analog recording, digital mixdown, cd mastering, 2" 24 track, pro tools 24/mix,

At Trakworx we use world class analog tube equalizers and tube compressors (plus several "secret weapons") to fine-tune and enhance your mixes. Your songs are then recorded into Pro Tools HD at 24 bits through a Burl B2 Bomber analog to digital converter for superior audio quality. There they are edited, their levels are balanced, and they are digitally limited to get your music up to industry standards for volume. Highest quality dither is applied to increase resolution, preserving clarity and warmth. Skilled and experienced engineers make sure you get the best possible sound at a fraction of the cost. Masters can be provided on CD-R, DAT and reel to reel. Thanks to the internet and the mail, it is easy send your music to be mastered at Trakworx from anywhere in the world. Feel free to make contact no matter how far away you are.

BE PREPARED FOR MASTERING! Here are 4 important things you should know before you come in for mastering:

1. PLEASE WATCH YOUR MIX LEVELS. It is normal and preferable for songs to sound about 1/2 as loud before mastering. It is the job of the mastering engineer to bring the levels up in the best possible way, using the proper equipment. Before mastering, louder is not necessarily better. When audio files are mixed too loud, the sound waves get clipped, causing the highs to sound harsh, and the low's to lose "bounce". This is the most common problem people face when coming for mastering, especially if they mixed their songs in a digital audio workstation like Pro Tools, Digital Performer, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Etc. It is best to have a master fader in your mixing session, and leave the master fader at zero dB. Then use all the individual track faders to keep the level low enough. The meter on the master fader should not be allowed to hit the red at the top. If you simply turn down the master fader instead of using the individual track faders, all you are doing is bringing down the volume of an already-clipped mix. If you look at the waveform of the mixed stereo file, it should not look flat - like a brick. It should look wavy. Please do not put any limiters, maximizers, or mastering plug-ins on the master fader (you will only be tying the hands of your mastering engineer by doing his job before him with - no offense - inferior equipment). Following this advice will result in a better, more professional sounding final product for you and your listeners.

2. YOU CAN BRING data files on CDR, DVD-R, or Mac compatible hard drive (data files are better than audio CDs if you have high resolution files - 24 bit, 96 kHz, etc.) . You can bring audio CDs. You can bring 1/2" analog tape, 1/4" analog tape, or DAT. Please NO MP3s or AAC files - the audio quality of MP3s and AACs is inferior (see #3 below).

3. BEWARE of i-tunes! It is best not to use i-tunes for CD burning. That program has a nasty habit of automatically converting every song to AAC or MP3 when you import it into i-tunes. Even though you have burned an audio CD, it is still an AAC/MP3 quality file; the damage has been done and cannot be undone. Any song that has been converted to MP3 or AAC at any time before burning to CD is data-compressed and not suitable for mastering. This ruins the audio quality of your music and must be avoided. This also applies to 2-track beats that are used to record vocals over; they should never be MP3 or AAC.

4. PLEASE BE ORGANIZED. It is much better for the mastering engineer to be focused on enhancing your songs rather than on finding them. Know your song order and titles. If you're bringing audio CDs, it helps to have the songs in order on 1 CD. If you're bringing data files, please have all songs properly labeled and in 1 folder.

Thanks!


	Trakworx offers the sweet sound of analog recording combined with the incredible precision of digital mixdown. A 2" 24 track analog recorder along with first rate microphones, preamps, equalizers, and compressors, capture warm, brilliant sounds. These tracks are then mixed in a Pro Tools HD 3 Accel system with sample rates up to 192 KHz and 24 bit resolution. A Dangerous 2-BUS analog summing mixer and a Burl B2 Bomber analog to digital converter provide added clarity, smoothness, and depth to your music. This system has extensive editing capabilities and automation of every aspect of your mix. This combined with the ability to save a mix and improve on it later, gives you amazing control over your sound. At Trakworx the entire process is very efficient, and recording budgets often end up being half of what they would be at "cheaper" studios. Plus, when you mix at Trakworx, MASTERING IS INCLUDED!
	At Trakworx we use world class analog tube equalizers and tube compressors (plus several "secret weapons") to fine-tune and enhance your mixes. Your songs are then recorded into Pro Tools HD at 24 bits through a Burl B2 Bomber analog to digital converter for superior audio quality. There they are edited, their levels are balanced, and they are digitally limited to get your music up to industry standards for volume. Highest quality dither is applied to increase resolution, preserving clarity and warmth. Skilled and experienced engineers make sure you get the best possible sound at a fraction of the cost. Masters can be provided on CD-R, DAT and reel to reel. Thanks to the internet and the mail, it is easy send your music to be mastered at Trakworx from anywhere in the world. Feel free to make contact no matter how far away you are. BE PREPARED FOR MASTERING! Here are 4 important things you should know before you come in for mastering: 1. PLEASE WATCH YOUR MIX LEVELS. It is normal and preferable for songs to sound about 1/2 as loud before mastering. It is the job of the mastering engineer to bring the levels up in the best possible way, using the proper equipment. Before mastering, louder is not necessarily better. When audio files are mixed too loud, the sound waves get clipped, causing the highs to sound harsh, and the low's to lose "bounce". This is the most common problem people face when coming for mastering, especially if they mixed their songs in a digital audio workstation like Pro Tools, Digital Performer, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Etc. It is best to have a master fader in your mixing session, and leave the master fader at zero dB. Then use all the individual track faders to keep the level low enough. The meter on the master fader should not be allowed to hit the red at the top. If you simply turn down the master fader instead of using the individual track faders, all you are doing is bringing down the volume of an already-clipped mix. If you look at the waveform of the mixed stereo file, it should not look flat - like a brick. It should look wavy. Please do not put any limiters, maximizers, or mastering plug-ins on the master fader (you will only be tying the hands of your mastering engineer by doing his job before him with - no offense - inferior equipment). Following this advice will result in a better, more professional sounding final product for you and your listeners. 2. YOU CAN BRING data files on CDR, DVD-R, or Mac compatible hard drive (data files are better than audio CDs if you have high resolution files - 24 bit, 96 kHz, etc.) . You can bring audio CDs. You can bring 1/2" analog tape, 1/4" analog tape, or DAT. Please NO MP3s or AAC files - the audio quality of MP3s and AACs is inferior (see #3 below). 3. BEWARE of i-tunes! It is best not to use i-tunes for CD burning. That program has a nasty habit of automatically converting every song to AAC or MP3 when you import it into i-tunes. Even though you have burned an audio CD, it is still an AAC/MP3 quality file; the damage has been done and cannot be undone. Any song that has been converted to MP3 or AAC at any time before burning to CD is data-compressed and not suitable for mastering. This ruins the audio quality of your music and must be avoided. This also applies to 2-track beats that are used to record vocals over; they should never be MP3 or AAC. 4. PLEASE BE ORGANIZED. It is much better for the mastering engineer to be focused on enhancing your songs rather than on finding them. Know your song order and titles. If you're bringing audio CDs, it helps to have the songs in order on 1 CD. If you're bringing data files, please have all songs properly labeled and in 1 folder. Thanks! RATES: RECORDING, MIXING - $50/hr - Includes engineer and studio. MASTERING - $30 per song for songs up to 6 minutes in length. $40 per song for songs over 6 minutes in length. $15 per alternate version of a song (instrumentals, vocal only, etc.) if mastered the same day using the same settings. TRAKWORX has REVIEWS! You can use this URL: http://www.yelp.com/biz/trakworx-recording-and-mastering-studio-south-san-francisco or go to http//:www.yelp.com and search for TRAKWORX near San Francisco, CA.