good mixing starts with the inherent ability to both choose and create great source sounds. After that has been accomplished, the last resort should be being able to use eq, compress, reverb, etc properly. Start with good sounds and you wont have to spend so much time/energy on forcing a sound into the mix. To choose good sounds, besides the inherent ability, you have to know your monitors well, whether they are $40 or $4000.

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commercial and underground electronic music (house/techno/trance/other) will surpass today's hip hop/pop/rock/country in worldwide interest...if it has'nt already.