Why tidy stems matter
Mixing is balance, space and dynamics — not detective work in messy folders. Names like «Audio 1_03 bounce final NEW» eat time outside what €195 covers. Clean stems let us work creatively within 2 agreed revision rounds.
After Band recording or Vocal recording here, we often export structured already. External projects follow the same rules via contact.
Technical baseline
Deliver mono or interleaved WAV or AIFF, preferably 24-bit. One project sample rate — often 44.1 kHz for release, 48 kHz for video, or 96 kHz from our sessions. Do not hop rates mid-project. Float exports are acceptable when your DAW offers them; tell us in NOTES so we import correctly.
Align to sample zero: all stems time-aligned, no drifting silence offsets. Export without a limiter on the master bus; leave headroom on hot tracks. Avoid mp3 intermediates unless agreed — generational loss does not belong in a pro mix.
Naming and folders
Use short consistent names: Song_Kick.wav, Song_BassDI.wav, Song_LeadVox.wav. Skip spaces and odd characters; underscores are safe cross-platform.
- One root folder per song with title and tempo in the folder name.
- Optional
REFsubfolder with rough mix or reference. NOTES.txtwith BPM, key, references and odd edits.
Zip per song or share a cloud link; send passwords via [email protected] separately. WeTransfer, Dropbox and Google Drive are fine as long as the link stays live until we confirm receipt. If files exceed a few gigabytes, split by song rather than one fragile archive.
Include and exclude
Include: separate DI and amp mics for guitars, vocal doubles as separate takes, MIDI stems if we should replace instruments, click as its own file (not printed into drums).
Skip: old bounces with reverb on every track, unexplained sidechains, dozens of unused takes without marks. Mark keepers in NOTES or filenames with TAKE2.
References and expectations
Send one or two reference tracks for tone or dynamics — not a promise to clone them, but direction. Say if vocals sit on or behind the beat, how airy drums should be, and if bass must stay mono on phones.
EP packages up to five tracks: €760; deliver all songs in the same structure for coherent tone. Singles: €195 each.
Revisions and feedback
First mix is a stereo preview (sometimes lower res until approval). Timestamp feedback: «1:42 vocal up», not «everything louder». We work through 2 rounds; big arrangement changes are a new job. Mention if you need instrumental or acapella versions at the same time — exporting extras is easier before the session is closed.
Archive retention 12 months — download stems and finals in time; see terms and conditions.
From our studio to mix
Tracked at Oaklandledger on Bilderdijkstraat 165? Projects live on our servers with consistent track lists. Request stem export before experimenting in a DAW — accidental normalisation kills headroom.
Tracking here, mixing elsewhere? Ask for multitrack export without bus processing except monitoring needs. Our engineer explains which inserts may print. Band budget helps when mix and master are planned together.
Pre-upload checklist
| Item | Done |
|---|---|
| One sample rate per song | |
| No clipping on individual stems | |
| Clear names + NOTES.txt | |
| Reference clearly marked | |
| Contact and billing details known |
Ready? Send your delivery or book an intake call with our team in Amsterdam. Then Mixing and, if needed, Mastering with streaming loudness in mind.
