Mixing turns a pile of tracks into one song where every part can be heard. Mastering makes that song loud, even and ready to share. Here is the order that works, using the free mixer and mastering tools in Fretnook.
Pull every fader down a little, then bring them up one at a time, starting with the most important part (usually the vocal or lead guitar, or the drums for a band mix). Most of a good mix is simply getting the volumes right, so spend real time here before touching any effects.
Spread parts left and right so they are not all stacked in the middle. A common setup: vocal, bass and kick in the center, two rhythm guitars panned hard left and hard right, lead guitar slightly off center. Suddenly each part has its own space.
Cut the low end out of anything that does not need it (acoustic guitars, vocals, hi-hats), which clears mud fast. If two parts fight, cut a little of one where the other lives instead of boosting both. Use the 3-band EQ for quick moves and the parametric EQ for precise ones.
A little compression evens out a part that jumps between quiet and loud; vocals and bass usually benefit most. Add reverb and delay with the send knobs rather than on every track, and keep them subtle: if you can clearly hear the reverb, it is probably too much. Distortion, chorus and amp models are there for tone, not fixing.
On the master bus, the compressor glues the mix together and the limiter stops peaks from clipping. In Post-Production, watch the loudness meter and pick an export target: around -14 LUFS is a common target for streaming platforms, and louder settings suit CDs and club play. Use the A/B button to compare with the untouched mix so you are not just making it louder.
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