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What is mixing and why should I pay extra for it if my recording is finished!?
Many people underestimate the importance of a good mix! Mixing is the process of blending the various tracks together to achieve a coherent sound. This will usually involve level adjustment of each instrument, panning, equalization (reducing or boosting certain frequencies), compression (dynamic range control), addition of reverb and delay, and various other effects that might be suitable to the project.
How much time needs to be spent on mixing?
This can vary based on the style of music and number of recorded tracks. A solo artist playing acoustic guitar and overdubbing vocals will not take as long to mix as a 48 track live concert recording! For this reason I prefer not to charge a flat fee per track but will put together a package price based on your own personal requirements.
What is Mastering?
Mastering is a term used to describe the preparation of the audio for final release, either via the internet or on CD/DVD. This involves a variety of stages. It usually begins with setting up the track order, which is then followed by the use of compression, eq, loudness maximization, enhancing and subtle limiting to achieve a commercial sound. Finally, the audio is converted and burned to CD/DVD or encoded for the internet. I am able to provide basic mastering to a high standard using a software only based system which is perfect for individual tracks, EP releases, demo CD’s and online sales/marketing.
Rates:
Mixing is charged at £20/hour but the actual charge is based on a total project price. For example a song with just a few tracks would cost about £20 to mix but a song with 24 tracks would cost in the region of £50. Please contact me for a personalized quote.
