($49/year) powers MIXRef (reference track matching based on your session's sonic profile), SonicLens (side-by-side reference listening), enhanced MixBrief analysis (deeper session insights and mix approach suggestions), and personalized mixing checklists. Core features like TrackSense, SMART Gain, MixPrint, and Clean Names work without AI — they run entirely on your machine.
What is MixPrint?
MixPrint lets you scan a reference mix you love and capture the per-category balance as a reusable template. Every new session starts at that proven balance. You get per-category lock and SMART toggle so you stay in control. Think of it as starting every mix where your last great mix left off.
What if TrackSense gets a track wrong?
Correct it once. The teachable dictionary remembers your correction and applies it going forward. Most engineers see accuracy improve significantly after just a few sessions.
What is PhaseSync?
PhaseSync is our proprietary phase alignment engine, currently in beta. It automatically detects which mics belong together (snare top/bottom, kick in/out, guitar close/room), finds the optimal time alignment, and fixes phase issues — no manual nudging required. Launch week buyers get first access to the beta. It will be included in the Pro tier when it ships.
What's the difference between Core at $97 and the Pro layer at $49/year?
MIXPrep Core at $97 is the full desktop app — TrackSense categorization, SMART Gain, MixBrief session reports, MixPrint balance fingerprinting, everything that runs on your machine. One-time payment, permanent access. The Pro layer is an optional add-on at checkout that unlocks MIXRef (AI-matched reference tracks), SonicLens (side-by-side reference audition), MixBrief AI (deeper analysis and approach suggestions), and PhaseSync beta. It's $49/year, billed annually, cancel anytime. Core features always work without it.
Does MIXPrep modify my original files?
Never. MIXPrep creates organized copies. Your original stems are never touched, renamed, or moved.
What DAWs does it work with?
MIXPrep is DAW-agnostic. It processes your files and outputs organized, gain-staged copies you can import into Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton, Studio One, Cubase, Reaper, or any other DAW.
Is there a refund policy?
Yes. 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. If MIXPrep doesn't save you real time on real sessions, email me and you'll get a full refund.
How is this different from just organizing my files manually?
It's the same outcome in a fraction of the time. MIXPrep does in 30 seconds what takes you 30–60 minutes by hand — and it does the gain staging with category-specific intelligence that you'd have to calculate manually for each track type. Plus MixPrint gives you a starting balance no manual workflow can match.
macOS says it can't verify MIXPrep. Is it safe?
Yes — completely safe. MIXPrep is code-signed and notarized with Apple, so most Macs will open it without any warnings. If you do see a Gatekeeper prompt (rare on older macOS versions), just open Terminal and paste: xattr -cr /Applications/MIXPrep.app — then open normally. One time only.

MIXPrep runs entirely on your machine — your audio files never leave your computer.

The Story Behind MIXPrep

Born out of necessity. Built with obsession.

I'm David Glenn. Mix engineer, founder of The Mix Academy. Over 20 years mixing professionally, teaching engineers the whole way. I stepped away for a season — life, health, all of it. When I came back, ready to work again, I hit something I didn't expect.

The prep tool I'd used on every session for years wouldn't even open. Just… dead. And it forced a question I couldn't ignore: why am I still spending the first hour of every mix doing work that doesn't require my ears?

Renaming tracks. Sorting stems. Fixing gain staging. Trying to make sense of someone else's session. That's not mixing. But it's where all your best energy goes.

So I started building a small utility — just enough to handle gain staging and mono conversion. That was the plan. But then the hyperfocus kicked in. One fix turned into another, and pretty soon it wasn't a tool anymore. It was a system. Every feature built around one idea: your mix should start before you ever touch a fader.

Here's the part that still gets me. My very first course, back in 2011, was called "The Mix Prep Series." Gain staging. Session organization. The fundamentals. Years later, I ended up building the thing I was teaching back then. Full circle.

I built this because I needed it. I'm sharing it because I think you need it too.

Your next session could take half the prep time.

Drop a folder. Get organized, gain-staged, labeled tracks with a full session report. Start mixing instead of prepping.

Get MIXPrep — $97

macOS production · Windows active beta · 30-day money-back guarantee · Launch pricing locked for life · AI layer optional at checkout