How to Prepare Your Song for Mixing: Stems, Folders and Notes

The short answer

A mixing engineer can only work with what you send. Messy files, missing tracks or hidden effects slow the job and can hurt the result. A little preparation makes the process faster and the mix better. This guide is a practical checklist for getting your song ready. To understand what mixing does, see mixing vs mastering.

Step 1: Finish the creative work

• Complete your recording and arrangement before sending. Changes later cost time.
• Tidy your vocals: remove long silences, mouth noises and obvious mistakes.
• Decide which takes you want to use.
• Fix timing and tuning problems that you know about.

Step 2: Export stems or tracks

A stem is an exported audio file of one instrument, a group of instruments or a single track. Export each track as its own file.

• Export every file from the very beginning of the song, with the same start point, so they line up when loaded.
• Use WAV files at the same sample rate and bit depth as your project, for example 24-bit.
• Do not normalise the files, and do not add compression or limiting on the master bus.
• Leave effects on if they are part of the sound, such as a distinct distortion. Also send a clean version if you can.
• Keep peak levels comfortable, so nothing clips.
• Bounce virtual instruments to audio so the engineer does not need your plug-ins.

Step 3: Name and organise

Step 4: Send a rough mix and a reference

• Export your own rough mix as an MP3 or WAV. It shows the engineer what you hear.
• Choose one or two reference songs that sound the way you want your song to sound.
• Say what you like about each reference, such as the vocal sound or the low end.

Step 5: Write clear notes

• Which parts matter most, such as the vocal and the main hook?
• Any sounds that must not change.
• Problems you have noticed.
• Delivery requirements and deadlines.
• The format you want back, such as a WAV master and an instrumental.

Step 6: Agree the details in writing

• The price, number of revisions and delivery date.
• Who owns the final mix, and how the engineer will be credited. See music metadata.
• How files will be sent and stored. Use a trusted cloud service and keep a copy. See back up your phone and laptop.

After the mix

1. Listen on headphones, a car, a phone and speakers.
2. Write your feedback in one clear list.
3. Ask for specific changes, such as “lead vocal 1 dB higher in the chorus”.
4. Approve the mix only when you are happy.
5. Back up the final files, and see how to protect your music copyright for protecting your music.

Quick checklist

• Finish and tidy your recording first
• Export every track from the same start point
• Remove master-bus processing and avoid clipping
• Name and organise your files
• Send a rough mix and a reference
• Write clear notes and agree terms in writing

Key points to remember

Preparation is respect for the engineer and for your own song. When the session is clean, the mix can be about music rather than fixing problems. Plan the rest of your release with a simple release strategy for your next single.