Mixing your recordings

Who mixing is for

Mixing is the step between recording and release. It suits you if:

• you have tracked a single or EP and the rough mix does not yet sound like a record;
• you produce at home, the arrangements are finished, but the parts keep getting in each other's way;
• your band recorded with us and you want the mix done by someone who already knows the session;
• you have a song for sync or a film scene and need a mix that also works as a stripped-back instrumental.

We work across genres, from singer-songwriter and indie to hip-hop and electronic productions. What they share: the mix has to serve the feeling of the song, not show off technique.

Good tracks make a good mix

The cleaner the delivery, the more time goes into the creative part. A tidy session easily saves an hour of sorting. Watch these points:

1. Export each track as a mono or stereo WAV at the session sample rate, preferably 24 bit.
2. Make every file start at exactly the same point, even if the first minute is silence.
3. Remove processing from the master bus; keep creative effects that are part of the sound, such as a guitar delay, or send both versions.
4. Name tracks clearly, like LeadVocal or Bass_DI, rather than Audio 14.
5. Make sure nothing clips; leave some headroom instead.

Our guide on delivering tracks for mixing walks you through this in the common recording programs.

How we approach a mix

We start by listening to your rough mix and references so we know the direction you are after. Then comes the hands-on work:

Balance and panning

Every instrument gets a place in level and in the stereo image, so the chorus feels wider than the verse.

Tone and frequency space

We clear room for the vocal and stop bass and kick from masking each other.

Dynamics

Compression where the song needs drive, restraint where a passage should breathe.

Space and depth

Reverb and delay to push parts forward or set them back.

Automation

Small level rides per word or bar that keep the track alive.

On average we spend a working day on a song; dense arrangements with many tracks take longer, sparse acoustic songs less.

Giving feedback and revision rounds

You receive the first mix as WAV and MP3. Listen on several systems you know well and write notes with timecodes, for example: 1:12 vocal could come up a touch, bridge feels crowded. Collect everyone's comments from the band or team in a single message so each round stays clear.

The price covers 2 revision rounds per song. Beyond that we agree extra work with you. A completely new direction halfway through, such as a different arrangement or newly recorded parts, counts as a new mix.

What you receive

We deliberately leave headroom and keep the limiter off the main mix so the mastering engineer has room to work. If you also want a loud version to share, we make it as a separate reference. Stems per instrument group are available on request. Final files are ready within 7 working days of your last approval, and we keep the mix session for 6 months.

Price per track or per EP

A single mix costs €290 per track. An EP of up to five tracks is €1,150, which also lets us make the songs sit together as a set. Both prices include 21% Dutch VAT; excluding VAT that is €239.67 per track and €950.41 per EP.

Not included are recording, editing major timing problems, pitch correction across whole vocal parts and writing new arrangements. Small fixes are part of the job; for bigger work we tell you the extra cost up front. Mastering is a separate stage, see mastering.

We start once a 30% deposit has been paid. Business clients settle the balance within 14 days. The full arrangements are in our terms and conditions.

Sitting in on the mix

You are welcome to attend the mix. Many artists choose to join for the final hours, when the foundation is in place and it comes down to nuance. Decisions get made together on the spot, which can save a revision round. Mention it when you book and we will schedule it within our opening hours (Mon–Fri 10–22, Sat 11–18). Directions to the studio on the Overtoom are on the contact page.

What you get

• Check of the delivered tracks before we start
• Mix in an acoustically treated control room
• Revision rounds based on your timecoded feedback
• Main mix with headroom for mastering
• Instrumental and a cappella versions
• MP3 reference for quick sharing
• Mix session archived for later changes