FAQs
Quick answers on online mixing and mastering, file prep, turnaround, revisions, and optional add-ons.
Mixing and Mastering Basics
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Mixing is the stage after recording and production where an engineer takes all the individual multitracks (separate audio tracks) and balances them into one great-sounding mix.
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Mastering is the final stage after mixing and before release. An engineer takes the finished mix and applies the final polish so it sounds great across different playback systems (phones, earbuds, cars, and speakers).
File Preparation
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You can find a detailed mix preparation guide here.
The most important steps are:Turn off all non-essential processing on your individual tracks, and disable any master bus effects.
Make sure all tracks are the same length, and don’t include any audio you wouldn’t want in the final mix (count-ins, noises, etc.).
Export WAV files at minimum 44.1 kHz / 24-bit.
If possible, include a rough mix as a guide.
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Export your mix with no limiting on the master bus and with any non-essential master bus effects turned off. Leave at least 3 dB of headroom, and bounce to a WAV or AIFF file at minimum 44.1 kHz and 16-bit (24-bit preferred if available).
You can find a detailed mastering preparation guide here.
Ordering and Delivery
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After placing your order, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing an upload link for your files.
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Please message Mick via the contact page with the full details of your project and he’ll send through a customised order invoice.
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Yes. Please message Mick via the contact page with details of your project and he’ll get back to you with a custom discount code.
Add-ons and Extras
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Yes. Pitch correction is available for an additional fee at checkout.
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Yes. Backing vocal time alignment is available for an additional fee. Please message Mick via the contact page for more details.
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Yes. Drum sample layering is available for an additional fee. Please message Mick via the contact page for more details.
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Yes. Virtual revision sessions over Zoom with lossless audio streaming can be arranged. Please contact Mick for more information.
Turnaround and Revisions
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Turnaround varies from project to project, but a general estimate is 5 days for mastering and 14 days for mixing. Express delivery options are available at checkout for a faster turnaround.
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Absolutely. All orders include 3 revisions free of charge.
Policies and Technical Approach
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All orders include 3 revisions free of charge, and any issues with the mix or master can usually be resolved during that process. In the unlikely event that the issues cannot be fixed and you’re still not entirely satisfied, you may request a 50% partial refund within 30 days of the initial order.
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Analogue gear is an enjoyable luxury, but it’s slower than digital and far more expensive to buy, run, and maintain, and those costs get passed on to the client. Meanwhile, digital (“in the box”) mixing has improved massively over the last couple of decades, and it’s widely debated whether analogue still offers a clear sonic advantage. With this in mind, all orders are mixed and/or mastered digitally to keep fees as low as possible.
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