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I
prefer 24-bit .wav or AIFF files at a sample rate of 44.1
KHz, but I also support 16-bit and 32-bit files at all sample
rates, audio CD-Rs, and DAT. Mp3 files are not suitable
for mastering.

1. Set
the master fader so that the mix peaks around -3 dB.
2. Do not use any processors on the master mix bus.
3. Record or bounce down your mixes at the same sample rate
you mixed at, preferably as a 24-bit .wav or AIFF file.
4. Do not process the resulting file.

If you
have access to an audio editor, such as Sound Forge,
Cool Edit Pro, or WaveLab, please check each
track to make sure that it never reaches 0 dB. If
it does, your mixdown is clipped, which means it was mixed
down at too high a volume. Please lower the master fader
and record or bounce down your mix again.
Please
render your files as 24-bit, even if you recorded at 16-bit.
Mastering a 24-bit source yields a much better result than
a 16-bit source possibly can. Modern DAWs operate at
32-bits internally, which means a 16-bit file is missing
half of the data generated by the software. If there is
absolutely no way to provide 24-bit files, your 16-bit source
needs to be properly dithered. If you need help, just let
me know and I'll walk you through each step.
Do
not EQ, compress, limit, or normalize your mixes. Just
to be clear, this only refers to the 2-track stereo mixdown.
Feel free to EQ and compress individual tracks to taste,
but once you mix those tracks together into a single stereo
file, please don't touch it.
Note
any fades you would like, and exactly when you want them
to start and end relative to the beginning of the track
(for example, "start fade out at 3:52 - end track at
4:07"). If you do the fade yourself, the sound of the
track will change through the course of the fade as my compressors
and limiters respond to the change in volume. That's why
fades are ideally done after all other processing.
In order
to understand your artistic vision, it would help me to
hear a commercial CD with the overall sound and loudness
you are looking for. I can make your release as loud as
anything out there, at the cost of dynamic range. Dynamics
are a necessary part of music, and without them, the
ears tire quickly. The choice is up to you, but for what
it's worth, I like to err on the side of more dynamic range.
click
here to upload your files, or e-mail
me for the mailing address
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