Who benefits from mastering
Your home mix sounds great on headphones but the bass disappears in a car? You are releasing five singles that should not jump in volume or tone? Mastering helps when you lack a second pair of ears in the same room and when your distributor expects specific files.
We master pop, hip-hop, electronic, jazz and music with spoken word. Very long ambient pieces or live recordings with heavy audience noise need a upfront conversation—extra editing or noise reduction may be a separate job, not standard mastering.
Mastering is a poor fit if the mix still has structural problems—drums out of phase, a vocal that stays buried. We may send you back to mixing or give honest advice without charging for a full master.
What to deliver
Send a stereo WAV, 24 bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz, with at least 48 dB headroom on the mix bus. Do not slam a limiter on the mix: we set the final level. Include exact title, version and ISRC if you already have one.
For an album, send all titles together or in one folder with clear track numbers. Note desired crossfades and hidden tracks. Instrumental versions are quoted as separate singles at the single-track rate.
Our guide master delivery formats covers bit depth, file naming and what streaming platforms usually accept, so uploads are less likely to bounce.
What you receive
By default you get:
- Master WAV, 24 bit, same sample rate as your mix unless agreed otherwise
- MP3 or AAC preview for a quick phone check
- Short note with integrated loudness and true peak readings
For vinyl we can supply a pre-master on request, taming excessive bass or sibilance that would trouble the lathe. The plant makes the final cut; we follow their technical brief if you share it.
DDP is a separate line item: one disc image with gaps, ISRC fields and CD text where relevant. See rates below.
Album versus single
An album at €295 covers up to twelve tracks finished in one order. We align loudness and tone between songs so a ballad after an uptempo track does not feel suddenly louder. Tracks beyond twelve are billed per single.
| Situation | Rate |
|---|---|
| One single or remix | €72 |
| EP or LP up to 12 tracks | €295 |
| CD master with DDP | album + €45 |
All amounts are consumer prices including 21% VAT. Business clients with a valid VAT ID are invoiced net per terms and conditions.
Revisions and collaboration
2 revision rounds are included per track or album order. A revision is specific—for example “slightly less sibilance in the chorus” or “0.5 LU quieter for playlist A”. It is not a full remaster because you swapped the mix file; that is a new job.
To listen in person, book an hour in the studio. Sanne Jansen coordinates mastering and client contact; she schedules the session and explains what changed between pass A and B. FAQ entries on payment and cancellation apply to mastering-only work too.
Turnaround
After we receive a complete delivery we usually need three to five business days for one track, longer for albums in busy periods. Rush may be possible for a surcharge when the calendar allows—ask via contact.
We store project files for 12 months on secured storage. Download your masters within that period and keep local copies; after that we delete them per our retention policy in the privacy policy.
Relationship with mixing
If we mixed your song, we already know the session and you explain little. External mixes are welcome when they are technically sound. Clarify whether we only master or also apply light mix fixes—the latter sits outside the mastering fee.
Producers who want to keep stems for later can still order an instrumental mix via mixing. Mastering does not alter your multitrack—only the stereo deliverable.
Booking and payment
Send a short brief through contact or email [email protected]. New clients pay a 25% deposit before we start; the balance before download of final files. Cancellation is free up to 5 days before the planned delivery date unless work has already begun.
Minimum age 16 for independent bookings; younger artists need written consent from a parent or guardian. Questions about rights on masters versus mixes are covered in terms and conditions and the disclaimer.
Included
- Mastering on calibrated monitors in Amsterdam
- 2 revision rounds per order
- WAV master and light MP3 preview
- Loudness and true-peak note
- Album alignment up to twelve tracks
- Secure download while archived 12 months
- Coordination by the Neustonorix team
