File Delivery & FAQs

Once the mix is signed off you will receive 2 Mix versions.

1 - The Mix

2 - The Instrumental - All Vocals Muted.

Both versions will come with and without final limiter. The file to send to a professional mastering engineer is labeled   _formastering.

Also included are a set of sub groups, commonly referred to as Stems as per the below.

⇶ DRUMS

⇶ PERC LOW

⇶ PERC HI

⇶ BASS

⇶ SUB BASS

⇶ RHYM GTRS

⇶ LEAD GTRS

⇶ ACOUSTIC

⇶ KEYS

⇶ SYNTHS

⇶ ORCHESTRAL

⇶ OTHER

⇶ LVs (Lead Vocals)

⇶ LVfx (Lead Vocal Effects)

⇶ BVs (Backling Vocals incl effects)

♫ ALL MUSIC

♫ ALL VOCALS

★LV 1 Dry (Lead Vocal no effects or parallel processes)

If you require more detailed, or further divided stems,  this can be done upon request at additional charge.

Please send the multitrack files for the song, as .wav files, at the current sample rate (44.1k, 48k, 88.1k or 96k) and bit depth (16, 24 or 32) of the recording or current production DAW session.

Please consolidate the files to the beginning of the session so they line up correctly in time all together.

Please also send the rough mix, or current production stereo mix of the song.

LABELS & PREFIX

Please label all tracks to clearly explain what the track is. Bass Drum, Piano L, Piano R, Lead Vocal, LV Dble L, LV Dble R etc. 

If you would like you could also add a prefix of the instrument family’s food group. So for example D for Drums. D Kick In, D Overhead Left etc. OR Number the tracks in order as you have them (assuming they are arranged in food groups) so 1 Kick In 2 Kick Out…. 19 GTR L 20 GTR R etc.

LEVELS & MUTES

Please ensure your audio is not clipping digital 0 before exporting, If you have a channel which, due to any processing is metering over digital 0db, please use a Trim/Gain plugin last in the chain on that track to bring it down to a lower level before exporting. If you require any guidance at all don’t hesitate to ask. 

If you have for example apart of the song which mutes to silence, please bake that into the audio.

BUSSED or GROUPED SOUNDS

If you have combined several sounds together, the blend of which is the sound, please export the sounds as intended as the Bus or Group combined.

EFFECTS

If you have used any EFFECTS processing, e.g. delays or modulation FX for example, that are a part of your production, please print these or ‘bake them in” to the relevant sound. Send a WET and DRY version if you at all undecided. 

GUITARS & BASS 

If you have recorded a DI, please send that with the Guitar/Bass Tone you have recorded. If you have been using a Plugin for the sound, please print that sound, and send along with the DI.

SOFTWARE INSTRUMENTS

Programming, Synths, Strings etc - please print the instrument as audio. Check instrument volume is NOT clipping over 0db.

TEMPO & TEMPO MAPS 

Please include the songs tempo in folder name for the song. If there is a Tempo Map for the song, please export a MIDI file from your DAW which includes the Tempo changes in MIDI. If the song was NOT recorded to a click, please mention. 

RAW vs PROCESSED

The short answer here is, if in any doubt simply please print a WET and DRY version of the part or sound. DRY being the Recorded Audio, or Virtual Instrument. WET being the recorded audio or virtual instrument with processing and effects.

Here are a few examples.

Vocal

You have Compression, Desser and EQ on the vocal, and the reverb and delays on separate return channels. The WET in this instance would be the vocal including the Compression, Desser and EQ. The DRY would be with Compression, Desser and EQ removed removed/bypassed.

Electric Guitar

You have a electric guitar amp sound with a plugin reverb, but are not 100% sure if the reverb is potentially too wet. Print the WET as it is with the reverb, and print the DRY WITHOUT the reverb. If the WET is deemed too wet we can add in the DRY to compensate. It is possible to make a wet sound wetter, but there are sonic compromises when trying to make a wet sound dryer.

Snare Drum

You have Compression, EQ and a Gate, on a Snare Top mic, in this example please provide a 3rd option of WET no Gate.

Please timecode ALL mix notes, for example - 1m30s Lead Vocal Up till end of chorus. Or 3m42s Guitar Solo Down. If a note is general then please specify. Send via Email.