The Mixing & Mastering Experience

How To Prep Your Raw Vocal Stems Before Exporting:

1. Label and name your tracks appropriately to avoid delays and additional fees.
2. Disable all effects and plugins (auto tune, EQ, compression, reverb, delay, etc.)
3. Disable panning
4. Export in place as WAV or AIFF files in mono

How To Prep Your Instrumental Stems Before Exporting:

1. Label and name your tracks appropriately to avoid delays and additional fees.
2. Keep all effects/plugins as they are 
3. Keep panning enabled (if applicable)
4. Export in place as WAV or AIFF files in stereo

How to export stems in Pro Tools:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k11NWFdfGT8

How to export stems in Logic Pro X:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBntKiU-HFQ

How to export stems in Reason:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOzONCh785o

How to export stems in Ableton LIVE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTrmcUE9-Qc

How to export stems in Studio One:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt6l6NhaS90

How to export stems in FL Studio:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAq1WSpc1hg

How to export stems in Garage Band:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXX3HINnt8w

How to export stems in Reaper:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naJfJxThl18

The mixing process is the start of post production process for music. Mixing includes but is not limited to balancing volumes, frequencies (EQ), dynamics (compression), and spatial placement (reverb/delay) of the individual tracks that make up a record.

The mastering process is the final step in the post production process for records. It polishes the final mix in its entirety in order for the record to sound sonically comparable to other records in the professional market. The basics of the mastering process includes making the entire record sound louder without adding distortion, making the record translate the same on different speakers/headphones, and enhancing the mixed record all together as a whole, not through the individual tracks, 

Here is an article that explains the differences in more depth: 

https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/what-is-the-difference-between-mixing-and-mastering.html

Pricing is based on the complexity of the mixing process. A small percentage of the master recording is mandatory for all works (unless otherwise stated). Factors that can adjust your pricing includes but is not limited to:

• Number of tracks
• Time needed for track clean up/editing
• Time needed for track sorting
• Number of different vocal performers in the song
• Time needed to design custom vocal production effects that match your music (as needed)
• Mixing your instrumental stem files or blending the vocals into a single instrumental file
• Arrangement work (as needed)
• Creating transitions, filter sweeps, stutters, etc. (as needed)
• Time estimated to complete the mixing process
• Time estimated to create final deliverable files

*Label rates differ.

More information about your customized mixing experience will be available once your files are submitted.

Mastering is priced per song as a flat rate.

*Label rates differ.

Bulk rates are available for returning clientele who are independent artists. 

*Label rates differ.

Because of the in depth contributions made to every song worked on, it is imperative that our engineers be accurately credited for their work. Asking for a percentage of the master recording helps keep our fees more reasonable..

In the event you would like to swap out a recording after your song has been mixed, a small fee will requested in order to do so. The fee will depend on the extra time needed to adjust and rearrange the mix because of the swap.

Static or noise in a recording file is not always noticeable before the mixing process begins. This issue sometimes occurs (mostly with home/amateur recordings) because of unknown grounding issues in your home, noisy cables, recording at a low gain level without projecting your voice, etc. The mixing process boosts the volume of all elements in the recording, including the noise floor (background noise that is embedded in your audio file). The static or noise that is embedded into the recording can be reduced in the mixing process thanks to special plugins, but just like distortion, it can never be completely removed once it is recorded into the audio. 

You can lower your noise floor in the future by:

• Checking for grounding issues in your setup
• Reducing the number of electronics plugged into the same circuit as your recording equipment
• Using high quality cables
• Boosting the gain on your preamp and projecting your voice more (just don't boost it too much and cause distortion!)