My Workflow and What to Expect:
1. Free consultation
We discuss your project, sonic references, deadlines, whether or not you have a mastering engineer lined up, and any specific needs such as timing edits or vocal pitch correction. I’ll listen to your rough mix or demo and give you an honest assessment of what I can bring to the table. If we’re a fit, I’ll send over a quote and timeline.
2. Booking & Prep
Once you approve the quote, I’ll send an invoice for a 50% deposit to lock in your spot. You’ll receive my detailed prep guide covering:
- Track naming guidelines
- Export settings
- Additional recommended files
- Upload instructions
3. Track Review
After you upload your files, I do a quick technical check to confirm everything is labeled correctly and there are no missing elements or sync issues. I’ll flag any remaining issue that needs solving before I start the mix to save time and avoid unnecessary revisions later. I may also at this point confirm or suggest the need for any possible edits that may improve track quality.
4. Editing (optional add-on)
If you opted for any timing edits and/or vocal pitch correction add-ons, I fix the relevant tracks and submit them to you for approval before starting the mix. The time required for this stage will vary on the number and complexity of tracks that need editing.
4. The Mix
I mix your song using your references as a guide (2–5 business days). This includes:
- Phase alignment, level balancing, and panning
- EQ, compression, and dynamics processing
- Spatial effects (reverb, delay, depth)
- Saturation for added harmonics
- Automation for movement and emotion
- Rough master for level-matched comparison
I then deliver a high-quality bounce for your first listen.
5. Revisions
2 rounds of revisions are included per mix. I will upload your mixed song to your client portal where you and any collaborators you choose can add timestamped notes directly to the track in real time. (e.g., “0:45 – vocals need more presence”) and I’ll adjust and return an updated mix within 24–48 hours.
6. Final Delivery
6. Final Delivery
Once you approve the mix, I send the final invoice for the remaining 50%. Upon payment, you receive:
- A Final stereo mix (48 kHs, 24-bit WAV and 320kbps MP3)
- Instrumental version (if requested)
- TV track / performance mix (if requested)
Wait, You Don’t Do Mastering?
I 100% recommend working with a dedicated mastering engineer for your music for a few critical reasons (click to expand the reasons):
While it can be convenient to get both services from the same engineer, the art of both mixing and mastering require very different training, practice, creativity, and even equipment. On top of that, dedicated mastering engineers also know how to adapt your mixed music to meet the standards and parameters of the growing list of major streaming platforms. Mastering engineers are also responsible for adding all the meta-data to your tracks like album artwork, song titles, copyright information, etc. It’s a much bigger job than it seems.
Let’s face it. We mix engineers are no longer truly objective about your music once our mix is finished. After pouring our own blood, sweat, and tears into your song, in our hearts at least, it’s now become as much our music as it is yours. We’re less willing to take risks or try new things that might alter our interpretation of it. A fresh set of ears on a mastering engineer has no such qualms. Whether improving your music further requires a hatchet (god forbid) or a scalpel, they’ll do whatever it takes to take your music to the next level, because now their name is on it too.
This may seem trivial at first but I can’t over-emphasize how important this is. Every song ever recorded will sound a little (or a lot!) different in every room it’s played in. Multiply that by the number of possible audio system configurations that exist in the world. Having a mastering engineer listen in a different environment, through a different system, both of which he knows intimately, provides him with another perspective on the mix. This can help identify potential problems that weren’t so obvious in the mixer’s environment. It can also help bring out some of the more beautiful, interesting, and intense moments in the mix. The end result is an overall better musical experience for the listener!
If you don’t have a mastering engineer and need some help finding one, let me know. I have a couple of very talented friends that would be happy to offer their services!
