F. A. Q.

Wav or Aiff. But more important than the format itself, is to keep the same resolution of the mix. (no Sample Rate or Bit Depth conversions).

You should name them correctly (no working titles), without any abbreviations.

To start the Mastering process, you should also send the following information: (Without Working Titles)

• Name of the Album/EP
• Main Artist's Name
• Final song sequence with final titles (with accents and punctuation)
• Feat. or special participations (per track, if any / if not, ignore it)
• Music Genre
• Authors and composers (per track / only if you want it to be mentioned in the CD-Text)
• ISRC codes (If you don't have an ISRC code yet, you can request it in Portugal for free at https://portal.audiogest.pt)
• Barcode UPC (if present on the CD artwork / if not, ignore it)

All this information should be sent without typos and properly verified, since most of it will be visible to the consumer.

Releasing a vinyl record is a totally analog process with many variables that influence the quality of the final result.
Cutting a vinyl record has its limitations and specific requirements, that’s why Masters produced for CD or Digital Platforms are often incompatible for cutting Vinyl.
The high resolution master (96Khz/24Bit) that I will be creating for cutting your vinyl record will be different from the digital master, as it will include technical details that will facilitate the cutting engineer's job. In addition, it will also avoid the possibility of the factory refusing to carry out the process, which often happens when using the CD or digital master to cut vinyl.

The audio duration to be cut on vinyl, is one of the most important factors that will influence the final sound quality of your record. Therefore, you should take this limitation into account and sequence your tracks in order to meet this requirement.
Here are some audio durations for each side of a vinyl record, recommended by most of the factories I work with:

VINIL 12” – 33 1/3 RPM

10 min / 12 min - Excellent Quality
12 min / 20 min - Very Good Quality
20 min / 22 min - Good Quality
22 min / 24 min - Acceptable Quality
Over 24 min - Not Recommended

VINIL 7” – 45 RPM

3 min / 3.30 min - Excellent Quality
3.30 min / 4 min - Good Quality
4 min / 4.30 min - Acceptable Quality
Over 4.30 min - Not Recommended

Notice that the final quality of the vinyl audio will also depend a lot on the Engineer who will make the cut as well as the final pressing. You must be very careful about your choice and of course you can count on my experience and expertise to advise you.

There is no best level.
Just make sure that the highest peaks in your mix do not exceed -2 dbfs, or that the global level is not too low

Yes.
Remove any processing from your Master Buss. This includes EQs, compressors, saturators, limiters, etc. The more process you apply at the end of your mix, the more restrictions you will impose to the Mastering work.
Otherwise, if you are using something that is absolutely essential for the sound of your track, just keep it there, as long as it doesn't mess up with the global dynamics.
The mix should sound good on its own, don't try to fix mixing issues on the Master Buss.

No.
Leave a litte bit of silence at the beginning and end of the track, even if there are any unwanted noises. Leaving a few seconds of silence at the beginning, ensures that you don't accidentally miss the attack of the first transients. Leaving a few seconds of silence at the end, without fading out or cutting the audio, will allow all reverb tails to fade naturally. All editings will be done at the Mastering process.

No.
Keep the same resolution as in your mixing session (Sample Rate & Bit Depth). The final “Bounce” or “Render”, should be done without using any type of Dithering. Dither will be applied on the Mastering process.

According to your needs, you will receive the following formats:

• DDPi For CD Production
• Wav – 96Khz / 24Bit (Streaming Platforms)
• Wav – 48Khz / 24Bit (Videoclips)
• Wav – 44.1Khz / 16Bit (Promotion Files For The Radio, etc.)
• MP3 – 320 Kbps (For The Cell Phone, or For Quick Sharing)

In case you need a special format, just me know in advance.

Sure.
Just send me the instrumental version with the exactly same size and with the start time exactly at the same spot, to avoid addicional costs.

That depends.
Minor balance changes, might not influence the Mastering process.
Otherwise major changes in the overall image of the mix may lead to a new approach to Mastering. In a situation like this, there will be additional costs.

Sure.
The main goal is you to be happy with the final Master. Common sense will always prevail in the number of revisions needed. Sometimes it's more effective to return to the mix.

Yes.
Although I think that Mastering Stems is kind of delaying the mixing process, there will be no problem in Mastering this way.
Anyway, I recommend that you send stereo files to Master.

Each project is unique.
I will use what best suits your music.
But I can ensure you, that both in the analog and digital domains, I will have the right and appropriate tools to raise the sound of your tracks to a superior level..

DDP means Disc Description Protocol, also known as DDPi (DDP Image) or DDP File Set. It's a set of files that make it possible to transport the Production Master without digital conversion errors. Once they leave the studio, DDP files cannot be altered, ensuring that each CD produced will be a perfect replica of the Master. It's currently the standard format for sending the Master to CD duplication plants around the world.
Mastering studios usually charge an extra fee for the DDPi Master, but I include it  with no additional costs, if your project includes the CD format.

It's better not to.
You will be listening to your mixes in a strange environment, with a set of speakers that are unfamiliar to you. It's always preferable to listen and analyze the final Mastering in your space with your usual set of speakers, headphones or wherever you have your references.
But after approving the final Master, I will be happy for you to come to the studio and listen to your new project.