In order to obtain the best possible quality from audio mastering, you need to start with a good recording. Here are some hints for preparing your recording or mix.

Watch for clipping

During recording AND mixing take the extra time to set proper gain without overdriving your recording system's maximum levels. Also, be sure your final stereo audio mixdown isn't clipping. If you're unsure, set the overall levels so the maximum peaks are between -1dB and -3dB at most when creating your two-channel audio tracks. We'll maximize the volume levels appropriately in the mastering process so don't worry if it comes out a little quieter doing this.

Don't overdo reverb

Reverb effects are nice for "smoothing out" some of the rough edges in your songs, but they also can make your songs sound muddy and the mastering process cannot completely undo excessive muddiness. When in doubt, lean toward cleaner and drier sounds versus more reverb. You can always request more fuller, deeper sound in the note pages included with the CD mastering order form and we'll be happy to add a little of this effect in for you.

Get rid of noise

The less hiss/hum/background noise we have to eliminate in the mastering process, the cleaner, fuller, and brighter your songs will be. Watch open mics during recording. Are fans running in the background? Are there flourescent lights on? Planes, trains, cars, trucks running outside? Computer fans? Amps not grounded properly? Using correct cables and correct gain settings? Consider using noise gates and/or noise filtering on each track in a song. This will limit the total amount of noise in your final mix giving you a cleaner, stronger song for mastering.

Fade your dubs and clips

Don't use mute or other sudden on/off in your mixes! If dubs or clips turn on and off suddenly within your song, there will more than likely be an audible click. It may be quiet in your version, but the mastered version is often much louder. We can certainly remove or reduce most clicks in the mastering process, but why take chances?!? Make it clean right from the start!

Don't over-compress!

It seems everyone these days wants to make their sound louder and louder so they put as much compression as possible on the master output. Once you've done this, there's nothing we can do in mastering to undo the compression side-effects. If you resist the urge to make it as loud as you can get it and let your mastering facility adjust your final track volumes then we can make it loud enough in a way that limits the bad side-effects of strong master output compression. True artists know that "loud music" does not necessarily equal "good music". Concentrate on making a good, solid, clean mix and let us set the final track volume during mastering.