Mastering FAQ

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    Mastering

    If you’ve made it to these FAQs, you’re likely not just passing through and probably want to know what happens in this studio.
    I’d rather not bore you with explaining what mastering is, as you can easily find that information on Wikipedia or other websites.
    What I want you to know is what mastering means to me.
    It’s my job.
    It’s knowing what can help improve your work, your music production.
    It’s advising you on the best process to achieve the highest possible sound quality.
    It’s choosing the right technology to do so.
    It’s deciding which equalizer to use to achieve a specific sound.
    It’s paying attention to the details, even the smallest details, like the fade between tracks or which dither to use.
    It’s knowing that you can’t change the notes of your songs but you can enhance the feeling they convey.
    It’s knowing when to stop and just listen.
    It’s feeling that your music is finally communicating something.

    96kHz Mastering Studio offers the opportunity to choose between:

    • Stereo Mastering
    • Stem Mastering

    Stereo mastering is dedicated to those who need to finalize their product and prepare a master ready for mass distribution, both in digital format and physical CD.

    Stem mastering is aimed at those who, in addition to the benefits of stereo mastering, want more control over the sound, or those who have created mixes with obvious issues in the overall sound. In these cases, only intervention on the individual stems (groups) would allow the song to express its maximum potential.

    You can find more detailed information on the dedicated pages of the audio mastering section.

    If you are unable to visit the studio and attend the mastering session, you can choose our Online Mastering service.
    If you’re wondering whether there are differences between mastering done in the studio or online, the answer is: yes, some.

    For example, working together in the studio allows for immediate feedback on certain choices that can radically alter the work.
    Communication during online mastering has a latency. You need to first hear a version of the mastering for a track, then re-contact us to proceed with some adjustments or suggestions.
    An online mastering session may take more time than a studio session.
    The cost of online mastering is more affordable because it utilizes the studio’s off-peak hours.
    A significant advantage of online mastering is the ability to share different versions of the mastered tracks with anyone involved in the project through your personal account, and for each participant to listen to them on their own reference system.

    Knowing the technical details of your work is very important to us because it allows us to work more efficiently, avoiding mistakes.

    If you’re not aware of this information, we can directly contact the studio where you recorded/mixed and speak with the technician you worked with.

    Additionally, to manage your work better, it’s always advisable to provide us with an eventual deadline for the job, if possible.

    You’re also invited to visit the Terms & Conditions page for more non-technical information.

    Generally, for mastering, it is preferred to use mix files without processing (compressors, limiters, etc.) and at a 24-bit resolution.

    However, you can add a reference mix (with your own premaster chain of compressor/limiter/eq), as approved by your record label.

    Avoid digital clipping caused by mix recording levels that are too high (above 0 dBfs) to maintain the integrity of the mix.

    Avoid initial and final fades on the mix and/or stems; instead, add a mix file with fades as a reference.

    In case of stem mastering, always add your mix file as a reference. The stems should always be recorded without any processing on your master-out and must start from the same measure. It is also recommended to add a starter to all stem tracks to verify synchronization between them.

    It is important to name the files clearly and uniquely (e.g. “more vox” version or “no bass”) and indicate any processes applied to the files.

    Also, specify the bpm, key, and meter of the tracks and inform us in advance about which system you used for mixing/recording (Pro Tools, Logic, Nuendo, Cubase, etc.), which software version, OS system, and what sample rate and bit-depth (e.g. 44kHz – 24 bit).

    If you have mixing or recording sessions, feel free to contact us.

    Stereo mastering of one track requires up to 2 hours of work.
    Stem mastering of one track requires up to 4 hours of work.
    Stereo mastering of an LP (10-12 songs) generally takes one full workday.
    One mix typically requires one workday.

    All time estimates assume a project without particular production difficulties.

    Only a pre-listening of the material allows us to provide more accurate estimates for time and cost. The pre-listening is free and without commitment.

    If editing on the tracks and/or vocal tuning is needed, the time and cost will be adjusted accordingly, and the work will be re-estimated before starting the session.

    To finalize the work, certain essential information must be provided to us. One of the primary pieces of information is the label-copy, which is a document or text file (word, excel, txt, etc.) containing the tracklist of the songs to be mastered along with their respective ISRC codes, UPC/EAN code, catalog number, song titles, author/artist, and copyright details.

    It is advisable to prepare this documentation before booking a mastering session to avoid interrupting the work and delaying it to a later date.

    In this case, timelines might no longer be met due to the studio’s overbooking. Additionally, not having a precise, detailed, and timely label-copy could lead to errors when compiling the PMCD or DDPi.

    Immediate replacement is guaranteed in case of errors or issues with the PMCD or DDPi.

    ISRC stands for “International Standard Recording Code” and is a system used to uniquely identify audio and video recordings internationally.

    Its structure can be visualized as: IT-A01-09-01001.

    • The first two characters “IT” identify the country (IT = Italy).
    • The next three “A01” identify the producer code, which is assigned free of charge by FIMI (Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana) to anyone who requests it.
    • The characters “09” indicate the year of the recording.
    • The last five “01001” identify the song or video.

    Each song (or video) will have its unique ISRC code, which is assigned by the producer themselves.

    For more information, you can refer to the following link from FIMI.

    UPC stands for “Universal Product Code.” It is the code used in the United States and is fully compatible with the EAN (European Article Number) code used in Europe.

    The UPC and EAN are barcode systems found on the packaging of any commercial product.

    For CDs/DVDs, whether music or video, Europe uses the EAN-13 code, which consists of 13 digits. This code is inserted both visually (printed on the packaging of the CD for sale) and digitally on the CD itself.

    The EAN code is included during the creation of the PMCD (Premaster CD).

    For more information, you can visit the following LINK.

    The process that follows the creative part of mastering (EQ, compression, etc.) is the compilation of the PMCD (Premaster CD), which is the medium that will be delivered directly to the factory for replication or duplication.

    In this phase, the codes (PQ encoding) provided by you with the label copy are inserted.

    The procedure is delicate and requires special attention during the printing of the PMCD in Redbook standard and during its digital verification and listening.

    We use the best CD media on Plextor burners and checks for errors using Plextools Professional.

    A master in DDPi 2.0 format can be provided if required by your record label or replication plant.

    DDPi (Disc Description Protocol image) is the modern industry standard for delivering audio premaster files. It is a fast, convenient, and secure method for transferring your EP or LP from our Mastering Studio directly to the CD factory. The DDPi file set includes the audio files, PQ codes, ISRC, UPC/EAN, CD-TEXT, and additional data.

    You have the ability to listen to and check all the codes inserted in the DDPi set through our custom DDPi player. You can also download the files directly or print a reference CD.

    Once the PMCD or DDPi creation phase is completed, and/or before uploading the high-resolution mastered files to your account, an invoice for the work is issued, and payment is awaited.

    Only after payment is received will the PMCD and the aforementioned files be shipped.

    All you have to do is contact us for a free quote!

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