User-Centered Insights into Analogue and Digital Mixing: Perspectives of Novice Music Producers

The layout of the Audio Mixing Interface (AMI) has remained consistent since it was first conceived over 50 years ago. Whilst usability studies have evaluated alternative AMI designs against this established paradigm, they often lack a holistic perspective. Recently, user experience approaches have been used in ethnographic studies to explore the way music producers use technology. This qualitative study explores novice users experience of mixing popular music. Data was collected via a survey, the user experience questionnaire, and semi-structured group interviews after completing a mixing task with a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and analogue mixing console. The analysis revealed that the participants favoured the analogue AMI over the DAW but there were numerous issues with both AMIs. Navigating the AMI, particularly with the DAW, was the biggest reported issue. Furthermore, the DAW’s adaptation of the analogue mixing console does not fully translate, partly due to the lack of tactile control. Novice users enjoyed the additional visual feedback provided by the DAW, specifically for EQ. These findings highlight novice AMI users needs, which are only partly met by the DAW and analogue mixing console. Ideally novice users require a combination of the simplified and tactile experience of the analogue AMI combined with the data visualisation enhanced visual feedback of the DAW to provide a more learnable AMI.