> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gridshift.studio/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Mix Controls

> Volume, panning, mid/side processing, clipper/limiter, and mono-below — every track has a full mixing toolkit built into the Inspector.

The Mix section in the [Inspector](/features/inspector) contains all per-track mixing controls. Click the section header to expand or collapse it.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/kern/YWguaYwyCytbnU33/images/screenshots/mix-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=YWguaYwyCytbnU33&q=85&s=2d1c6ae24284217317499bc8812dba4b" alt="Mix section in the Inspector showing signal history, meter, volume fader, and mix controls" className="dark:hidden" width="904" height="1124" data-path="images/screenshots/mix-light.png" />

  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/kern/YWguaYwyCytbnU33/images/screenshots/mix-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=YWguaYwyCytbnU33&q=85&s=f6c2f313675a5784850867d1c8deafae" alt="Mix section in the Inspector showing signal history, meter, volume fader, and mix controls" className="hidden dark:block" width="892" height="1130" data-path="images/screenshots/mix-dark.png" />
</Frame>

## Signal History & Metering

At the top of the Mix section, a real-time signal history visualization shows the track's level over time. Next to it, a stereo peak meter displays left and right channel levels with a dB scale.

Above the visualization: **Peak** (click to reset), **Gain** (current volume in dB), and integrated **LUFS** readings.

The ceiling line in the visualization is draggable — pull it down to set the clipper ceiling below 0 dB.

## Volume

Vertical fader ranging from -48 dB to +12 dB. Snaps at 0 dB. The fader moves automatically during playback when volume automation is active.

<Note>
  Use **Normalize Track Volume** (`⌥N`) to automatically set the fader so the peak reaches 0 dBFS. Play the track first so Gridshift has peak data to work with.
</Note>

## Clip Type

Select the output clipping or limiting mode from the dropdown:

### Clipping Curves

Clipping curves shape peaks that exceed the ceiling. They add harmonic character at zero latency.

| Curve                  | Character                                                        |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **None**               | Bypass — no clipping applied                                     |
| **Hard**               | Aggressive digital clipping, peaks sliced flat                   |
| **Quintic**            | Gentle soft clip with smooth saturation onset                    |
| **Cubic**              | Classic soft clip, warm and musical, predominantly odd harmonics |
| **Hyperbolic Tangent** | Analog-style saturation, smoothest transition into limiting      |
| **Arctangent**         | Gentle saturation, preserves dynamics, minimal coloration        |
| **Algebraic**          | Moderate soft clip, balanced between Arctangent and Cubic        |

### Limiter Modes

Transparent peak control without harmonic coloration.

| Mode                  | Behavior                                                                                                                   |
| --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Limit**             | Zero-latency peak limiter with stereo-linked gain reduction and \~100 ms release                                           |
| **Limit (Lookahead)** | Peak limiter with a short lookahead buffer for smoother response. Adds minimal latency, automatically compensated via PDC. |

## Pan

Horizontal panner from full left to full right with snap points at L50, Center, R50.

Right-click to switch mode:

| Mode           | Description                            |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| **Balance**    | Adjusts left/right volume (default)    |
| **Stereo Pan** | Crossfades the signal between channels |

## Mid / Side

Independent gain controls for the center (Mid) and stereo (Side) content of the signal.

| Control  | Range       | Description                                                                 |
| -------- | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Mid**  | -∞ to +6 dB | Center channel gain — controls mono content                                 |
| **Side** | -∞ to +6 dB | Side channel gain — controls stereo width. At zero the signal becomes mono. |

## Mono Below

Collapses low frequencies to mono below a configurable cutoff frequency (20 Hz – 1 kHz). Tightens the stereo low end without affecting the rest of the spectrum. Option-click to disable.

Right-click to switch algorithm:

| Mode       | Description                          |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------ |
| **Mono**   | Sums L+R below cutoff (default)      |
| **Mono L** | Uses left channel only below cutoff  |
| **Mono R** | Uses right channel only below cutoff |