FAQ
What Is Mastering?
Audio Mastering is the final technical and creative process which takes place after recording and mixing. It’s where your tracks are given important finishing touches and improvements in overall sound quality including: EQ, Compression, Noise Reduction, Stereo Width, Balance & Phase Correction, Limiting and overall loudness as well as ensuring the consistency and clarity of multiple recordings or mixes bought together for a single or album.
Why do I need mastering?
Whether your music features live instruments and performers or if it has been created totally in the digital domain, it’s more important than ever to have your tracks professionally mastered. Having the highly trained set of ears of an Online Studios engineer analyze, and adjust your recordings is both easy and affordable.
How do I provide my files for mastering?
Do not limit or over compress your tracks or push them to 0db, we require your recordings to be a maximum of -3db and no lower than -6db.
Please provide your audio at the original settings from your recording session or software DAW e.g. if you have recorded at 16 bit/ 44.1khz you should provide files at this setting.
We recommend you use the following settings for the best results:
File Type: WAV / AIF
Bit Rate: 24 Bit
Sample Rate: 44.1 / 48 kHz
Why do I need a Mixdown?
Most mixes sadly fall short of the mark, sometimes due to lack of mixing experience or techniques. Other reasons include bad monitoring, poor acoustics or inadequate equipment. Often artists & producers are simply too closely involved with their own tracks. By mixing with us you can easily remove all these problems from the equation. Online Studios team has a vast knowledge of mixing all styles & genres of music combined with state-of-the-art equipment, great acoustics & superb monitoring.
How do I provide my files for mixing?
Please provide your audio at the original settings from your recording session or software DAW e.g. if you have recorded at 16 bit/ 44.1khz you should provide files at this setting.
We recommend you use the following settings for the best results:
File Type: WAV / AIF
Bit Rate: 24 Bit
Sample Rate: 44.1 / 48 kHz
What information should I provide when ordering online mixing?
Detailed but not too lengthy, concise, mix notes of what you want to achieve from the mixdown.
Tempo of the project in beats per minute (BPM)
Time Signature of the project if differs from 4/4
Each separate channel of audio soloed and then bounced from the same starting point of the arrangement (Bar 1, Beat 1) and ending just after the last instance of sound on that channel (Ensuring not to cut off any tail end or reverb)
Provide additional dry copies (no effects / EQ) of any channel that you are unsure of your own settings (place these in separate sub folder & give us details of this in your mix notes).
Please ensure each channel you bounce down is at an optimum level with a good signal to noise ratio e.g. not over limited, compressed, or distorting (Unless that sound is part of an effect you want to achieve)
Note down any specific settings that you want us to recreate i.e. vocals to be upfront in the mix, instruments to be dry or effected, specific sound or channel to be low or ambient in the mix, please include as much detail as possible in your mix notes.
Feel free to include any reference material similar to sound you want to achieve (However please be realistic, as a bedroom track made with virtual synths vs. a live Philharmonic Orchestra is pushing it slightly!)
To discuss your project call +44 (0)7789 635 325 or Contact Us