“Can you mix and master my track?” We hear it a lot, and it makes sense: the two belong together. But they are two different steps with a different goal. Once you know what happens in each one, you’ll deliver better files, ask the right questions and get a better result.

Mixing: all the separate tracks into one whole

In mixing you work with all the separate parts of your song: the kick, the bass, the guitars, the synths, the vocals, the effects. The mix engineer makes all those tracks form one clear, powerful whole. That includes:

Balance: how loud is each part compared to the rest?
EQ: every instrument gets its own place in the frequency spectrum, so things don’t mask each other.
Dynamics: compression keeps a vocal steady and gives drums their punch.
Space: panning, reverb and delay decide what sounds close and what sounds far away, what sits left and what sits right.
Character and emotion: a mix isn’t just technique. The mix engineer makes choices that shape how the song feels.

The result of a mix is a single stereo file: your song the way it’s meant to sound.

Mastering: the final finish

Mastering is the step after that. The mastering engineer no longer works with separate tracks, but with that one stereo file from the mix. The goal: making sure your track sounds good on every system, from earbuds to a club rig, and is ready for release. Think of:

subtle corrections to the tonal balance;
the right loudness for streaming services, without losing the dynamics;
consistency between tracks when you release an EP or album;
a final check with fresh eyes — or rather, fresh ears.

Mastering can lift a good mix to a higher level, but it can’t save a bad one. A problem in the mix (a harsh hi-hat, a vocal that disappears) is solved in the mix.

Do you need both?

For a release: almost always. A few situations:

You’ve produced a song but the mix doesn’t sound the way you want yet: mixing and mastering.
You’re happy with your own mix: mastering only. Do let us take a listen first — we’ll tell you honestly if we think there’s more to gain in the mix.
You’re releasing an EP: have all tracks mastered together, so they sound like one body of work.

Not sure whether your mix is ready for mastering? That’s exactly the kind of question we’re happy to listen to.

What does it cost at Foltaazje?

Full single mix: €450
Vocal mix (comping, time alignment, tuning and mix): €150
3-track EP mix: €1000
Single master: €75
EP master (up to three tracks): €200

Prices exclude VAT. We mix hybrid: a combination of analogue gear and digital precision, in a studio with balanced acoustics. All options and extras are on our mixing & mastering page.

Delivering your files

Good delivery is half the work of a good mix. Read our post on delivering stems for a mix to see how to prepare your files.