Essential Tips for Preparing Your Music Session

Export from Bar 1, Every Time

If a vocal comes in at bar 109, I still want that file starting at bar 1, silent until bar 109. It should not be trimmed, offset, or labelled "starts at bar 109." Why? Because the moment I have to think about where parts start, I lose the one thing that makes your multi-track session usable: everything should line up against everything else automatically.

I need to drag your parts straight onto a new mix session, and every part should sit where it should in the arrangement. No mixer wants to think about where this particular kazoo overdub needs to come in; I want to push play and mix. It also protects you. If there's ever a question about timing, a re-comp, or additional parts, it's all referenced against the same bar 1 as everything else.

While we're on the subject of not making extra work for anyone, the mix session runs at 24-bit/48kHz. If your exported parts match that, nothing has to be converted, resampled, or dithered before we start. Nothing sits around getting quietly degraded by a format change nobody asked for. Export at 24/48, and everyone's a winner.

Wet and Dry, Not "The Good Version"

Give me both. The dry, unprocessed signal and the wet, fully-processed version should both start at bar 1 and be the same length. The same goes for reverbs and delays on their own aux returns rather than baked into the source track wherever possible. If I love what you did, I use the wet file, which is often the case. However, for lead vocals, I usually process from scratch.

If something's not translating or fighting another element you couldn't have heard in isolation, I've got the dry signal to rebuild from without asking anyone to reopen a session six weeks later.

But Don't Strip Everything

There's a version of "always give me dry" that gets taken too literally, and it does real damage. Some effects aren't just polish; they're part of the instrument. A synth patch built around a specific delay, a vocal doubling effect that's part of the phrasing, or distortion on a bass that defines what the part is—these are crucial.

Pitch correction, whether used as a creative effect or a repair tool, is a production decision. Strip those out, and you're not giving me a clean canvas; you're giving me a different, worse part. The rule I like to live by is simple: if removing the effect would make someone say, "that's not the sound anymore," it stays on the bounce.

Effects that are about polish, glue, or taste at the mix stage should be printed wet and dry. Effects that are integral to sound design should be committed. When in doubt, ask, or just give me both and a note explaining what's what.

Naming Track Files

It sounds obvious, but it isn't, apparently. Please don’t put the name of the session, BPM, or artist name on the multi-track parts. I only need to know the track name. Use labels like "Vox Lead," "Vox Dbl," "Vox Adlib 1," not "Audio 14," "Audio 22," or "Audio 31."

I will figure it out either way, but every minute I spend guessing what's what is a minute not spent mixing. On a fixed quote, that's not free time; you’re paying for the time.

One Consolidated Take per Part Where Possible

If there are twelve vocal takes still sitting on separate tracks because you haven't committed, that's a production decision, not a mixing one. It's one I can't make for you; you are the producer. Commit to your comp, then send it over.

The Recording Engineer's Role Has Moved, Not Disappeared

It's worth saying plainly: in the DAW era, "the recording engineer" as a standalone role on most sessions has largely folded into the producer's job. Nobody's booking a separate person to just push record on a Logic session in a bedroom. What used to be split across a producer, an engineer, and often an assistant is now one person making every one of those decisions in real time, from mic choice to how the take gets compiled.

This is exactly why the state of a session tells me so much about the producer's work before I've heard a single note. Good gain staging, sensible track names, and printed effects that were clearly chosen on purpose rather than left on from a preset are all signs of a well-prepared session. Arrangement decisions should already be made, rather than having forty muted alternate takes still sitting there unresolved. That's not tidiness for its own sake; that's the producer having done their job properly. My job is to build on that, not to go back and do it for them. A session prepped the way I've described above is usually a good sign that the rest of it was handled with the same care.

Don't Forget the Rough Mix!

The rough mix is an essential part of the process. It provides a reference point for the final mix. It helps me understand the overall vision you have for the track. A rough mix can highlight the elements you feel are most important, guiding me as I work to achieve the polished, radio-ready sound you desire.

In conclusion, proper session preparation is crucial for achieving the best mix possible. By following these guidelines, you ensure that your tracks are ready for mixing, saving time and enhancing the final product. Remember, the goal is to create music that stands out in today's competitive industry.

With over 30 years in music production, I specialise in professional music mixing, vocal production, and mastering for artists, producers, and record labels. My personalised approach ensures each track achieves a radio-ready, streaming-optimised sound with exceptional clarity and impact, making your music competitive in the industry.

For more information on how to prepare your session, feel free to reach out.