Board Thread:Off-Topic Discussion/@comment-96.246.31.67-20140526211431/@comment-12633677-20140526215824

Mixing and mastering are concepts that apply to all recorded music. I'm no expert, but here are some articles.

http://musicians.about.com/od/musiciansfaq/f/mixingormaster.htm http://music.tutsplus.com/tutorials/a-basic-guide-to-mixing-and-mastering--audio-11038

You can also find some info in Vocaloid video tutorials.

Do mixing and mastering make a Vocaloid sound better? If done correctly, then definitely. The raw vocals straight out of the VOCALOID program can be made more clear and less muddy, and you have to make sure they sit well in the mix (not too quiet, not too loud, and maybe some reverb or chorus effects). Just remember that if you have a bad vocal file, mixing and mastering won't fix it.

If you want to hear song with badly mixed vocals, just listen to any of the thousands of "wrong-sounding" covers on Youtube. Just use your ears. If the vocals don't sit on the song correctly, you now know why.