decloak mixing & Mastering Services
At Decloak we offer a full range of mixing and mastering services from analogue and digital mastering to full project or stem mix and master. With 5 years of mastering experience behind us we have provided mastering for various clients over numerous genres. See below for testimonials and examples of how we can make your track shine before release. To book in mastering sessions use the products below to check out on the site or email decloak.mcr@gmail.com.
FIRST CLASS ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL MASTERING FROM EXPERIENCED ENGINEERS AT AFFORDABLE RATES
Mastering Prices
This service is best suited if you have tracks 100% finished and want to add that professional sparkle and loudness to your music before sending to labels or distributing to streaming sites and download stores.
1-3 songs – £28 per track
4-9 songs – £25 per track
10+ songs – £22 per track
Stem Mix & Mastering Prices
This service is best suited if you have tracks at around 90% completion but not fully mixed. Our engineers will listen closely to the current state of your track and prepare your music so it is in the optimum state before being mastered and released.
1-4 songs – £75 per track
5-10 songs – £68 per track
11+ songs – £62 per track
EXTRAS
Before submitting your tracks;
All tracks submitted for mastering must be in 44.1kHz / 24bit .Wav audio files. The master channel should be peaking around -6db (with the fader at 0db). There should be no eq, compression, limiting etc. on the master channel.
MASTERING EXAMPLES
Check out some of our previous work. First half of the clips are unmastered brought up to -0.5db with clip gain, the second half is the final Decloak Masters. There’s also a Soundcloud playlist further down the page if you want to save it.
MASTERING TESTIMONIALS
“Mastering is 10/10! Such great work, you made the tracks sound the way i always wanted them to sound Highly recommended, and a nice guy!” (Eric Axelsson - Platform 22 Records)
“Top quality mastering, 10/10 would recommend. Very friendly & responsive with quick turnaround time.” (Adam Bacon – Zeca Records)
“I used Decloak’s mastering service for my release on Rising High Records. Gave my tracks a very polished and professional sound and would definitely recommend this service if you’re looking for professional masters.” (Chris Balmer, Brhsic)
“Detailed and helpful feedback on mix-downs, 10/10 mastering! 100% no regrets and already planning getting more releases at Declock” (Anthony Renwick, Renwick / One Night)
“We have been using Phil from Decloak as our go to mastering engineer for a last few releases Platform 22 releases now, and will continue to do so. Top top top! Quality mastering, great guys! (Kai Hickinson - Platform 22 Records)
“I’ve used Phil for the last 12 of my tracks and it’s been absolutely top notch every time, plus great advice with mix-downs. The sound clarity is second to none and tracks have been played out by the likes of Dave Clarke, DAVE the Drummer and LAW DJs. Will always be my go to, great prices also.” (Mark Sweeney – Mal Hombre)
MASTERING FAQ
What is Mastering?
Mastering is the final step of producing music. The purpose of mastering is to balance sonic elements of a mixed song, EP or album and optimize playback across all types of sound systems. When mastering, the engineer will typically work with only the final stereo mix, but may also use stems for extra precision and control. Mastering studio’s are acoustically treated rooms that aim to replicate the balance and stereo image as accurately as possible. Engineers then make decisions to use their specialised equipment to bring out the best that exists in the mix. Along with best-in-class AD/DA conversion, the tools usually used are EQ’s, compressors and limiters, but it is the knowledge and experience of an engineer that uses these tools delicately to make the music sparkle.
Why doesn’t my music sound as loud as my favourite artists?
Whatever people say about the loudness wars, mastering engineers do make music ‘louder’. We can even increase the perceived loudness with extra limiting, but this can destroy the dynamic range and energy within a track. With the advent of so many new ways to distribute and consume music, standards in loudness levels are now being set. Some streaming sites even use loudness normalisation, meaning if your mix is too loud, the service will reduce its gain to align to a target. Having your track professionally mastered by an experienced engineer will make your music sound right in place on any streaming service, as well as on vinyl, CD or even cassette tape if that’s your flavour! If you want your music to sound loud and clear, it is highly advisable that you do not have any processing on your master output, and mix the track at around -6db (with the master fader at 0db).
Can I just master my own music?
You absolutely can, and should at least try it. However, having an objective set of ears listen to your mix closely for the first time can be like shining a light into a dark cupboard. There is a multitude of reasons you might be missing a vital piece of information about your mix. Likewise, as producers we can be prone to making slightly biased decisions about our mix. A good engineer can rebalance elements to provide a coherent end product, ready for the club, radio, car etc.