Technical Guidelines

How to prepare your track

The checklist I send to every artist before a mix or a master. Follow it and we skip the back-and-forth.

01

File Format

Export as WAV or AIFF, 24-bit or 32-bit, at 44.1 kHz or higher. Normalize: Off. Dither: Off.

WAV 24-bit 44.1 kHz

File Format

02

Headroom

Keep your master bus below 0 dBTP. Aim for peaks around −6 dBTP. Do not use a limiter to fix clipping. Lower all tracks collectively instead.

0 dB -6 dB ✗ ✓

Headroom

03

Dynamic Control

Avoid over-compressing your mix. A well-controlled dynamic range gives mastering more room to work, resulting in a punchier, more impactful sound.

Over-compressed Dynamic ✗ ✓

Dynamic Control

04

Beginning & End

Leave at least 100 ms of silence at the start and 2 seconds at the end. This preserves transients and reverb tails during mastering.

100ms 2s Start Track End

Beginning & End

05

No Mixbus Processing

Remove all compressors, EQs, stereo wideners, and limiters from the master channel. A clean signal allows for the most effective mastering process.

EQ COMP LIM Remove from master bus

No Mixbus Processing

06

References & Notes

Send a reference track if you have a specific sound in mind. It helps me understand your vision and tailor the process to your expectations.

Your track Reference

References & Notes

01

Clean & Edit

Remove unwanted noise, clicks, and pops. Trim silence at the start and end of each track and apply fades to avoid abrupt transitions.

Remove clicks, noise, pops

Clean & Edit

02

Label Your Tracks

Name each track clearly: Vocals_Main, Kick_Drum, Guitar_Rhythm… Include BPM and key information if known.

KICK BASS SYNTH Clear naming per track

Label Your Tracks

03

Consolidate & Export

All tracks must start at bar 1. Export as WAV or AIFF, 24-bit or 32-bit, at 44.1 kHz or higher. Dither: Off. Normalize: Off.

Bar 1 WAV All tracks start at bar 1

Consolidate & Export

04

No Processing

Remove all EQ, compression, reverb, and effects from each track. If an effect is essential (e.g. amp simulation), send both wet and dry versions. Keep peaks below −12 dB on the master.

EQ COMP FX Keep all tracks dry

No Processing

05

Additional Materials

Provide a reference track or your own self-mix. Include session notes with specific instructions or creative directions for the mix.

REF + notes Reference + creative notes

Additional Materials

06

File Transfer

Name your folder Artist Name – Track Name, zip it, and upload it to WeTransfer, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Send the link to onl.contact.off@gmail.com.

WeTransfer Dropbox · Drive

File Transfer