Preparing Files for Mixing
Essential guidelines for organizing and preparing your multitrack files for professional mixing.
A clean mix starts with clean files.
To ensure the best possible result when sending your project for mixing, it's important that everything is well-organized, properly labeled, and exported in a format that gives the mixing engineer full flexibility. Below you'll find a detailed checklist and explanations to help you prepare your session for mixing. These are guidelines, not gospel. They're refined over time, and there's more than one way to get a great result. If any questions should arise, feel free to get a hold of me either via mail or phone.
1. Exporting Your Tracks
Consolidate All Tracks
Every audio file should start from bar 1 (or 00:00:00), even if the actual sound comes in later. This ensures that when all the files are imported into a new session, everything lines up perfectly.
Good example:
A vocal harmony that only plays in the chorus is still exported as a full-length file, starting at bar 1.
Bad example:
A vocal harmony stem that starts exactly when the part comes in. This will cause alignment issues.
Tip: Most DAWs have a “consolidate” or “bounce in place” feature for this.
Clear and Consistent Track Naming
Use clear, descriptive names for each stem. This saves time and avoids confusion for the mix engineer.
Recommended format:
Instrument_Role_Position
Examples:
- LeadVox_Main
- Guitar_RhythmL
- Guitar_RhythmR
- Kick
- SnareTop
- SnareBottom
- BassDI
- BassAmp
- Synth_Arp
- BV_StackL, BV_StackR
Avoid default names like Audio_01.wav or Track5.wav.
For the full breakdown of what a finished session should include per instrument, DI vs. mic'd tone, how many doubles, whether pitch and timing have already been checked, see the "What to Deliver to Your Mixer" checklist in each instrument's section of the Home Recording guide:
Print Dry Tracks (No Effects)
Unless a specific effect is absolutely essential to the sound or the vibe (for example, a chorus on a synth or a creative vocal delay), export your tracks dry:
- No EQ
- No compression
- No reverb or delay
If you’re unsure whether an effect should be kept or removed, you can send both a dry and a wet version, clearly labeled (e.g. LeadVox_Main_Dry.wav and LeadVox_Main_Wet.wav).
Audio File Format
- Format: WAV (or AIFF if needed)
- Bit Depth: 24-bit (or higher if recorded that way)
- Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz (match your session settings)
- Do not send MP3 files unless there is no other option
Lossy files like MP3 reduce audio quality and can negatively affect the final mix.
2. Session Information & Extras
Provide a Tempo Map or BPM
Let your mix engineer know the BPM (tempo) of the track. If your song includes tempo changes, export and include a tempo map or a MIDI file with tempo automation.
Example:
“The track is in 6/8 at 90 BPM throughout.”
Include a Reference Mix
Always include a rough mix of your track, even if it's not polished. This gives your engineer an idea of:
- How you envision the balance
- Panning ideas
- Effects usage
- Vocal placement
Label it clearly, for example: TrackName_RoughMix.wav.
Add Notes If Needed
If there are parts that need special attention (or things you're unsure about), include a short text file or an email with notes such as:
- “The vocals in the bridge need tuning.”
- “The guitar solo is meant to sound raw.”
- “Let me know if you think the harmonies are too loud.”
More context always leads to a better result.
Keep It Simple
Don’t send full DAW projects unless requested. Engineers often work in a different DAW than you, so audio files (WAVs) are the universal standard.
Example folder structure:
/TrackName_MixPrep/
├── Audio Stems/
│ ├── LeadVox_Main.wav
│ ├── LeadVox_Doubles.wav
│ ├── Guitar_RhythmL.wav
│ └── ...
├── TrackName_RoughMix.wav
├── TrackNotes.txt
└── BPM_TempoMap.mid
3. Final Checklist
Need more resources?
Explore the other guides below or reach out if you need help applying these steps to your specific project.