File Submission

If Ordering a Stereo Master or Stem Mix & Master

Please read the appropriate section below carefully before delivery.

Requirements for Stereo Master

Begin by rendering/bouncing your track as a 16-bit or 24-bit WAV file with any existing master bus processing left on. This file will serve as a reference mix for comparison while we work on your new master. It helps us understand your intended sonic direction and allows us to achieve your desired result more efficiently.

Next, prepare your pre-master by removing any master bus processing that has been added solely for the purpose of loudness. This includes aggressive compression, limiting, saturation, or clipping. EQ or gentle compression that is essential to the character of your mix may remain in place.
Ensure that the mix does not clip or peak above 0 dB. If it does, reduce the overall gain to a suitable level before rendering the pre-master as a 24-bit WAV file.

If you would like multiple versions mastered (for example, an extended or instrumental mix), repeat this process for each version until all pre-masters are ready for delivery.

Requirements for Stem Mix & Master

As with stereo mastering, begin by rendering/bouncing a 16-bit or 24-bit WAV file of your full mix with any master bus processing left on. This will be used as a reference mix and provides insight into your intended balance and sonic character.

For stem preparation, remove any master bus processing that exists solely for loudness purposes, including aggressive compression, limiting, saturation, or clipping. Multiband compression should also be removed. EQ or gentle compression that is critical to the sound of individual elements or groups may remain.

Solo each group of elements you wish to render as a stem. For example, a Drum stem may include kick-adjacent percussion, snares/claps, hi-hats, and loops. If elements within a stem are routed to a bus and processed together, that bus processing should remain active. Render each stem as a 24-bit stereo WAV file and label it clearly (e.g., SongName_Drums). Repeat this process until all stems are exported.

If any elements use send effects such as reverb or delay, those effects should be printed within the main stem. Separate “Reverb” or “Delay” stems are not recommended, as they typically contain material from multiple sources and are not useful for mixing.

Most tracks can be delivered using six core stems:
Kick, Drums, Bass, Synths/Music, Vocals, and SFX.
However, if you are unhappy with the current balance or would like to provide additional flexibility, further separation may be helpful. Examples include splitting Synths into multiple stems such as sustained chords and lead elements.

Once all stems have been rendered, open a new session in your DAW and import them to verify that nothing is missing and that the track plays back as expected. It is normal for the mix to peak above 0 dB at this stage due to the removal of compression and limiting.

After confirming that all steps above have been followed, place the files into a folder titled:
SongName_Stems_XXXBPM
Compress the folder into a .zip file and deliver it for processing.