Frequently Asked Questions About Online Mixing
How much do you charge?
Every podcast is unique, so the needs (and rates) change from project to project. We absolutely will not take on a client unless all parties involved are confident that the amount earned from the podcast will be many multiples of what we’re paid. Our #1 goal is to help our clients launch profitable podcasts, so if we can’t help you with that, we won’t accept your money.
How much time will this take me if I hire you?
Most clients spend about 30-90 minutes filling out our onboarding form, another 60 minutes on an onboarding call. From there, our clients usually need to allocate 30-60 minutes per podcast episode.
Is it too late to launch a podcast? There seems to be new ones popping up all the time…
Nope, we’re just getting started in the podcast world. There are only 1,700,000 podcasts in the world (of which less than 1 million are currently active). Compare that to the 31 million YouTube channels and over 1 billion blogs in the world, and you’ll quickly see how early you really are here. Podcasts that are launched today will be the industry leaders of tomorrow.
Do I need to have a “radio voice” to launch a podcast?
Absolutely not. Most podcasts are hosted by “normal people” with “normal voices”. Some of the most popular podcasts in the world are hosted by people with (what some would consider) funny/weird voices. It all comes down to the content on your show. That’s it.
Why should I hire an outside mixer? Can't I mixed the project myself?
Of course, you are welcome to mix the project on your own, although if you will be presenting the music to other people for commercial purposes you might want to take many factors into consideration including your ears and experience, creativity, room treatment, proper knowledge of sound theory, and the availability of high-quality tools available to you to get the job done right. Plus, you would be surprised at how refreshing it can be to have an outside ear work on your music. If you do decide to go this route, get in touch and I’ll help point you in the right direction.
Explain Drum Replacement
Sample triggering is the simple process of replacing (or just layering) drum sounds over the existing ones. This allows you to replace that $50 snare you recorded in your bedroom with a legendary snare recorded in a great studio with the best gear. I have a large library of samples including Steven Slate and Bob Clearmountain. I usually try not to completely replace sounds, but find that complimenting the original sound with the samples provides unique and powerful results.
Can you make me sound like (insert favorite artist here)?
The great thing about mixing is the variety of music I get to hear and work with on a daily basis. All styles of music can benefit from Virtual Mix Engineer from Pop, Rock, Dance, Jazz, Country, Hip-Hop, etc. If I had to pick a specialty, I would say Pop is my forte. Sometimes having an expert in a genre mix your track makes total sense, while other times, branching out to an engineer who comes from a different background might bring something completely new to your project. Sometimes it's nice to try one song with an engineer first and see how it goes.
Do you provide auto-tune?
Simply, yes! I also use other tuning programs such as Melodyne. You can choose to have an over-the-top effect such as T-Pain or Cher, or keep the tuning top secret and unnoticeable so that only you and I know the truth. To be honest, there are not many songs in production these days without some sort of tuning on them.
My recording quality is less than ideal, is it still worth having the song mixed?
Sometimes audio magic can be accomplished easily, other times it can be tough. I am able to remove background noises, bad frequencies, and provide many other special touches that can make the source sound better, although it is often better to re-record any trouble sections to ensure the best end result. Mixing will bring your recording to its fullest potential, however, if its fullest potential is a composite of songwriting, arrangement, production, and recording. See The Hierarchy of Reaching Full Potential in Record Production for more information.
We have a low budget, do you offer any discounts or spec deals?
This online mixing service is made to be very affordable to independent artists. I do offer a discount of 15% for albums of 10 or more songs and a 7% discount on EP orders of 5 or more songs. TAs for alternate or spec deals, it is extremely rare that I will accept work under these conditions, but is possible for extremely promising artists with proper management. If you are still struggling, contact me and we will discuss your situation.
What is your turnaround time?
I generally mix in the order received. I may have the initial mix ready for you to listen to within a matter of days, or it may be longer (1-2 weeks). While working on albums or EPs we will keep revising previous mixes while continuing to work on new songs. The number of revisions required to be a determining factor. I tend to be very quick with revisions and not prolong the process. If time is a matter of concern, please contact me and I will fill you in on how much time I estimate your project will take and when I will be able to accommodate you.
What files can I expect to receive at the end of the process?
My mixes come with the option to have the Instrumental, TV (No Lead Vocal), A Cappella, Unmastered, MP3, and Mastered versions of the mix delivered at no extra charge. If you have a special request, I can probably accommodate this as well. It is NOT possible to provide session files or individual stem tracks. You're paying me to mix after all…not to process files 🙂
Can I attend the mix session? Where are you located?
I’m located in Prague, Czech Republic. Unfortunately, I do not offer the option of attended sessions as this would drastically increase costs and impact workflow. For some artists, attended sessions make sense, so it may be worth it for you to seek out a local studio for you to mix in. For many others, the concept of virtual mixing is ideal and produces excellent results for all involved. Though I may not be a Los Angeles Mix Engineer or in Mixer in New York, I can get the job done just as well. In some cases, feedback via live HQ streaming is possible.
Can I hire you to produce my project?
My main gig these days is mixing, but I am always open to being involved with gifted artists through songwriting and production and have worked with a number of artists this way. If I'm not the right fit for a project, I will gladly refer you to someone I believe can be of greater assistance.