How to Prepare Your Track for Mixing and Mastering

Open your DAW once, follow this checklist, and never get the “please re-export” email again. This guide walks you through headroom, naming, mono checks, export settings, and upload.

Table of Contents

• 1. The 60-Second Checklist (Screenshot This)
• 2. Step 1 – Mix-Down Levels: Leave Headroom, No Master Bus FX
• 3. Step 2 – Stem Naming: The “Folder_First” Rule
• 4. Step 3 – High-Pass & Phase Check (Mono-Safe Test)
• 5. Step 4 – Export Settings: Sample Rate, Bit Depth, Dither
• 6. Step 5 – Reference Track & Mix Notes (Text File Template)
• 7. Step 6 – Zip & Upload (One-Click Walk-Through)
• 8. Common Export Mistakes (and the 30-Second Fix)
• 9. Ready? Upload and Hear the Pro Difference
• 10. Quick Recap

1. The 60-Second Checklist (Screenshot This)

• Peak ≤ -12 dBFS on every stem
• No plug-ins on the master bus
• 48 kHz / 24-bit WAV
• Name = Folder_First_Instrument.wav
• High-pass ≥ 40 Hz on non-bass stems
• Mono-safe check passed
• One reference track included
• Text file with BPM & mix notes

2. Step 1 – Mix-Down Levels: Leave Headroom, No Master Bus FX

• Set master fader to 0 dB (unity gain)
• Aim for peaks ≤ -12 dBFS (gives headroom for analog chain)
• Remove limiter, maximizer, glue comp → master bus = empty
• Keep fades / automation on individual tracksdo not bounce stems through the master bus

3. Step 2 – Stem Naming: The “Folder_First” Rule

Example project “Lexi_Indie” folder structure:

Lexi_Indie/
├── 01_Lead_Vox.wav
├── 02_Backing_Vox.wav
├── 03_Guitar_DI.wav
├── 04_Guitar_AMP.wav
├── 05_Bass_DI.wav
├── 06_Kick.wav
├── 07_Snare.wav
├── 08_Hi_Hat.wav
├── 09_Synth_Pad.wav
├── 10_Reference_Track.wav
├── 11_Mix_Notes.txt

Rule: Number + Underscore + Instrument → engineer sorts alphabetically.

4. Step 3 – High-Pass & Phase Check (Mono-Safe Test)

• High-pass ≥ 40 Hz on everything except kick and bass
• Solo each stem → hit mono button → listen for level drop or cancel
• If sound disappears → check mic phase or flip polarity

5. Step 4 – Export Settings: Sample Rate, Bit Depth, Dither

• Sample rate: 48 kHz (streaming default)
• Bit depth: 24-bit (headroom for analog chain)
• Dither: OFF (24-bit → 24-bit)
• Start / End: Leave 1 bar head + tail (no fade-out on stems)
• File type: WAVnot MP3, not FLAC

6. Step 5 – Reference Track & Mix Notes (Text File Template)

Create a plain-text file named “Mix_Notes.txt” and paste:

BPM: 92
Key: A major
Reference: Olivia Rodrigo - “vampire” (loudness, vocal up-front)
Likes: Warm low-end, bright top, snare crack
Dislikes: Harsh highs, boomy bass
Special: Keep breaths, no tuning on doubles

Drop the reference WAV in the same folder (label it 10_Reference_Track.wav).

7. Step 6 – Zip & Upload (One-Click Walk-Through)

1. Select all WAVs + txt + ref → right-click → Send to Compressed Folder (Win) or Compress (Mac)
2. Name the zip: Artist_Title_Stems.zip
3. Upload here → choose “Mixing + Mastering”
4. Receive 30-second preview in 24 h → approve or request tweaks

8. Common Export Mistakes (and the 30-Second Fix)

9. Ready? Upload and Hear the Pro Difference

1. Follow the checklist above (takes 10 min).
2. Upload zip here → “Mixing + Mastering”.
3. Approve 30-second human mix within 24 h.
4. Download final pack → radio-ready WAV + Apple Digital Masters + instrumentals.

Upload and Hear the Pro Difference

Quick Recap

• Peak ≤ -12 dBFSno master FX48 kHz / 24-bit WAV
• Name = Number_Underscore_Instrument.wav
• High-pass ≥ 40 Hzmono-safe checkinclude reference + notes
• Zip everything, upload once, never re-export again.

If the checklist feels like over-kill, upload anyway, our engineers will catch anything you miss and send you a 30-second preview before you pay a cent.

Preparation Pays Twice

Clean preparation, sensible audio levels, consistent exporting stems practices, clear notes, speeds up any professional audio mixing mastering service and usually improves the result, because the engineer's first hour goes to your sound instead of your file admin.