FAQs
Some of the common FAQs I’m often asked by clients are below. If you have another question, feel free to get in touch and ask me!
How can I send you my files?
Please send your files using a Cloud-based file-sharing site. You can share a folder with me or send a download link.
What format should my files be in?
Files should be lossless (i.e. uncompressed) format, ideally WAV files, but I can also work with AIFF files. Please don’t send mp3 or other compressed formats, or downsample or reduce the bit depth of your files – bounce them out of your DAW at the sample rate and bit depth they were mixed in, so I can master in the highest resolution for the best quality throughout the mastering process.
How much headroom should I leave in my mixdowns?
Ideally, your stereo mixes will have a minimum of 2-3dB headroom above the highest peak (this means the overall RMS level will be quite a bit lower than 2-3dB). However if this is not the case, don’t worry – I can reduce their peak level digitally. It’s really important there are no clips in your files (signals over 0dBFS). These can sometimes be corrected, but it is preferable to work with audio without any clips to get the best possible results.
My mixdowns have master bus compression and EQ – is that an issue?
I understand that master bus compression and / or tonal balancing might be important components of the final mix in terms of “glueing” everything together or achieving the desired tone. So, yes, this is fine…. However, please keep in mind the more compression, EQ or limiting is applied to the final mix pre-master, the less options and scope I have as your mastering engineer. So if it is an inherent part of your mix, that’s fine… but if your aim is just to make it louder and brighter so it competes with released material, please leave that to me.
What’s the turnaround time?
I can be flexible with turnaround times depending on my workload. If a project is urgent please let me know straight away at point of contact. I will always do my best to fit around your release schedule. I can master an album in 1-2 days if required and I have availability, but 1 week would be a more typical turnaround.
As a new client, can you send me an example before I commit?
Yes, absolutely! Mastering is all about trust – I understand that choosing a mastering engineer is a very important decision. I want you to work with me feeling confident and reassured, so for new clients I’m very happy to do a no-commitment master of any track for you before any payment is made so you can decide for yourself if I’m the right mastering engineer for you.
Why do you ask for a sonic reference when mastering my tracks?
It’s really helpful to have a “sonic ballpark” and a genre-relevant reference point to the sound you’re aspiring to. References help me to understand how you define yourself as an artist and ensure that the decisions I take in the mastering process are working with your creative vision.
What mastering tools do you use?
My approach and the mastering chain changes all the time, depending on the audio I’m working with. It’s very specific to the piece of music. In most cases, I’ll use a combination of digital “corrective” and analogue / analogue-modelled “creative” EQs; single and / or multiband compression; stereo enhancers and a limiter. I may use saturation and harmonic exciters to add some warmth and character. I have access to both analogue and digital tools depending on the requirements of the master.