Winter Special on now - bands at solo artist rates till September!
Delivering Your Mixes For Mastering
Please supply the following for mastering:
1. Audio files (.wav or .aif)
- If possible please label your files with track number and official track name (eg. 01 Track Name.wav, 02 Track Name.wav etc)
- See additional notes below on mix format and optimal output levels for mastering
2. Release details - correct spelling of the following:
- Final track sequence
- Official track names (and how they relate to your working titles)
- Artist name
- Release Name
- ISRC codes if you have them
3. Any special instructions relating to:
- Sonic preferences
- Perceived mix issues
- Cross-fades between tracks
- Gaps between songs
- Hidden tracks
4. Optional:
- A link to or details about any albums you are referencing or wish to refer to in mastering
- ISRC code/s (can be allocated in-house on request)
- UPC code (can be allocated in-house on request)
Mix Delivery Format
Mix format:
- Supply your stereo mixes in original recorded sampling and bit rates (no re-sampling or bit truncation on mixdown)
- If you haven't recorded yet, 44.1khz/24bit or multiples of 44.1khz (eg 88.2khz) is best. 44.1khz is the standard music industry sampling rate worldwide and 48khz is the film industry standard
- .wav or .aif stereo-interleaved
- Make sure you have clean master outputs (no EQ'ing or compressing the overall mix prior to mastering...unless you are 100% sold on your master bus processing)
- The output peak level should be well clear of the red (0dbfs). Peaking between -6dbfs and -3dbfs max is ideal
- RMS should be around -20db LUFS (ie don't over-compress your mixes unless that's what you're going for)
- Leave a gap of at least 200ms of silence before the start of each track to make sure your track starts cleanly. The silence can be trimmed up in mastering
- Listen to your mix files prior to sending them for mastering. Check there are no cut beginnings or endings and that they sound right and as intended.. (there are extra costs associated with presenting a new mix after mastering has taken place)
COMMON ISSUES
Some common issues that require resubmission:
- Mixes are sometimes too hot, clipping at 0db(fs), or hard-limited on the master bus outputs. Also sometimes compression on the master bus is detrimental and best left turned off for your final mix bounce. Limiting can be caused by a plugin or sometimes the software will do it automatically. Disable these limiters and turn the master bus down so you are peaking well clear of 0db, at around -6db(fs) or even -3db(fs) peak is fine.
- 16-bit mixes are sometimes supplied when the original mix session was 24-bit. If possible, please supply at your original session bit rate and sample rate, or capture an analogue mix at 24-bit. You can also supply in 32bit if that's what it is.
- Editing glitches. If you edit a vocal or any other instrument you need to crossfade or do a very short fade to zero so that a small glitch presenting as a click does not occur. These clicks become more audible after mastering. They can usually be addressed in mastering but may attract extra fees for any extensive glitch removal.
- The song starts and ends are sometimes cut off. Leave 200ms of silence before and after the audio.
- Distortion of elements. Any unintentional distortion will become enhanced and more audible in mastering and is hard or impossible to treat, so just be careful not to clip any plugins, devices or channels on your mixer.
Stems Mastering
Mastering from Stems
Generally mastering from stereo mixes is the way to go. However, if you feel your mixes are lacking in some area there is another way that can yield exceptional results.
Mastering from stems:
Stems are bus outputs, for example, your drum mix or your vocal group mix, printed to file. Using group mixes increases flexibility in mastering 10 fold. Just by splitting the drums from the rest of the mix and supplying two stereo .wav's that have the exact same start point, we have the mix as intended plus more room to move in mastering.
Below: For example, drum group + everything-else-minus-drums group comes to mastering - similarly if your weak point is vocals, the vocal track can be presented separately Also supplied must be a complete stereo mix for our reference.
We highly recommend considering stems mastering if you are doubtful of some aspects of your mix. We can suggest stems mastering if it's useful to you once we hear your mixes.
Your Mixes
Check your mixes with us prior to mastering:
We also highly recommend, especially if you happen to be working from home, that you check your mixes with us before mastering. We will give you general feedback and suggest where changes could be applied. Your finished product can only benefit from a quick check over from a mastering perspective and will ensure the whole procedure runs smoothly and at optimum. This service is provided free of charge. Upload your mixes here for free mix appraisal at any time during your mixing process.
Tips (for budding mix geniuses)
Don't mix through a master bus compressor unless that's your thing, keep it fresh and don't overuse fancy plugins. While mixing, think about frequency balance, not just level balance. And don't be shy to make good use of the stereo field. Use 44.1khz/24bit or 88.2khz/24bit (avoid 48khz or 96khz for music)