 | Send reference material with your project. Please
send a copy of some music you think your music sounds like. Describe to us what
it is about this other music's sound that you are trying to achieve. |
| Mix down to 24 bit if available to you.
We can still do amazing things with 44k,16bit audio, but your project will
sound better if you can mix at 24 bit and let us make it 44k,16bit at the very end of the process.
There is actually some debate about the benefits of mixing to 48k resolution.
|
| Do Not Dither period. That's my job. |
| Send each track/song as a separate stereo file.
If your mix is on DAT, try to leave extra space at each end of the track.
If two tracks are to cross fade or "bleed" one into the other, you may combine
them but it is better to let us do it. Make sure to note where the song marker belongs in the fade. Contact us if this will be an issue. |
| If possible, let us fade the songs that fade out.
In most cases, the benefits of letting us make the fades outweigh the benefits
of making your own fades. Rest assured, however, each fade will sound
just as you want it. |
| Remember, NO "Over"s. Go ahead and mix
hot if you must, just make sure not to clip at all. Not
once. Nope, not even that real little one at the end of the bridge.
Better to peak 6.0db below than .001db above digital zero. |
| Do not bother normalizing your mixes. It is counter productive for you to normalize your mixes. We
will get the signal level up there where it belongs for you. Normalizing
applies mathematical functions to your music data that are not very pleasing
to listen to. Getting the "volume" up is part of what you're paying us
for anyway. |
| You will generally hear more reverb after mastering.
If you are mixing a project and you are not familiar with this phenomenon, be
careful. If you would like, send us a rough mix before you make that
final mix. We can send you an example of what that mix might sound like
after being mastered, then you'll be able to mix with confidence. |
| Send stereo .wav files when possible. While
you may send many different formats of media, please contact us if you plan on
sending anything other than stereo .wav files. |
| Upload your files or send them on a CD-R or DVD-R. We actually
prefer files on a FireWire or USB hard drive if possible. Most projects,
however, are uploaded via this web site below, or arrive on CD-R or DVD-R and
work quite well. |
| Label and document everything! Over
documentation has never slowed a project or caused us to master in a different
direction than the producer wanted to go. We have never seen too much
documentation get in the way. We will never be offended by over
explanations. In fact, we all too frequently need some bit of
information not included with a project. This forces the project aside
while we wait for the information. There is no such thing as
over-documentation! |
| Fill out the Track Sheets. Please download and
fill out the appropriate track sheets from the
Links page and send them along with your project. If you are
uploading your files to us, please download the track sheets, fill them out on
your computer, and upload them with your music files. |
| Email or call us to let us know
your project is coming. |
|
Fill in all demographic information at the top of the upload
page. |
|
Enter the Artist or Band name and the Project Title exactly as
you want them to appear in your finished project. |
|
Upload your song files in the order you want them on the final
CD. |
|
Upload your stereo .wav files by hitting the "Browse" button
and locating the file. |
|
Under each song's file upload line, enter the song's title
exactly as you want it to appear in your finished project. |
|
Upload each stereo .wav file (up to 15 songs at a time) in its
own line. |
|
If you have more than 15 songs to upload, upload the first
fifteen as normal and submit them. Then submit the next 15 songs as if
they where a new and different project. Just fill in the same
demographic info, Artist Name, and Project Title as the first upload. |
