AUDIO MASTERING FAQ
Practical guidance about files, loudness, revisions, albums, delivery formats and turnaround.
Send stereo WAV or AIFF files at the native sample rate of the mix session. Floating-point files are welcome when your DAW supports them. Do not convert an MP3 into a WAV or upsample a lower-rate file simply to make the numbers larger.
There is no required -6 dB or other arbitrary target. The mix simply must not clip. Preserve the gain structure and sound you approved rather than lowering the master fader solely to hit a number.
Keep processing that is part of the sound and balance of the mix. If a limiter is being used only to make the reference louder, send an unlimited version as well. When in doubt, provide both and explain what you have been monitoring.
A single must work on its own. An album or EP must also work as a sequence, so tone, level, spacing and transitions are judged across the complete release rather than treating every song as an isolated file.
No. Streaming normalization is a playback behavior, not a universal mastering target. Loudness, dynamics and peak level are selected for the music while accounting for encoding and distribution requirements.
A DDP image is a production-ready package used for CD replication. It carries the audio sequence, track IDs, spacing, CD-Text and other production information without relying on a physical audio disc.
No. Vinyl preparation considers side length, sequencing, low-frequency information, high-frequency energy and the needs of the cutting engineer. It should be discussed as a specific delivery format.
Typical turnaround is one to two weeks after the project scope and files are confirmed. Schedule requirements should be shared before files are sent so timing can be agreed in advance.
The review process is for making sure the master serves the record. The exact revision scope is confirmed with the quote, especially when revised mixes or new source files are submitted after mastering begins.
Include it with the project details and Chris will address it before files are uploaded.
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