FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS MASTERING?
Mastering is the final stage of audio production—the final quality check that enhances the overall sound of your song and prepares it for distribution in a variety of formats such as WAV/MP3, CD, Vinyl, Streaming (Spotify etc.) and Broadcast. It is also the stage at which an albums consistency, song-to-song is achieved.
WHAT DO I SEND YOU?
Please send a WAV/AIFF or other lossless format audio file at the highest quality it has already been processed at. Please avoid any bit-depth or sample-rate conversion prior to sending it here.
i.e. whatever quality level your mix engineer was working at, please send that.
HOW DO I SEND YOU MY FILES?
We accept any download link. Whether it be from; WeTransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive or any of their competitors. Please ensure your files are well labelled with their full names and track number. If you wish to send a physical copy, this can be discussed via email.
can I attend my mastering session(s)?
Yes! You are very welcome to come to the studio whilst Patrick works on your project. However, we do not often advocate attending the mastering process. It is quite common for clients to assess their ‘finished’ product from the comfort of their homes. Please note, we do not offer attended sessions for singles.
can you master for vinyl?
We can provide masters suitable for cutting to vinyl. Depending on the project this may require an entirely separate master to be delivered. However, this will not normally be the case. If you work in a particularly ‘aggressive’ or ‘loud’ genre, you may wish to email us and find out more.
what is your revision policy?
We are happy to continue revising the tracks until you are completely happy, within reason. If new mixes are submitted after masters have been sent, this will incur an additional charge.
can you give feedback on the mixes?
Yes! This will be provided as part of any scheduled project. We want to achieve the best possible sound for your music and this is one of the most effective ways to do that!
when will I receive my masters back?
Turnaround for the first delivery of a digital album master is within 5 working days of the agreed start-date. Any additional formats and revisions will increase the given time-frame. If you need your project quicker than this, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
DO I NEED STEM MASTERING?
Stem mastering is reserved for when there are serious issues with the mix or the clients unhappy with the mix results. If you feel this matches your current experience then stem mastering is for you.
Can also be used to achieve extreme loudness.
Do I need an entirely separate vinyl-ready master?
As standard, if you request a vinyl-ready master. The project will be mastered sympathetically to a range of formats including vinyl. However, if your project is particularly bass-heavy, aggressive and loud (think EDM or Metal music) then you will likely require an entirely separate vinyl-ready master. Please consult with us before assuming this to be the case. To see how this could affect your quote, click here.