FineTunedAudio
New member
So, your track/album is finished and you're ready to send it out for mastering, or are you...?
Hello, I am an independent recording/performing artist, producer, label CEO and sound engineer. Here are the proper steps for exporting your final mix-down. Be sure to keep your eyes open for my posts, as I will soon be adding weekly installments on the art of mastering.
But before we can master, we must mix!!!
1. You should have NO effects on your master buss. No limiter, no compressor, nothing. You want your track as raw as possible to allow your sound engineer to have a maximum dynamic range to work with.
2. When exporting your final mix-down, no single channel should be peaking above -20db. The best way to do this is turn each channel you're using all the way down. Go to your main track (i.e. your beat) and slowly turn the volume up until it is peaking no higher than -20db. repeat the same process for each channel using your ear to be sure that each channel is not peaking above -20db and is at a proper volume in relation to the other elements of your track. (i.e. your b/g vocals should not be peaking at the same volume as your primary verse vocals.) Once you have properly leveled each channel so that it is not peaking above -20db and is properly mixed with the other elements of your tracks, you are ready to export your mixdown.
3. Your final mix should be exported as a high quality stereo .wav but do NOT add stereo enhancement plug-in effects. After you have exported your mix-down listen to it a few times a day, at different times of the day for at least 3-4 days so that you can be 100% sure you are happy with your final mix. You don't want to send your track out for mastering to have the engineer master the track and send you back your first draft just to find out your snare is too loud, or your b/g vocals are too low, this will frustrate the sound engineer and cost you more money because the engineer has to start all over from the beginning after you re-mix your track.
4. You may double up your drums channels if you like, as long as each channel is not peaking above -20db, this will provide a little extra punch to your final sound but DON'T overdo it.
5. Leave room in your arrangement for vocals. Vocal frequencies are as unique as the person providing them, but here is an excellent reference tool which should help with this topic: (I was unable to post a link here due to having a new account) Google search "music production vocal frequencies" and go to the third site down mixingtips,org. This is where I was trying to link you...
6. MOST studios will not clean your audio for you (i.e. clicks, pops, breath sounds, dead air "noise") it is best to do this yourself...
Lastly, let me add that mastering is an art as unique as the sound engineer who is doing the mastering. While an amateur may be able to produce "decent" sound quality, it will never be as good as a professional sound engineer with a spectral analyzer and professional knowledge and experience since the average musician knows very little about waveforms, wavelengths, decay time and how room dimensions can affect a soundwave.
I provide professional mixing/mastering services at a VERY competitive price. I will mix/master two tracks absolutely free ($300 value) for every new customer who is a member of futureproducers.com
If interested, please pm me...
I hope this has been helpful, have a great day...
Hello, I am an independent recording/performing artist, producer, label CEO and sound engineer. Here are the proper steps for exporting your final mix-down. Be sure to keep your eyes open for my posts, as I will soon be adding weekly installments on the art of mastering.
But before we can master, we must mix!!!
1. You should have NO effects on your master buss. No limiter, no compressor, nothing. You want your track as raw as possible to allow your sound engineer to have a maximum dynamic range to work with.
2. When exporting your final mix-down, no single channel should be peaking above -20db. The best way to do this is turn each channel you're using all the way down. Go to your main track (i.e. your beat) and slowly turn the volume up until it is peaking no higher than -20db. repeat the same process for each channel using your ear to be sure that each channel is not peaking above -20db and is at a proper volume in relation to the other elements of your track. (i.e. your b/g vocals should not be peaking at the same volume as your primary verse vocals.) Once you have properly leveled each channel so that it is not peaking above -20db and is properly mixed with the other elements of your tracks, you are ready to export your mixdown.
3. Your final mix should be exported as a high quality stereo .wav but do NOT add stereo enhancement plug-in effects. After you have exported your mix-down listen to it a few times a day, at different times of the day for at least 3-4 days so that you can be 100% sure you are happy with your final mix. You don't want to send your track out for mastering to have the engineer master the track and send you back your first draft just to find out your snare is too loud, or your b/g vocals are too low, this will frustrate the sound engineer and cost you more money because the engineer has to start all over from the beginning after you re-mix your track.
4. You may double up your drums channels if you like, as long as each channel is not peaking above -20db, this will provide a little extra punch to your final sound but DON'T overdo it.
5. Leave room in your arrangement for vocals. Vocal frequencies are as unique as the person providing them, but here is an excellent reference tool which should help with this topic: (I was unable to post a link here due to having a new account) Google search "music production vocal frequencies" and go to the third site down mixingtips,org. This is where I was trying to link you...
6. MOST studios will not clean your audio for you (i.e. clicks, pops, breath sounds, dead air "noise") it is best to do this yourself...
Lastly, let me add that mastering is an art as unique as the sound engineer who is doing the mastering. While an amateur may be able to produce "decent" sound quality, it will never be as good as a professional sound engineer with a spectral analyzer and professional knowledge and experience since the average musician knows very little about waveforms, wavelengths, decay time and how room dimensions can affect a soundwave.
I provide professional mixing/mastering services at a VERY competitive price. I will mix/master two tracks absolutely free ($300 value) for every new customer who is a member of futureproducers.com
If interested, please pm me...
I hope this has been helpful, have a great day...
