Bouncing (or Mixdown) is the process of mixing two or more audio tracks and recording the result on a new track.

Think of "bouncing" as the act of consolidating multiple layers. You take the sound from multiple tracks, with all their volumes, effects, and automations, and combine them into a single audio file.

Historical and Modern Uses

• Historically (on tape): Bouncing was essential for freeing up tracks on recorders with few channels. For example, a drummer could record the drums on 4 channels, mix them, and bounce that result to a single track, freeing up the other 3 to record new instruments. Modernly (in DAWs): This process is used to: Create the Final Mix: Bounce the entire project to a single stereo file (WAV, MP3, etc.). Save CPU: When a track is using many heavy plugins, you can bounce it with the effects applied ("freeze"), turning it into a lightweight audio file and disabling the plugins.