Your mix files are received, along with any relevant metadata accompanying your tracks.
If you require any pre-master adjustments to your mix to ensure the best results possible, this conversation can be had, free of charge. Otherwise, your expectations and requirements will be discussed, to confirm a creative direction for your master.
A processing chain will be carefully formed for each track. Turnaround time is project dependent, however for a single or short EP, turnaround can be as quick as 24 hours. Your engineer will stay in contact with you throughout the mastering stage to discuss technicalities as they arise, to minimise the need for revisions.
Your completed masters, ready for review, will be delivered via Samply. Samply is an audio collaboration tool used to share files and collect feedback all in one place. It is free to use, although doesn't even require an account on the client's end, to listen and leave timestamped comments, making it very convenient. It provides a streaming-like UI, lossless audio quality, gapless playback, version history, and more. Samply also has a strict privacy policy that aligns with the core values of Centric Engineering.
If for any reason you are not satisfied with the first version of masters, we are happy to provide two revisions free of charge. A revision is counted as each time a deliverable is provided to you. For example:
In an album consisting of 9 tracks, you provide notes for changes you'd like made to 4 of the 9 tracks. Once those changes have been made, and the 4 files have been sent for review, that counts as one revision.
In an EP consisting of 5 tracks, you provide notes for changes you'd like made across all 5 of the tracks. Once those changes have been made, and the 5 files have been sent for review, that counts as one revision.
In a single consisting of one track, you provide notes for changes you'd like made to the track. Once those changes have been made, and the file has been sent for review, that counts as one revision.
Note that a revision is irrespective of how many tracks have to be revised, but instead, related to each time files are sent for review. While we will always try our best to adhere to this policy, it is ultimately at your engineer's discretion to decide how much work warrants being counted as a revision. Extraneous circumstances may result in a revision being counted in a different way to that which is described above. A fee shall be charged per revision, upon exceeding two revisions.
Your final files shall be delivered as per the selections that you made when you submitted our intake form, or that you requested during the consultation stage. Standard practice for digital files, for distribution to streaming platforms, is to deliver the same resolution as that which you provided when submitting your mix files. Standard file type is a Broadcast Wave File (BWF), with all metadata (Artist Name, Album Name, Track Title, ISRC) encoded into the file.
Should you request that we generate ISRCs for your tracks, you shall receive an accompanying document with your mastered tracks, that contains your ISRCs and supporting information.
All files and data shall be backed-up & archived on our system, for safe-keeping and future reference should you require additional copies, or re-masters for different formats.
Credit for mastering (Centric Engineering / Frederick Felgate / @centric.engineering) on any promotional content for the song/EP/album would be much appreciated!
The final file will contain one .DDP (Disc Description Protocol) file per disc, which is what the manufacturing plant will require to print your CDs. Accompanying this file will be a cue-sheet, and an MD5 checksum file, to ensure the track list is correct, all track markers are in exactly the right place, and the audio data does not get corrupted as it is transferred to a disc.
In order to play back your .DDP file, as if you’re listening on a CD player, you shall also be provided with a lightweight (≈50MB) macOS/Windows compatible app, so that you can check technicalities such as the gaps between songs are as desired.
Your final files shall be delivered as per the selections that you made when you submitted our intake form, or that you requested during the consultation stage. Standard practice for digital files, for distribution to CD manufacturing plants, is to deliver files that adhere to the Red Book (Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA)) CD encoding standard (.wav @ 44.1kHz, 16 Bit).
Should you request that we generate ISRCs for your tracks, you shall receive an accompanying document with your mastered tracks, that contains your ISRCs and supporting information.
All files and data shall be backed-up & archived on our system, for safe-keeping and future reference should you require additional copies, or re-masters for different formats.
Credit for mastering (Centric Engineering / Frederick Felgate / @centric.engineering) on any promotional content for the song/EP/album would be much appreciated!
The final file will contain one .wav file per side, which is what the pressing plant will require to print your vinyl records. Accompanying this file will be a cue-sheet, and an MD5 checksum file, to ensure the track list is correct, all visual track markers (VTMs) are in exactly the right place, and the audio data does not get corrupted as it is transferred to the plant.
In order to ensure not only a smooth cutting process, but minimal adjustments (if any) that the cutting engineer at the pressing plant may have to make before cutting the lacquer disc, your engineer will use state-of-the-art software to simulate the cutting process in great detail. Even going as far as to create a 3D model of the entire groove of the final record!
Your final files shall be delivered as per the selections that you made when you submitted our intake form, or that you requested during the consultation stage. Standard practice for digital files, for distribution to vinyl pressing plants, is to deliver the same resolution as that which you provided when submitting your mix files. Standard file type is a Broadcast Wave File (BWF), with all metadata (Artist Name, Album Name, Track Title, ISRC) encoded into the file.
Should you request that we generate ISRCs for your tracks, you shall receive an accompanying document with your mastered tracks, that contains your ISRCs and supporting information.
All files and data shall be backed-up & archived on our system, for safe-keeping and future reference should you require additional copies, or re-masters for different formats.
Credit for mastering (Centric Engineering / Frederick Felgate / @centric.engineering) on any promotional content for the song/EP/album would be much appreciated!
