Still have questions?  PLEASE CONTACT ME  —  I'd love to hear about your music!

What files are needed to get started? 

Your multitrack recordings should be provided as high-quality audio saved in a lossless format such as WAV or AIFF files.

24-bit WAV files with sample rates of 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz are most common.

All modern DAWs (Pro Tools, Studio One, Logic Pro, etc.) allow you to export your individual tracks. Please refer to your software's Help Files or documentation. There are also many helpful forums available online for each DAW. 

Your multitracks can be compressed into a ZIP file or RAR file for easier upload to Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive, or a similar cloud-based service.

Pro Tools and Pro Tools Intro users can use the built-in cloud collaboration features to invite me directly to your shared project. I can grab the necessary audio files from there.

In addition to the multitracks, any rough mixes you have already made can be helpful as a starting reference. When providing a rough mix, please provide any mix notes explaining what you like and don't like about that particular mix. Feel free to use any commercially released tracks as reference (e.g., that snare sound on song A or the vocal effects heard on song B). A clear vision established at the beginning of the project can go a long way in delivering your final mix.

IMPORTANT — To avoid any delays with the start of your project, please ensure the following:

• Keep in mind that EDITING is not MIXING—please provide the files to be mixed, not fixed. If your tracks need corrections for timing and/or tuning, editing services can be discussed separately.

• All tracks should start at the same point (bar 1, beat 1) and have the same duration. For example, if your vocals don’t come in until 00:30 you would have 30 seconds of silence in front of them.

• All tracks must have the same bit depth and sample rate. 24-bit files with a sample rate of 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz are typical for most projects.

• Please name your tracks accordingly (e.g., "BASS GUITAR" not "AUDIO 7").

• Your tracks should be dry, with no effects. If a particular effect is essential to the desired sound, please provide a dry track of the actual performance with the effect recorded as a separate track.

• Please ensure that none of the tracks are clipping—this cannot be "fixed in the mix". Some headroom is always required for mixing and mastering.

• Please print all MIDI tracks/virtual instruments as audio tracks in order to preserve the intended sound as it was originally performed.

Download the free list: How To Prep Files for Your Mix Engineer

How long will the mixing sessionS take?

Based on the current workload with other projects, the mix for a typical song can usually be delivered within 10 business days of receiving your files. Revisions will of course add to this estimate.

The process of making great-sounding music involves hard work but the journey can still be an enjoyable one when everyone is on the same page. Our mutual goal is to make your work sound as great as possible in the time allotted.

Upon receipt of your multitrack files, I will assess the individual tracks to ensure that any issues with format, clipping, timing, or tuning have been identified for discussion before we start the project. At that point, I will work with you to establish clear expectations as to deadlines based upon the total number of songs and the number of tracks involved.

How will the final mix be delivered?

MP3 files are provided for easy reference. Once approved, your final mix is delivered as a high-quality WAV file.

Due to the large file sizes associated with high-quality audio, your files will be delivered in a ZIP format for faster download via cloud-based services. Once downloaded, the ZIP files can be decompressed on both your Mac or Windows PC. The ZIP files will contain your final mix in both WAV & MP3 formats.

What will be delivered?

In addition to the primary mix, standard mix rates include alternative versions that will make your work more versatile for use in any number of future projects or licensing opportunities for your music. Remember that we both want your music to sound as great as possible in almost any listening environment so always evaluate the mix on more than one sound system. For convenience, the following MP3 files will be provided for quick referencing on a variety of speakers and headphones. These MP3 files are unmastered; however, a limiter will be applied to raise the overall volume to provide a more accurate comparison to other commercial audio works of the same genre.

MP3 Files Delivered:

1. Primary Mix - The full stereo mix for quick referencing and convenience.

2. Vocals Up - Primary mix but with the lead vocals slightly higher in the mix.

3. Vocals Down - Primary mix but with the lead vocals slightly lower in the mix.

Your mastering engineer will need to work with a higher quality, lossless audio format (WAV). These files will be larger in size than the MP3 format. The WAV files will also be quieter, as no limiting will be applied in order to leave plenty of headroom for the mastering process.

WAV Files Delivered:

1. Primary Mix - The full stereo mix for your mastering engineer.

2. Vocals Up - Primary mix but with the lead vocals slightly higher in the mix.

3. Vocals Down - Primary mix but with the lead vocals slightly lower in the mix.

4. Instrumental - Primary mix but with all vocals removed (music-only).

5. A Cappella - Vocals only (no music).

NOTE: Session files will not be provided. 

WILL THE FINAL MIX BE MASTERED?

Unless otherwise discussed, all standard mix projects will be delivered unmastered, with mastering for digital distribution offered as an additional service.

For a standard mix, I often recommend the use of a dedicated mastering engineer as the last step before releasing your music. Mastering involves more than just "making it louder". The mastering process, like the mixing process, is an art unto itself and is not something to be rushed or taken lightly. A professional mastering engineer will have the tools and proper listening environment necessary to ensure the final mix is optimized for the distribution method/medium (vinyl, CD, iTunes, streaming, etc.). When multiple songs are involved, as with an album or EP, the mastering engineer will also balance the individual songs to make sure they work together as a complete body of work, both sonically and sequentially. If nothing else, the mastering engineer brings a fresh set of ears to the project and will often identify subtle improvements and refinements to objectively enhance the listening experience for both you and your audience.

how will revisions be handled?

Standard mix rates include up to three (3) revisions with your mix.

Before starting your mix I will listen carefully to any initial ideas that you have for the song and any rough mixes you can provide are helpful. I encourage you to listen to the results over a 24-hour period on a variety of sound systems. The MP3 format provides a convenient method for evaluating the mix on your speakers, headphones, smartphone, car stereo, etc.  

Please make specific notes of any changes you would like for me to make to the mix. To be clear, revisions will typically involve small adjustments to volume, EQ, panning, and dynamics. Extensive changes such as re-recording certain parts, additional production, or new arrangements of the music are best dealt with before we begin the mix. It is always helpful if I can also understand WHY something is not working for you. Understanding your vision helps us reach your goals much faster.

When more than one person is involved, it will be necessary to designate a single contact who will submit any and all requests for revisions in writing. The designated contact will also approve the final mixes on behalf of the group. This greatly streamlines the back-and-forth correspondence and will allow you to receive your final mixes sooner.

After making the requested changes I will provide the revised mix for your approval along with a written summary of those changes as an acknowledgment. If additional changes are still required, we repeat the process until the third revision is completed. At that point, we should be ready to deliver your final mix as a high-quality WAV file ready for mastering. Additional revisions can be completed at an additional charge.

What if the tracks require COMPING, Editing & Pitch Correction?

Every artist/band has their own sound. With that in mind, some styles of music will require different degrees of treatment when the goal is to match what is currently the accepted norm for that genre. Most performance issues with pitch and/or timing can be readily identified upfront and we will agree upon the appropriate amount of editing required based on your overall needs before we get too far into the project. Typically, I handle minor edits for pitch and timing as part of the overall mixing process; however, there is a limit to what can be "fixed in the mix" and more time spent editing only takes away from time spent actually mixing your tracks.

Vocal comping is not part of the mixing process. The artist and producer should work together beforehand to approve each performance and provide the tracks you want to be mixed as part of the final recording.

In some cases, a separate editing session may be recommended before starting the mix.

how is payment handled?

PayPal is the secure and convenient method I prefer for all transactions. For standard mixes, half of the fee will be due upon the start of the project with the remaining half due upon completion, unless otherwise agreed upon. Payment arrangements for albums and EPs will be discussed upfront.

Will the FInal Mixes Be Archived For Future Use?

After final payment has been received, I will upload your approved audio files to the cloud-based storage option you provide. Apple, Google, Amazon, Dropbox, and other services all offer free or low-cost storage accounts that you can use to safely store your final mixes for long-term backup and safekeeping on the cloud, in addition to any copies you maintain locally.

Important Note: Due to the large file sizes often involved, I cannot guarantee that I will have a local backup of your work after 10 business days of the project being completed. It is always recommended that you retain multiple copies of both the original multitrack files as well as the finished mixes for any future use. 

Still have questions?  PLEASE CONTACT ME  -  I'd love to hear about your music!