How to Prepare Your Mix for Mastering: A Checklist

1. Make sure the mix is finished

Mastering isn't a second mix. If you still want to change balances, do it now. A good test: would you release this mix as it is, just quieter?

2. Take the limiter off the master bus

Remove any limiter or clipper you used to make the mix sound loud while working. If bus compression is part of your sound, keep it, but tell me it's there.

3. Leave headroom

Let the loudest peaks sit somewhere around -3 to -6 dBFS. The exact number matters less than not touching 0 dBFS and not limiting the mix to get there.

4. Don't normalize

Normalizing raises the file to a target peak level and can undo the headroom you just left. Export at the level the mix sits at.

5. Export at the right format

• WAV or AIFF
• 24 bit, or 32 bit float
• Your session's sample rate, without converting up or down
• If you export 32 bit float, no dither is needed. The final dither happens in mastering

6. Check the start and end

Leave a little silence at the start and let reverb tails ring out fully at the end. Don't fade out unless the fade is part of the song.

7. Check in mono

Sum the mix to mono and listen. If the bass disappears or the vocal jumps, there's a phase problem worth fixing before mastering. How to fix phase problems.

8. Send references

One or two released tracks you'd like yours to sit next to. They tell me more than any description.

9. Name your files clearly

Artist_Title_Mix_v3.wav is much better than final_final2.wav, especially on an EP.

Ready? Send it over. Not sure the mix is finished? I'll tell you honestly before mastering it.