HOW TO PREPARE YOUR FILES FOR MIXING

🇵🇱 Polish version

The following tips will help make certain that your mix session starts on time, runs smoothly, and is done right from the start.

  1. As part of the submission process, please ensure that all files are clearly labelled for easy identification. In order to maintain a clean and professional presentation:
    – avoid the use of ALL-CAPS in file names
    – avoid “.dup”, “.cm1”, “_verse_2” in files names
    – please avoid using “_” instead of a space bar
    – use simple file naming – there’s no need for “Verse Guitar Soft”, “Verse Guitar Verbed V2”, “Distorted Guitar Verse 1” – Simple “EGT 1”, “EGT 2”, “EGT 3” will be enough. The same goes for any other instrument and vocal track.

  2. Please ensure that all tracks begin from bar one, are of equal length, and share the same format and sample rate.

  3. All files should be exported as 24bit WAV files (ideally 48kHz – unless your session was recorded in different sample rate).  MP3 or M4A won’t be accepted.

  4. Disable the ‘Normalise’ function during export, and make sure that none of the files are clipping.
    Clipping happens when a digital signal surpasses the maximum representable level (0 dBFS) leading to a flattened, square-wave-like output – which can also lead to audible audio degradation artifacts and unwanted distortion.

  5. Tracks may be submitted in either mono or stereo.

  6. I would kindly request that all multitrack files be provided in a DRY state, free from effects such as reverb, delay, equalisation or compression.
    If any specific effect, processing or creative element (such as filter sweeps, delays or even EQ and compression) are essential to the sound, you are welcome to leave them enabled. If a dry version of any such track will be needed, I will contact you before any mixing work begins.

  7. Please make sure to export individual files – stems that combine too many elements, including their effects and processing automation won’t be accepted. You’re welcome to group tracks such as 2 vocal doubles (unison tracks) into a single stereo file (one vocal panned hard left, the other hard right), however, please avoid combining different types of vocals, or overlapping lead vocals into one track. (Below you will find a cheat sheet for which instruments / vocals would be ideal as separate files, and which could be grouped).

  8. Vocal tracks processed with Melodyne, Auto-Tune, or any other alternative pitch correction software should be exported with the pitch correction printed into the delivered audio.

  9. If your production session includes any MIDI or virtual instruments, please export them as audio files.
    MIDI files are not accepted for mixing unless you explicitly request replacement of specific virtual instruments, which may incur additional production charges.

  10. In addition to the multitrack – please provide a reference / rough mix that represents your vision for levels, panning and effects used in the mix.

  11. All files should be placed in a folder named using the following information:
    Artist Name – Song Title – Tempo* – Time Signature – Date of upload
    *If your song contains tempo changes, please include a tempo map, or detailed notes for the tempo changes.

    You are welcome to create sub-folders with the categories presented in the cheat sheet below and include them within the main folder – this will help me prep the session quicker!


File export cheat sheet

This list is just an example to give you an idea of how to organise your files. The cleaner the file names the better. 

Lead Vocals Backing Vocals Live Drums Drum Samples Percussion Bass Sound Effects Electric Guitars Acoustic Guitars Keys Synthesizers Orchestral

Lead vocals should be exported without equalisation, compression, delays and reverb (unless it’s a dedicated track with creative use of a delay and / or a reverb – adlib, throw, etc).

If you have multiple tracks for the same lead vocal, please combine them into one mono track – unless there are parts that are overlapping – in such case, divide them into 2 tracks, and simply label them Lead Vocal 1, and Lead Vocal 2. Otherwise, just name the file “Lead Vocal“.

If you have multiple vocalists in the song, please label their lead vocal tracks with their name and numbers (if there are multiple leads due to overlapping). Examples:

– Matthew LV 1
– Matthew LV 2
– Emily LV 1
– Emily LV 2
– Andrew LV

No need for artist names in the backing vocal files.

If you used any creative effect such as distortion, pitch shifter, formant shifter, tremolo, phaser, flanger, etc – please provide a clearly labeled “wet” and “dry” versions for such part.

If you used any specific reverb or delay that feels essential to the sound you’re going for, please include a printed version of that reverb (100% wet) or delay (100% wet) but also provide a screenshot of the plugin and its settings.

If you used any hardware delays or reverbs, please print those as audio files and clearly label what effect it is and for which vocal – for example “LV 1 Tape Delay”, or “LV 2 Plate Reverb” (no need for full name or model of the hardware).

Backing vocals should be exported without equalisation, compression, delays and reverb (unless it’s a dedicated track with creative use of a delay and / or reverb – adlib, throw, etc).

Ideally, if you double track your harmonies or unison tracks, please export them as a combined stereo track with the 1st track panned 100% to the left, and second 100% to the right.

If you have more than 2 tracks dedicated for the same part, you’re welcome to either send them as pairs (first pair as BV1_1, second pair as BV1_2, etc) or group them all as one stereo file with all the pan settings printed into the file.

If you used any creative effect such as distortion, pitch shifter, formant shifter, tremolo, phaser, flanger, etc – please render them into the file.

If you created any vocoder track, please render that effect into the track, but also provide a clearly labeled “vocoder_dry” track that was used to create the effected version and a MIDI file used for that track – Initially I always use the sound created by the artist / producer, but sometimes adding a layer of my own might help with adding more clarity to that track inside of the mix.

All backing vocals should be labeled using the following scheme:

– Doubles
– Harmony 1
– Harmony 2
– BV 1
– BV 2
– BV 3
– Throw
– Dist Vocal
– Adlib 1
– Adlib 2
– Vocoder 1
– Vocoder 2

All microphones should be exported separately, and labeled using the following scheme:

– Kick In
– Kick Out
– Snare Top
– Snare Bottom
– Hi Hat
– Ride
– Tom 1
– Tom 2
– Tom 3
– OH L
– OH R
– Room L
– Room R
– Mono Kit

If you added any samples triggered from those microphones, please include them in this category of files and label them using the following scheme:
– Kick Sample 1
– Kick Sample 2
– Snare Sample
– Tom 1 Sample
– Tom 2 Sample
– Tom 3 Sample

If you used a plugin that emulates a live drum kit, please refer to the “live drums” category for file organisation.

For individual “drag and drop” samples; all kicks, snares, toms, hi hats, cymbals samples should be exported as individual files. If you have a drum loop in addition to those, each loop should be exported as a separate file. If you use individual samples for each drum sound, please label them using the following scheme:

– Kick 1
– Kick 2
– Kick 3
– Snare 1
– Snare 2
– Tom 1
– Tom 2
– Hi Hat 1
– Hi Hat 2
– Cymbals
– Swells
– Beat Loop 1
– Beat Loop 2

For any percussive elements, live or sampled, please label all files using the following scheme:

– Claps 1
– Claps 2
– Shaker 1
– Shaker 2
– Tamb 1
– Tamb 2
– Timpani
– Triangle

Live claps can be grouped into 1 stereo file if you have recorded a whole stack to be represented as a “gang claps”.

If your recording consist of a live bass guitar on a multi-track setup (example – a bass cab with 2 or more microphones + DI), please export each track as individual mono file, and label them using the following scheme:

– Bass Amp 1
– Bass Amp 2
– Bass DI

If you have a single bass guitar track, please specify if it is a DI or and Amp recording in the file name.

For any bass synths, please export each type of bass sound as individual file (mono or stereo) and label them in the following scheme:
– Bass Synth 1
– Bass Synth 2
– Bass Sub

This category includes any type of sound FX, such as:

– Risers
– Impacts
– One-Shots

Each of them should be exported and grouped based on their sound. If you have a few different risers that share the same sound, but might be of different length or volume, they can be grouped into one stem called “Risers” and preserve their volume & panorama settings.

If you didn’t use any live amps, but rather recorded a DI and used an Amp Sim in your DAW – please make sure to print that amp sim into the file. If you used any hardware amp simulation that records into a stereo track, despite being a mono source, please make sure to export them as STEREO file regardless! Label them using the following scheme:

– EGT 1
– EGT 2
– EGT 3
– EGT 4
– EGT 5

If you used live amps, please provide each microphone recording as individual file and label them using the following scheme:

– EGT 1 Mic 1
– EGT 1 Mic 2
– EGT 2 Mic 1
– EGT 2 Mic 2
– EGT 3 Mic 1
– EGT 3 Mic 2

If you used multiple amps for a single performance, please label the files in the following scheme:

– EGT 1 A Mic 1
– EGT 1 A Mic 2
– EGT 1 B Mic 1
– EGT 1 B Mic 2
etc…

If you double tracked certain guitar (example – Rhythm guitar) – please add “L” and “R” to the unison performance, like this: “EGT 5 L“, and “EGT 5 R” (+ the rest of the scheme presented above).

if you or your producer made a commitment to the sound and are happy with the balance between microphones and their pan settings, you’re welcome to send grouped tracks (mono and stereo) and name them in the following scheme:
– Rhythm Guitar (it can have all microphones from the guitar on the left side and all from the guitar on the right side)
– Lead Guitar (as above)
– Solo
– Clean Guitar

For acoustic guitars, classical guitars, banjos, mandolin, etc – please provide each track and each microphone separately, unless a commitment to the sound was made, as described in section for Electric Guitars. 
Please label the files using the following scheme:

– ACG 1
– ACG 2
– ACG 3 Mic 1
– ACG 3 Mic 2
– ACG 4 Mic 1
– ACG 4 Mic 2
– Banjo 1
– Banjo 2
– Mando 1
– Mando 2

This category includes instruments such as Upright Piano, Grand Piano, Rhodes, Wurlitzer (and any other electric piano), Mellotron, Organ – and any other type of keys that share a rhythmic style / tone. These can be either live instruments or plugins.
For live instruments please include each microphone separately and label them using the following scheme:

– Piano L 1
– Piano R 1
– Piano L 2
– Piano R 2
– Piano Room L
– Piano Room R
– Grand Piano L
– Grand Piano R
– Grand Piano Center
– Rhoders
– Wurlitzer
– Mellotron
– Organ L
– Organ R

This category includes any type of synths. You should include all synth keys, pads, arpeggios, textures sounds in here. If you have separated a specific sound to multiple tracks, each for different section, please render those into a single (mono or stereo) file while preserving the level differences of each of those track. Please label all files using the following scheme:

– Synth 1
– Synth 2
– Synth 3
– Pad 1
– Pad 2
– Arp 1
– Arp 2
– Texture 1
– Texture 2

This category includes all types of orchestral instruments, from percussive, through strings right to brass and horns. In case of a large orchestral session, please reach out before file submission to discuss the best way to organise your multitrack for mixing.
If your producer managed to get a good grouped stems, divided by parts or sound type, they are welcome to export these stems, and label them using the following scheme:

– Violins 1
– Violins 2
– Cellos
– Ensemble 1
– Ensemble 2
– Horns 1
– Horns 2
– Trumpets 1
– Trumpets 2