Get mixing & masterbuss feedback & coaching from a ‘Top Down’ commercial mix & mastering expert as you go

Check the LUFS of any big track for yourself. Top streaming tracks are mostly -10 LUFSi or well above. Top audio mastering engineers ignore Spotify’s recommended -14LUFS. They know their limiters with optimal settings sound better than leaving it to the vast variability of user enabled streaming normalisation, radio broadcast and different download formats

No. That would lead to massive confusion for distributors and lead to wrong masters on wrong platforms. But it is crucial to know what each platform will do to your masters. Low bandwidth Spotify is nowhere near hi-def resolution. Your mastering engineer’s job is generally to provide one optimal master for everything from streaming, to radio, to club systems. This does sometimes mean different vinyl cuts. But that will be discussed with you.

Having done a PhD in AI and studied how AI platforms are fed ‘big data’ tracks to ‘train’ them. What you will inevitably get is a master that is inherently average within your genre. AI is nowhere near having any understanding of how to make your tracks stand out within that genre, or what any element in the mix is doing at any point.
Perhaps shockingly, in my experience, it’s better than some big name old-skool mastering engineers. Less shockingly, it’s hands down better than a host of ‘mastering engineers’ with little experience – but it will be a long, long time till top artists and labels choose AI over an expert mastering engineer as a sensible commercial decision to make tracks really fly.
AI doesn’t have soul, some might argue it never will. It certainly doesn’t have empathy. It can’t feel how the drummer or singer is feeling. And like many of those old-skool mastering engineers it outperforms, it can’t mix. See my in depth blog post on LANDR etc here and make up your own mind.

Yes, effectively. Because if you don’t ultimately think your master is top notch after we’ve discussed and maybe redrafted, you will not be charged. That’s just solid professional practice. I don’t do ‘beauty pageant’ masters because I need to understand in depth what each client needs creatively and technically.

The unsigned/ small label rates are fixed per track with free redrafts, and represent an hourly rate of around £30 to £50 per hour. Depending on many factors. But it fixes your costs at a very affordable price point for this level of top flight experience, expertise. and professionalism.
Supporting upcoming artists is something I’m passionate about – because I’m also an artist – and had some shockingly bad masters done at very big mastering facilities before I learned how to do it myself.
I’ve developed an extremely efficient workflow and have very low overheads, like other leading mix and mastering engineers who use the best software. Tens of thousands of pounds worth of software, yes – but less than a tenth of the equivalent hardware.. and I don’t have an eye wateringly expensive central London location to finance. Our studio has been thriving due to this sustainable business model since 1997. We were and are well ahead of thee game.
I also don’t charge through the nose for different formats – which are just run off automatically in batch processing wherever you go for mastering now.
Because of the vast experience and skillset it’s rare to need more than 2 drafts, it’s ofteen one; but if it takes more, then I’m prepared to absorb the costs so I can learn what you need.. or how to solve what may be a new issue that’s never emerged before and you should not be paying for that. That’s a win for you… and for me