Mastering Rates:
I strive to provide high-quality mastering services at affordable rates based on a sliding-scale. The reason why I don't have set-in-stone "per-song" or hourly rates for mastering is because I believe in deciding upon a price which is fair for both myself and the client's wallet.
A major label will obviously have a larger budget for mastering than a new D.I.Y. band just starting out and professional mastering services should be accessible for everyone! Likewise, every project has a different set of requirements and I don't think a flat rate is appropriate in that context. Never hesitate to reach out about working together, even if you think you can't afford mastering services. Punk ethos.
|
|
Mixing and Recording Rates:
I do have set rates for engineering and mixing work. For tracking/recording, you can see a breakdown of rates to work with me (or Kurt Ballou) at God City here on our website. I am willing to travel for recording projects and work out of other studios as well if you'd like to make a record elsewhere.
My rate for mixing (and tracking) is $200/day. To help you calculate a total price, here is a rough breakdown of how many days I would typically book out for mixing a project based on length. Obviously these estimates are dependent on the scope of the work required for the project.
|
|
These estimated timeframes include ample time for revisions, but additional editing or mix preparation may require scheduling extra dates. For all mixing and mastering jobs, I include two complimentary sets of revisions as this typically meets my clients' needs and fits within our scheduled timeframe. Additional sets of revisions are available at an additional cost depending on the scope of necessary adjustments.
All of this being said, I always try to keep my prices fair and flexible, especially when a client is self-funding their project, so please email me regarding your budget and we can probably work something out. If the scope of the project is more than expected and requires additional work such as editing, tuning, importing and consolidating your sessions, spectral repair, clean-up, etc., this will obviously require extra time and incur extra charges.
Deposit:
For all mixing and mastering projects, a non-refundable deposit of 30% is required to confirm dates. If you cancel with enough notice so another project can be found to fill those dates, your deposit will be returned pro-rated based on the number of dates filled. It is important to note that deposits are connected to specific dates, not projects – postponing means you will likely lose your deposit.
To book God City Studio in Salem, MA for recording or attended mixing, a non-refundable deposit of 50% is required to confirm dates. Recording or attended mixing at God City is always a flat rate of $450/day rather than my $200/day unattended mixing rate.
Final mixes or masters will be delivered as soon as remaining balance for the project is settled in full.
If alternate mixes or masters (stems, vocal up, instrumentals, etc.) are required, please state that at the time of booking so that sufficient time can be scheduled for that purpose. I usually mix records in one session (not separate session files for each song) with outboard hardware so once your record is complete and delivered, it is complete. This workflow also applies to mastering projects. The dates we schedule are the dates the work will be done. If you contact me asking for revisions a month or two later, the entire record will have to be recalled and treated as a new project.
I don't do free or discounted "test masters" or "test mixes" as the process of doing a "test" of anything is counterproductive to my workflow. If you want a "test master" or "test mix", the rate will be the same as booking a regular project.
Contact:
Please email me at work@zachweeks.com to further discuss availibility and details about your project and we can take it from there!
An important side note regarding mastering and mixing the same project:
To be transparent, I typically prefer not to master my own mixes, as a fresh perspective and a second set of ears are crucial for quality results. This is why I generally offer either mixing or mastering services.
That being said, not all clients have the means to hire a solid mastering engineer who I would recommend working with. In these cases, I am happy to provide mastering services in addition to mixing at a discounted rate. In such cases, I space out a week or two between finishing the mix and starting the mastering to "reset" my ears and approach the project with fresh perspective.
Some mastering engineers I really like working with include: Magnus Lindberg, Alan Douches, Chicago Mastering Service, James Plotkin, and Jon Markson.
FAQ: why are your mastering rates cheap?
I firmly believe that in addition to quality engineering and mixing, professional mastering services should be accessible to everyone and not misconstrued as an extravagant expense just to get "golden ears" on your record. I never cut corners and treat all projects with the same level of T.L.C. and respect regardless of scope or budget.
Most of the other mastering engineers I work with are also very fairly priced and I cannot recommend their work enough!
Copyright © 2024 Zach Weeks. All rights reserved.