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I’ve been trying to get my synth pads to sit further back in the mix without just turning them down. I used a high shelf to cut some top end and added a long reverb, but they still feel like they’re sitting on top of everything instead of blending into the background. Is there something specific with EQ or compression I should be focusing on to create that sense of depth?

I found that a light cut in the low mids on the pad helps reduce boxiness and makes room for the bass. Then keep the highs under control and use a slow attack on a subtle bus compressor so the pad doesn’t slam at the start of every note.

Depth for me came from a parallel, darker pad and a separate, longer reverb on that track. I kept the main pad dry and blended the reverbed version underneath; the tails faded into the room but the dry signal still sat in the center. It took a few listens to keep it from washing the mix.

I tried sidechain ducking the pads under the lead chords, not too aggressive, to leave space for vocals; it helped a bit but the pad lost some of its life and texture.

Do you think the issue is the reference balance or the pad texture itself?

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