Pro Tools Music Production
File Prep & Delivery
Please observe the guidelines below in preparing your music production tracks to send to me for mixing to help ensure fast turn around for your project.
If you are sending me files for Audio Post-Production for a video, please visit my Audio Post-Production Delivery page.
If you are NOT working in Pro Tools, please visit my DAW file prep & delivery page.
If you have any questions about anything here, please don't hesitate to contact me.
File Prep Guidelines
You may send me a LINK to your files on Dropbox, WeTransfer, or another file sharing service.
We do not accept files through Google Drive.
If you need an alternate method from Google Drive, please let us know and we can get you a free upload link for your project.
Dropbox users, please do not "share" a Dropbox folder with me—please share a link to the folder.
If you would prefer to upload to my secure FTP server, please let me know. If your project is over 50GB, please let me know.
Singles, EP’s, & Album Projects
Please include a lyric sheet(.PDF or .TXT) with designations for what you consider to be the Verses, Choruses, Pre-Choruses, Bridge, etc. as this will help with communicating revisions later in the process.
It would also be helpful to include the song's tempo here if a click track was used along with the key the song is in and any modulations.
If your song contains multiple lead or featured vocals and ad-libs, please make sure what you want featured and when is noted on the lyric sheet.
Live Projects
Please deliver ONE take of your event for mixing. Rehearsal takes and/or additional performances should each be delivered separately if needed or requested.
Live projects should include the following information on the project in a separate text file(.PDF or .TXT):
Setlist and/or Program Order as it was recorded
Tempo’s and Key Signatures for Each Song
Lead vocalist(s) for each song as named in the recording
Markers in the session with each song name start are helpful.
Please include any click and cue tracks that were used during the performance.
General Prep Guidelines
Only send the tracks you’d like in your song. Multiple playlists or specific takes should be decided before sending me files.
Track Naming
Please name all audio tracks by instrument keeping names as simple as possible. For example, “12 guitar" or “14 gtr" or "17 gtr solo".
Please label drum overheads and rooms with the side of the kit they are on in terms of cymbals (ex. OH-Hat and OH-Ride or OH-Floor Tom.)
Make sure all Lead Vocal tracks are specified as “Lead”.
For live recordings featuring multiple songs and/or lead singers, please include a document listing song titles with their specific lead singers(as named in the files) and song start times in the session.When sending multiple songs for mixing, please make sure the same file/track naming conventions are used on each song.
Please include/record any Click and Cue tracks used during recording.
Please label all routing/busses with simple descriptions. (ex. “Vocal Reverb” or “Mix Bus” instead of “Bus 5-6”).
Render all elastic audio and ensure the session tempo is correct.
Render all Melodyne ARA Tracks — You may include untuned versions on an alternate track if you are unsure of the tuning.
Please check all edits, but DO NOT consolidate them.
Please double-check all edits, but DO NOT consolidate them.
Please do not clean your drum tracks. If you really love cleaning drums and would find yourself deeply depressed if you don’t clean them, please MUTE the clips in lieu of clearing and/or deleting audio. Also, please make sure you do not neuter/destroy the sustain of each drum.
If there are specific plug-ins you are using to achieve a sound, please make sure and print or commit these in case I don’t have the same plug-in(s).
You may use Pro Tools “Commit” feature for this.
Check only “Consolidate Clips” and “Insert after last selected track”.
Source Tracks should be set to “Make Inactive”.
If you have a sound you love that you’ve created by blending multiple tracks such as multiple mic's on a guitar or bass, please print that blend and place it on an additional track. Please also include the original tracks grouped together. The original tracks should be named logically (ex. gtr 1a, gtr 1b, gtr 1c) and the blend should note it is a blend (ex. gtr 1 blend).
“Save A Copy” of your session to your delivery destination. Make sure to check “all audio files”.
Please label your song's folder with the Song Title, Tempo, Sample Rate, and Bit Depth.
Example: TheBestSongEver_118bpm_48k_24bPlease include the latest rough mix with your tracks. Live recordings should include the FOH mix.
Please make sure all of your audio files are included with the Pro Tools session folder your are sending me and ensure the file opens.