Mixing: level, width & space
A mix is not making everything loud. It is giving every important part a readable place.
Mixing is deciding what matters, then making that decision audible. Level creates hierarchy; pan creates width; reverb and delay suggest distance.
Listen for: Equal level and position make the parts compete.
Balance from silence
Pull every track down. Raise the main part to a comfortable level, then add the supporting parts one at a time. If a new part hides something important, first turn it down; equal loudness is not fairness.
Leave headroom between ordinary peaks and the maximum. The master limiter is a safety net, not a target. A quieter clean mix can be turned up later; a clipped one cannot be unbroken.
Width and depth
Keep kick, bass and the main anchor near the centre. Pan contrasting mid/high parts apart. A dry sound feels close; more shared reverb or delay pushes it back. Depth comes from different amounts of space, not drowning every track equally.