Mastering

Ideally, all files should be 24-bit (fixed) or 32-bit (float) at a sampling rate between 44.1 and 192 kHz. If sending a 24-bit file, please ensure no clipping occurs and export with TPDF (or equivalent) dither. If you are using any processing on your master bus that is solely for the sake of loudness (e.g. compression and limiting), please send clearly named versions with it both enabled and disabled. Compression that is purely for vibe or color can be left enabled. If you have been mixing into a compressor and/or limiter and your track clips once you disable them it is easiest to send a 32-bit float bounce. Alternatively, you can pull down your master fader until you’ve eliminated any clipping.

The standard rate includes the following:

• Up to two revisions of each master transmitted via a private, lossless streaming page.

• Hi-res (24-bit, session sample rate) and CD quality (16-bit, 44.1Hz) .wav files of the approved final masters (check with your distributor or aggregator to see which they prefer)

• Reference MP3 and AAC files of the approved final masters

• A detailed QC log of any and all identified and/or corrected technical flaws

• A DDP file set can be provided upon request for an additional fee, but is typically only needed for CD production

Stem mastering is perhaps better described as a hybrid mixing and mastering approach in which you can send me a few sub-mixes (or stems) of different groups of instruments which I can then tweak individually before applying any master processing. Typical groups may be as minimal as drums, instruments, and vocals, or as granular as drums, bass, keyboards, synths, rhythm guitars, lead guitars, backing vocals, and lead vocals. Other combinations are of course possible, but the total number of stems should not exceed 8.

Whether or not stem mastering will benefit your project depends greatly on how confident you are with your final mix. If you’ve been working with another mixing engineer and/or producer you will certainly want to get their input as I would hate to step on their toes and change some balance they’ve spent hours working on. If you have any uncertainty as to whether or not stem mastering is the right approach, I will be happy to listen to your mix and give you my candid feedback.

DDP, or Disc Description Protocol, is a file set that that is used by many professional CD duplication plants. The file set is more robust than a CD-R master and includes several layers of error checking and correction. For this reason, some duplication plants prefer them as it will help them keep errors on a CD to a minimum, and ensure discs with longer lifespans that are compatible with the greatest variety of players. When in doubt, confer with your distributor.