You send the files
WAV stems at 24-bit, same start point, faders at unity, no limiter on the master bus. Print effects you consider part of the sound; leave off anything you're unsure about. One reference track tells me more than a paragraph.
Studio
How a session runs.
No mystery, no hourly clock running while you decide. Here's exactly what to send, what comes back, and when.
The sequence
First pass, three working days
You get a mix plus a short note on what I changed and why — the two or three decisions that actually matter, not a plugin list. Listen on your worst speaker first.
Revisions, then delivery
Two rounds included, timestamped notes welcome. Delivery covers every format the release needs: streaming master, club cut, instrumental and clean versions, and DDP if it's going to vinyl or CD.
Delivery spec
Edit these to match your own chain
| Send me | 24-bit WAV or AIFF stems · 44.1 kHz or higher · consistent start point |
|---|---|
| Mix delivery | 24-bit / 48 kHz WAV · stem bounces · instrumental and clean versions |
| Streaming master | −14 LUFS integrated · −1.0 dBTP ceiling · 24-bit WAV + 320 kbps MP3 |
| Club / DJ cut | Hotter, wider low end, no streaming normalisation target |
| Vinyl & CD | DDP 2.00 image with PQ sheet · elliptical low-end handling for lacquer |
| DJ downloads | WAV 24-bit / 44.1 kHz + 320 kbps MP3 on the work page, where cleared |
| Turnaround | First pass in 3 working days · revisions within 24 hours |
| Revisions | Two rounds included · further rounds at a flat per-round rate |
Questions that come up
Should I leave my master bus chain on?
Send both — one bounce with your chain, one without. Your chain tells me what you were chasing, and I can usually get there with more headroom to work in.
Mixing and mastering together, or separately?
Together is cheaper and faster, and I'll flag it if a track would be better served by fresh ears on the master. If someone else mixed it, I'm happy to only master.
Can you match a reference exactly?
I can get the tone, weight and balance close. I can't make different arrangements and different performances sound identical, and you wouldn't want me to.
What about revisions after approval?
Files stay archived, so small recalls later are quick. A structural change is a new mix, and I'll say so before starting rather than after.