FILE PREPARATION FOR MIXING
This is a guide that will help you to prepare your files for mixing service.
Please, if you have any questions. no hesitate to contact, I’m here to help.
Please, if you have any questions. no hesitate to contact, I’m here to help.
- FILE FORMAT
Files for mixing are really important. WAV is by far the most popular file type but AIFF, will also work. Please do not send mp3 unless that is absolutely all you have and you can’t get the WAV files.
- SAMPLE RATE
Send your files in the same sample rate that they were recorded at. PLEASE don´t convert to a different sample rate before sending. I will do any conversion that may be necessary. Acceptable sample rates include 44.1kHz to 192kHz.
- BIT DEPTH
Render / Export your tracks at at least 24bit. I prefer 32bit float if possible. That will give plenty of safety room in case the tracks do have any clipping to where it does not actually clip the file and distort. 32bit WAV files will be larger in size but it’s better and safer than 24bit. Please do not send your tracks at 16bit unless that is all that you have.
- LEVELS
Please try to make sure your tracks are not clipping (going over 0). It is preferred that peaks for each file be hitting somewhere between -12 to -6. That will give me a good healthy level without going too far.
- STEREO / MONO
Please try to as much as possible NOT to send a stereo file for mono content.
Mono channel to Mono sound
Stereo channel to Stereo sound.
Some DAWs such as (Logic or Live) are exporting all files as stereo and if that happens it’s not a big deal, I can deal with it but please don’t export as stereo when it’s really mono if you can help it.
- FILE NAMING
This one is very important. Please take the time to name all files as corresponding.
Examples:
Lead Vocal.wav
Lead Vocal Double.wav
Guitar Rhythm L.wav
Guitar Rhythm R.wav
Snare.wav
Snare kick.wav
Please do NOT send files like: v dup dup2.wav or Sapmple_pack_kicktom232.wav
- FOLDER STRUCTURE
Please send a main folder with the artist/band name & song name. Inside that folder should be subfolder Tittle\song name (Multitrack) and put all the exported .WAV files from the DAW.
- SYNC TIMING
CRITICAL STEP. Make sure that all exported tracks start at exactly same time and are the same length.
Example:
FULL SONG LENGTH – 3minutes, 00seconds
Kick length – 3minutes, 00seconds
Snare length - 3minutes, 00seconds
- EFFECTS
I prefer tracks to be as clean and dry as possible and no effects applied. There are situations where you may have a rhythmic delay or other effect that is crucial to the feel of the song and if that is the case feel free to leave it on there. If there are tracks where you have built a really cool effect with reverb, delay, etc that you want to show me as an example please render two versions, one wet and one dry so I can have the flexibility in dealing with those.
Example:
Cool synth Part (WET).wav
Cool Synth Part (DRY).WAV
- TEXT FILE
It is very helpful for you and me to include a text file (PDF) in the main folder that contain the full tracklist with their tempo and song key, if in the case you have them. It is not required if you don’t know them.
EXAMPLE:
Write as shown: Info.pdf
- PREPARE FOR SENDING
Once you have everything ready and have checked that all file names are correct and make sense please compress the entire Single/Album/EP folder into a .ZIP file for easy and safe transfer.
- UPLOADING FILES
In the email i have sent, there is a dropbox tranfer link to your dropbox folder that is the folder where all the files will be siting during the mixing and delivering process.
Files for mixing are really important. WAV is by far the most popular file type but AIFF, will also work. Please do not send mp3 unless that is absolutely all you have and you can’t get the WAV files.
- SAMPLE RATE
Send your files in the same sample rate that they were recorded at. PLEASE don´t convert to a different sample rate before sending. I will do any conversion that may be necessary. Acceptable sample rates include 44.1kHz to 192kHz.
- BIT DEPTH
Render / Export your tracks at at least 24bit. I prefer 32bit float if possible. That will give plenty of safety room in case the tracks do have any clipping to where it does not actually clip the file and distort. 32bit WAV files will be larger in size but it’s better and safer than 24bit. Please do not send your tracks at 16bit unless that is all that you have.
- LEVELS
Please try to make sure your tracks are not clipping (going over 0). It is preferred that peaks for each file be hitting somewhere between -12 to -6. That will give me a good healthy level without going too far.
- STEREO / MONO
Please try to as much as possible NOT to send a stereo file for mono content.
Mono channel to Mono sound
Stereo channel to Stereo sound.
Some DAWs such as (Logic or Live) are exporting all files as stereo and if that happens it’s not a big deal, I can deal with it but please don’t export as stereo when it’s really mono if you can help it.
- FILE NAMING
This one is very important. Please take the time to name all files as corresponding.
Examples:
Lead Vocal.wav
Lead Vocal Double.wav
Guitar Rhythm L.wav
Guitar Rhythm R.wav
Snare.wav
Snare kick.wav
Please do NOT send files like: v dup dup2.wav or Sapmple_pack_kicktom232.wav
- FOLDER STRUCTURE
Please send a main folder with the artist/band name & song name. Inside that folder should be subfolder Tittle\song name (Multitrack) and put all the exported .WAV files from the DAW.
- SYNC TIMING
CRITICAL STEP. Make sure that all exported tracks start at exactly same time and are the same length.
Example:
FULL SONG LENGTH – 3minutes, 00seconds
Kick length – 3minutes, 00seconds
Snare length - 3minutes, 00seconds
- EFFECTS
I prefer tracks to be as clean and dry as possible and no effects applied. There are situations where you may have a rhythmic delay or other effect that is crucial to the feel of the song and if that is the case feel free to leave it on there. If there are tracks where you have built a really cool effect with reverb, delay, etc that you want to show me as an example please render two versions, one wet and one dry so I can have the flexibility in dealing with those.
Example:
Cool synth Part (WET).wav
Cool Synth Part (DRY).WAV
- TEXT FILE
It is very helpful for you and me to include a text file (PDF) in the main folder that contain the full tracklist with their tempo and song key, if in the case you have them. It is not required if you don’t know them.
EXAMPLE:
Write as shown: Info.pdf
- PREPARE FOR SENDING
Once you have everything ready and have checked that all file names are correct and make sense please compress the entire Single/Album/EP folder into a .ZIP file for easy and safe transfer.
- UPLOADING FILES
In the email i have sent, there is a dropbox tranfer link to your dropbox folder that is the folder where all the files will be siting during the mixing and delivering process.
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