GET A FREE MIXING + MASTERING SAMPLE CLIP
FROM YOUR OWN MATERIAL

We're happy to provide you with a free sample of our mixing+mastering services using your own project materials. As this is a time-intensive process, we have a few requirements that must be met.

• You must have at least 5 songs you are potentially considering submitting for mixing and mastering.
• You will need to prepare your materials for transferring between systems and mail us 5 or more of your mix sessions, along with a brief form.
• You can't be under a tight turnaround deadline as it could potentially take 7-10 days or longer to get your free sample back, depending on our current workload.
• Your material must be organized and clearly labeled and recorded at a minimum basic quality level (this is subjective, but you probably know if you have poor quality recordings).
  
  If these requirements are acceptable to you and fit your situation, then you may proceed to send us your materials for a free mixing and mastering sample. Here's what you need to do:
  

  Create backup sessions of at least 5 of your mixes and save them to CD's/DVD's/USB Memory sticks to mail to us. If you're not sure how to do this, eee the instructions at the bottom of this page for help.
  
  Fill out our Audio Engineering Order Form to send in with your project materials. In the pricing section, write in "Free Sample".
  
  Mail everything in a padded envelope to us at:

  Crazy Daisy Productions
  4257 Barger Dr. #171
  Eugene, OR 97402
  

  
  Instructions for preparing your materials to transfer to us:
  
  

  Pro-Tools:

  Please label all tracks as clearly as possible. For instance if there are lead and backing vocals you could label them Voc 1 etc., and BVoc1,2,3 etc. For instrument parts just be as clear as possible. There is also a place for notes in Pro-Tools in the edit screen. Go to View-Edit Window-Comments, here you can make any notes for yourself and the mix engineer.
  Before saving a copy of your session it is good to get rid of clutter. Go to the right of your edit window and click on the bottom corner of the screen. This will open the audio files menu so you can see everything you have done so far. When you are ready to save your project for mixing go to the region list at the top of the audio files. Choose Select-Unused Audio Except Whole Files. All of the files that you are no longer using will be highlighted. Now from the region list select Clear. A new dialog box will appear, click Remove. You have now removed 90% of the clutter in your session.
  Now save the session with all the audio files. Go to File-Save As and choose Save Copy In. Be sure to select Audio Files in the dialog box and save it to somewhere that you will remember and that has enough space for your full project.
  A helpful YouTube video is available that shows you how to quickly and easily clean up and consolidate your ProTools project for transporting
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=5-70HnOrChQ&watch_response
  
  

  Cubase:

  For your Cubase project you should include both the Cubase song file and all its associated audio files for every song.
  These files should all be located in the same folder or subfolders of that main folder, labeled with the song name.
  Be sure to look through your audio files and eliminate unnecessary audio files (takes you didn't keep or parts no longer in use) to minimize the space your project will take up to make it quicker and easier to transfer. An easy way to do this is choose Save to New Folder under the file menu. You will be asked to give the project a new name, which should be the song title, and you can then select the options to minimize audio files and remove unused audio, both of which will reduce the saved material to the absolute minimum required for the mixing project. Do NOT select freeze edits as this locks in all changes and won't allow additional adjustments to be made.
  If you saved any effects or channel presets, save those and send them along with your project as well.
  
  

  Logic:

  For projects mixed in Logic, The File - Save as Project function allows you to save a project with all associated files. These are collectively known as the project assets. Activation of the Include Assets checkbox in the Save As dialog will include the file types chosen in the Advanced Options. The Advanced Option checkboxes determine how files imported from external locations - locations outside the project folder - should be handled. You should turn on the Copy checkbox to choose the option to have all external files copied into the project folder. Turn on the Copy External Audio Files to Project Folder checkbox to create copies of these in your project folder. Turn on the Copy EXS Instruments to Project Folder and Copy EXS Samples to Project Folder checkboxes, as well. Also turn on the Copy Ultrabeat Samples to Project Folder and Space Designer Impulse Responses to Project Folder checkboxes to create copies of these files in the project folder. Once saved the project is safe and consolidated, allowing you to move or copy the entire project folder without losing any references that point to files within the folder. The project folder should be named according to the title of the track it contains and then saved to a CD or DVD to submit.
  
  

  Other Mixing Software, portable studio system, etc.:

  The specific instructions for preparing your materials will depend greatly on your situation. The end result, however, should be the same. We will need mono and/or stereo wav files for each element within your mixes for each of your songs. These files should all have identical starting and stopping points, meaning they are of identical length and if played back simultaneously will all play their parts at the appropriate times in the song.
  You should save the wav files with names that identify their part and the song they belong to (example: Hit the Road - snare drum).
  If you have used any effects on any of your parts those effects will be permanently applied when you create the wav files so be absolutely sure you want to keep the effects as-is before hand. If you're unsure, create two wav files for that part - one with the effect applied and one with it turned off. Be sure to label the files accordingly and include a note explaining that you have done this so your engineer can determine whether or not to keep your effects or apply one he feels might do the job better.
  Keep your files organized in folders with the song titles and save them to CD's or DVD's or usb flash drives. Keeping things clear and organized will help your engineer find your parts quicker and save time and money on your mixing project.
  
  
  

  If you have any questions, feel free to call us at (541) 517-1458 or email us at info@crazymastering.com and we will be happy to assist you.