# Dan Murtagh - Mixing, Mastering & Production

> Melbourne-based mixing and mastering engineer and educator with 20 years across music and film. Free interactive tools, in-depth guides on compression, EQ and loudness, professional mixing/mastering services, and an AI mixing tutor.

## Free Tools

- [Free Compression Calculator](https://danmurtagh.com/compressor-calculator): Pick your source and goal, get starting points for attack, release, ratio, threshold and compressor type - plus why it works and what to listen for.
- [Free Compression Visualiser](https://danmurtagh.com/compression-visualiser): Free compression visualiser for producers. Adjust threshold, ratio, attack, and release to watch how compression shapes your signal in real time.
- [Compression Troubleshooter - Fix Your Compressor Settings](https://danmurtagh.com/compression-troubleshooter): Free interactive compression troubleshooter. Select your symptom, get a diagnosis and specific fix for attack, release, ratio and gain reduction problems.
- [EQ Frequency Chart & Cheat Sheet - Interactive Tool](https://danmurtagh.com/eq-frequency-chart): Interactive EQ frequency chart - see where 21 instruments live on the spectrum, spot masking conflicts, and diagnose mix problems. Free, with genre presets.
- [Polar Pattern Visualiser - Free Interactive Mic Tool](https://danmurtagh.com/polar-pattern-visualiser): Free interactive polar pattern visualiser. Explore 9 mic patterns from omni to figure-8, see how patterns change with frequency, and get practical recording advice.
- [Free EQ Ear Trainer - Learn to Hear Frequencies](https://danmurtagh.com/eq-ear-trainer): A free ear-training game for mixers. Hear a frequency boost, guess the band, level up from pink noise to a full mix. Train the skill every EQ chart is a substitute for.
- [Free Compression Tools](https://danmurtagh.com/tools): Free mixing tools for producers: compressor settings, compression visualiser, EQ chart, LUFS lookup and mic patterns. No sign-up.

## Guides & Articles

- [Best AI Mixing Assistants in 2026](https://danmurtagh.com/best-ai-mixing-assistant): The best AI mixing assistants in 2026 compared: AI tutors like Ask Dan, in-DAW assistants like Neutron and Ozone, auto-mixing services, and where ChatGPT fits.
- [Best Free Compression Tools in 2026](https://danmurtagh.com/best-free-compression-tools): The best free compression tools in 2026: interactive visualisers, calculators and troubleshooters, plus the free compressor plugins actually worth learning on.
- [The Compression Code vs Mixing With Compression](https://danmurtagh.com/compression-code-vs-mixing-with-compression): The Compression Code vs Matthew Weiss's Mixing With Compression: price, format, teaching philosophy and who each course suits. An honest head-to-head from the maker of one of them.
- [Best Compression Courses in 2026: An Honest Comparison](https://danmurtagh.com/best-compression-course): The best compression courses in 2026 compared: The Compression Code, Mixing With Compression, Audio Masterclass and more. Prices, formats, and who each one actually suits.
- [Compressor Release Time: How to Set It by Ear](https://danmurtagh.com/compressor-release-time): Release time decides whether your compression grooves or chokes. What release actually does, the tempo connection, and how to set it by ear.
- [How to Master for Spotify: LUFS & Loudness Explained](https://danmurtagh.com/mastering-for-spotify): Spotify's -14 LUFS is a playback target, not a mastering target. What LUFS actually means, what Spotify does to your track, and how loud to master.
- [Compressor Attack Time: You're Using It Backwards](https://danmurtagh.com/what-does-attack-time-do): Compressor attack time trips everyone up. Fast attack = less punch, not more. Learn the front end/back end framework that finally makes it click.
- [LUFS Loudness Standards for 50+ Platforms - Free Lookup](https://danmurtagh.com/lufs-loudness-standards): LUFS loudness standards for Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, Netflix and 50+ platforms. Free lookup with targets, true-peak limits, codecs and specs.
- [Compression Sounds Bad? 9 Symptoms, 9 Fixes](https://danmurtagh.com/compression-sounds-bad): Squashed mix, lost punch, lifeless vocals - diagnose compression problems by symptom, not guesswork. Practical fixes from 20 years behind the console.
- [Recording Studio Mistakes: 9 Ways Bands Waste Studio Time](https://danmurtagh.com/recording-studio-mistakes): The most common recording studio mistakes bands make and how to avoid them. Practical advice from a Melbourne engineer with 20 years of session experience.
- [Music Copyright Royalties: The Brutal Conversation Musicians Avoid](https://danmurtagh.com/music-copyright-royalties): What I wish I'd known early about splits, publishing, masters, and getting paid what you're owed as a musician.
- [Articles & Journal](https://danmurtagh.com/articles): Mixing and production tutorials, compression guides, and studio field notes from Melbourne engineer and educator Dan Murtagh.
- [Learn](https://danmurtagh.com/learn): Audio mixing tutorials, free compression tools, and practical guides on production from Melbourne-based engineer and educator Dan Murtagh.

## Services

- [Mixing & Mastering in Melbourne](https://danmurtagh.com/services): Mixing and mastering in Melbourne for bands and solo artists. Recording, production, and film sound. 20 years of experience, remote or in-studio.
- [Mixing Engineer in Melbourne for Bands & Solo Artists](https://danmurtagh.com/mixing-engineer-melbourne): Melbourne mixing engineer for bands and solo artists. Clear, balanced, intentional mixes that translate on every system. Remote or in-person, 20 years' experience.
- [Mastering Engineer in Melbourne - Streaming, CD & Vinyl](https://danmurtagh.com/mastering-engineer-melbourne): Melbourne mastering engineer for singles, EPs and albums. Transparent masters for streaming, CD (DDP) and vinyl. 20 years' experience, remote or in person.
- [Remote Mixing Engineer for Bands & Solo Artists](https://danmurtagh.com/remote-mixing-engineer): Remote mixing engineer for bands and solo artists. Send your multitracks and get clear, punchy, translation-proof mixes. 20 years across music and film.
- [Film Sound Post-Production in Melbourne](https://danmurtagh.com/film-sound-post-production): Film sound post-production in Melbourne for short films and features. Dialogue editing, sound design, music integration, and final mix that serves the story.
- [Booking & Enquiries](https://danmurtagh.com/booking): Start a project with Dan Murtagh - mixing, mastering, recording and film sound from Melbourne. Remote or in-studio. Replies within two business days.

## Portfolio

- [Music](https://danmurtagh.com/music): Selected discography from Melbourne mixing, mastering and production engineer Dan Murtagh - records across rock, metal, indie and electronic.
- [Film Sound Portfolio](https://danmurtagh.com/film): Film sound and post-production for features, shorts, TV and documentaries. Sound design, dialogue editing and mixing - award-winning work.
- [Twelve Foot Ninja](https://danmurtagh.com/twelve-foot-ninja): Tracking massive bass grooves with Damon from Melbourne heavy-fusion outfit Twelve Foot Ninja for their second album: a session note from the studio.
- [Red Light Sound – Latitudes](https://danmurtagh.com/red-light-sound-latitudes): Producing, mixing and mastering Latitudes for Adelaide prog-rock band Red Light Sound: a behind-the-scenes look at a hands-on, guerrilla-style EP production.

## About & Course

- [About](https://danmurtagh.com/about): Melbourne producer and mix engineer, multi award-winning film sound designer, and audio educator. 20 years making records with clarity, impact and character.
- [The Compression Code](https://danmurtagh.com/the-compression-code): An online course that teaches you to hear compression and make decisions by ear, not copy settings. Nine lessons plus a capstone, $49 one-time (no subscription). From Melbourne engineer and educator Dan Murtagh, built on a decade of teaching audio production.
- [Free Lesson: Why Fast Attack Kills Your Punch](https://danmurtagh.com/the-compression-code/lesson-1): The complete first lesson of The Compression Code, free and open with no sign-up. Explains why "fast attack means punchy" is backwards, what a transient actually is, and how to choose attack time by ear. Interactive diagrams and a knowledge check.

## Also by Dan Murtagh

- [Ask Dan](https://ask.danmurtagh.com): Free AI mixing mentor grounded in Dan Murtagh's real teaching: ask any mixing, mastering, or production question and get practical answers with settings and reasoning. Browser-based, no install, first questions need no sign-up. Structured index: https://ask.danmurtagh.com/llms.txt
- [StemConsole](https://stemconsole.ai): Free AI stem splitter and vocal remover with a built-in live mixer - split any song into vocals, drums, bass and more, then solo, mute and blend the stems in your browser.