Pre Mastering Check List

This Checklist will help prepare for your Mastering session. This Checklist consist of information WaterFall needs to be able to make the Mastering process faster and more efficient.

• Come in to WaterFall Studios and meet Ken Sutton . You can see the mastering room and hear a before-and-after demonstration of his mastering.


• Write down your ideas and questions for the session. Sometimes, during the pressure of meeting, people forget some of the points they wanted to discuss.


• Be sure to designate the Artist(s) and/or producer(s) in addition to the names of the songs and the time location on the mixed CD where each song starts.


• List to order you want the songs in. (If they are in a different order on the mix CD.) If the order is different, list the location of each song in the desired order.


• Be sure to bring some Reference CD's. Bring in a few commercial CD's with you to the mix. Know your market. Reference CD's are also good to use at all statges.You will have sonic examples to get ideas from. Use the sounds and tones of the CD's as a guide.


• List which songs you feel need to be edited. Note what you'd like to hear improved on each song. (Such as: more bass, slightly deeper kick drum, lead vocal more "out-front", etc.) Of course, you can just let Ken decide, basing his choices on your Reference CD. Remember, Mastering Engineers listen with objectivity and fresh ears and can tell what the sound needs or doesn't need. This means that the master will have consistent sound throughout the whole project.


• REMEMBER: During your discussions with Ken regarding the cost estimate, remember, it is just that: AN ESTIMATE! It is impossible to predict how much it will take for your project. If you know your budget, you can find out what you'll get at that price. Also, creative enhancements made during mastering will increase will generally raise the cost.


• If you mix at a studio other than WaterFall, DON'T COMPRESS THE STEREO BUSS OUTPUTS! Just use it on your tracks that need individual compression. Leave the stereo compression for mastering. Mastering can bring more musical consistency to your CD if you leave a bigger range of options in this area.


• When you have your Proof CD , don't just rush back to the studio where you mixed it for your first listen. Listen to it on home systems, boom boxes, the car, clubs, etc. It's going to sound different in the real world than it sounded at WaterFall. Take notes about what you hear. Ken can easily reproduce what was done before and make any changes you like, if any changes are needed. Schedule your mastering session so that you have enough time to take home the Proof CD and listen to it before sending it to the pressing plant!

Please list all info EXACTLY as you want it to appear on the CD Player Screen when a song is playing! Because songs are sometimes spelled wrong on purpose, whatever you write will be how it is displayed. Also, if you write as all capitals, it will display as all capitals.

PLEASE BE NEAT and ACCURATE!

Typical Turnaround is 2-4 weeks. Please call if you need it sooner and we will always try to accommodate if we can.

Very Important:
For best results, DO NOT add any compression, E.Q. or Limiting to the final mix. Individual tracks can be processed, but the Mix should not!!!

Formats Accepted:
Best:
16 or 24 bit .wav files (CD-R or CD-RW)
16 or 24 bit .aiff files (CD-R or CD-RW)

Use 24 bit if you recorded in 24 bit. Almost any digital based workstation will export to the above formats. (Pro-Tools, Sonar, Cakewalk, Cubase, Logic, Samplitude, etc.)

Good:
Standard Audio CD (The type you burn on your computer)

Worst:
Should only use if no other formats available!
Cassette Tape
Mini Disc
MP-3 File
WMA File

FTP File Transfer:
We will soon offer Same Day file transfer. Save overnight fee's and no customs problems for our overseas clients.
Absolutely No Loss of Quality!

Here's how it will work:

• Email us a completed Order Form.
• Make payment using pay button on Order Form Page.
• We will email you back an FTP web address, login name and password.
• You go to the address, put in your user name and password and then drag your files into the browser window and they will be uploaded directly.
• We master the tracks and then send you the completed "Red Book" Masters by mail.

I hope this works for ya,
Ken Sutton