The Centric Engineering workflow.
Intake
Your mix files are received, along with any relevant metadata accompanying your tracks. These will be backed-up and archived securely in our system should you ever want an alternate version or re-master in the future.
Consultation
If you need pre-master adjustments to your mix to ensure the best results, that conversation is had free of charge. Otherwise, your expectations and requirements are discussed to confirm a creative direction.
Mastering
A processing chain is carefully formed for each track. Turnaround is project-dependent, but a single or short EP can be as quick as 24 hours. Your engineer stays in contact throughout to discuss technicalities, and minimise the need for revisions.
Revisions
Completed masters are delivered via Samply for review, providing a streaming-like UI with lossless audio, gapless playback and time-stamped comments.
Two revisions are included free of charge.
Note that a revision is irrespective of how many tracks have to be revised, but instead, is 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. A fee shall be charged per revision, upon exceeding two revisions.
File transfer, with a facelift.
Specific preparation for the format it's destined for.
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.
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.
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.
For distribution to CD manufacturing plants, it is recommended to deliver files that adhere to the Red Book (Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA)) CD encoding standard (.wav @ 44.1kHz, 16 Bit).
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.
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.
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.
Credit for mastering (Centric Engineering / Frederick Felgate / @centric.engineering) on any promotional content for the song/EP/album would be much appreciated!
