Creating Energy and Movement in a Mix: Insights from Breno Augusto

Hey y’all!

Lately, a huge focus of mine in my productions and mixes has been creating energy and liveliness- and finding new ways to do that so I can keep adding tools to my toolkit. Whether it’s through arrangement or processing, I’ve been experimenting a lot to figure out what brings a track to life. 

All of these thoughts inspired me to dedicate this blog to the topic. On that note, I had a great time chatting with Latin Grammy-winning engineer Breno Augusto to get his take on it.

I asked him: “What are some of your go to ways for adding energy and movement to a mix that feels dull and lacking energy?”

Creating Energy and Movement in a Mix

He said: “When I face a mix that feels dull or lacking energy, I usually approach it in layers.

The first thing I reach for is saturation, especially mid/side saturation. It helps me add dimension and make elements feel bigger in the stereo field. Keyboards, for example, can often look stereo but still sound very mono in practice. By shaping the left and right differently, I create movement and excitement across the panorama.

Another technique I use a lot is short-decay reverbs rooms, springs, and similar flavors. Instead of only relying on aux sends, I often put them directly on a channel to generate primary reflections and subtle pre-delay. That slight timing difference introduces depth and liveliness, making static elements feel more alive.

I also lean on parallel compression and clipping. Clipping helps me reduce dynamic range, add harmonic distortion, and push RMS, while parallel compression brings forward a strong sense of punch and energy. Depending on the genre, I’ll balance the two differently. In pop and beat-driven R&B, for example, a more “in-the-box” approach usually works best. In more acoustic or hybrid productions, I might clip individual elements more aggressively, knowing that my Neve summing will smooth out the harshness of that clipping. It allows me to push things further at the track level while still ending up with a musical overall sound.

And when I have the freedom to be more creative, I’ll sometimes take it further. That could mean duplicating a track and distorting it into a unique texture, or pushing a guitar or acoustic part harder during a transition to create contrast. Then I’ll automate those moves so the mix feels like it’s in constant motion. These kinds of choices really depend on how open the producer is to experimentation.

At the end of the day, a lot of the energy in a mix comes from interpreting the arrangement and communicating clearly with the team. Sometimes an element that feels like it’s draining energy to me is exactly what the producer wants. In those moments, my job is to respect that vision and find another way to lift the song. The right balance between creativity, technique, and collaboration is what really brings energy and movement into a mix."

Reverb Reflections and Stereo Imaging

I loved diving into Breno’s insightful answer- there were so many gems that stood out to me. One thing that really caught my attention was his use of reverbs inserted directly on individual tracks to create subtle reflections. That’s something I haven’t put a ton of thought into before, so I’m definitely looking forward to experimenting with different reverb “flavors” and seeing how they can add depth and movement.

Using Mid/Side EQ to Shape the Stereo Field

I was also fascinated by Breno’s approach to using mid/side EQ on keyboards, shaping each side slightly differently to create a stereo image that feels more dynamic and alive. It’s such a creative way to introduce movement and interest across the stereo field without relying on obvious panning or effects.

Energy Beyond the Plugins

Beyond all the technical gems, what really resonated with me was how Breno brought it all back to the idea that energy doesn’t just come from effects or processing- it comes from a proper interpretation of the performance and production, and clear communication with the producer(s) and artist. That part really stuck with me. I think it’s something that often gets underrated, and I love that he emphasized it.

Thanks so much Breno for your awesome answer!

Catch you next blog!