Mastering

When mastering helps

If your mix sounds fine on headphones but thin or harsh in the car or on a small Bluetooth speaker, mastering is often what separates “done” from “released”. It is about translation: bass should not vanish, vocals stay intelligible and transients should not be squashed flat.

A single going online tomorrow needs one title. An EP or album needs shared loudness and tonal character so listeners are not riding the volume knob between tracks. We also master projects recorded or mixed elsewhere—you do not need a full session at our studio first.

What to send

Send one stereo file per song, preferably WAV or AIFF, 24 bit, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz—matching your project rate. Leave at least one to three decibels of headroom on the mix bus; a mix already pinned to 0 dBFS leaves little room for a clean master.

• File name: artist — title — mix v1.wav
• No heavy bus limiter unless that is intentional and you tell us
• Optional: two or three reference tracks (not hyper-loud) plus short notes per song
• For albums: track order and any crossfades or gaps

Unsure about export from your DAW? Our stem export guide helps when bouncing from a session; for mastering, one stereo mixdown per title is usually enough.

Loudness and platforms

Streaming services normalize playback; extremely loud masters often lose punch without gaining anything. We aim at common targets (for example around −14 LUFS integrated for many catalogues) unless you want a different aesthetic—such as a dynamic jazz album or a harder electronic single.

We agree this in the brief. Deeper meter and headroom advice is in loudness before mastering.

How we work in the studio

Mastering at Nelkenshift is mostly asynchronous: you upload via the agreed route (link after confirmation through contact). Our mix and mastering engineer does the work; you can reply to the listening notes with questions.

In the control room we listen on midfield monitors in a treated space. We compare your mix to references at matched level, not “who is loudest”. EQ stays subtle; multiband compression only where it serves the music. For EPs and albums we do a sequencing pass—every track in order, small tweaks so the set hangs together.

Delivery and file formats

By default you receive per title:

• WAV 24 bit, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz (as agreed)
• Clear file names for aggregator upload
• Short note: peak, LUFS indication and revision comments

On request we can supply 16 bit WAV for older workflows, or a second version at slightly different loudness—within reason and within revision rounds. DDP for CD pressing is outside the standard package; ask if you plan physical media.

Files stay on our secure storage for 24 months after delivery, then we delete unless you extend. Always keep your own copy.

Revisions and exclusions

Each mastering job includes 2 revision rounds based on your written feedback (email or agreed channel). A revision is focused—for example a little more presence in the chorus or softer sibilance—not a full remix.

Not included: mixing, stem surgery, vocal tuning, noise reduction on poor recordings, mastering more titles than booked, 24-hour rush without a priority fee, and collection-society registration. If the mix has technical issues (clipping, aliasing, out-of-phase bass), we flag them before continuing; sometimes returning to mixing is smarter than mastering on top.

Rates and VAT

Listed prices are consumer rates including 21% VAT. Businesses with a valid VAT ID can be invoiced net; see terms and conditions for payment terms (including 14 days for B2B invoices where applicable).

One song is €75. An EP up to six tracks is €225; an album up to twelve is €425. Extra titles above a bundle are charged per track at the single rate. Book via contact; longer projects require a 30% deposit.

Turnaround and scheduling

Standard turnaround is five to ten business days after usable mixes and confirmed payment, depending on load. A twelve-track album may sit at the upper end. You get an estimate in the quote.

Studio opening hours for in-person listening are Monday–Friday 10:00–22:00, Saturday 11:00–18:00, Sunday by appointment only.; attending the master pass is optional and by appointment. Questions? Call 020 244 8917 or email [email protected]—we usually reply within 2 business days.

Included

• Mastering by mix/master engineer
• Peak, phase and silence checks
• Loudness aligned to your platform goal
• WAV delivery with clear file names
• 2 revision rounds on written feedback
• Short listening notes on delivery
• Archive 24 months after delivery