Getting perfect mixing and mastering done professionally can be a tedious process. While online song mixers might seem convenient, they often introduce unwanted noises into your tracks. To achieve the best results, it's always recommended to hire a mastering engineer who can deliver a polished and professional sound. However, before you send your tracks for professional mixing, it's crucial to prepare them properly. Remember, the engineer isn't responsible for doing everything—it's your track, and you need to ensure that it meets the basic requirements for a successful mixing experience. Here are a few preparation tips to help you get the best results.
Before sending your tracks for mixing and mastering, make sure they are properly named and numbered. This not only prevents any track from getting misplaced but also saves you the hassle of making changes after the mixing is done. Each track should be clearly labeled to avoid any confusion for the engineer who will be handling the mixing. A well-organized set of tracks ensures a smoother and more efficient process.
First, establish whether your engineer will be handling the editing or if you need to do it yourself. If your engineer is in charge of editing, be sure to send all takes of the song, clearly labeled as take1, take2, etc. This helps the engineer identify the correct takes and mix them appropriately. Additionally, make sure all your stem files are free from unwanted noises. You can either clean up the noise yourself or request your engineer to do it.
If you're handling the editing, pay close attention to crossfades. Proper fade-ins and fade-outs should be applied at the beginning and end of each track, depending on the order. This also includes consolidating session tracks, which should be done before sending them off. Ensure that the final session files are properly generated and ready for mixing.
To streamline the process, organize all the stem files and vocals for each song into separate folders. Number these folders according to the desired order of the tracks. This organization makes it easier for the engineer to find everything they need, reducing the chances of confusion and errors during the mixing process.
Once you've reviewed your folder organization and compiled everything into one project folder, it's a good idea to check with your mixing and mastering engineer to see how they prefer to receive the files. Send the project file in the requested format and confirm the expected timeline for receiving your final track. With everything properly prepared, you'll be one step closer to achieving a polished and professional mix with just a few clicks.
Whether you're a musician or working with professional music composers, proper preparation ensures that your tracks have the best chance of reaching their full potential. By taking the time to organize and refine your project before sending it off for mixing and mastering, you'll set yourself up for a more efficient process and a final product that truly shines. For more insights, check out our steps to achieve perfect mix before mastering.
divan.jagruti@khan.org
I am a sound engineer myself with expertise in mixing and mastering. The steps mentioned in the given blog are very important while mixing and mastering. They will definitely result in a perfect hit song.
kar.isha@sani.com
Thanks for explaining the procedure of mixing and mastering. After reading this blog, now I knew the steps taken to do mixing and mastering. It really requires much perfection to do it so.
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