Mixing

Who this mixing service is for

Artists who recorded at home and want an outside ear, bands that want a tight mix after a band recording in our live room, producers with a nearly finished track that still lacks colour and depth: mixing fits those situations. Labels and managers also send material when their usual engineer is booked — we work within your timeline when it is realistic.

Mixing is not a recording day in the studio. To re-cut vocals or instruments, see vocal recording or band recording. If you only need final level for streaming, mastering is the better separate step after a solid mix.

Stems, multitrack and naming

Ideally you deliver separate WAV stems per song, all from the same start point (bar 1, sample 0), without limiters or heavy bus processing on the export. Think drums (kick, snare, overheads), bass, guitars, keys, synths, backing vocals and lead vocal as separate tracks. A stereo bounce of the full session may come along as reference but does not replace individual tracks.

Use clear file names such as SongTitle_Instrument.wav. State sample rate and bit depth in your message. Our stem delivery guide covers zip layout, headroom and common mistakes (wrong export, phase issues, stacked reverbs). Unsure? Send a short test export; we usually reply within 1 business day via contact.

How we work in the control room

We start with gain staging and a static balance: every stem audible without drowning the vocal. Then come EQ and compression per element, panning, sends to reverbs and delays, and automation on volume and effects where the song needs it. Hip-hop often needs tight drums and space around ad-libs; indie band mixes hinge on cohesion between live drums and room mics; electronic tracks may need sidechain and mid/side work — we adapt to your references, not a single preset chain.

During the process you can receive interim MP3 or WAV files. Listening in person in Amsterdam is possible by appointment (Tue–Fri 10–19, Sat 10–17); evening slots on request. Address: Grote Bickersstraat 74, 1013 KS Amsterdam — directions on contact.

Revisions within clear limits

Every mixing price for Mixing includes 2 revision rounds. A round is one bundled list of changes (for example: vocal slightly louder in the chorus, bass tighter in verse 2, hi-hat less bright). We do not process an unlimited stream of separate messages; that keeps the project predictable for you and for us.

Major structural changes — new stems, extra minutes of material, a different arrangement — fall outside revision and are quoted as additional work or a new song. Extra rounds beyond the standard 2 can be billed at the hourly rate; agree that upfront. See terms and conditions for details.

Delivery, loudness and mastering next

We deliver the final mix as 24-bit WAV at your project sample rate (usually 48 kHz). On request we also provide stem bounces or an instrumental without vocal. We deliberately avoid an over-limited master: headroom for mastering stays intact. If you need a rough master for a quick upload, mention it at intake — sometimes that saves time before you go to a mastering engineer.

Files go via secure download link to the email you provide. We keep project files for 24 months in our archive; after that we delete them unless you ask for an extension. Always keep your own copy on disk or cloud.

Mixing rates (VAT included)

Our rates are consumer prices with 21% VAT included. Business clients with a valid VAT number may be invoiced net under the terms; ask when you request a quote.

The hourly rate suits songs with many stems, multiple versions (clean/explicit) or when you want to work alongside us in the room. The EP package applies to up to six titles delivered in one batch; longer albums are split by agreement. A 40% deposit on the written quote confirms scheduling; see FAQ on cancellation.

What is not included by default

Mixing does not include recording, tuning or repairing poor takes, producing new instruments, sample clearance, artwork or distribution to platforms. Autotune or time correction on vocals is done only on explicit request and within reason — better to send a stronger comp.

Mastering, vinyl pre-mastering, Dolby Atmos mixes and editing (cutting a live medley into separate tracks) are separate services. For speech and podcast work see podcast and audiobook. If you need a bundle (mix plus master with us), ask for a package quote via email or phone.

Practical tips before you upload

Export without dither unless you are downsampling; leave 3–6 dB headroom on buses. Do not put a maximizer on the master bus of your DAW session when you export stems. Send a short reference list if you can (not mandatory but helpful): two tracks whose vocal placement or drum feel you like, plus what you do not want copied.

Say whether the mix is headed to radio, Spotify or a film score; that influences dynamics and stereo width. Questions about rights and sharing files with third parties are covered in the privacy policy and in mastering rights and files when you outsource mastering next.

Included

• Mix engineer and control-room environment
• 2 revision rounds per song
• Balance, EQ, dynamics and spatial effects
• Automation where the song needs it
• Final mixdown as WAV
• Download link and 24 months archive
• Intake reply within 1 business day