Q. What is mastering?
Audio mastering ensures that your recordings sound as good as possible on a wide range of stereo systems. The process includes a variety of audio enhancements, and sometimes restoration techniques to remove unwanted noise/clicks. Mastering can also involve the production of a Red Book CD master, which is an audio CD that complies with the industry standard for maximum compatibility. The production of a CD master will consist of arranging the tracks with ideal gaps, implementing fade-ins and fade-outs as needed, and coding the CD with track names, ISRC codes, EAN codes, and other information. For a more in-depth description please visit the what is mastering page.
Q. Why are you so cheap?
We are able to offer very competitive rates because we do not allow attended mastering sessions. By keeping our sessions unattended we save on insurance and health and safety measurements which would be required to allow visitors onto the premises. This allows us to keep our costs down without compromising the quality.
Q. Can I hear demos of your work?
Yes, visit the samples page where there are a number of ‘Before’ and ‘After’ examples. If you would like a sample of your music after mastering please contact us.
Q. In which format will I receive my mastered tracks?
We can deliver your mastered tracks online or by post. Most clients request their masters as WAV files online. If you would like your masters in any other format (i.e DDP, AIF, Mp3) please say so on the Track Sheet when you send us your mixes. Masters delivered by post will consist of one CDR or DVD containing the DDP files, and one reference CDR for listening to.
Q. Which file formats can I send?
Send us your music as uncompressed data files. Lossy formats such as Mp3 and AAC are unsuitable; the majority of our clients send their mixes as WAV files at 44.1kHz, 24 bit. If in doubt, get in touch and we’ll point you in the right direction.
Q. How much do I pay?
Price is calculated on a per track basis, at a flat rate of £15 per track. One CD master and listening copy are included in the price, but additional CD masters will incur a charge.
Q. What do I do if I’m not happy with how it sounds?
In the unlikely event that there is a problem with your mastered music, please contact us. If any problem is due to an error on our part, then we will correct it free of charge. Minor adjustments to the work are done without any extra charge, though this is at our discretion. Please note that complex or repeated changes may incur an extra charge.
Q. When do I pay?
We will not charge you a penny until you are 100% happy with the mastered samples which we will upload to the server for you. Once you have approved them, we will require payment. When payment has been received we will send out your CD masters via recorded delivery or FTP.
Q. What musical styles do you cover?
We have experience in a vast range of styles and genres, and any style of music you create will be equally appreciated!
