When you send your files, please include clear mix notes and any reference tracks that show the direction
you want to go. Files should be WAV at 44.1, 48, 88.2 or 96 kHz, all starting at the same point and the
same length so everything lines up properly.
I mix in Pro Tools, so please export your multitracks as clean audio without processing. If any effects
are essential to the sound, include both the processed version and a clearly labelled dry version. Please
also include DI tracks for guitars and bass where possible.
Make sure normalisation is turned off when exporting.
I include three revisions free of charge per song. If more are needed, we can discuss options before
continuing.
Track Labelling and Order Guidelines
Where possible, please make sure all tracks and files are clearly labelled and numbered. Use a leading
zero on tracks 01 to 09 so that everything stays in the correct order when imported. This is a guideline
to help the mix process run smoothly, so do not worry if your project does not match it perfectly.
Preferred Track Order
-
Drums:
- Kick
- Snare
- Toms (01, 02, 03 etc)
- Hi Hats
- Any Other Cymbal Close Mics
- Overheads (Left and Right)
- Room Mics
- Percussion
- Bass
-
Guitars:
- Main Rhythm Guitars
- Layer Rhythm Guitars
- Lead Guitars
- Acoustic and Clean Guitars
- Any Additional Auxiliary Guitars
- Keys and Synths
-
Orchestral Elements:
- Percussion
- Strings
- Brass
- Woodwinds
- Production Elements
- Risers, SFX, Impacts and similar sounds
- Lead Vocals — usually a single unique part per track
- Backing Vocals — harmonies, doubles, triples, gang vocals, choirs and similar parts
Example File Naming
Here’s a full-session before/after showing how a messy handoff could be renamed and ordered so everything
drops into the session cleanly.
Original
- k in.wav
- kick out.wav
- snare top mic a.wav
- snare bottom.wav
- tom rack.wav
- floor.wv
- hi hat.wav
- crash close.wav
- oh l.wav
- oh r.wav
- room far.wav
- perc shaker.wav
- bass di final.wav
- bass amp mike.wav
- gtr chug.wav
- gtr chug double.wav
- gtr lead solo take3.wav
- acoustic guitr.wav
- extra gtr bits.wav
- pno comped.wav
- synth pad.wav
- gong hit.wav
- strings bus.wav
- brass stabs.wav
- woodwind run.wav
- fx riser big.wav
- sfx impacts.wav
- vox lead alt take.wav
- vox dbl.wav
- backing vox gang1.wav
Renamed for delivery
- 01 Kick In.wav
- 02 Kick Out.wav
- 03 Snare Top.wav
- 04 Snare Bottom.wav
- 05 Tom 1.wav
- 06 Tom 2.wav
- 07 Hats.wav
- 08 Crash L.wav
- 09 OH L.wav
- 10 OH R.wav
- 11 Room Far.wav
- 12 Shaker.wav
- 13 Bass DI.wav
- 14 Bass Amp.wav
- 15 Rhythm GTR L.wav
- 16 Rhythm GTR R.wav
- 17 GTR Solo.wav
- 18 Acoustic GTR.wav
- 19 Washy Lead GTR.wav
- 20 Piano.wav
- 21 Pad.wav
- 22 Gong.wav
- 23 Strings.wav
- 24 Brass Stabs.wav
- 25 Woodwinds.wav
- 26 Riser.wav
- 27 Impacts.wav
- 28 LV.wav
- 29 LV DBL.wav
- 30 BV Gang 1.wav