How To Prepare Your Files
How to count tracks
To mix your track properly, I need an audio file of each separate instrument, mic or element. As an example..
Drum Kit – 10 files
(kick in, kick out, snare top, snare bottom, hihat, tom 1,2 & 3, overheads, rooms).
Bass – 2 files
(DI and Amp)
Guitars – 5 files
(rhythm left and right, picking left and right, Lead)
Vocal – 2 files
(main and double)
Backing Vocals – 6 files
(various harmonies)
So in this simple example I would need 25 audio files. You may have a project that is way more complex than this. For example there may be 2 or 3 mic’s used for every guitar part (2 at the front of the cab and 1 at the back). These may have been pre-merged by who ever did the recording, or they may not.
What processing should I leave on?
So first of all you will have the recorded audio file. This is referred to as the raw file. To get to your rough mix, you may have added some EQ, compression etc within your DAW. This is called the processed file.
If you are confident in your processing, send me the the processed file. If you aren’t confident, send me the raw file. If you are unsure, send me both. You will only be charged for one. Make sure you label them up correctly with ‘RAW’ or ‘PROCESSED’. I will then make the decision which one to use.
Reverb and Delay
If the reverb or delay you’ve added is part of the sound (like a specific effect), then leave it on. If it’s the kind of reverb or delay that’s only there to give space, then take it off. I will do that at my end. If you’re unsure, send both. You will only be charged for one. Make sure you label them up correctly ‘NO REVERB’ and ‘WITH REVERB’.
Preparing Your Files
If you’re preparing your own files for mixing, there are some key points to keep in mind. There are also some links below to YouTube videos that may help you export your files depending on your DAW.
Please note, people refer to ‘stems’ in different ways. A true stem is a group of similar instruments with processing, exported as a single stereo file (eg, Drums, Bass, Vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitars, Keys etc, would all be their own stem). However, some people refer to single exported tracks as stems (with or without processing). Just be aware of this. I will refer to individually exported files as audio files.
Key Points
- Make sure you export your files a few bars beyond the end of the project, to allow for any delays etc to overlap.
- Export your mono files as mono if you possibly can (some DAW’s default to stereo for everything).
- I don’t need your buss exports. If you’ve put important effects on your busses, move them on to the channels. If you are sending a group of instruments as a single ‘stem’ , then you can leave the buss processing on if you want to. It’s up to you.
- If you’re unsure if you want me to mix your processed files or raw files, send both in two zip folders and I can choose the most suitable. You will only be charged for one. Make sure both sets of files have the same names, with the addition of ‘raw’ or ‘processed’ to distinguish them.
- If you’re happy and confident with your rough mix, export the files with panning, volume and automation on, and I’ll pick it up from there.
- If your rough mix is only a basic guide, export your files without panning, volume and automation. To do this in some DAW’s, you will need to turn off all automation, set all faders to zero, all mono pans to center and all stereo pans to full width.
- Send the files as 24 bit or 32 bit.
- Keep the sample rate the same as the the original project.
- Don’t use player names when labeling. Label the tracks with the instrument and function.
- Label clearly and to reiterate, label, label, label!