GIVE YOUR MIX THE FINAL TOUCH!
Mastering is the final touch after the recording and mixing process. It is used to “polish” and otherwise enhances your mix to obtain their fullest optimum potential and give them that competitive edge that artists and record labels depend on in a demanding music market. It makes your mix clearer, punchier, and more defined giving “warmth” and “air” to your sound.
I offer the highest-end digital and analog processors to master your material without the risk of sonic degradation. Whether your recording needs a lot of attention or just a few tweaks, you can be assured it’s going to get the final touches it needs and deserves.
MASTERING INVOLVES...
- SONIC ENHANCEMENT
Sonically enhance, improve and, when needed, even repair your tracks through the use of precision monitoring, EQ, compression, limiting, and noise removal techniques.
- TRANSLATION
Improve how compatible and versatile your tracks are so that your music will sound its best whether it is heard on a high-end stereo system or a pair of earbuds.
- LEVEL
Increase the average volume level of your tracks while still retaining your music’s inherent dynamics. - COHESION AND SEQUENCING
Give your album a great flow. Put the tracks in running order and customize the spacing between songs while keeping the volume level relatively consistent from track to track.
Once you have your final stereo mix ready (check FAQ below), it will need the last processing and adjustments for it to translate across a large number of different systems; from laptops and headphones to radios or big clubs sound systems.
I will give you precious feedback on your mix before we start with the mastering session, this way you can review your mix and get the most out of it.
- Stereo Masters for digital distribution.
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- 1 x £55
- 2 x £110
- 3 x £150
- 4 x £200
- 5 x £250
- 6 x £300
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- (Over 6 songs add £45 per extra track)
- (Alt versions are £30 per track, for example; radio mix, PA mix, Instrumental…)
- (add £5 per extra track on the above price list if you need to embed metadata or a master for vinyl)
- Don’t hesitate to contact me and tell me about your needs and project for a better-personalized quote.
- Please Scroll down for FAQ.
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Frequent Asked Questions
HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FILES FOR MASTERING?
Files should be delivered as 24 or 32 bit .wav or .aif files at their native sample rates. Make sure the mix is not clipping at the loudest points of the tracks and leave 3-6 dB of headroom on the master. I do not recommend sending .mp3s to be mastered since their quality has been greatly reduced.
Remove any processing on the master channels, especially limiting. If you are using bus compression, please send 2 versions – one with bus compression and one without compression. Make sure normalization is turned off and no dithering has been applied.
Check your mixes on various playback systems before sending and are sure about the balance of elements in your track.
When sending multiple songs, zip all files into a single archive.
SHOULD I SEND REFERENCE TRACKS?
Absolutely! Make sure to include enough material that is similar in genre or style to yours. This will provide a better understanding of the type of sound, dynamics, and overall volume you’re going for.
SHOULD I HAVE MY SONG MASTER FOR STREAMING SERVICES OR CLUB/CD STYLE?
The difference is in the loudness and dynamics that you will perceive in your song when you listen to it.
A master for streaming services implies more dynamic and less compression or limiting, which translates to a more enjoyable experience for the listener.
A master for Club/Soundsystem style is usually more compressed and limited than for streaming services. The loudness will vary on genres and styles, so your master will be matched with your references track.
If not specified or by request I will provide a master a halfway loudness of booth worlds.
SHOULD I DO FADES MYSELF?
You should engineer your fades and present your mix exactly how you want it done. However, if you are not certain or undecided about the fade, leave it un-faded and send me instructions describing the precise location of the fade.
MY MIX DOESN'T SOUND TOO GOOD. WILL MASTERING IMPROVE IT?
If your mix is inferior, the mastering process will not transform it into a first-class one. It will make it sound better but probably not to the extent you may be expecting. My advice is to always work on your mix until it sounds exactly how you want it, or as close as possible.
WILL YOU GIVE US FEEDBACK ON OUR MIXES BEFORE MASTERING THEM?
Yes! Once you book a session with me, I will listen to your mixes and provide you with my opinions and feedback before you submit your final mixes for mastering. If necessary, I will send you a report detailing any detected issues and proposing suggested changes to make the mix sound better. Any way of improving the mix will enable me to improve the final master.
DO YOU OFFER A FREE SAMPLE MASTER?
Due to scheduling constraints, I cannot offer free sample masters. I pride myself on outstanding customer service, and I do guarantee you’ll be happy with your mastered audio.
WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SHOULD I SEND FOR MY PROJECT?
Please provide a list of final song titles/artist names.
Additionally, I can embed metadata with an extra charge, send ISRC and UPC/EAN codes, album names, pic, genre, etc.. and any other info you wish to include if you want it to be encoded on the master.
CAN I GET ANY REVISIONS TO MY MASTERED TRACKS?
Yes, you are allowed 2 sets of revisions on your mastered track. I encourage you to be as concise and specific in your original direction and revision feedback as possible. There’s an additional charge for any further revisions.
DO YOU OFFER DEALS FOR MORE THAN ONE SONG AT A TIME?
Discounts on multiple songs can be certainly be discussed. Please note, discounts can only be negotiated in regards to full-scope projects (ie – an EP or album, not individual singles over the course of a year).
WHAT IF MY RECORDING QUALITY IS LESS THAN IDEAL?
Sometimes audio magic can be accomplished easily, other times it can be tough. I am able to remove background noises, bad frequencies, and provide many other special touches that can make the source sound better, although it is often better to re-record any trouble sections to ensure the best end result.
HOW CAN I HAVE A COPY OF THE SESSION?
Because I use a variety of different plugins and outboard units, this is not possible. Instead, I can “Stem/Track outs” all of your individual tracks. A stem is basically a “printed” version of, let’s say, the vocals. The plugins and processes I used on that vocals are “printed” to the track. That way when you open the stem in your software, you’ll hear the exact vocals used in the mix without needing the plugins. This process is repeated for each sound (track) in your song. Stem up has an extra fee.
DO YOU OFFER DEALS FOR MORE THAN ONE SONG AT A TIME?
Discounts on multiple songs can be certainly be discussed. Please note, discounts can only be negotiated in regards to full-scope projects (ie – an EP or album, not individual singles over the course of a year).
CAN I CONTACT YOU FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION?
Of course! Feel free to Contact Me for further information.
Tell Me About Your Project