ESTEBAN RAMOS

I’m excited to be working on your production and want this to be a great experience! These guidelines will help me give you the best mix I can by ensuring the process is smooth and unhindered.

​

The Basics:

• Give the mixer the files needed to mix the song - no more than needed and certainly no fewer!

• Make sure everything is clearly labeled and logically organized.

• Finish “production” before you send files to mix. It is extremely time consuming and counterproductive to make significant changes such as re-recording instruments, adding/replacing parts, or editing.​

​

Delivery:

Files are required to be delivered a minimum of 3 days prior to your scheduled mix date. Without this requirement being met, your mix dates are not confirmed and your deadline is not guaranteed.

 

Most people choose to send their files via the internet. Feel free to use the file transfer service of your choice (Dropbox, WeTransfer, Hightail, etc.). If you do not have the option, let me know and I can issue a request link for the files directly from my Dropbox account.

​

Regardless of your delivery method, please let me know that you have sent the files so I know to watch for them.

​

Please also include the RIN file with all credits.

 

After It’s Mixed:​

Once the mixes have been approved you will be provided with 24-bit WAV files of the Master, TV track​ (mix minus lead), and Instrumental track. You will also receive the final, consolidated multitrack.

 

Performance stems are available upon request, for an additional fee.

​

When you receive your mix delivery, back it up! You are the content owner and have the sole

responsibility of archiving your content. Although, I keep a copy myself, I am not an archival service

and claim no responsibility in the event of lost files or damaged hard drives.

 

Session Preparation in Pro Tools:​

• Do a “Save-as” for preparation for mix

• Delete from the session any tracks that shouldn’t be used in the mix. i.e. scratch vocals, that synth you don’t like anymore, etc.

• Carefully check your session to make sure each edit point and punch-in is properly crossfaded and will not pop or click on playback.

• Check to make sure all your tracks are properly labeled. Your bass guitar should not be called “Audio 3.”

• If there are any specific effects or processing that significantly contributes to the sound and would be considered a production choice rather than a mix choice, print or render that processing. Make the dry (unprocessed) track inactive and leave the processed track active. This will ensure your production stays intact in the event the mix studio does not have the same plugin. Examples: Guitar amps, distortion, tuning, phasers, bit crushers, etc. If there is any question, print it and leave the dry track in as well. If it creates the “sound” of the track, it should be printed.

• You can leave the plugins you used in the session.

• Delete any unused playlists and remove any unused audio files from the session. (Shift-Cmd-U will select them, Shift-Cmd-B will remove them once they’re selected). Be sure “auto-created clips/regions” are shown when you do this.

• Provide the latest rough mix printed in the session and muted.

• “Save Copy In” in the following format: Song Title-For Mix. Include audio files and be sure it’s in the latest format and proper bit depth and sample rate.

• Pro Tools 7-current are accepted (.ptf or .ptx).

• Open your session on a different computer or a different drive (being sure it’s the only drive not set to “transfer only” in the workspace) to be absolutely certain all the files are in the proper audio files folder and on the proper drive.

​

A Couple Notes:

• Live sessions that need to seamlessly transition from song to song should be kept together in the same session. If you want to break up sections do so at a point where there will be a fade out or a distinct ending so we can avoid having to match songs back up to each other. Live sessions may be left in one session, however.

• All editing should be done prior to delivery for mix. If you’re not using a section of the song, then we won’t mix it!

• If you need a radio edit (or shortened version of any kind), send the long version only and we’ll make the edits after it is mixed. It is extremely difficult to add sections in to a mix.

• If there is a click track, please include it.

• You worked hard on your song, and hopefully like what you did - so keep it! No need for me to re-create what you did. Don’t erase your delays, reverbs, panning, etc. Let’s start from where you left off.

 

Session Preparation not in Pro Tools:

• For each song, create a folder named the title of the song.

• Carefully check your session to make sure each edit point and punch-in is properly crossfaded  and will not pop or click on playback.

• Once you are certain there are no pops, clicks, or bad edit points, consolidate each track from the beginning of the session.

• If there are any specific effects or processing that significantly contributes to the sound and would be considered a production choice rather than a mix choice, print or render that processing. Examples: Guitar amps, distortion, tuning, phasers, bit crushers, etc. If there is any question, render it both we and dry. If it creates the “sound” of the track, it should be printed. Please label identically and include “wet” or “dry” (EGtr1_Wet and Egtr1_Dry).

• Export the files as 24 bit broadcast wave audio files (.wav) to the folder you created for that song. (Sample rate should be the same as what was recorded)

• Check to make sure all files are named properly. Your bass guitar should not be called “Audio 3.”

• Once you are sure that all of the correct files are in the folder, nothing you do want in the mix is missing and nothing you don’t want in the mix is present, you are ready to send the files to be mixed.

• Include your latest rough mix with the files.

• Please notate the tempo and any tempo changes. If there is a click track, please include it.

​

A Couple Notes:

• Live sessions that need to seamlessly transition from song to song should be kept together in the same session. If you want to break up sections do so at a point where there will be a fade out or a distinct ending so we can avoid having to match songs back up to each other.

• All editing should be done prior to delivery for mix. If you’re not using a section of the song, then we won’t mix it!

• If you need a radio edit (or shortened version of any kind), send the long version only and we’ll make the edits after it is mixed. It is extremely difficult to add sections in to a mix.

• You worked hard on your song, and hopefully like what you did - so keep it! No need for me to re-create what you did. Don’t erase your delays, reverbs, panning, etc. Let’s start from where you left off.