Michael Brauer emphasizes the importance of starting a mix with a focal point and focusing on the emotional core of the song. He suggests having fun and experimenting at the beginning of the mix to discover unique ideas that can become the hook.
Brauer advises against focusing on support elements first, as this can lead to a cluttered mix with no room for the essential parts. Instead, he recommends identifying the most important elements in each section of the song and building the mix around them.
He also shares his approach of sometimes starting with the most challenging section or the loudest part to ensure it feels good before moving on. This method helps with setting up a gain structure that works for all parts of the song, preventing over-compression or undesired distortion in the loudest sections.