What we mean by stems
Stems are grouped tracks: drums bus, bass DI, rhythm guitars, lead vocal and backing vocals separately, for example. Some producers send every drum channel; others send submixes. Both work when the folder layout is obvious and processing surprises are labelled.
At Mordancyedge mixing is usually €185 per song or €88 per hour for dense projects; an EP up to six tracks is €660. Cleaner delivery means fewer billable hours — and keeps you inside the 2 revision rounds that often apply to mix work.
Technical export standards
Send WAV or AIFF, 24-bit, at your session sample rate (44.1 kHz for many streaming releases; 48 kHz for video). Avoid mp3 intermediates unless we agree beforehand.
Leave headroom: peaks around −6 dBFS give the engineer space for EQ and compression. Bounce with inserts and sends you want baked in; otherwise mark dry or wet in the filename. Disable dither on 24-bit exports.
Naming and folders
Use short consistent names: 01_Kick.wav, 02_Snare.wav, LeadVox_Dry.wav. Avoid spaces; use underscores. One folder per song Artist_Title_BPM plus a notes.txt with tempo, key and reference links.
Include a stereo rough mix so we hear your intent. State whether tuning or timing edits are already committed — that saves back-and-forth via [email protected]. When exporting from Logic, Ableton or Reaper, disable Normalize so levels stay intact.
For multiple songs, mirror the folder structure per track instead of one long list; our engineers move faster when order matches your Spotify or Bandcamp tracklist.
MIDI, tempo and session data
Send tempo map and markers when your DAW grid matters. MIDI for drums or bass helps edits only if plugins match on our side or you print frozen stems with effects.
Mark which vocal takes are final if you comped yourself. Archives run 24 months; old bounces in the same folder confuse everyone later.
Sending from the Netherlands
Large sessions work best as a cloud link that downloads without an account. Test the link on mobile data before you travel to Amsterdam Oost. USB drives are fine on site; exFAT suits Mac and Windows together.
Business clients on 14-day terms can attach a PO through the contact form. Usage and rights questions: see terms and conditions. Label the session date in the folder name so finance can match invoices from Mordancyedge B.V. without email threads.
Common mistakes
- Mono files panned hard without saying so
- Mixed sample rates that shift pitch on import
- Effect returns printed twice on instrument and aux
- No reference mix, so balance becomes guesswork
- Zips uploaded on flaky train Wi-Fi without verification
If unsure, send a short list via 020 244 9183; we reply within 2 business days. Mention your deadline and whether you need instrumental and vocal versions separately for remixers.
After the mix: loudness and master
Once the mix is approved, Mastering often follows for streaming. Read streaming loudness targets so you know what platforms do with level. Mastering is €78 per track here; an extra revision round is €35.
Want one pipeline from tracking to master? Plan via contact; band sketches can start through Demo recording.
Delivery checklist
| Item | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Format | WAV 24-bit, one sample rate |
| Level | Peaks near −6 dBFS |
| Meta | BPM, key, rough mix, notes.txt |
| Delivery | Tested link or drive, folder per song |
More questions: FAQ or contact. Upload privacy: privacy policy.
