Send digital WAV or AIFF files of bit depths 16, 24, or 32 bit and sample rates between 44.1 and 96k.  (It is usually best to bounce the track down using the same bit depth/sample rate as the original session and recording.)

• These mixes should have headroom of about (3-4 dB minimum) without limiter, ideally.

 • If you have created a bounce of the track with limiting (your own rough mastering) I would love to hear that as reference.

 • Also, for reference, send me 1-3 tracks by other artists that you love, wav files if you got em. Specifically, songs you would like your music to have a similar sonic energy, tone, volume level and sub intensity. 

 • Let me know if you are planning to release on vinyl, CD, cassette, digital or all of the above.  Depending on your needs, there may be extra charges.

We charge $115 for the first song/single song and $85 for every other song on a release. The first song is a bit more expensive because we create 3 versions of the master and send them back to the artist/team for notes. From there, we select a favorite, do some edits, if needed, and hone on the desired sound. Then we use that result as a starting point for the rest of the tracks on the project. This method is a great way to streamline the process and get the most cohesive album you will be really satisfied with.

All genres! Check out the discography page and the playlist to get a sense of the artists we have worked with in the past. 

Mastering is an essential step after mixing because it ensures a track translates well across all listening environments and meets professional standards for distribution. While mixing focuses on balancing individual elements within a song, mastering takes the final stereo mix and enhances its overall clarity, loudness, and cohesion. This stage involves subtle adjustments like equalization, compression, stereo enhancement, and limiting to polish the track without altering its artistic intent. Mastering also prepares audio for different formats—streaming platforms, radio, or physical media—by ensuring consistent levels and tonal balance. Without mastering, even a well-mixed track can sound uneven or underwhelming compared to other professionally released music.

Having your music mastered by an experienced mastering engineer—especially one using an analog signal path—offers a level of refinement that’s hard to replicate with plugins alone. Analog gear introduces subtle harmonic coloration, depth, and warmth that can make a track feel more “alive” and cohesive, often smoothing harsh frequencies and enhancing the overall musicality. An experienced engineer also brings trained ears and an acoustically optimized listening environment, allowing them to make precise, objective decisions that elevate your mix without compromising its intent. Additionally, analog mastering chains often excel at gentle compression and tonal shaping, giving your track a polished, three-dimensional quality. Beyond the sound itself, you’re also benefiting from the engineer’s expertise in preparing your music for various playback systems, ensuring it translates consistently and competitively across streaming platforms, radio, and other formats.

A real human mastering engineer brings judgment, taste, and context in a way AI simply can’t fully replicate. Mastering isn’t just about hitting target loudness or applying standard EQ curves—it’s about understanding the emotional intent of a song and making subtle decisions that enhance that feeling. An experienced engineer listens critically and asks questions like: What is this track supposed to feel like? Where should the energy sit? What should stand out? AI, by contrast, relies on patterns and averages, which can lead to results that are technically correct but artistically generic. Often it produces an unmusical result or introduces errors into the sound that only a human ear would notice.

Additionally, human engineers also adapt to nuance. If a mix has intentional imperfections—like grit, distortion, or unusual balance choices—a skilled engineer will recognize those as creative decisions and preserve them. AI often tries to “fix” these elements, potentially stripping away character. Additionally, a human working in a tuned room with high-end monitoring and possibly analog gear can hear depth, stereo imaging, and frequency interactions in a way that automated systems approximate but don’t truly perceive.

There’s also the collaborative aspect. A mastering engineer can give feedback on your mix, suggest improvements, and adjust their approach based on your vision. That back-and-forth helps ensure the final product aligns with your artistic goals.

Knowing when your mix is ready for mastering comes down to both technical checkpoints and honest self-evaluation. A good rule is: if you’re still fixing problems, it’s not ready—mastering is about enhancement, not repair. 

First, your mix should feel balanced. All elements—vocals, drums, bass, instruments—should sit where you intend, with no frequency range overpowering the others. If you’re still fighting harsh highs, muddy lows, or buried vocals, those are mix issues that should be addressed before mastering. You should also have solid headroom, typically peaking around -6 dB to -3 dB, with no clipping on the master bus.

Second, the mix should translate well across different listening systems. Test it on headphones, car speakers, phone speakers, and studio monitors. If it consistently sounds right everywhere, that’s a strong sign it’s ready. If it falls apart or certain elements disappear on some systems, go back and adjust the mix.

Another key sign is that you’ve reached the point of diminishing returns. If you’re making tiny tweaks but not actually improving the track, you’re likely done. At that stage, mastering can provide the final polish—glue, loudness, and tonal consistency.

Finally, compare your mix to professionally released reference tracks in a similar style. If your mix holds up in terms of balance, tone, and energy (even if it’s not as loud yet), it’s ready for mastering.

Subtractive mixing is important because it creates clarity and space in a mix by removing unnecessary or competing frequencies instead of constantly adding more. Every sound occupies a range in the frequency spectrum, and when too many elements overlap, the result is muddiness and lack of definition. By cutting problematic frequencies—like low-end rumble in non-bass instruments or harsh resonances in the mids—you allow each element to sit more naturally without fighting for space.

This approach also helps preserve headroom and keeps your mix cleaner and more dynamic. Boosting frequencies across multiple tracks can quickly lead to buildup and distortion, whereas subtractive EQ reduces clutter and makes the overall balance easier to control. It’s especially effective for creating separation—for example, carving out a bit of low-mid content from guitars so vocals can come through more clearly.

Ultimately, subtractive mixing supports a more intentional, professional sound. Instead of stacking enhancements, you’re shaping each element so it contributes only what’s necessary, making the final mix feel tighter, more focused, and easier to master.