How a session works
Every project is different, but the process stays clear and collaborative from first listen to final delivery.
Before we start
We listen to every mix before work begins. If something would be better fixed at the mix stage, such as clipping, a buried vocal or a resonance, we tell you up front. That saves time and gives a better result than correcting it in mastering.
If you would like detailed advice on the mix itself, just ask.
Direction
References and notes are welcome but never required. A few words on the feel you are after, or where the release is headed, is often enough.
Loudness is never forced. We can match commercial releases in your genre, or work to the natural loudness of your mixes and keep the dynamics intact. Or leave it to us. The aim is to bring out what is already in the music, not to impose a sound on it.
The mastering
You send the files, we master them, and you review the results online. We use a combination of analogue and digital processing, chosen for each track rather than run through a fixed chain.
Albums and EPs
A record should feel like one piece of work. Beyond each track on its own, we balance level and tone across the whole release and set the spacing and transitions between songs, so it plays through as intended, front to back. For vinyl and cassette, that includes sequencing each side.
Review and revisions
The masters are made available securely on our website for lossless playback, including the transitions between tracks. Feedback is easiest as timestamped notes.
Revisions to the masters are unlimited. Major changes to the mix itself, such as a new mix or remixed stems, are charged as extra work.
Delivery
Once you approve the masters and payment is complete, you download the final files, ready for distribution, pressing or duplication:
- CD and distribution: 44.1kHz 16-bit WAV
- High resolution: 44.1kHz, 48kHz and 96kHz 24-bit WAV
- Sharing: 320kbps MP3
- A DDP image for CD, with player software to check it
- Alternative versions, if ordered
ISRC codes and metadata are embedded when supplied before mastering.
Turnaround
Typically about two days for a single and about a week for an album. If you have a deadline, tell us when you book.
Ready to send? Check the delivery specs first.