$50 per track. Corrective EQ, compression, loudness normalization, full-resolution WAV plus MP3/AAC/FLAC, delivered in 7–10 business days. Attended sessions in Barnardsville, NC, or send files from anywhere.
What mastering actually does
Mastering is the last step before your music goes out into the world. Your mix is one song; the master is that song made to sit next to every other song on the album, on a playlist, on a phone speaker, and on a good pair of studio monitors. What that really means:
- Corrective EQ — fixing tonal problems the mix room hid: a low-mid build-up, a harsh top end, a low end that’s different on every track.
- Compression and limiting — controlling dynamics so the quiet parts are audible and the loud parts hit, then setting a final level that’s competitive without being crushed.
- Loudness normalization — targeting levels that survive Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube’s playback normalization so your track doesn’t get turned down (or up, revealing noise) next to everyone else’s.
- Sequencing and spacing — track order, gaps, fades and crossfades so the album plays as one piece.
- Consistency — every track on the release matched in level and tone.
What it doesn’t do is fix a mix. If you don’t like your mix, there’s a large chance you’re not gonna like your masters. If the vocal is buried or the kick and bass are not getting along, I’ll tell you, and it’s almost always faster and better to go back to the mix for that. 🤝
What you get back
- 24-bit WAV masters at your project’s sample rate (full resolution)
- 16-bit/44.1k WAV, dithered, for CD or anywhere that needs it
- MP3, AAC and FLAC versions for web delivery
- A single download link; everything named and sequenced
If the release is going to CD, you’ll also need a Master CDR / DDP image. If it’s going to vinyl, you’ll need a vinyl pre-master. Both are flat $100 add-ons on top of the per-track rate.
How it works
- Book. Pick the track count and any add-ons, pay through Stripe, and you’ll get an upload link on the confirmation page.
- Send files. WAV or AIFF, 16/20/24/32-bit, any sample rate up to 192 kHz — stay at whatever rate you mixed at. No limiter on the mix bus, and leave some headroom; peaks around −3 to −6 dBFS is plenty. Please zip everything before you upload.
- Mastering. 7–10 business days, Monday–Friday. If you have a deadline sooner than that, contact me before booking and I’ll tell you honestly whether I can make that date.
- Review. You get the masters, you listen everywhere you can, and if something isn’t right we talk about it. Reasonable revisions are part of the job.
Attended or remote
The studio is in Barnardsville, about 20 miles north of Asheville. I genuinely prefer attended sessions — hearing your reaction in the room settles questions in minutes that would take days over email. If you’re anywhere else in the world, remote works great; even locals often prefer not to make the drive out here to the boonies.
Analog tape and other sources
Tape (¼” and ½”), DAT and CD sources can be transferred by arrangement — I no longer keep a tape machine in the room, so there’s a rental charge for the playback deck and a little extra lead time. Contact me before booking. For tape, please include alignment tones at 100 Hz, 1 kHz and 10 kHz at the head of the reel.
Rates
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Mastering, per track | $50 |
| Master CDR / DDP image (for CD replication) | $100 flat |
| Vinyl pre-master | $100 flat |
No minimums, no per-revision charges, no “stem mastering” tiers.
Credit
On liner notes and metadata: “Mastered by John McCaig at panicStudios.” It’s McCaig — no “r”, don’t forget the “g” — and the studio is panicStudios, lowercase p, capital S. Please don’t call us Panic Mastering.