01.  Gain Staging (The Foundation)

The master fader should sit at zero dB, and adjust levels at the track stage.

Keep track levels around -12dB to -6dB to prevent clipping, and give plugins, and your mix a bit of headroom.  

When sending mixes to get mastered, it's best to avoid using a limiter. Sending a wave, or Aif file, at the mix sessions frequency, and bit rate with a little headroom is perfect.
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02.  High-Pass Filtering (Remove the Rumble)

Use high-pass filter (HPF) on non-bass instruments to cut low-frequency clutter below 80-100Hz, keeping the mix clear and punchy.

It can also be a good idea to high pass the bass around 40 to 50Hz, to leave a little room for the sub kick frequencies, if needed.
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03.  Subtractive EQ (Fix Before Boosting)

Instead of boosting, cut unwanted frequencies first.  

Remove 200-500Hz for less muddiness in vocals and snares, and 3-5kHz for less harshness in guitars.
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04.  Volume Automation (Dynamic Control)

Instead of over-compressing, use automation to adjust vocal and instrument levels, keeping

key elements present and natural.
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06.  Delay Instead of Reverb (Clarity & Space)

Use a short delay (50-150ms) instead of reverb for depth without mud.  If using reverb,

high-pass it to avoid low-end buildup.

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07.  Panning for Depth & Separation

Keep kick, bass, snare and lead vocals  centered while panning guitars, synths and backing vocals to the left and right for a full stereo image.

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08.  Reference Tracks (Check Your Mix)

Compare your mix to a professionally mixed song in the same genre.  Match levels, EQ and

balance using an A/B test.

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