audio Mastering FAQ
How should I prepare files for mastering?
Files for stereo or stem mastering should be delivered as a 24 or 32 bit .wav or .aif files at their native sample rates. Files will be returned after mastering dithered and down-sampled to 24 bit 44.1 .wav and 320kbps .mp3 files unless otherwise requested. The frequently referenced -6db peak standard is a vestige of mixing to reel to reel tape. For mastering in the digital domain, any level is fine as long as the peaks are not clipping the master buss.
How should stems be prepared for stem mastering?
We find that separating the vocals and all the bass instruments (bass synth, kicks) from the remaining instrumental is ideal. Please include a reference bounce of the final mix as well to verify that stems are complete.
Do you offer a free sample master?
Due to scheduling constraints we cannot offer free sample masters. We do guarantee you'll be happy with your mastered audio.
How long can I make a side on a 12" 45 rpm vinyl?
Our recommendation is 13 minutes or less. Some of the best sounding vinyl we've heard were around 8 minutes per side.
What's your turnaround time?
Turnaround time is generally 2-4 weeks depending on the time of the year. If you need your masters completed faster to meet a deadline, contact us.
You've mastered my record. How should I distribute it on iTunes, Spotify, etc?
We recommend DistroKid for digital distribution. Their pricing is reasonable and they allow more flexibility than most of their competitors when it comes to withdrawing revenue from sales and streaming.
What's your take on Landr?
Not surprisingly, we receive Landr masters from clients every day. Generally, artists or labels are sending us their Landr masters because they are unhappy with one or more aspect of the track and need it professionally remastered. Our experience with Landr is that it can produce competitively loud masters, however with less clarity and more distortion than a track mastered by a competent mastering engineer. Successful mastering is more than an algorithmic process. It’s an aesthetic and practical process, weighing a complex set of tradeoffs to achieve the most artistically accurate and consumable product possible. In fact, artistic accuracy is the most compelling reason to hire a professional mastering engineer for your project. In the age of modern digital limiting, anyone can make a record loud. Its achieving the loudness desired by a record label while maintaining the vision of the artist that differentiates professional mastering engineers from Landr.
You’re known for creating loud masters that maintain the clarity of their content. What's your take on the loudness wars?
Believe it or not, mastering engineers have been finding ways to increase loudness since the earliest days of recording. Despite this, most mastering engineers, including myself, have an unfavorable view of excessively loud masters. Back when vinyl was the primary release format, mastering engineers had to take steps to cut tracks as loud as possible to exceed the noise floor inherent to the format. Back then it was about getting the signal as far above the noise floor as possible to get as much clarity as possible. To an extent, the same logic applied to releases on 8 track and cassette formats.
Now, in the days of 24 and 32 bit digital production, digital noise floors are far below the dynamic range of the human ear. In other words, loudness has become an aesthetic choice made by a mastering engineer rather than a practical one. In the modern era of digital distribution, the loudness wars have largely been perpetuated by record labels. There is a belief within the music industry that mastered music lacking loudness will be perceived as less professional than louder music. As a mastering engineer focused on aggressive dance genres, I’ve spent a great deal of time creating the loudest masters possible for my clients. However, in most cases I find music to be more aesthetically pleasing at normal levels of loudness. The artifacts of digital limiters aren't very musical so it's best to use them as sparingly as possible.
Over the last few years the loudness wars have changed dramatically as many services that distribute music (mainly iTunes, Spotify, YouTube) have introduced normalization algorithms in an attempt to standardize the perceived loudness of all the songs on their service. In theory, this provides a better listening experience for consumers, while at the same time limiting the practicality of excessively loud masters. In practice, however, this has created the need for iTunes, Spotify and YouTube specific masters.