Here are a few things to keep in mind when preparing your mixes for mastering. They might seem small, but they can seriously affect how much work it takes to reach a great master. Questions welcome anytime.
Prepare your mix for Mastering
To prepare your mixes for mastering, please keep the following points in mind. Note that these steps are crucial for a proper sound.
Send the final version of your mix, the version you are happy with and ready to have mastered.
- Bit Depth and Sample Rate
I work exclusively with .WAV files, ideally at 24-bit / 44.1 kHz (or higher) bit depth / sample rate.
Please do not upsample or downsample your audio.
- Dynamics
Don’t normalise your files, and avoid adding limiters or compressors to the master bus to increase loudness.
- Headroom
Please make sure that your mix does not hit 0 dB on the bus meters. You should not need to use a limiter to prevent digital clipping. Simply make sure that your audio never goes into clipping.
- File names
Please send all tracks in a single .zip folder, named with the Artist Name & Album Title on the folder itself, spelled out exactly how you want them to read on your final masters. Number and name the tracks as you wish for their order to appear on the release.
- Reference Tracks
If you have reference tracks, feel free to include them when sending your mixes. Reference tracks can help communicate the overall sound, tone, or loudness you are aiming for. They are not meant to be copied exactly, but they can provide useful context for the mastering process.
If you don’t have reference tracks, that’s perfectly fine, your mix will still be approached with care and attention. - File Delivery
You can send your files via WeTransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive, or any similar file-sharing service. - Turnaround Time
Typical turnaround time is 2–5 days, depending on the scope of the project and the current schedule. If you are working with a deadline, please mention it when contacting me and I will do my best to accommodate it. - Archiving
All projects are archived for a limited period after completion. However, it is always recommended that you keep your own backup copies of all final masters and project files.