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about our workflow
🤝 Detailed Workflow Overview
AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION, MASTERING, and RESTORATION
We work with the following types of clients: musicians and recording artists, labels, music producers, film and TV production companies, video game developers, advertising and marketing agencies, podcast creators, audiobook publishers, live event and concert recording companies, podcasters, music distributors and aggregators, education and eLearning companies, corporate clients, archival and restoration projects, theatrical productions, independent filmmakers, nonprofit and community organizations, online content creators, and mobile app creators.
BASIC CONCEPTS
1. We generally do not charge anything up-front for our work – all musical artists and some media companies are only charged when work is completed to their satisfaction. If a client is not satisfied for whatever reason (rare) there is no harm done and no fees are owed.
2. Our fees are different for media companies and record labels than they are for independent artists. We are very much pro-client and realize that funds are often in short supply. Our fees are also different for mixing and mastering. Mastering is a reasonably quick turn-around, while mixing can take a lot of our time. Of course we do both, but mastering is more often the requested work (along with audio postproduction work such as restoration, noise reduction, spectral repair and so on). Mixing project fees are negotiated at the outset of the process.
3. For musical artists we typically charge on a per-track basis for mastering and mixing – unless it is a full-length project for CD, vinyl pressing, or streaming publication. For individual tracks the charges for mastering range from $10 per track to around $40 per track depending on the amount of work required. A full CD is typically in the range of $250 to $1000 depending on the work and complexity. Mixing fees can vary depending on the complexity of the project and client goals.
We most often work from two track mixes, typically uploaded as digital files to our studios, but we also can accommodate stem mixes in the mastering process. Mastering from stems is a bit more time-consuming and does typically come at a slightly higher price. However, the results can be exceptional for various purposes such as film work, game audio, and high-quality CD and vinyl outputs. Typically, clients seek mastering for two-track stereo mixes. We have the capability to create surround mixes, currently up to 5.1, and we can also produce two-track ambisonic masters in any HOA specification.
4. Our workflow allows for “mix notes” from client artists and labels – meaning we will do a reasonable number of revisions of our work to meet your requirements and expectations without additional charges and as part of our typical workflow. Likewise, we provide some basic restoration and pre-production work as part of our standard practice, such as channel and level balancing, normalization, basic noise-reduction and hum removal, and so on.
WORKFLOW
5. We provide a secure audio server hub for our clients where artists and labels can upload mixes of their recordings under a secure private password. We can then get the client supplied files from there and download them to our studios to do our mastering work. This secure server is the main way of interfacing with us and your project.
6. We typically have an initial consultation conversation via email about the project and the client’s vision prior to doing any work. This occurs after the tracks and been uploaded, and we have had an opportunity to review them. Rarely we may request new mixes from clients if there are issues that need resolution prior to completing our work. If restoration is required by us (noise reduction, distortion correction, level adjustment, decompression, etc.) we do this first and before we make any sonic adjustments for the mastering. This is part of our general workflow and is not charged separately unless audio restoration and enhancement is the main goal of the project, such as for archival or legal work.
7. All of our mastering is done in recording studios by real people with real ears – this is not an automated process. It is all hands-on. We have significant combined studio experience in tracking, mixing, editing, and mastering for all genres and types of audio ranging from classical music to EDM, and from location audio to dialogue.
8. We typically do several passes on client recordings and when we believe we have the finest result possible we upload these files to the secure audio website for client approval. The client can audition the results there and make any notes directly in the audio files with specific time-tagging for any requested additional work. This forms the basis for the client mix notes that we welcome in our workflow.
9. Once the client is satisfied and signs off on the work then the recordings are approved for download by the client for our secure server.
10. Mastering is usually a fast turn-around. But this can change if there is a fluctuation in demand. Generally, we try to do the work quickly but always with careful attention to detail and excellent industry-standard audio quality in mind.
11. We master to very exacting specifications for streaming audio, including Spotify and iTunes, etc., and take into consideration the codecs, bitrate optimizations, and loudness normalization as required by industry best practices.
📀 Compact Disc Projects
When we make CD projects for clients, we output all that is required for various uses — including various bit depths (16 for CD, 24 for streaming, and 32 for archiving, for example). Clients have access to all of these outputs for download. Additionally, we can produce a CD reference if requested (for a small additional charge) and we upload a full CD mock-up to listen to free of charge. We routinely create a DDP (digital disc protocol archive) for use in creating industry standard CDs without signal degradation. DDP files are generally used when creating a glassmastered CD at a replication plant.
FACILITIES
We use a mix of analog and digital tools and approaches. We are a Steinberg and UAD shop – and do most of all of our mastering using Wavelab and the main system. We have a large array of analog processors and a huge number of software tools to create the best presentation of your audio possible. We have monitors of various types in our studios in order to do A:B comparison in our workflow including JBL, Tannoy, Focal, and Adam, among others.
OUR TEAM APPROACH
A few final thoughts stand out. First, we are deeply passionate about sound quality and genuinely care about your audio project. Our team brings decades of expertise, with some members having over 40 years of experience in mixing and mastering audio. Second, we pride ourselves on being approachable and responsive. We strive to ensure our clients are satisfied and understand the importance of keeping costs reasonable. Every project receives the same meticulous creative and technical care, guaranteeing exceptional quality and personalized attention.
The best part is that you can try us out without any upfront cost. This unique approach reflects our commitment to accessibility and quality. While this model may evolve in the future, it currently allows you to experience our services risk-free.
For more information or to begin a project with us please send an email to: aucourant@auourantrecords.net