{"id":1697,"date":"2021-02-21T22:49:05","date_gmt":"2021-02-21T22:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/brianh149.sg-host.com\/?page_id=1697"},"modified":"2024-01-04T23:45:30","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T23:45:30","slug":"faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/faq\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40 .kt-accordion-panel-inner{border-top:0px solid transparent;border-right:0px solid transparent;border-bottom:0px solid transparent;border-left:0px solid transparent;padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40 .wp-block-kadence-pane .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;background:var(--global-palette8, #F7FAFC);font-size:18px;line-height:24px;color:var(--global-palette3, #1A202C);padding-top:10px;padding-right:14px;padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:14px;}.kt-accordion-wrap.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40 > .kt-accordion-inner-wrap > .kt-accordion-pane > .kt-accordion-header-wrap{margin-top:0px;}.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h2:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h3:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h4:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h5:first-child,\n\t\t\t.single-content .wp-block-kadence-pane>h6:first-child{margin-top:0px;}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before{background:var(--global-palette3, #1A202C);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger{background:var(--global-palette3, #1A202C);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before{background:var(--global-palette8, #F7FAFC);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40 .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover, body:not(.hide-focus-outline) .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40 .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus{color:var(--global-palette3, #1A202C);background:var(--global-palette1, #3182CE);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before, body:not(.hide-focus-outline) .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, body:not(.hide-focus-outline) .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before{background:var(--global-palette3, #1A202C);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger, body:not(.hide-focus-outline) .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger{background:var(--global-palette3, #1A202C);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before, body:not(.hide-focus-outline) .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, body:not(.hide-focus-outline) .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before{background:var(--global-palette1, #3182CE);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40 .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active{color:var(--global-palette3, #1A202C);background:var(--global-palette1, #3182CE);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before{background:var(--global-palette3, #1A202C);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger{background:var(--global-palette3, #1A202C);}.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before{background:var(--global-palette1, #3182CE);}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40 .kt-accordion-panel-inner{border-top:0px solid transparent;border-right:0px solid transparent;border-bottom:0px solid transparent;border-left:0px solid transparent;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40 .kt-accordion-panel-inner{border-top:0px solid transparent;border-right:0px solid transparent;border-bottom:0px solid transparent;border-left:0px solid transparent;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id1697_116b5d-40 kt-accordion-has-17-panes kt-active-pane-0 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-basic kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"false\" data-start-open=\"none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-1 kt-pane1697_48969a-9e\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Will you master the first track for free, or at least provide a sample of my mastered track before I decide to pay?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>For my first few years as a mastering engineer, I spent nearly half my working hours preparing test masters, usually for amateur musicians who were curious to hear what their music would sound like mastered.&nbsp;I\u2019ve reached a point in my career where I don\u2019t need to do that anymore. Cutting out the freebies means&nbsp;lower prices and faster turnaround for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are unsatisfied with your master for any reason, I\u2019ll cheerfully provide alternates based on your feedback until you\u2019re 100% happy.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-2 kt-pane1697_5f652c-73\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">I found a site that will do it for cheaper. Can you cut me a deal?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Are there cheaper options? Yes. Will they save you money in the long run? Maybe not. My rates are extremely competitive considering my years of experience, gear, and room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, I challenge you to find someone with as many album credits who charges less. It is my sincere belief that a great mastering job will more than pay for itself in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Out of fairness, everybody pays the same rate. I don\u2019t do \u201cfriend deals\u201d or bulk discounts, so please don\u2019t try to negotiate a price cut.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-3 kt-pane1697_520e78-8b\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">How much do you charge to master alternate versions (extended mixes, radio edits, instrumentals, etc) of the same tracks?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Nothing \u2014 it\u2019s on the house! As long as the basic mixes are the same, and I can apply the same settings, I\u2019m happy to run through as many mixes as you want.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-4 kt-pane1697_01f937-06\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Can I pay you now for my next release, and send you each track to master as I finish it?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>If you send me tracks one at a time to master, you\u2019ll need to pay the individual track rate of $160 each time. It\u2019s a lot more work to do them separately, and&nbsp;they won\u2019t necessarily sit well with each other unless we agree on a reference ahead of time. Even then, it won\u2019t be as tight as it would be if I mastered all the tracks at once. If necessary, I can always go back and fine-tune on an hourly basis.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-5 kt-pane1697_5d8cfc-65\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">How long will it take once I get you my mixes?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Standard turnaround is one week, and your project is guaranteed to be completed within two weeks. If you need it sooner, let me know!&nbsp;I can usually turn around a single in a couple of days.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-6 kt-pane1697_4b175b-64\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Do you do stem mastering?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Stem mastering is a fancy name for mixing with one hand tied behind your back. It always involves compromise. The most common example is a drum stem with a crazy loud hi-hat. Sure, I could aggressively EQ or de-ess, and it will only affect the drums rather than the whole mix \u2014 but doesn\u2019t it make more sense to just ask you to turn down the hi-hat?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-7 kt-pane1697_c887bb-18\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Can I attend the session?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Not if you want me to do a good job! I love talking shop in the studio as much as the next guy, but presumably, your mixes sound perfect to you already. If I\u2019m to provide effective quality control, it\u2019s best that my decisions not be influenced by your perceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My workflow isn\u2019t conducive to client attendance anyway. I\u2019ll work for 20 minutes, then rest my ears with some email, then jump back in for 15 more minutes, then take a walk around the block. I devote many sessions over multiple days to EPs and albums.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-8 kt-pane1697_0c6535-8e\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">What if I need to change a mix after you\u2019ve already mastered it?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>You\u2019ve probably heard your mixes a thousand times, but please review them one last time to make sure that they are, in fact, final. If you\u2019re not in a rush, a few days of vacation from the mixes will allow you to revisit them with a fresh perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since I\u2019m dealing with pre-mixed stereo files, my mastering work is essentially confined to the areas of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Tonal balance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Density\/punch<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Volume<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>I can\u2019t, for example, give you \u201ca little more guitar in the second verse.\u201d While mastering can affect the balance between elements of the mix in subtle ways, for the most part, the integrity of your mixes will be preserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If I hear anything way off that could be easily addressed on your end, I\u2019ll request a new mix from you. That said, no mix is perfect, and mastering almost always involves some degree of compromise between my vision of how the track should sound, and the realities of the mix. I labor over 0.05 dB tweaks over the course of several sessions until I\u2019m convinced I\u2019ve found the best possible set of compromises for each track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>With that in mind, nearly any change to your mix requires that I start over from scratch.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My revisions policy is simple: if you are unsatisfied with the mastering for any reason, I will make changes \u2013 using the same mixes \u2013 at no charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>REVISED MIXES WILL BE BILLED AT THE ADDITIONAL TRACK RATE OF $60 EACH.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you know the mixes aren\u2019t where they should be, but aren\u2019t sure what to do about it, start by reviewing my&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/passivepromotion.com\/category\/mixing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mixing advice<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If that doesn\u2019t do the trick, you might consider hiring me for mix consultation. For $140\/hr, I provide precise and detailed suggestions for every track on your release. It typically takes me a half hour for a single track, up to two hours for a full album, depending on how far off the mixes are.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-10 kt-pane1697_ab9d2d-3c\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">What gear do you use?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>My chain is 100% digital, because I value transparency over \u201cwarmth,\u201d which is an audiophile euphemism for distortion. Some processes, such as linear phase EQ and brickwall limiting, are only possible in the digital domain. To my ears, the signal degradation from D\/A and A\/D conversion doesn\u2019t justify any potential advantage of analog compression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for a vintage analog sound, I can do that! It\u2019s just not my default, unless your recording has an obvious digital sterility and coldness that demands it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I use a combination of commercially available plugins, both mainstream and boutique. I don\u2019t list them by name because some people figure they can just download cracked copies and do it themselves. Or they ask for my presets. I don\u2019t use presets!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I do&nbsp;<em>not<\/em>&nbsp;use Ozone, T-RackS, Waves, or any other all-in-one suite. Not because I\u2019m an audio snob. Okay, I am, but I\u2019ve tested them, and they don\u2019t sound as good as the stuff I use.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-11 kt-pane1697_cd30b7-cc\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Do you use a matching EQ to match my track to my reference?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>I don\u2019t use any sort of spectral matching, because the results are entirely dependent on the arrangements of the two mixes. I ask for a reference so that I can A\/B your mastered mix against it, to ensure that it has the tonal balance, punch, and volume you\u2019re looking for \u2014 by ear, always.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-12 kt-pane1697_6f8ef5-02\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">You say you\u2019ll let me know if there is anything wrong with my mix, but also offer mix consultation. What\u2019s the difference?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>If I hear problems with your mix, and can provide actionable steps you can take to correct them, I\u2019ll&nbsp;<em>always<\/em>&nbsp;let you know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, just because I don\u2019t suggest changes doesn\u2019t mean your mix is perfect. I\u2019ll have plenty of ideas to make it better, and that\u2019s where mix consultation comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I can provide precise and detailed suggestions for every track on your release in one to two hours. Many artists and labels routinely hire me for mix consultation in order to fine-tune their mixes prior to mastering. At $140 per hour, it\u2019s cheap insurance, and good bang for the buck, because the improvements can be more dramatic than the mastering itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you can hire me to mix it for you! Details and preparation instructions are <a href=\"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/mixing\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1870\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-13 kt-pane1697_b01f2b-6e\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Do you have any tips on mixing?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Plenty! I\u2019ve written several articles worth of&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/passivepromotion.com\/category\/mixing\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"rank-math-link\">mixing advice<\/a>&nbsp;at my blog,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.passivepromotion.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Passive Promotion.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-14 kt-pane1697_67eaed-c3\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Why can\u2019t I compress the master bus? The mix sounds wimpy when I take it off.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>I strongly recommend against mixing through a compressor, limiter, or any sort of tape\/tube emulation. Sure, it may sound more \u201clike a record,\u201d but I guarantee that it won\u2019t sound as good post-mastering as it could have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First off, the order of operations is wrong. EQ is almost always performed before compression. If there\u2019s too much energy in the low bass (which is the case in about half the mixes I receive), the compressor will be driven primarily by those frequencies. That phenomenon even has a fancy name: intermodulation distortion. Adjusting the bass before compression allows me to get the proper punch and density out of your mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, compressing the master bus permanently imprints your compressor\u2019s attack\/release characteristics on the mix. Adding more compression on my end means superimposing the attack\/release characteristics of my compressor on top of yours, which seldom produces the desired punch. It\u2019s best done once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By my definition at least, mastering is any processing done on the entire mix. Compression is the one essential process that distinguishes a mastered track from an unmastered track, and it\u2019s the hardest to get right. That\u2019s why you\u2019re hiring me to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve already mixed your album through a compressor and\/or limiter, and removing them ruins the mix, please send me both versions: a processed one and a clean one. In most cases, the processed version will serve as a reference as I master the clean version.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-15 kt-pane1697_a3a0ef-97\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">Why should I render my mix at 24-bit if it was tracked at 16-bit?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Because it will sound better. Modern DAWs operate at 32 bits or higher internally, which means a 16-bit render is missing at least half of that data. If there\u2019s 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\u2019ll walk you through each step.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-16 kt-pane1697_d00551-20\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">What sample rate should I record at?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Until recently, my answer was always a no-nonsense 44.1 kHz. It can perfectly capture any audio signal and is perfectly fine as a final delivery format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But nowadays most platforms, including DistroKid, Bandcamp, and SoundCloud, accept files at 48 kHz, 24-bit. If you&#8217;ve got a lot of oversampling going on in your DAW, that&#8217;s a solid argument for operating at 48. At that point, you might as well stick with it for everything but CD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re using samples, there&#8217;s a good chance they&#8217;re at 44.1, so ideally you&#8217;d use a high-quality offline SRC to upsample them to 48. Whether or not it&#8217;s worth the hassle over just sticking to 44.1 is up to you.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-17 kt-pane1697_2deac7-80\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\">How would you like to be credited in the liner notes?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel kt-accordion-panel-hidden\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p><em>Mastered by Brian Hazard at Resonance Mastering&nbsp;www.resonancemastering.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2026is ideal, but feel free to phrase it however you\u2019d like. Thank you!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Anything I didn&#8217;t address here? <a href=\"mailto:brian@resonancemastering.com\">Email me<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anything I didn&#8217;t address here? Email me!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"normal","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1697"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1697"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1911,"href":"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1697\/revisions\/1911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/resonancemastering.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}