For mixing purposes, you'll upload an export of all the stems/multi-tracks to 16 or 24 bit .WAV files. The files should begin at Bar 1 of the song and play until the end. All mixing effects such as compression, EQ, reverb should be off unless there is a creative effect that is integral to the song. If you like you can send a rough mix as well to help convey what you are going for. A .zip folder with all the stems and/or multi-tracks is the easiest option for all parties involved.

High-quality single stereo beat/instrumental .MP3 files are acceptable. Still, please keep in mind that an .MP3 will already have some level of degradation due to file compression and unfortunately nothing can be done about that. If sending a song to be solely mastered, send a 16 or 24-bit stereo .WAV file with all effects on the master bus turned off. Ensure there's no clipping above 0db. If you desire to clip the signal intentionally that can be done for you in the mastering process with plugins.

Mixing is the meticulous process of balancing all individual tracks/sounds in a song and blending them together to create the most cohesive, imaginative, and impactful version of your song. Getting the balance correct comes from adjusting the volume of each track and careful panning of instruments to give an exciting and wide presence to the song. Next is achieving the right tone with EQ curves to shape the tone of certain instruments and vocals so that they don’t clash or mask, instead complementing each other. This ensures a full, tight, and lively low-end without sounding muddy as well as a crisp and smooth high-end without ever sounding sharp to the ear. Next is the tastefully subtle use of saturation to add analog warmth, serial and/or parallel compression to glue things together, side-chaining to create clarity, and additive EQ to add color and more. Once the mix sounds nice and full, in order to really flesh out the sound; reverbs, delays and other various effects are added to add another layer of space and width to the song.

Mastering is the final step in the production chain before the song is released for CD replication or online streaming. In this stage of the process, the point of the master is to add final enhancements to the song by smoothing out the low-end, making sure the high-end has a pleasant presence, dynamics adjustments, stereo imaging, as well as ensuring the song translates well to different playback systems and is compatible with mono-systems. The last thing you want is to hear your song playing over the PA in a club and it sounds horribly washy and muddy because the phase is out of alignment causing mono-incompatibility. Furthermore, if releasing a body of work like an EP or album it is highly recommended to have a single engineer oversee and master the entire project rather than contract multiple to do the job separately. This ensures a cohesive sound across the project. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, in the mastering process, the project is brought up to sufficient volume levels in accordance with key industry loudness standards. Getting this final step squared away properly ensures your song is ready to compete at the highest level.