How to prepare your project for mixing.

How to prepare your project for mixing.

Jul 3

Written By Nolan Watt

Step-by-Step Instructions for Preparing and Exporting Stems

1. Organize Your Project

Label Tracks Clearly: Ensure each track is labeled with a clear and descriptive name (e.g., "Lead Vocal," "Snare," "Guitar 1").
Group Similar Tracks: Group similar tracks (e.g., all drum tracks, all vocal tracks) for easier management.

2. Check for Effects and Processing

Decide on Processing: Discuss with your mixing engineer whether they want the tracks with or without your effects (e.g., EQ, compression, reverb).
Bypass Unnecessary Effects: If instructed to do so, bypass any effects that the mixing engineer might want to apply themselves. This usually includes reverb and delay.

3. Adjust Levels

Set Levels to Avoid Clipping: Make sure none of your tracks are clipping. Adjust the volume to ensure each track is peaking around -6dB.
Check Panning: Ensure any panning is as you want it, or centered if the mixing engineer will handle panning.

4. Consolidate/Render Tracks

Render Each Track from Start to Finish: Make sure each track starts at the same point (usually the beginning of the session) and ends at the same point to avoid alignment issues.
Include Silence Where Needed: Even if a track doesn’t play for the entire duration of the song, render it from start to finish to keep the stems in sync.

5. Export Settings

Sample Rate and Bit Depth: Export your stems at the same sample rate and bit depth as your session (e.g., 44.1kHz, 24-bit). If unsure, ask your mixing engineer.
File Format: Export in a lossless format like WAV or AIFF to maintain audio quality.

6. Check Your Exports

Listen to Each Stem: Check each exported stem to ensure there are no missing parts or technical issues.
Verify Sync: Import the stems back into a new project to confirm they align correctly.

7. Organize and Label Files

Create a New Folder: Create a folder specifically for your stems and label it clearly with the song title and date.
Name Each File: Use descriptive and consistent naming conventions for each file (e.g., "SongTitle_Vocals.wav," "SongTitle_Kick.wav").

8. Include Notes for the Mixing Engineer

Add Documentation: Include a text file or PDF with any notes or instructions for the mixing engineer. This can include tempo, key, any specific effects you’d like, or any other relevant information.

9. Compress and Send

Zip the Folder: Compress the folder containing all your stems and notes into a ZIP file to make it easier to send.
Send via Preferred Method: Send the ZIP file using a file transfer service like WeTransfer, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Make sure to inform the mixing engineer once it’s sent.